The previous post ‘Feeling like a non-contributor’ got me started on this whole idea of contribution.  Advising someone to commit suicide because he is not contributing to the society is an extreme thing to do even in jest. As rightly said ‘there are those that do and cows that moo’, let’s leave it at that instead of attaching so much importance to the idea of ‘contributing something’.

The pursuit of individual talent and contribution is a matter of choice, let’s not be judgemental and chide others for their ‘non contribution’. I have seen so many folks tearing themselves apart in the pursuit of ‘contributing something’ to the world, and in the process driving others nuts. In fact this is getting to be an universal epidemic. Frankly, I think we are not taking enough time to live ‘the life ordinary’, relishing simple pleasures like having a cup of coffee watching kids play on the street. Our contribution in terms of financial, spiritual and intellectual is optional; it should be pursued but not over ride our lives, driving us to the extremes of sleepless nights, stress and unhealthy lifestyle. Everybody is entitled to his choice, even that of non contribution. In fact, in these times it is the best contribution; at least you are not driving yourself or others around you crazy. Many a flower wilts away unseen in the forest; dare we question its purpose? Although the flower doesn’t grab headlines, I am sure it has in its own quite way contributed to the planet, whether we like to acknowledge it or not.

My brother-in-law recently wrote me regarding Charles Babbage’s mid-19^th century invention of the ‘Difference Engine’, considered by many to be the first computer.   He then went on about the ‘Curta Calculator’ created a hundred years later (mid 20^th century).   The whole theme of his email was that he himself felt so damn low-tech, worthless and non-contributing. 

Of course I attempted to lift his spirits by sighting a particularly interesting book written about the Babbage Engine some 25 years ago, entitled “Elementary Basic - Learning to Program Your Computer in Basic, with Sherlock Holmes” (Henry/Singer, Random House, 1982, ISBN: 0-394-70789-3).  I described how the reader, following the text, would work with master sleuth Holmes to build a basic program where they would enter facts obtained through Holmes interviews and investigations as strings of factors code to solve a crime. 

As the book progressed, the crimes (and subsequent programming) would become more complex, until the reader finally mastered “Elementary Basic”.  I felt that bringing this title to his attention would guide him to resources that might broaden his techno-horizons (I also added that there was a follow-up book, by the same authors, employing same theme for learning “Pascal”), and thereby provide him a means to contribute to our techno-society. 

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