There are times when I surprise myself. I could well have been the proverbial guy who would not go to a school even to shelter from the rain - but for the fact that my parents had some unreasonable partiality towards school as an option to get me away from under their feet. No amount of pleading that the playground could well do the job as effectively was any help. Under the circumstances, it is a surprise that some things from school still stick in my mind like a burr and will just not let go. This Markownikoff's rule is one of them.
To get into the boring details of the rule, what it says is that when you have an acid reacting with an organic compound, the hydrogen atom of the acid attaches itself to that carbon atom which has more hydrogen atoms already attached to it. If the rule is expressed in scientific terms it obviously escapes my memory but the pithy version of it is "Those who have get more of it".
Now THAT is something that I can vibe with very well indeed. I suppose that the fact that this rule applies to human behavior is par for the course considering that the human body is supposed to be made of organic molecules. As for the molecules, so for the brain.
Take the case of the boss who has suddenly received an emergency job which has to be delivered the very next day. Which is the lucky employee who gets the golden opportunity of staying up all night to finish it? The one who spends all day telephoning his broker for stock-market deals in-between leisurely cups of tea or the one who meticulously slogs throughout the day and beyond? Obviously the latter. Since he has more work, he gets more work. Those who have get more of it.
Take the same boss who is told to pick one employee for a fortnight long training program in Switzerland on the thusness of things. Which is the employee without whom he feels he can stagger along for the fortnight - the leisurely tea-drinker or the meticulous slogger? Obviously the former. Since that chap enjoys his leisure already he gets gifted with more leisure. (I know! I know! Training Programs are not leisure - they are meant to advance the knowledge of the person concerned and turn him into a paragon). Those who have get more of it.
Ah! Yes! The meticulous slogger will streak up the corporate ladder and enjoy the pleasure of working 18 hour days and be on call 365 days a year. That 24x7 thingy was invented for him. And they even call that a reward. Well! He is getting more of what he has, does he not? Work! That is why that other guy invented that other phrase - Work is its own reward!
Now me! I AM the other guy. Or would have been but for the perversity of my nature that just would not allow me to take it easy when I had a job at hand. So, I had to quit in order to get what I wanted instead of what I already had a lot of!
"Those who have get more of it" - and I thought you will go on about 1. weight 2. wealth 3. wisdom. But I enjoyed what you spoke about too. A lot! Impressed with your hold on organic chemistry. If I had read this in time, it would have helped me remember the behaviour of the H atom better. :D
ReplyDeleteWonderful, but that you know! :)
Thanks Sakshi! This is the only thing in organic chemistry that stuck in my mind - and for precisely this sort of applicability :)
DeleteOrganic chemistry and life lessons. This is a fantastic comparison..
ReplyDeleteThanks Adarsh!
Deletefor all ur repulsion to school, u would have made an excellent teacher!! who could have even thought that things could be remembered this way!
ReplyDeleteAh! No-one ever really learnt from me in person, Titli :) Always found me too abstruse :)
DeleteCompletely endorse your view Suresh ! The sloggers always get to slog more ..its inescapable. If I had learnt your version of the rule during my chemistry classes, I am sure I would have retained it in my brain much better :)
ReplyDeleteHahaha! Ash! This was the only one I retained :)
DeleteHahaha...Organic Chemistry thus explained would have taken me far in school!
ReplyDeleteThis was classic!
Thanks Rickie! Too late for me to become a prof. now :)
DeleteWords of wisdom! Now off to hide this blogpost from the spawn I birthed, or they will dream of fresh ways to burden the slogger in the house (Moi) with more
ReplyDeleteHahaha! Ritu! Hurry :)
DeleteFirst RaGa makes Physics easy for us and now you make us go through Chemistry.
ReplyDeleteI will go with the simpler version of those who have, get more of it. Life is unfair!
Brilliant post, as always!
Thanks Alka! I know only the simpler version :) And, Puhleeeeze Must you compare me with RaGa? :)
DeleteThat is a funny take on Markownikov's rule. Can't resist putting this in: It applies to an acid added to an alkene and not just any organic compound. And I am really wondering how come you studied this at school. This definitely came later. After I have shown off a bit, your analogy of it to real life is just hilarious.
ReplyDeleteTo show further off my own self - Rachna - Alkenes and Alkynes too :) Yup, knew that but did not want to make this more chemistry than post :)
DeleteIn my time it was taught in the +2 as far as I recollect BUT since I went on to do a semester of BSc(Chem) and followed it with Chemical Engineering, I cannot be absolutely sure :)
Guru Ji :) for those who are working meticulously attempting to scale the corporate ladder - with a truckload of responsibilities on their stooping shoulders what do you advise? 'Chase one's dreams' or save enough money to keep everyone happy and then take a sabbatical and 'Chase one's dreams'???
