1. Big Data & AI: Understanding Complex Life Systems

What it means: Using AI and large datasets to understand how many moving parts influence outcomes.

Real-life example — Urban traffic. A city uses AI to analyze traffic flow, weather, events, and accidents.
Instead of fixing one intersection, the city adjusts traffic lights across the entire city to reduce congestion system-wide.

Systems thinking insight:
Traffic jams aren’t caused by one road — they emerge from interconnected travel patterns, work schedules, public transit, and city design.

2. Network Science: Seeing Hidden Influence

What it means: Mapping who or what influences outcomes behind the scenes.

Real-life example — Workplace dynamics.
A company finds that productivity problems aren’t due to job roles, but to informal communication networks.
One unofficial team leader shapes morale more than management.

Systems thinking insight:
Power and influence flow through networks, not just organizational charts.

3. Agent-Based Modeling: Understanding Group Behavior

What it means: Simulating how individual behaviors create large-scale outcomes.

Real-life example — Panic buying.
During a crisis, one person hoards supplies. Others observe and copy, causing store shortages.

Systems thinking insight:
Large social outcomes can emerge from small, individual decisions — not central control.

4. Transdisciplinarity: Solving Problems Across Fields

What it means: Combining perspectives from multiple disciplines instead of working in silos.

Real-life example — Reducing school dropout rates.
A systems approach combines:

Teachers (education)

Psychologists (mental health)

Families (home environment)

Economists (poverty & resources)

Community leaders (local culture)

Systems thinking insight:
Dropout rates aren’t just an education problem — they involve economic, emotional, social, and cultural systems.

5. Ethics in Systems Design: Preventing Harm

What it means: Designing systems that don’t reinforce inequality or unintended harm.

Real-life example — Hiring algorithms.A company discovers its AI hiring tool favors certain demographics because it learned from biased past data.
They redesign the system to ensure fair and inclusive decision-making.

Systems thinking insight:
Systems reflect values, not just efficiency — design choices shape justice.

6. AI + Systems Thinking in Daily Life

Real-life example — Personal health.
Instead of treating symptoms alone, a person tracks:

Sleep.

Stress.

Diet.

Relationships.

Workload.

Environment.

They realize burnout isn’t just about work — it’s about lifestyle, boundaries, emotional load, and habits interacting.

Systems thinking insight:
Well-being is a whole-system outcome, not a single-cause problem.

7. Regenerative Systems: Designing for Long-Term Health

Real-life example — Sustainable farming. A farm stops relying on chemical fertilizers and instead builds soil ecosystems that regenerate nutrients naturally.

Systems thinking insight:
The goal shifts from short-term output to long-term system health.

8. What This Means for the Future (In Simple Terms)

In the future, systems-based thinking will help people:

Solve problems at the root, not just symptoms

Predict unintended consequences before harm happens

Design policies, businesses, and communities that adapt and self-heal

Balance technology with ethics and human values

See the bigger picture in everyday decisions.

9. One Everyday Summary Example

Traditional thinking:
“Why is this employee underperforming?”

Systems thinking:
“How do workload, team culture, leadership style, incentives, mental health, and company structure interact to shape performance?”

IMTM (I Mind The Mind)

Arundhati Roy, an Indian author and political activist, delivered a speech at the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil, January 2003. The address was directed at global activists and focused on resisting what she called “Empire” — a network of political and economic power including Western governments, multinational corporations, and international financial institutions.The speech is still relevent.

Key Points of the Speech

1. Understanding Power Is Essential
   Roy emphasized that resisting global power requires understanding how “Empire” operates. This system influences globalization, economic policies, and cultural narratives, often benefiting the wealthy while marginalizing poorer nations and communities.
2. Globalization Is Not Neutral
   According to Roy, globalization frequently serves corporate and elite interests rather than human welfare, increasing inequality and weakening local communities.
3. Resistance Already Exists Worldwide
   Roy highlighted grassroots movements, indigenous groups, and social justice organizations as examples of active resistance, showing that ordinary people have the potential to challenge dominant systems.
4. Collective Action Is Powerful
   She stressed that people, when united, can confront powerful institutions and create meaningful change.
5. Challenging Dominant Narratives
   Resistance also involves questioning media and official narratives that justify war, exploitation, or political control.

