Latest news with #ElisabethKübler-Ross
Time of India
6 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Futuristic departments
Amit Kumar was trained as a Mechanical Engineer with specialization in thermal engineering from the University of Roorkee (now Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee) where he was awarded the University Gold Medal. Post his graduation, he decided to pursue a career in renewable energy, a novelty in the early eighties. He had retired from TERI in July 2021 whereas Senior Director, Social Transformation, was responsible for initiatives focusing on energy access, holistic rural development, and community engagement. There he had also led research activities in the fields of renewable energy and resource-efficient process technology applications. As Dean (Distance & Short-Term Education), TERI University between 2014 and 2016, he was responsible for the development and outreach of the University's online courses, management & faculty development programmes, and skill enhancement initiatives. LESS ... MORE The atmosphere is quite festive in the capital of this State, having a city of the millennium, no less. And why not? How many governments across the globe can boast of a department dedicated to the future? There was a consensus among the elite of its officialdom that they were not entering uncharted waters. On the contrary, the state ventured into to future, drawing ample lessons from how to run (or not, depending on whether you belong to the ruler or the ruled community) its showpiece cyber city. The mega event started off with an impressive multi-media presentation titled 'Future is Past', quoting a Swiss-American psychiatrist and author Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, 'We need to teach the next generation of children from day one that they are responsible for their lives'. Elaborating further with the aid of actual site photographs (as opposed to artistic representations favoured by its famed realty segment) the voiceover intoned that its steadfast focus, right from the beginning, has been on revenue generation, leaving mundane tasks of city management to the residents themselves. The motto being 'Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime', with a caveat that fish may not be available during certain days of the year. It was emphasised how it has always been a science-backed process of thinking, well before the term `design thinking' got fashionable. The simple but effective, this phased process was summarised in a few steps as 'big ticket announcements – drawing board – DPRs – tendering – re-tendering – rethinking – back to drawing board'. In a nutshell, present challenges get converted into future ones. After all, wouldn't the future look bleak without challenges of its own? This also helps boost everyone's morale by constantly looking forward to the future. Our age-old philosophy also tells us that while the Present is Transient, the Future holds Potential. It helps greatly to have multiple agencies working at cross purposes; and of course, that annual ritual of GRAP helping convert better parts of present plans to futuristic ones. The presentation highlighted another noteworthy enabler that ensured that, instead of the devolution of power envisaged in the 1992 constitutional amendment, the city-centric decisions were centralised. This singular innovation must have pushed most of the present-day issues to some indeterminate future dates, it was said. All through this, however, the guiding principle of equity was never forgotten, e.g., mansions worth hundreds of crores faced the same infrastructural eventualities as common homes or for that matter high-level district offices. The gathering applauded enthusiastically when the presentation ended with reiterating the commitment to growth built on inclusive and equitable promises, all in the future, naturally. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
IOL News
23-06-2025
- General
- IOL News
10 phrases to avoid when comforting someone in grief
Things people say to those grieving that are meant to comfort but do the opposite. Image: cottonbro studio /pexels Grief is never straightforward. It's messy, painful and deeply personal. Whether you've lost a loved one, gone through a breakup, suffered a miscarriage or even lost your job or health, the grief that follows can feel like the ground has been ripped out from under you. Our families and community are everything, grief often unfolds in the public eye during funerals, memorials and in conversations with neighbours. Yet even in our warm, well-meaning communities, people often say the wrong thing, unintentionally making the pain worse. 'At least she lived a long life.' Let's pause right there. This, and other similar phrases, are often said to comfort. But more often than not, they miss the mark. As grief expert, David Kessler, co-author of "On Grief and Grieving" with the late Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, explains: 'Any sentence that begins with: 'At least…' is minimising someone's pain.' Understanding grief We often associate grief with the death of a loved one and rightfully so, because death brings the sharpest kind of pain. But grief also shows up in less obvious ways: divorce, estranged family, infertility, illness, a friend moving away, losing a beloved pet or being retrenched. These are all emotional gut punches that can knock the wind out of us. Grief is not just about who we lost, it's about what that person or thing meant to us. Even if you don't understand someone's grief, you can respect it. In a recent roundtable discussion posted on Instagram with other grief counsellors, Kessler shared some of the most hurtful things people commonly say to those who are grieving - things meant to comfort but often do the opposite. 10 Worst things to say to someone who's grieving Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading 1. 'At least she lived a long life.' This might sound comforting, but it completely minimises the loss. Whether someone was six or 96, they mattered. 2. 'At least you can get remarried.' As if people are replaceable. 