By:

Anil D. Salve

21 March 2026 at 8:11:09 pm

A Drought of Wisdom in an Ocean of Information

We live in an age where information is everywhere. With a single click, we can access news from across the world, thousands of opinions, countless videos and endless claims. Knowledge has never been so accessible. Yet, in this overwhelming flow of information, something increasingly scarce is discernment-the ability to distinguish what deserves our belief from what deserves our doubt. Information and knowledge are not the same. Reading, watching or hearing something does not automatically...

min read

A Drought of Wisdom in an Ocean of Information

We live in an age where information is everywhere. With a single click, we can access news from across the world, thousands of opinions, countless videos and endless claims. Knowledge has never been so accessible. Yet, in this overwhelming flow of information, something increasingly scarce is discernment-the ability to distinguish what deserves our belief from what deserves our doubt. Information and knowledge are not the same. Reading, watching or hearing something does not automatically make it true. We need the ability to verify information, understand its context, recognise its purpose and only then form an opinion. In the digital age, this ability has become one of the most important forms of wisdom. Social media has transformed the way information travels. WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and other platforms have made communication faster, wider and more accessible. But the same speed that connects society can also overwhelm it. Information often reaches us before facts do. A headline is read before the full story. A short video is watched without knowing what happened before or after it. A photograph is circulated without its original context. A message arrives with the familiar words, “Forwarded as received,” and within minutes it may reach thousands of people. By the time the truth catches up, the rumour may already have done its work. The problem becomes even more serious when misinformation is deliberately created and circulated. Rumours may be planted not merely to mislead individuals but to divert public attention from an important issue, create suspicion, damage someone's reputation or push society towards a particular narrative. A distraction does not always need to be completely false. Sometimes a small piece of truth is mixed with exaggeration, selective facts or emotional language. The result can be more powerful than an outright lie because it appears believable. This is how narratives are manufactured. Social media platforms can become powerful tools in this process. A repeated claim begins to look familiar, and familiarity is often mistaken for truth. A provocative post attracts attention. Thousands of reactions create the impression that “everyone” believes it. One emotional video triggers another, comments intensify the mood, and before facts have an opportunity to speak, public sentiment may have already shifted. This is where mob psychology enters the picture. A society can move from calm to anger, suspicion to trust, or optimism to fear with surprising speed. People who would ordinarily think carefully may react differently when they see thousands of others expressing outrage, fear or hostility. The individual begins to follow the crowd, and the crowd begins to reinforce the individual. The danger is not limited to negative emotions. The same mechanism can also be used positively-to mobilise people for social causes, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, public awareness and community action. Technology itself is neither wise nor foolish. Its impact depends on how information is created, amplified and consumed. The greatest danger, therefore, is not that we have too much information. It is that we may lose the habit of thinking while consuming it. We are increasingly becoming consumers of information rather than creators of thought. Everyone has access to information today, but access does not necessarily mean understanding. The boundaries between a rumour and a report, an opinion and a fact, popularity and truth are becoming increasingly blurred. A post does not become true because thousands of people have liked it. A video does not become evidence merely because it has gone viral. An opinion does not become a fact because it is expressed confidently. An idea does not become correct simply because it confirms what we already believe. This last point deserves particular attention. We often accept information not because it is accurate, but because it is comfortable. We are naturally attracted to information that confirms our existing beliefs and suspicious of information that challenges them. In the digital world, this tendency can be amplified by algorithms that repeatedly expose us to content similar to what we have already watched, liked or shared. Gradually, we may find ourselves living inside an information bubble where we hear many voices-but mostly voices that agree with us. That is not diversity of information. It is an illusion of certainty. Discernment does not mean doubting everything. It means thinking before believing. It means asking simple but powerful questions: Who is saying this? What is the evidence? What is the context? What may be missing? Who benefits if I believe it? And have I heard the other side? These questions may take only a few seconds, but they can prevent hours, days or even years of misunderstanding. This responsibility is particularly important for the younger generation. Children today are growing up in an environment of unprecedented information exposure. They can encounter more information in a few hours than earlier generations might have encountered in weeks. Therefore, education cannot merely teach students how to collect, remember and reproduce information. It must teach them how to question, verify, analyse and interpret it. A student who can write the correct answer in an examination may be academically successful. But a student who knows how to ask the right question is better prepared for life. The classroom of the future must therefore produce not merely informed students, but thinking citizens. They must learn that forwarding a message is also a form of responsibility. Sharing a post is not an innocent act when it can affect someone's reputation, create public fear or influence social behaviour. The challenge becomes even greater in the age of Artificial Intelligence. AI can generate information, images, audio and video with extraordinary speed and sophistication. The distinction between what is real and what merely appears real may become increasingly difficult. In such a world, human judgment becomes more valuable, not less. Technology can produce an answer in seconds. It cannot automatically tell us whether that answer deserves our trust. Some answers require experience. Some require context. Many require the ability to think independently. We have more information, more technology and more connectivity than any previous generation. Yet our real challenge is to preserve something technology cannot manufacture for us: the capacity to think for ourselves. The ocean of information will only become larger. The question will no longer be, “How much information do we have?” The more important questions will be: What should we accept? What should we question? What should we verify? And what should we reject? No technology can completely answer these questions for us. No number of likes can substitute for evidence. No viral trend can replace judgment. No majority can turn misinformation into truth. That responsibility belongs to human beings. Information can tell us what happened. Discernment helps us understand what it means, why it happened, what may be missing from the story and how we should respond. Perhaps, therefore, the greatest educational challenge of our time is not to teach people how to find more information. They already know how to do that. The greater challenge is to teach them how to pause-to pause before believing, to pause before reacting, to pause before forwarding and to pause before joining the crowd. Because sometimes the most intelligent response to information is not an immediate reaction, but a moment of reflection. The ocean is already around us. It is growing deeper every day. What we need now is not more information to swim through it-but the wisdom to know which direction to take. (The writer is the Principal of Podar International School, Ausa, Latur. Views personal.)

