...of Contradictions and Life!!

• THE EVENT - My final semester exams of BSc IT in 2006
• THE ANTICIPATION - 50% programs 50% theory (write the programs = PASS THE EXAM!)
• THE CONTRADICTION - 20% programs 80% theory (question paper setters mocking at us!! write the programs = NOT EVEN CLOSE TO PASSING!!)
• THE RESULT - The exam caused the maximum no. of 2nd attempts that year (My University rank went from a possible 4 to 7....BLUSH BLUSH!!)

All of us have gone through such situations in our lives. We also know that atleast once we have whined to ourselves 'WHY MEEEE???' when things don't go according to plan.

A contradiction consists of a logical incompatibility between two or more propositions (I can hear more 'WHY MEEEE???' whines after reading just the 1st line here :p) It causes unexpected situations in our lives for which we are not prepared most of the times. We cannot figure out the reasons for the particular outcomes, as they occur all-so-sudden that all we can do is bear the consequences. The simplest example of such contradictions come from our 'beloved' 'elected' ministers with their 'say-different-do-different' attitude. News about crores and more crores being misused keeps getting splashed all over the media and all I keep thinking is 'How many zeroes is that?'. Going back to the definition, there is a 'logical incompatibility' between what the ministers say and what they end up doing. We cannot figure out the outcomes of their doings till the story 'leaks' out and is suddenly in our faces ('leaks' is the best choice of word here, any guesses why? W_K_LEAKS :p)

So if these contradictions occur without any 'fire drills', how can we control them or prevent them? The exam that I spoke about was for the programming language, C# a.k.a. C Sharp (more like 'Contradictions' Sharp! GRRR...). Being prepared for anything that could be asked in the exam was the way to avoid the contradiction there. In the case of the ministers, if there is logical preparedness at all levels of the hierarchy which wants to work for the greater good of the citizens of the country instead of themselves, contradictions will not arise (somehow, I don't believe the minister solution myself, but it helps make my point :p).

Okay, the solution is preparation, but again, to what end do we prepare ourselves? We can't make sure beforehand that we are going to drop every 'Goliath' with just the one hit everytime. We, however, can collect enough stones in our keep to make sure that we have enough ammunition for every 'Goliath' and can also practice enough to have a better aim everytime. Contradictions, by nature, are stark opposities of each other i.e. they work in absolutes. Compare that to another term, unpredictability, which works in absolutes AND everything in between those absolutes as well and I'd choose contradictions over unpredictability anyday.

I believe contradictions are the spice of life!! (Actually, Variety is the spice of life...I am contradicting it :-D) Yes, I get bogged down by every event that does not go in my favor. Yes, I question my abilities at times when consequences of my actions are the EXACT OPPOSITE of what I had anticipated. Optimism is our friend here - learning from events that go against us will help 'prepare' for such interactions and conflicts in the future.