I am so appalled by a proposal being discussed in New Zealand for testing children as young as 3 years tor future predictive behaviour and so identify future criminals, etc. So smacking of George Orwell's 1984 and Hitler's experiments. The next step could be Eugenics and the State mandating who can mate with whom and who can procreate.
The link to the story is
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/466/story.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10488674
The fallacy can be exposed just by asking - what about children who grow up to be harmful politicians, military dictators, autocrats, dishonest businesspersons, etc. For example think of George Bush, Pervez Musharaff, Saddam Hussein, Osama Bin Laden, Jerome Kerviel, Conrad Black, Enron Chief and similar persons who have done more damage to the humankind than a small time criminal or violent person who might cost about $25000 to the society.
The point is anybody can go wrong in different ways and every human has the potential to do immense good or immense harm to others. There can't be any single or universal means to test for what a person will grow up to be and how circumstances will shape that person.
It is really stupid and anti-human to conduct a single or series of tests to predict the future of a child.
Life or Nature is not that simple.
Even if the tests are somewhat okay and identify some children, what is the state going to do? Can they guarantee a programme that will turn that child around and make sure he or she grows into an acceptable person? What if there is change of government and lack of funding for such purposes? The children so identified may be just left stranded. What about the feelings and rights of the parents?
It is all so stupid to even think that the State or some Professor who has done some sort of research has all the answers.
Evolution is a dynamic thing and the measures that are being considered may all have more damaging unforeseen consequences for the society to pay later.
Instead more time and fundiing could be devoted to ensure a stable and happy atmosphere in as many homes as possible with employment, schooling, housing and of course stricter law enforcement and may be a more rigorous sentencing and rehabilitation for criminals.
Just remember, modern Australia was founded by convicts and if they had been screened earlier and put under some Government Programme, Australia would not be there as it is today.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Cricket-Monkey play between Indians and the Aussies
The Aussies have been the worst sledgers in recent cricket matches and now they seem to have got some back. And they don't like it.
The match was played in a very bad atmosphere continuing on from the acrimony generated during the Aussie's recent tour of India.
Symonds has been on the receiving end for a while and may be the Aussie authorities wanted to make an example of Harbhajan and used the match referee.
But what was the clinching proof of Harbhajan's guilt?It would be interesting to find that out.
If the punishment has been decided only on the words of Symonds, then it is not enough proof of guilt.
The Indians are equally passionate about their players and they did not like the bad umpiring which probably lost them the match.
But all said and done, on the field it looks like the Aussies are the better team and one has to accept that, as evidenced by their all-round performance in batting and bowling. But fielding and catching, that is a different story.
And finally the message to the Players should be-'Quit the Monkey-play and Please play Cricket'
Update on 19/01/2008
Looks like they played cricket properly at Perth.
Congrats to India on the win.
They showed the Aussies, didn't they.
Well done boys.
However I am surprised that the Aussies did not win this one, though history was against them. Seems no team had gone on to get more that 400 in the last innings to win a test in a long time.
But if there was any team that could have done it, in my view, it would have to the the Old Pakistani Team lead by Javed Miandad and the present Aussie Team led by Ricky Ponting. I hope they get the challenge again soon to show that World what they are capable of. Best of Luck.
The match was played in a very bad atmosphere continuing on from the acrimony generated during the Aussie's recent tour of India.
Symonds has been on the receiving end for a while and may be the Aussie authorities wanted to make an example of Harbhajan and used the match referee.
But what was the clinching proof of Harbhajan's guilt?It would be interesting to find that out.
If the punishment has been decided only on the words of Symonds, then it is not enough proof of guilt.
The Indians are equally passionate about their players and they did not like the bad umpiring which probably lost them the match.
But all said and done, on the field it looks like the Aussies are the better team and one has to accept that, as evidenced by their all-round performance in batting and bowling. But fielding and catching, that is a different story.
And finally the message to the Players should be-'Quit the Monkey-play and Please play Cricket'
Update on 19/01/2008
Looks like they played cricket properly at Perth.
Congrats to India on the win.
They showed the Aussies, didn't they.
Well done boys.
However I am surprised that the Aussies did not win this one, though history was against them. Seems no team had gone on to get more that 400 in the last innings to win a test in a long time.
But if there was any team that could have done it, in my view, it would have to the the Old Pakistani Team lead by Javed Miandad and the present Aussie Team led by Ricky Ponting. I hope they get the challenge again soon to show that World what they are capable of. Best of Luck.
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