Women and Wealth: Why Financial Independence Is No Longer Optional

Sayli Gadakh

Feb 24

3 min read

When women grow financially, families grow stronger — and so does the nation.

As a chartered accountant, I have worked with families across income groups and professions. One reality stands out — women today are more educated and capable than ever. They manage homes, raise children and contribute to businesses, yet financial decisions in many households remain male-dominated.

In an era of equal partnership, financial independence for women is not about competition but security and dignity. A financially informed woman strengthens her family and, if life takes an unexpected turn, can confidently raise and educate her children. That is the true essence of women’s empowerment.

Financial Participation

India has made strong gains in women’s education. Female literacy has crossed 74 per cent, and young women are entering fields once out of reach. Yet this progress is not mirrored in financial participation. Female labour force participation remains between 32 per cent and 37 per cent, well below the global average of nearly 49 per cent.

Even among earning women, many are not involved in investments, tax planning or long-term decisions.

There are encouraging signs, however. Women’s participation in stock market investing has crossed 24 per cent, touching nearly 28 per cent in some states. Financial awareness is rising — a shift that is both social and economic.

The financial landscape has changed in the past decade. Rising inflation, higher healthcare and education costs, and evolving tax rules have made planning more complex.

In this environment, financial independence for women is no longer optional. Economic uncertainty — job losses, medical emergencies or business setbacks — can affect any family. A financially aware woman can manage crises calmly and make sound decisions.

Women’s longer life expectancy also means longer retirements and a greater need for independent savings. Without planning, later-life dependence becomes a risk.

As living costs rise, relying on one person’s financial knowledge increases vulnerability. When both partners are informed, families are more secure.

Legal awareness matters too. Missing nominations, unclear ownership and tax gaps create avoidable stress. Financial literacy helps prevent such complications.

Untapped Economic Power of Women

Economists note that higher women’s workforce participation could significantly boost India’s GDP and drive long-term growth. India aims to raise female labour force participation to 55 per cent by 2030.

Financially empowered women build secure households and contribute directly to national development.

Financial Gaps

Across income levels, certain gaps are common:

· No emergency fund

· Overreliance on savings accounts that lose value to inflation

· Inadequate term and health insurance

· No structured retirement plan

· Investments without regular review

· Limited awareness of tax benefits

These are not income issues but gaps in planning and discipline.

Small Steps

Financial independence does not require a high salary. It begins with simple, consistent actions:

Build an emergency fund covering at least six months of expenses.
Start SIPs for long-term wealth creation.
Take adequate health and life insurance.
Keep nominations and documents updated.
File income tax returns regularly, even below the taxable limit.
Review financial goals annually.

Consistency matters more than the amount invested.

Partnership

The role of women in Indian families has evolved. Today, a woman not only manages the home but also contributes to income and shapes her children’s future.

Financial awareness ensures that:

• She supports family goals with confidence.

• She makes informed, independent decisions.

• She secures her children’s future, even in adversity.

This is not just financial independence — it is family stability and social progress.

Guidance

Seeking advice from a chartered accountant or financial advisor is wise. Professional guidance helps structure investments, optimise taxes and align plans with long-term goals. However, awareness must remain with the individual — no financial document should be signed without full understanding.

Strong Women

Women today are professionals, entrepreneurs, homemakers and leaders. Their financial participation must match their contribution at home and in the economy.

Financial independence provides:

• Security in uncertain times

• Confidence in decisions

• Dignity at every stage of life

Most importantly, it ensures a woman is never helpless. She can stand strong for herself and her family.

In today’s economy, financial literacy for women is essential. When women grow financially, families grow stronger — and so does the nation.

(The writer is a Chartered Accountant based in Thane. Views personal.)

1 Comment

foweh69528

Mar 03

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