The Jin Within

Blame it on DNA or Sociobiology

A miniature god within

“Go on propagating me by replications” commands the genes inside, from virus to whale obey as if they are mere slaves, slaves of the master code that lies within –the genes. You are worth your genes all others mere farce, Robert Trivers had told it. There are hundreds of established scientists who support this. All animals including human beings live only to obey the command, “replicating and protecting and spreading their genome”(The specific genetic code to each being)

Genes and the DNA

Ever heard of these genes or the DNA? The author had only a vague idea of it, once heard in the biology classes. This article is not intended to go deep in to the scientific details of the genes. It is some sort of acid, as the full form denotes De-Oxi ribo nucleic acid the genetic code responsible for the shape and texture of each being. But the enigma by name DNA is much smarter than what we have thought or what we studied in the college.

The original corporation

It is like a corporate giant of the present age like Microsoft or Toyota but far smarter and older. The common factor present in all corporate bodies is the urge to grow, spread its wings still wider and capture all the markets in the world. Their competitors are there to be eliminated! People behind a corporation come and go but, it remains and goes on growing. The gene that is present in a being utilize the animal to replicate itself, protect itself and to spread itself far and wide. When its purpose is over it discards the host being as a spent power.

Mere puppets

Let us take one Thomas, whose genetic code is “T”. This T gene wants to replicate and spread making the most popular gene in the world, poor Thomas does not know what his gene is up to, he is only a puppet in the hands of the “T” genes. Like Thomas like Mathew he is for the spread of “M’ genes! They pull and push poor “carriers” like Thomas and Mathew to realize their ultimate aim –replicating and spreading respective genes.

Thankless children

Parents who love their children are inadvertently nurturing their replica of genes! A child loving its parents expect parents’ love so that its gene is nurtured, when it grows and ignore the parents mean that parents have no further role in “this gene nurture process”, A boy loving a girl wants his genes to be replicated! One stand for the defense of his brother (brotherhood we call) because brother’s genes are close to ours and it should be defended!

The sociobiology

Sociobiology is a mixture of psychology, biology and some hypotheses that seeks to establish that the social behavior of animals is based on genetic coding (structure of the genes) or otherwise genes are so programmed like a computer. And the sole purpose of living is to propagate the DNA –the master code one is endowed with. Virus can be cited as an example it has a sole duty enter in to a host’s body and make the host to replicate the virus’s DNA! Xenophobia (hatred towards people of other locality or tribe) by these rules is the tendency of genes to eliminate other genome (a la GM v/s Toyota affair).

Some relief to man

The socio biologists however are kind enough to give some respite to human beings where the genetic influence is not so binding as human social behaviors are mostly controlled by facultative genes. Facultative genes are influenced by environment -they say to our great relief, the role of education arises here. What would have been the case if human beings were un educatable! They also attribute the role these facultative genes play in some of the extraordinary behaviors of human beings (found in great men and notorious criminals).

In the eye of a storm

As expected theologians and philosophers of that time were very much upset by these hypotheses which (they called it pseudo science) had many scientists and scientific explanations for its back support.

Fortunately these theories did not get much popularity among ordinary people. It was Edward Wilson the Harvard zoologist who made the “sociobiology” so popular and set the storm that raged for some time through his well known work ‘Sociobiology; The new synthesis”.

Because the genes were so programmed

Edward Wilson has narrated the reaction one man who got award for saving a person from drowning. That man in a letter addressed to Mr. Wilson, expressed his dismay in in the ideas as his action could be explained as merely a work of the genes (he did it because his genes were so programmed –was too much for the poor man to bear).

It makes no less great

As per Wilson that man found it difficult to grasp the idea that his noble and selfless action –saving other man’s life risking his own was something preordained through his genes. Wilson’s suggestion to that person was that impulse behind his rational choice, though genetically determined, in no way detracted from the rationality and value of his altruistic act, (the great ness of his action in no way is diminished even if it was the result of being a genetic setup).

Education in various hues

Several Millenniums were required for apes to get transformed in to human beings, the present shape and present psyche and everything, while animals were asleep man was wide awake and he went on changing all through the time. It was a sort of education that was imparted in to the passing generations that changed the equations, the wild genes got a “faculty” for its education (faculty gene). Robert Trivers called it faculty genes, Pavlov called reflexes, whatever that be, the differences between man and animals persist and it is this difference that is the some total of all the civilization man has acquired so far.