In simple terms:
Powerful global systems control politics and economies, but people can resist if they understand how these systems work and stand together.

Arundhati Roy: Books and Achievements

Major Books:

The God of Small Things (1997) – Won the Booker Prize (1997); internationally acclaimed debut novel exploring family, caste, and politics in India.

The Algebra of Infinite Justice (2001) – A collection of essays critiquing globalization, war, and corporate power.

Power Politics (2001) – Essays on militarization, corporate globalization, and Indian politics.

The Cost of Living (1999) – Essays on social, economic, and political issues in India.

Walking with the Comrades (2011) – Non-fiction account of Maoist guerrilla movements in India.

Azadi: Freedom. Fascism. Fiction. (2016) – Essays on democracy, freedom, and human rights.

My Seditious Heart (2019) – Selected writings on social justice, environment, and politics.

Major Awards and Honors:

Booker Prize (1997) – For The God of Small Things.

Lannan Literary Award for Nonfiction (2002) – Recognition for her critical essays.

Sydney Peace Prize (2004) – For contributions to literature and human rights activism.

Dylan Thomas Prize (2008) – Celebrating outstanding literary achievement by a young writer.

Vayalar Foundation Prize (2026) – For her first memoir, Mother Mary Comes to Me, which was released in September 2025.
This book has also received recognition, including the Mathrubhumi Book of the Year Award 2026.

Summary

Arundhati Roy’s work combines literary brilliance with political activism. Her 2003 speech explains how global systems of power function and encourages collective action and critical thinking. At the same time, her books and essays reflect her ongoing commitment to social justice, human rights, and environmental activism, making her both a celebrated author and an influential public intellectual.

IMTM (I Mind The Mind)

Frotteurism is a type of paraphilia or sexual deviation in which a person seeks sexual arousal or pleasure by rubbing against someone without their consent.

This behavior typically occurs in crowded public places such as buses, trains, elevators, and other densely populated settings.

It is a criminal offense. In many countries and legal systems, it is considered a punishable violation.

In countries where sex is considered as sin and suppressed,where even dating is probhibited, sexual perversion appears to be more prevalent, along with a significant number of sexually frustrated individuals.

Here is the situation being discussed:

A man rubs against a woman on a crowded bus. The woman interprets this as a violation of her personal rights. It is possible that she may have experienced similar violations before. In response, she records his behavior on camera and posts it on social media. The man becomes publicly shamed. Overwhelmed by guilt and social humiliation, he dies by suicide.

Following his death, sympathy for the man leads even some women to speak against the victim. Many men do the same. At the same time, some women strongly defend the victim, arguing that arresting her is equivalent to giving free rein to perverts. They also accuse all men who oppose the victim of being perverts or secretly harboring perversion — which is an example of overgeneralization.

If sexual perverts represent one extreme of sexual frustration, certain feminists stand at the opposite extreme. Some in this group reject sex entirely and believe that sex inherently weakens women. There are women in society who accuse men of stalking simply for looking at them or waving, and others who believe their virginity is lost even from accidental touch in a crowded bus. These individuals can be seen as victims of sexual suppression — a mindset that can be described as moral absolutism. In psychological defense mechanisms, this may be understood as reaction formation, where unconscious impulses are expressed through their opposite.

When evaluating the incident described above, the victim’s actions — knowingly or unknowingly — amount to character assassination. It is like killing someone with a sword for a minor offense.

Another issue is that a person’s photo or video should not be taken without consent. The victim seems to have overlooked this.

I watched the video related to the incident. There was perversion. The victim’s claim is true. At the same time, she could have reported the matter to the police instead.She posted the video to social media. She may have believed that public exposure was the only way to obtain justice.

However, when the accused asks, “Even if I made a mistake, did I deserve to be destroyed completely in front of public?” or “Was my mistake unforgivable?” — there is truth on his side as well.

We are standing between two truths. Which truth should we choose? Perhaps we should align ourselves with the truth that is closer to compassion and justice — the truth that deserves more empathy.

