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experience are by themselves great teachers an essay so well. It would have demolished
and food for thought for us to mull and most kids pushing them into a shell forever.
introspect. Let me share some of those which But with my erudite father’s (probably my
will bring alive the inherent bias in people best and the most honest mentor that I ever
sans exception. had) counselling, I was able to come out it
Let me start with my experience decades and continue to flourish with my pen in my
ago in Class 8 whilst at school. We had an own small way. Symbolically, I have over
assignment to write an essay on ‘Me and a score of excellent pens in my collection.
My pet’. I was all enthused and gave it my Perhaps it is a bias to think that those with
heart and soul in the night and handed pens know how to write!
over the essay the next day. After a couple We all come across street urchins and
of days, I was pleasantly surprised to hear young impoverished mothers with babies
my class teacher (his name was George in arm begging at street signals of Mumbai.
Thomas) read it out in the class and observe Most will turn a blind eye or ignore them;
that it was the best essay he had come some will dole out alms out of pity or guilt
across in a long time. Moments later, I was while some others would be genuinely
stunned and anguished when he asked me: munificent in thought and action. I have
“It is excellent, but did you copy it from umpteen examples, riding with family or
somewhere or someone helped you?” As a friends, where family members and friends
13-year-old brought up with middle class have rationalised saying that one should not
values and in an atmosphere of honesty and encourage begging or discourage able bodies
hard work, it was extraordinarily hurtful people from working by giving alms. While
to hear that. I had written the essay all by a small percentage of such beggars may be
myself and with my own imagination, since taking the easy route to money by begging,
I had always liked writing (not speaking as most could be victims of misfortune or
much). It was the classic case of a bias of the under threat from thugs to beg or similar
class teacher with a pre-conceived notion circumstances. But the point is that we
that an 8th class student cannot articulate allow our bias to ‘avoid doing something
positive’ with the perception that we will
be “aiding something wrong” by helping
the impoverished. It is a classic case of a
confirmation bias, our own beliefs guiding
our actions.
During my corporate journey over
decades, I have worked quite closely with
some successful bosses and colleagues.
Given my core competency of finance and
law, my interactions with them were both
professional and personal, given the all-
permeation of finance and legal issues. Most
knew their positive sides, but very few knew
their negative sides as well as I did. Typical
of ‘hero-worship’ of successful bosses and
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #27 | SEPTEMBER 2021 25