The arguments put forward by the socio biologists stay relevant as far as parents are left unattended by their own siblings after their role in the genetic nurturing is over and when much blood is shed in the name of “tribal wars” and “ethnic strife”. Perhaps the “faculty genes” they have may be in need of some instant coaching in spirituality.

Celebrity Big Brother and Shilpa Shetty

Shilpa Shetty- When Celebrities Weep!!!

The newest tempest that has struck the media tea cups has turned out to be a cute one by name “Shilpa”. When tears flow out of her beautiful eyes, so called activists weep, politicians take up cudgels and big brother is counting hits and ratings with glee! Here the young men are panic stricken; public even in remote places of states like Bihar (where dalit (low caste) women are paraded naked at random) conducts rallies and burn effigies. Because people can’t just withstand her tears! Because she is so beautiful.

In Britain a media company “Channel Four” runs a program by name “Celebrity Big Brother” -a reality show. In this cheap but innovative show they let some hand picked “celebrities” to live for about 25 days in one common place and allow them to interact freely. Their activities there are recorded via secret cameras, edited and shown for public viewing. The best performer is given some prize in the final. Peeping Toms and star-crazy people are said to be bulk of the viewers.

When many people are put in a place skirmishes are bound to occur, in anyway Shilpa Shetty had been smart, was one view. There it is alleged that a group of three girls joined hands and insulted Shilpa with derogatory words. The subject starved media took up the case and highly succeeded in sensationalizing the issue. Those girls happened to be British and the trump card of racism was apt to be played.

The media people are at present busy showing the clippings repeatedly as if they have nothing else to show, being a news starved lot they may be excused. Nowadays people who watch television 24 hours continuously are increasing in number. Their demand for something new has to be satisfied. The channels are forced to grab whatever straw they could get. More over covering this report with so beautiful a face can catch anybody’s attention. Shilpa is a mini Helen of Troy!

Whatever be the case the results of the competition held by the channel will be out and Shilpa will most probably be the winner as she has grabbed the sympathy of spectators and perhaps that of the whole world. The real winner is definitely the Celebrity big brother as their viewership sky rocketed and they are celebrity over night! Let them walk to the bank laughing all the way.

“If winter is here can spring be far behind” When media persons make hay can the politicians remain mute? The “statesmen” of all hues are after the celebrity. “Ye aram ka mamla hein” (The issue is of comfort) as the undergarment ad goes, (the issue is of glamour) Indian politicians are also on the run to grab the glamour irradiated from Shilpa. They simultaneously weep for Shilpa and cry for “racist’s” blood. Even the most committed Marxists are also “very much moved”.

There are interesting arguments, Shilpa being a Mumbai resident and of Tamil origin (pertaining to South India) has to face discrimination in her home city!

Shilpa is a tough one and can easily handle any situation is the general view (her mother also expressed it similarly), remember that she is a black belt holder in karate, fortunately her martial art techniques were not displayed in the visuals. The media can think of showing the same after some time, in selling no doubt it will defeat the poor hot cakes!

The accusations go like this, “Jade goody, Donielle Lloyd, Jo O’ Meara are the villains (she -villains) of the story, they had the back support of their boy friends. Some of the words used are unprintable”, and if the same is true a karate girl like Shilpa should be given Nobel Prize for peace for not kicking at their vital parts! It is reported that Jade Goody-the rowdy, will be kicked out by the big brother from the court, and every chance for Shilpa winning hands down.

The initial reaction of the big brother was that it was just a girly rivalry or a school yard rubbish, later when the incident gained “international importance” they were forced to take it bit more seriously and talking of appropriate actions. As racism is a dirty word and that being profusely used in this context by each and every one has made them very apprehensive made the poor big brother run for cover. The publicity which was indented has been gained more than enough, then a slight action if repairs the damage it will be O K. for the brother.

Indian Government’s reaction as expressed by our Central Minister has assured of appropriate action against the “attack on the Bollywood actress”, British Chancellor Gordon Brown has raised the issue in the House of Commons and British Prime Minister Tony Blair has assured that the matter would be taken seriously.

Just taking the issue seriously is not enough Britain should transfer the entire monetary gain the “Big Brother” has amassed in pounds through this controversy has to be transferred to Shilpa’s account and Indian Government should make her the Indian Ambassador to Britain (as the present one is of no use). No doubt she will do a tremendous job there with her deadly tears! No one on earth can withstand the sight of her face going gloomy and she may score a thousand points for India in that status.