Poor humans.

On this occasion, it is also useful to understand another cognitive error.

Selective bias refers to a tendency where a person notices and accepts only the information, data, or experiences that support their existing beliefs or viewpoints, while unconsciously ignoring information that contradicts them.

Example: After a public controversy, many people focus only on facts that support their emotional reaction. Legal, ethical, or contextual details that make the issue more complex are often ignored.Most people were supporting the deceased one. Later police arrested the lady in the event.

Disclaimer: Nothing here is presented as fact. This is just an opinion. Just imagination. There is no intention to hurt anyone.

Neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to change and adapt through experience — has transformed modern neuroscience. It explains how we learn new skills, recover from injury, and reshape thoughts and behaviors over time. Many articles on neuronal plasticity highlight its role in lifelong learning, mental health, and cognitive growth. While these perspectives are motivating and scientifically grounded, they often present an overly optimistic and one-sided view, overlooking the limitations, risks, and ethical concerns associated with brain plasticity.

Strengths of the Positive Perspective

Many articles on neuronal plasticity successfully explain how the brain changes at a cellular level, including synaptic strengthening, pruning, and neural adaptation. They often link neuroscience to real-world applications such as education, rehabilitation after brain injury, psychotherapy, exercise, and sleep. This practical framing makes complex science more accessible and encourages individuals to adopt a growth mindset and engage in behaviors that support brain health.

The hopeful tone common in these writings can be empowering, particularly for people facing aging, neurological challenges, or recovery from trauma, reinforcing the idea that meaningful change remains possible throughout life.

Where Common Narratives Fall Short

Despite their value, many articles on neuronal plasticity lack scientific nuance and critical balance. They often fail to emphasize that neuroplasticity is not always beneficial. While brain adaptability can support healing and learning, it can also reinforce harmful habits, strengthen addictions, deepen trauma responses, and entrench negative thought patterns.

By underrepresenting biological constraints, genetic influences, and individual differences, these narratives risk creating unrealistic expectations. Brain change is possible, but it is neither unlimited nor effortless — and recovery from injury or psychological distress is not always complete, especially as plasticity tends to decline with age.

The Potential Risks of Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity is fundamentally a neutral mechanism — it strengthens whatever patterns are repeatedly activated, whether constructive or harmful.

It can reinforce addictive behaviors, including substance use, gambling, or compulsive social media consumption. Repeated exposure to rewarding stimuli strengthens neural reward circuits, making habits more persistent and potentially reducing attention span.

It can also amplify trauma, fear, and anxiety, as seen in conditions such as PTSD and chronic stress. The brain may become hypersensitive to perceived threats even when danger is no longer present.

Similarly, negative cognitive patterns can become neurologically entrenched. Persistent self-criticism and rumination may strengthen neural pathways linked to depression, low self-worth, and emotional dysregulation.

Neuroplasticity can also increase vulnerability to external influence. Repeated exposure to advertising, propaganda, misinformation, and digital overexposure can gradually reshape beliefs, biases, and behaviors, raising ethical concerns about psychological manipulation in modern media environments.

Additionally, plasticity can contribute to maladaptive outcomes such as obsessive behaviors, chronic pain sensitization, cognitive overload, and overtraining injuries. In these cases, more neural change does not necessarily lead to healthier or more functional outcomes.

A Balanced Perspective

Neuroplasticity is a powerful biological capacity — but it is not inherently positive or negative. It is a mechanism that shapes the brain for better or worse, depending on environment, habits, trauma, and social context.

A more responsible and scientifically grounded discussion of neuroplasticity should balance optimism with realism by acknowledging risks, limitations, maladaptive plasticity, and ethical implications. Understanding both the promise and the potential dangers of neuroplasticity allows individuals, educators, clinicians, and policymakers to approach brain change not as a simplistic “brain-hacking” solution, but as a complex and powerful process requiring care, awareness, and responsibility.

courtesy: Debbi

IMTM (I Mind The Mind)

Evidence links healthy emotional development to:

Academic success

Prosocial behavior.

Ability to build friendships

Locally, the UK government incorporates emotional development into the early years national curriculum and research priorities, highlighting its importance in education.