ReplyDeleteI look forward to your reply!!!
I saved enough money to satisfy MY needs and took off chasing my dreams :) The whole point is "Keep It Simple Stupid" even when it comes to Needs and the first step in doing that is not to add anyone else to your payroll :) If you have done that, all I can say is "Too late, Buddy" :)
DeleteMany thanks for the reply - this was the exact reply that I thought I would get and am happy I got the same answer and no I have not added anyone extra on to the pay-roll or the pay-disbursal system yet :) As always I continue to be enlightened by a modern master :) Thanks Guruji :)
DeleteModern guruji? Not me, Mahesh. I hvn't tried to acquire a harem yet :)
DeleteWell said.If i want a job done i will certainly give it to someone who will do it and not the other who will come up with numerous excuses.
ReplyDeleteBeen a boss in my time and that's how I reacted too. Thing is it ends up being totally unfair to the person who works.
DeleteWow, I haven't studied Chemistry in school let alone Organic Chemistry, or actually I haven't studied anything at all in school (does brawling with other boys in the playground count as studying). So when you started off with Hydrogen atoms and the like some part of me started yawning, but then as the post went on and moved into the corporate jungle my interest was piqued again...
ReplyDeleteYou know what Markownikoff's Rule also applies to hardware stores, chemists and other similar niche traders. Have you ever noticed how all of these stores are close to one another? Just a thought...
All are human endeavors - will follow the rule :)
Deletebeautifully worded and pleasure to read such informative post. smart work and happiness is a rule to follow :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! Great to know you found this informative :)
DeleteIt is something that I learned the hard way, thankfully without having to leave the job. But yes, if you have plans to be sincere, none of the courts offer the fairness of play and will want to strike a balance.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Blasphemous Aesthete
Those words - Life is not fair - was invented for such people :)
DeleteGuess who among the two can work better for himself (if he/she starts their own venture)? Guess who can be controlled easily (due to lack of merit/work exp)?
ReplyDeleteDestination Infinity
I am not guessing. And if I am right in the way you are guessing, I'm afraid I do not agree either :) A good employee is not necessarily an entrepreneur and the leisure-seeker is not necessarily easily controlled :)
DeleteI am an arts student . Me and chemistry do not gel together...but, life lessons - yes! No wonder I am a homemaker who fall into the latter category of work begets more work. Wish I could get more ideas like you guys do to blog about. :) And I can't even pronounce Markownikoff. Glad you saved enough to take off...nice as ever.
ReplyDeleteArre Janaki! In all my posts, Chemistry came in handy only this once :) Thanks.
DeleteHow to go to Switzerland in one Easy Chemistry Lesson. You managed to make that sound perfectly believable. :)
ReplyDeleteHahaha! The fun part about this post is that I intended it to poke fun at the ways of Management and, mostly, it has been interpreted as poking fun at the people who work :) How true it is that the meaning any writing communicates is as much, if not more, dependent on the reader as the writer.
DeleteReal life corporate truths! Looking forward to more of such posts :)
ReplyDeleteHa! Akanksha! Been a while - thought you had abandoned me :)
DeleteGood call, Suresh!! Who wants more work, when we can be paid (or not!) to do what we love. Now that you love blogging, you seem to be getting more inspiration too. :)
ReplyDeleteQuite Corinne :) I will be inspired for as long as blogging does not seem like work :)
DeleteSuresh, what you call Markownikoff's rule is more like the Higgs Boson of the corporate world. It was explained so lucidly I wish to give you 20 out of 10! And I do envy you for pressing that exit button. If only, if only, if only...!
ReplyDeleteThat's a Nobel Prize for me (in Chemistry? :) )! Soon, Uma, soon it will be your day as well!
DeleteI can trust you with this work - is the killer statement. You are pretty confused whether to get exited or disappointed or the more work you have been trusted with. Well explained theory, Suresh.
ReplyDeleteHmm! Now I am on to becoming a chemistry prof :)
DeleteCorporate world & its tactics . Well written post . Enjoyed it :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Garima
DeleteI quit the rat race the day I realized that I was becoming the rat I so despised. Actually, it was husband who gave the much needed shove. I was willing to to stew and steam because I had no idea what I'd do once I left my job.
ReplyDeleteAren't you lucky that you knew what you wanted?
Very lucky, Purba! And even luckier to find that reality did not belie my imagination :)
DeleteApropos the rat race, someone very pithily pointed out that the problem with the rat race was that even if you won you were still a rat :)