On a Social Experiment and on Imposition

'Data will confess to anything if you flog it hard enough.'

Over four years of working with data has one develop a healthy suspicion of data. Not all data is suspect, of course. But then not all data is data. A lot of it is fiction. Most of the rest is noise. The current hot phrase 'big data' may yet be the next big thing in the world of technology. How do you use big data in administration?

While we are on the topic of data, let me share the results of the social experiment performed over the past few days. The experiment in itself was simple-the experimenters (two males, socially unremarkable) claim a specific spot of 'in-demand' real estate in the mess during the meal hours and observe the reactions of the OTs to this deliberate attempt at encroachment. The result of this experiment was consistent- almost all OTs desirous of occupying the prime real estate assiduously avoided the chairs next to the experimenters. Few had expressions of irritation writ large on their faces at the inconvenience, few others could mask their emotions well. Few OTs who initially were inclined to sit next to the experimenters would change their seat at the last minute on finding OTs from their 'group' elsewhere. After close to a month at the academy, it is the transitional phase when the OTs would move from the awkward group formation in to their comfort zones. The experimenters desired to gauge the effect of external stimuli in assessing the cohesiveness of groups. The number of chairs left vacant next to the experimenters, even during the peak mess hours, was indicative of the OTs' affinity towards their homogeneous groups and their aversion towards unfamiliar, heterogeneous groups. The ideal group size, we deduced, was 7. Anyone above that number becomes unwieldy in terms of communication. Therefore, 7 is the core group membership. There are associative memberships as well. The peripheral members move fluidly between different groups. These try hard to belong somewhere, anywhere. Unless one has strong social bonds, the ideal nuclear size is 2. Group accretion does not start easily below this size if the individuals at the centre do not have compelling social aura around them. Service, geography, gender, regionality, ranks are the usual suspects in promoting homogeneous groups. The only notable exception was when one lady OT broke the valence barrier and took the trouble to make small talk with the experimenters, occupying the chair next to them. We need more time to understand this aberration.

That then was our experiment. It was pseudo sociological, yes, but it was fun. Apologies for my engineering friends for using non-technical sounding jargon. Apologies too to the serious sociologist types for trivializing your field with these engineering incursions.

Irrespective of the experiment, I had had a chance to listen in to a rather entertaining and insightful monologue of a fellow OT at the dining table tonight. I shall present the monologue in a suitable format at a later date.

Before signing off, I would like to ask what we are imposing and what we are superimposing. Can we 'impose' secularism? Can we 'impose' religious intolerance? Can we 'impose' peace, love and brotherhood among people? What do we impose and what do we displace?

I remember imposition as a punishment at school when one had to write out apologies on the blackboard. 

The trek routes have been finalized, the group leaders, assistants, navigators, communicators, treasurers and bookkeepers have all been appointed and prepped. We look forward to 8 odd days in the Himalayas. But before that we have to survive the PT, intensified many fold with the ostensible purpose of toughening us for the Great Himalayan Trek. Yours truly will be on a route to Dodital. Details at a later time. For the present, one has to match Sir George Everest and trek to his bungalow tomorrow.

Trek to Benog Tibba

Benog hill is a squat hill 2104 metres in elevation located 9 km west of Mussoorie. From the academy it appears like a cute, fat, shy, distant school going cousin who has come visiting your home during his vacation. You would want to pinch his chubby cheeks, muss his hair and be the patronizing all India or group A service elder brother/sister. Only when the squat fellow gets comfortable and fast loses his inhibitions does he show his true colours. He would kick you, punch you, pinch you, mess up your neat system, bite your calf muscles, sit his heavy self on your thighs, make you sweat buckets in order to catch him. Benog hill is that exact cousin.

The 89th FC batch trekked to Benog hill this week. Unlike the underwhelming trek to Kempty falls, this one was a pleasure. The initial 6 odd kilometres were no trek at all, having only to walk on undulating road till the Clouds End, a holiday resort which was constructed in 1838. 1838! Mussoorie is steeped in antiquity and one discovers it everyday. Convent of Jesus and Mary, 1845, Clouds End, 1838. The trek starts to mean business from then on, a steady climb to the top would take around two hours. One gets beautiful vistas of Hathi Paon, Aglar river valley, Dehradun valley and other peaks of the Mussoorie range from atop Benog Hill. There is a temple, Jwalaji Devi temple at the top. The descent from the apex to Rabbit Farm point was the most memorable part. The trail was non existent at few places, very steep and slippery at other places. At these places, the OTs descended with the help of a rope. It was a pretty sight watching the unlikely mountain goats. We passed by the Murray Pumping House, built in 1907. The colonial era building houses a still functioning pump and remnants of another one of another era. The pump house supplies water to the Mussoorie town.

The supremely difficult part of the trek was the final leg that involved a steep ascent from the pump house to the Tibetan Homes Foundation complex. It took a good two hours. However, that does not capture the burning in the legs, the feeling that one's lungs would burst from the effort of breathing, the protest of body that has not been pushed like this in a long, long, long time. Push we did, clawing at the air, slipping, skidding but somehow climbing, pushing against gravity.

Photos from the trek can be seen by clicking on this link.