British early years curricula emphasize three areas:

Self-regulation

Managing oneself

Building relationships

Teachers focus on emotional competence and executive functions to measure progress.

1. Emotional Competence

Definition:
Emotional competence is the ability to understand, express, and manage emotions effectively in oneself and in interactions with others.
It’s a cornerstone of emotional development because it enables children to navigate social situations and cope with challenges.

Key Components of Emotional Competence:

1. Emotion recognition – Identifying one’s own emotions and the emotions of others.

Example: A child notices they are feeling frustrated because a puzzle is hard. They also notice a classmate is sad after dropping their blocks.

2. Emotion expression – Expressing emotions appropriately for the context.

Example: Saying, “I’m upset because my tower fell” instead of hitting or yelling.

3. Emotion regulation – Managing emotional reactions to respond appropriately rather than impulsively.

Example: Taking deep breaths when angry instead of pushing a friend.

4. Empathy and social understanding – Recognizing others’ feelings and responding sensitively.

Example: Comforting a friend who is crying or sharing a toy when someone is sad.

5. Problem-solving in emotional situations – Using emotions as a guide to make decisions.

Example: Negotiating turns when two children want the same toy.

How Teachers Measure Emotional Competence:

Observation: Teachers watch children during play and interactions. They note how children handle conflicts, express feelings, or respond to others’ emotions.

Checklists & Rating Scales:
Tools like the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA) or Social Emotional Learning (SEL) rubrics can track skills such as self-awareness, self-regulation, and social problem-solving.

Stories or Role-Play: Teachers might ask children to respond to scenarios (“What would you do if someone took your toy?”) and evaluate their emotional reasoning.

Self-Reports: For older children, simple questions or mood charts can help assess how they recognize and manage their emotions.

2. Executive Functions

Definition:

Executive functions are mental skills that help individuals plan, focus, remember instructions, and manage multiple tasks successfully. They are closely linked to cognitive and emotional self-regulation.

Key Components of Executive Function:

1. Working memory – Holding information in mind and using it.

Example: Remembering the steps of a painting project while following instructions.

2. Cognitive flexibility (or set-shifting) – Adjusting thinking or behavior when circumstances change.

Example: Switching from one activity to another without getting frustrated.

3. Inhibitory control (self-control).
   – Resisting impulses and staying focused.

Example: Waiting for your turn during a game instead of interrupting.

4. Planning and organization – Thinking ahead and structuring actions to reach a goal.

Example: Lining up all materials before starting a craft project.

5. Task initiation and monitoring. – Starting tasks independently and checking progress.

Example: Beginning a drawing without prompts and noticing if a color is missing.

How Teachers Measure Executive Functions:

Observation of behavior: Watching how children manage tasks, transitions, and challenges.

Structured games:
Activities like “Simon Says” or memory games measure inhibitory control and working memory.

Problem-solving tasks:
Puzzles or sorting tasks assess planning, flexibility, and monitoring.

Checklists & rating scales:

Tools like the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function – Preschool Version (BRIEF-P) help teachers systematically evaluate these skills.

Examples from Real-Life Classroom Situations

Following are summary of Skill Example/
Situation Observed Behavior / Assessment.

Emotional Competence.

Eg.Two children want the same toy.  One child says, “You can have it first, I’ll wait.” 

Teacher notes empathy and self-regulation.

Working Memory (Exec Function).

Eg. Following multi-step art project instructions.
Child remembers steps in order; teacher marks success.

Inhibitory Control.
Circle time sharing. Child waits quietly until it’s their turn to speak.

Cognitive Flexibility .
Game rules change suddenly Child adjusts and continues playing without getting upset.

Planning & Organization.
Eg.Cleaning up play area. Child gathers toys systematically instead of randomly, shows self-initiation.

Key Points

Emotional competence = handling and understanding emotions in oneself and others.

Executive function = cognitive “control center” skills that support focus, planning, and flexible thinking.

Teachers measure progress through observation, structured tasks, checklists, and role-play exercises.

Both sets of skills are interconnected: strong executive function helps a child regulate emotions, and emotional competence supports social interactions.

