Harder Networker!

Disclaimer: The following interpretations and comments are just results of my thought. I do not claim responsibility for the accurateness/ validity/ sustainability or implications of the interpretations. Because networking is an attitude and I am still developing it.

If I had a nickel for every time I heard the word ‘networking,’ I would be at the bank right now changing for billion dollar bills! If I had a nickel for every time I heard the words ‘networking’ and ‘important’ together, I would still be at the bank. You obviously got the point. If engineering management was a religion, the activity of ‘networking’ is the most sacred ritual that involves the Holy Grail of ‘learning.’ Did I take the analogy too far? :P

So after all the events and the speeches about networking, my dumb brain decided to actually understand what the word meant. So I looked it up in the dictionary. It defined networking as “connecting two or more computers or other devices.” That didn’t make a lot of sense to me. So all this while, people kept saying “you have to connect two or more computers or devices to have a great career path?”

Hahaha…Enough kidding. Here’s what I really have to reckon. Networking is not just talking to someone and gathering information like the person’s name, place of birth and hobbies. Networking is about genuinely (cannot stress this word enough even after bold, italic and underline) being interested in another human being. It is about having the best thoughts and intentions at heart and sharing them. Having said that, a very good question that many of us might be asking is ‘how and why must I be interested in someone else’s life?’ Wait, you didn’t ask that question? Well, I’m gonna try and answer it anyway. You have to network because you are a social being. Being interesting and interested is a very crucial part of being social. And to drive this exact point home, the MEM program and many such others organize networking events. These events are excellent practice sessions for being a great social animal.

Now, I want to comment on the state of ‘not being able to network well.’ It is absolutely understandable and genuine to not be able to network well. After all, it is an art. It is more than an art. It is an attitude. So even if you are doing it mechanically or even if you suck at it, keep trying. I would like to paraphrase Professor Jeff Glass here. ‘It is a bit like learning a new instrument. Initially you just play the notes as instructed by your teacher. You might not realize the depth or the weight in the music. You play it anyway. You practice, you learn, you practice again, you memorize, you connect, you get better and finally, someday, you internalize it.’ That is the state when you are the most genuine and social. Networking sessions and social events here at Duke, can be your practice sessions. Your friends and colleagues are nice, courteous people who will definitely understand and appreciate your efforts. And through such conscious effort and sub-conscious learning, you will someday be genuine, social and successful.

Credits: All the people I have interacted with.

B - Leaf

After quite some time, I again got the opportunity and the drive to sit down, contemplate and come up with some thought recipe. This time, it's about belief. That's right... belief - as in any cognitive content held as true.
Before we dive in, have a look at the illustration. Done? Read on....

The belief of someone in something or someone is based on either or both of the following:
1. Evidence
2. Confidence
Let us go by the generic senses of these words for now and try not getting into the exact definitions. I suggest this because, once we start evaluating and juxtaposing, the true definitions of these words would automatically emerge (or the theory would perish).
All the learning and knowledge base (often referred to as 'science') of the human race suggests that the direction of flow must start from evidence and end at confidence. You perceive something, you analyze it and start believing in the occurrence/ existence of such a thing and hence develop confidence regarding the same. This, as the process suggests, can be called "perception."
E.g.
1. You see a carrot. You perceive that the carrot is orange in color. After seeing a few more carrots, you start to believe that carrots are orange in color. After sufficient (again to be defined consequentially) observations, if someone comes along and asks you the color of a carrot, you will confidently say 'orange.'
2. Education

There also exists the opposite flow direction which is suggestive of the duality and hence the ambiguity of the universe. In this scenario, you develop confidence (inherent or induced) in something, start believing in its existence/ occurrence and hence, either by factuality or by illusion, find evidence to perceive. This can be called a "confidence trick." The word 'trick' in this phrase is merely indicative.
E.g. You acquire knowledge (build confidence) from various sources (books/mags/people etc.) that a particular place is beautiful/ scenic. You start believing that the place is beautiful/ scenic. You finally get the chance to visit the place and then find it to be 'beautiful/ scenic.'
2. Religion

That's all folks!





*Thanks to all my friends and close ones for making my 23rd birthday memorable. :-D

Metallica - Bangalore - 30th October, 2011

Om Shanti

At the edge of the world, where there's society
Masters command and slaves demand
Are we free to choose or are we a choice?
Questions and musings are often a reprimand
Svelte humans destroy their own world
Tiny viruses mock us with their hold!


Happy Diwali