The Menthos Ad: Other Side of the Story!
Remember the mouth freshener (or whatever it is) Menthos Ad? Aab aa rahe ho, Get out, kahan Jaa rahe ho? Sit down!
(You are coming now? thunders the teacher, at student trying to enter late in a class. Then a ‘Run Lola Run’ kind of a sequence happens, the same student is running late for a class again but with a difference. This time he eats Menthos, and he enters half way to the class unseen and pretends he is trying to walk out, and the teacher says, where are you going, sit down.)
The objective of the student achieved and the teacher proved to be a fool once again in Bollywood style, we then get the punch line of the ad, Menthos, Dimak Ki Batti Jala de! (Menthos, makes you think brighter).
I am a college teacher and let me talk back to you about what they left out in the ad.
- Many of my students often forget during the semester that they need to write the exam at the end of it and not me. At the end of the semester, most of you discover where my office is and ask which book to consult and what to study. I suggest, try doing it a bit earlier. You see, you need the degree, not I.
- When three people refer to a person as Finance Minister rather than Finance Manager in the ‘appendices’ of a report, my task is very easy. When you are copying, make sure you have enough time to read just once for such eyesores, my Menthos eating ‘intelligent’ student.
- I have taught you and you gave me a fair idea of the kind of work you are willing to do every day. At the end of the semester, you suddenly start quoting three references for a topic where there are only two books in the library. I am bound to get suspicious.
- On top of it, the level of English you wrote (after starting the assignment at the 11th hour) is what many people achieve after third or fourth revision!
- Now, they will not tell you in Bollywood movies or ads, but we faculty members do know about the Internet and cut copy paste method (you must have noticed the boxes in every room, and how some of us seem to be glued to it?) and in case of such work we immediately head for a Google search. And a few clicks later, with one word ‘plagiarism’ and a reference to the website (a zero for you in most cases) we move on.
- I do not mind when you pay attention to your girlfriend/boyfriend/friend rather than the lectures. You are in the college now, you know better.
- However, when you and your girlfriend submit almost identical work, I do take strong exception. When I see your copy and I have a vague suspicion of having seen it before, the first place I will look at is your girlfriend/boyfriend/friend's work. Any idiot can figure this out, but I wonder my Menthos eating smart student, why can’t you?
At the risk of sounding repetitive, but you have to bear with me, some students have a tendency to listen only after something is repeated 10 times, you need that degree, your teachers do not. And next time you watch the Menthos or any such similar ad, remember my words and take it with a pinch of salt.
Labels: blogging
posted by Mridula at 4:03 PM
27 Comments:
Wow Mridula ! The ad really got you worked up. I don't blame you though, I remember being one of the more sincere students of my class in India. But some times I was mocked at for that, and when I would refuse to give my assignment submission for copying my friends would think I am selfish. I would often offer to explain the concepts involved but it is weird how students at that age decide what is helpful and what not.
The same students change quite a bit after coming for higher studies here - I guess because so much more money and effort goes into it and rules are so much more stricter. They work hard and respect people who work hard.
Hmm...dimag ki batti to ab jali hai! lol! This was quite funny. It show how dumb people actually are when they try to be smart asses
Been there, done that - yes copying journals, copying assignments, not paying enough attention to lectures yada yada yada, when I was a student. And no regrets either.
I think it was just a part of college life and it was fun while it lasted. As a student, I also knew that my professor / teacher knew that I had copied at times :) - And of course have landed in zero zones too many a times :)
...But, I do def remember each professor / college teacher by name today for letting me go so many times without marking me out; and they do too. 6 years outta college, I can still go back, smile at those same teachers/ professors and have a chat with them like a grown up because they know me so well now.
...And I always wonder, did the most studious, honest and intelligent guys/gals ever come back to college 3 years from thence, just to say "thanks" to the teachers who adored them earlier for their 'hard work'? I did, because I meant to say it.
Hear Hear Mridula..
I thought Jr.college for a year or so..a long time ago..
ure absolutely right when u say that "they should atleast do a "spell/fact check" before they submit anything"
must add another interesting fact here..i was equally bad when i was a student..that in turn prepared me for what i should expect..as all i had to do is think back on what i would have done..
worked every time..like the old bajaj ad goes..