IMTM, I Mind The Mind

The dead are a community.Do not assume they do not exist simply because they make no political claims.No one truly leaves — they only arrive.There is no reason to grieve.Those who have died remain among us.Some people can see them.Others cannot.

Mādhava of Saṅgamagrāma is one of the most under-recognized geniuses in the history of world mathematics. Modern historians acknowledge him as the first person to use infinite series to determine the value of π (pi).

Who was Mādhava of Saṅgamagrāma?

Period: c. 1340–1425 CE

Place: Saṅgamagrāma (believed to be in present-day Kerala, in the Ernakulam–Thrissur region)

He was the founder of the Kerala School of Mathematics.

Infinite Series Used by Mādhava to Compute π

1. Infinite series for π (Madhava–Leibniz series)

\pi = 4\left(1 – \frac{1}{3} + \frac{1}{5} – \frac{1}{7} + \cdots \right)

This series became known in Europe as the Leibniz series in the 17th century.
However, Mādhava discovered it nearly 300 years earlier.

2. More accurate and rapidly converging series for π

Mādhava’s major innovation was:

The introduction of error-correction terms

Transforming slowly converging series into practical computational tools

Example:

\pi \approx 3.141592653589793

He achieved an accuracy of 11–13 decimal places, which was extraordinary for the 14th century.

Trigonometric Infinite Series

Mādhava also discovered infinite series for trigonometric functions:

\sin x = x – \frac{x^3}{3!} + \frac{x^5}{5!} – \cdots

\cos x = 1 – \frac{x^2}{2!} + \frac{x^4}{4!} – \cdots

\tan x = x + \frac{x^3}{3} + \frac{2x^5}{15} + \cdots

In Europe, these are known as Taylor series (17th–18th century).
Mādhava derived them about 300 years before Taylor.

What was Mādhava’s genius?

He treated infinity as a mathematical object

He intuitively used the concept of limits

He laid the foundations of calculus, centuries before formal integration and differentiation were developed in Europe.

Why was his work unknown to the world for so long?

His works were composed in Sanskrit and Malayalam verse

There was no printing press

Mathematical history was written largely from a Eurocentric perspective

Knowledge was transmitted through oral traditions.

Legacy

From Mādhava’s mathematical tradition emerged:

Nīlakaṇṭha Somayāji

Jyeṣṭhadeva

Acyuta Piṣārati

Today, serious historians acknowledge that the origins of calculus lie in India.

In one sentence: Humanity first approached π through infinity
through Mādhava of Saṅgamagrāma.

IMTM (I Mind The Mind)

Euthnesia, assisted suicide of minors is allowed under law for minors in only 2 countries in the world.
Belgium — All ages, with safeguards and parental consent.
Assisted death: Allowed under strict law.
For adolescents/minors:
No minimum age limit (unique globally).
Only for terminal illness with constant, unbearable physical suffering.
Child must be capable of understanding the decision.
Parental consent is mandatory.
Psychological suffering alone is not allowed for minors.
Belgium is the most permissive country in this area.

Netherlands — Minors (12–17) with parental consent/consultation and extreme restrictions.
Assisted death: Allowed under strict conditions.
For adolescents/minors:
Ages 12–15: parental consent required.
Ages 16–17: parental involvement required.
Must show unbearable suffering with no prospect of improvement.
Strong medical and legal review process.
Special protocols exist for very young children in rare cases.

India
Assisted death: Not allowed.
Active euthanasia / assisted suicide: Illegal for everyone.
Passive euthanasia: Allowed (withdrawing/withholding life support).

For adolescents/minors:
A minor cannot request death.
Parents/guardians may consent to stopping life-sustaining treatment.
Requires approval from hospital medical boards and follows Supreme Court guidelines.
Goal: allow natural death, not cause death.

IMTM(I Mind The Mind)

He attended the event along with Ursula von der Leyen (President of the European Commission) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

During the announcement, Prime Minister Modi referred to António Costa by a friendly nickname, and Costa even showed his Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card to highlight his personal connection to India.

The Landmark agreement will come
into force, by early 2027