COCO

Company Commander- ‘loving’ called, COCO in OTA verbiage. Much of it of course, rubbed on me, and like my OTA pals, I too, found a COCO here. The present one there lives up to the definition of a martinet. And of course, so does mine.

A professor here at the univ, at whose wrong side I almost always ended being, is our future Drs. COCO. He DECIDED to make our life hell, and in college lingo, ragged us, while in OTA lingo, gave us the raggada.  So much so, that the bright stars of tomorrow had this idea (of course generated by a lady Dr!) that we all make a line, march up to his office, with loud LEFT RIGHT LEFT music, and salute him with a strong, noisy, PARADE THUMP! But alas! The idea did not live to see its materialisation, being voted out hands down!

COCO hated me. Everytime he would look at me, he would wonder why am I in the class, almost loudly. He proclaimed in front of my fellow mates, that I wouldn’t be able to finish my PhD. Seemed to me almost in a threatening tone, that he wouldn’t let me.  And even if I do, by any chance, that is, it would be a work worth nothing, copy paste from someone elses thesis, no original work, all bloody nonsense!

The fact that I would like to work in the field of human rights, too, almost angered him. His instant reaction was – “human right! Hmm.. very fashionable huh!” He tried his best to bestow upon me, sense, or maybe the lack of it, that it would entail a lot of sacrifices. Human rights seem like a far call for a person like me. This, in the 3 or the 4^th class! So, he was angry, and so was I. But, as Iv learnt to take life with a pinch of salt, I kept quite. I let him have his say. For I was to, and will, prove him wrong by my actions. Reminded I am of the saying : a man has his will, a woman, her way.

Of late, COCO has begun to thaw. There is no one as punctual as me in the class – with time and work. He realised, that given an opportunity, I was willing to work hard. Quality work, is something, he will not compliment me with, just yet, but I know he’l get there. The last class was strangely even nice, with COCO laughing and smiling, though with his occasional sense of hurt pride!

But in the last class, he taught us all a very important lesson. About field insights. How we work on our hypothesis, in seclusion, unaware of the field realities. And when we have to test the same, insights in the field experience, may just tell us something else, requiring then, a revision of the hypothesis. He explained this with a very simple and genuine example- Suchreet.

Initially, he said, there may have been notions that people would have about her. They may dislike her for various reasons, which in reality are nothing but perceptions of the mind. Stereotypes, experiences, thoughts and wrong information, may lead to aversion. But if on experience of her behaviour, listening to her intentions, her motives, seeing her work, communicating etc u may want to soften on your perceptions, and hence, reject and revise your hypothesis about Suchreet.

Nice example! Relevant rather!

Same with any med. Cancer lets say. In labs,a ll the required knowledge is put into making the med. But  its never launched commercially just then. Its tested. On animals, and then humans and then, if it succeeds, its put into the market.

But social sciences, dealing with humans, are more complex than the ‘scientific’ science. For humans can keep a lot to themselves. Divulging less, thinking more.

But actually thats true, perceptions and stereotypes complicate matters. They really help to put a curtain before your eyes. As they did with COCO.

Iv heard, he instantly has a dislike for women students, for he thinks they will marry in the course of their PhD and do no work worthwhile. Exceptions being those whose husbands have contacts! Am sure, thats what he thought about me. Even though I haven’t had the chance to air my views about marriage to him, I think he pretty much understands by now, that am a slogger, Il work!

So much for COCO. All said and done, everyone has perceptions, tested or not, that’s subjective, depending upon your goal..of the research!