3. 'At least you can have another baby.' Children aren't interchangeable, and this statement often deepens the wound. 4. 'He's in a better place.' That may align with some beliefs, but many grievers feel the best place for their loved ones is with them. 5. 'She brought this on herself.' Blaming the deceased (or the person grieving) helps no one and adds guilt to already unbearable pain. 6. 'There's a reason for everything.' This can feel hollow and invalidating, especially in the early stages of grief. 7. 'Aren't you over him yet?' Grief has no timeline. There's no expiry date on love. 8. 'You're young, you'll move on." Age doesn't make loss any less painful. 9. 'God wanted her more.' Spiritual and religious beliefs are deeply personal. This can feel like a cruel explanation for something senseless. 10. 'I know how you feel.' Unless you've experienced exactly the same situation (and even then), you don't. Each person's grief is different. None of these statements truly help. In fact, many of them are loaded with judgement, dismissal or false hope. They can make someone feel isolated as if grief has an expiry date or that it should be tidy. So, what can you say instead? Grief is a measure of love. And that deserves space and grace. Image: cottonbro studio /pexels According to the website, a mental health resource, support doesn't have to come with the perfect words. It's your presence that counts. But if you do want to speak, keep it simple and heartfelt: 'I'm so sorry for your loss.' 'I don't know what to say, but I'm here for you.' 'My heart breaks for you.' 'Would you like to talk about them?' 'I'm here to sit with you. No pressure to talk.' Sometimes silence and just being present is the most comforting thing you can offer. Most importantly, support is not just for the first week. The weeks and months after the funeral can feel lonelier, especially when everyone else returns to their routines. A quick 'thinking of you' text, checking in after a month, or offering to help with small tasks (like groceries or lifts to therapy) can go a long way. Grief doesn't just affect the heart - it takes a toll on the body too. You may find it hard to sleep, eat, or concentrate. You might feel exhausted all the time, or even experience chest tightness and headaches. This is normal. Grief is a full-body experience. If you're grieving, know this: there is no timeline and no right way to do it. What's important is finding what helps you process - whether that's journalling, prayer, talking to a friend or simply resting. Grief is a measure of love. And that deserves space and grace. Support If you or someone you know is struggling with grief, contact SADAG (South African Depression and Anxiety Group) at 0800 456 789 help is free and available 24/7.
Forbes
09-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The Psychology Of A Stock Market Crash: Why Investors Are Still In Denial
Man with fingers in ears The market is always right, so they say – but sometimes, it takes a while to come to its conclusion. In extreme times – and these are an example – it can take people time to adjust to the new circumstances. Since the market is made up of people, it also takes time to fully price in what has happened and what is happening. A model for this is Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's Cycle of Grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. A quick dip into the mire of X/Twitter shows Denial and Anger in full swing – and increasingly the Bargaining of 'if, if, if.' My take is that many people not only haven't received the memo about what's really going on but also haven't calibrated the consequences of current events, which both are obvious and explicit. Wrecking the capital base of America will make nothing great again, but there still appears to be a level of denial about the consequences that has yet to be reflected in stock prices and indices. The call is simple: Is the administration serious about its revolutionary policies, and will it follow through? I say yes. So, let's calibrate. Here is a sobering chart. If the U.S. market is crippled and adjusts to a level of robustness – or, more accurately, a lack thereof – this is the picture: The S&P500 - the future looks bleak That's right – the U.K. market is now back to the pre-Covid crash levels now and serves as a good approximation of a shattered market. The U.S. stock market miracle totalled north of $50 trillion before this situation. 25% of that has gone poof! Even at this stage, that's an economic disaster. More to come? It's hard to imagine the impact of more. There's a glimmer of hope – but only a faintone. DOGE might come off the rails as Musk appears headed for the exit. However, that Kraken is unbound and won't need him to carry on kicking the legs out from under a trillion dollars of stimulating spending. I'm ignoring the rights and wrongs of that spending – I'm simply calculating the impact of $1 trillion less spending. On its own, that might be a great thing. But as one of a series of seismic actions, it's too much for the economic organism to bear. Meanwhile, the second horseman is off in Panama whipping up yet more instability. So basically, there's one question: What turns this around? To me the answer is: nothing. So now it's just a matter of guessing the bottom and the duration of the bear market. My guess is two years and 50%+, but it is just that – a guess. This outcome is not fate – but the doubling-down tariff strategy we have just seen, with 100%+ tariffs on China, is not a recipe for a recovery. Meanwhile, the trajectory the U.S. and world economy are on will create an epic global dislocation, with currently massive and unfathomable costs. The funding for this U.S. onshoring and industrial restructuring strategy won't come from a cratered stock and bond market – the funds simply won't be there to pay for it. So, what then? The market will tell you whether there's a good or bad road ahead, while gold will tell you whether the news to come is even worse than multiple looming economic shocks. These next few weeks will be crucial to the next ten years.