"unki chori..pakdi jaati..
kyonki..roshni deta..u know the rest"
hehe..another one..now im on a roll.. i distinctly remember that out of 50 students in the class..only 2 would pick on my deliberate mistakes..like quoting something from the text..and crediting Syed Kirmani for the theory(for those who dont know..SK was a cricketer)...
damned fools..wonder what theve made of themselves today..??? :)
oops typo in the first line..forgot to spell check myself..
please read thought as TAUGHT
Pooja, it is not just the ad, apart from Hip Hip Hurray (the Prakash Jha movie, which had a super soccer coach) I have always seen a stereotype for teachers in ads or bollywood movies, that they are dumb. That makes me hopping mad.
Amrit, many kids when they come to college try to copy this stupid behavior, and I think they might get away with it in a few places, but it is not the true picture.
Supremus, no problem, it takes all kinds to make a classroom. For me all students are equal, unless they make teaching hell inside the classroom. I have often told my students that failing a course is small matter. But some of them work very hard not to pass. Some of them also have family business to fall back on and it is perfectly fine with me.
Bunk the class by all means, all my college days I struggled with attendence requirements. I for one, do not tolerate copying, if I can detect it, because then I send the wrong message to others who work hard.
NB, I know there are teachers of all kind. You got away with giving credit to SK? My my, that is something. As a student I was not disruptive in the classroom but I was found more on the basketball court than inside the class.
Anyway, my reaction was to the stereotype of teachers presented in the Indian movies and ads.
oh Mridula, you are very tough teacher. i pitty your students ;).
we also did similar things so many times in our college days. funniest was one test we have given
one of my classmate got rid of mid term objective type question paper (it was last year question paper and same was given for so many years, professor was very lazy or she didn't care about us students) and all of us have choose all correct answers, many of us not even knowing what the question is. like answer to question 1 is c , 2 is b so we crammed cbadcdabcd and it was very easy.
in whole methos add we need to look in a different manner Ma'm, u need to see the creativity of a person who is a student of Some other teacher.. As u say there may be many angles in looking into a topic
But it is a nice article to read, i really enjoyed reading it
"I for one, do not tolerate copying, if I can detect it, because then I send the wrong message to others who work hard.
"
-- I completely wholesomely agree here - that is a sign of a good college teacher. Yes, you do the right thing.
I forgot mentioning in the last post - but this was a really interesting read; enjoyed it reading from teacher's perspective thoroughly.
Suyog
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o lord..
i m not a conscientious student.
i copy assignments.
but whats the difference if one copies from a textbook or from a source assignment.
copyin in exams is against my principles tho'
What can I say students will be students
As a student I plead guilty to most of the above mentioned traits.
I'm sure the menthos effect makes your job a tad more interesting doesn't it.
Mridula..in every school or college there is 1 or 2 teachers that fit the stereotype..that is what is exploited in Ads and movies..thats what sells..the intent is to sell the product and or the movie.hence..they do what sells..the other side of the coin is that if this is what sells..then what is the world coming to..i belive as someone who knows what it is to be a teacher..it is our responsibilty to guide the students and prepare them for challenges ahead..this is what makes teaching all worthwhile..
but its like the chicken and egg problem..what should change..external influences like ads or movies..or students..coz these students go forth and create these ads and movies..so u see the problem here?..dont know what the soultion is..but i hope..things will change..as a better brand of students comes forth..
did that make sense???
Mridula: I am glad you have written this post. Many UG students in India think plagiarism and other such offences are just 'minor crimes'. I am not sure how they make the switch after they move to industry, but at the PG level, they find it quite hard to believe that the rules have changed ...
But, to their credit, they do change for the better; unlearning some of these bad habits (in particular, plagiarism) doesn't seem to be that difficult.
More importantly, it is good that new media (such as blogs) that are popular among young people bring up such issues. This can only help them learn the pitfalls of these 'minor offences' sooner, and that's better for everyone.
Were you sympathetic against teachers being stereotyped when you were a student?
Come on. Don't be so naive. It is an ad for a menthos. To look for student-teacher morality/responsibility issues in it is really really naive.
In my case it all depends upon my interest in the subject and the prof. in question. I do slog in my areas of interest but you also have to factor in the fact that many assignments are an exercise in futility..
And then there are subjects you are forced to study just to make up ur credits..
There aren't ne easy answers..
mridula, the ad seems to have touched a raw nerve. Just pop a menthos. You will be fine.
Nilesh, yes, you know who you can get away with and who you cannot. But many students try one strategy with everyone and that is their downfall :)
Anonymous, thanks a lot for saying that you enjoyed it.
Suyog, thank you.
Poison, I am not sure about lab reports but if you copy from a source without giving credit in your assignments it is still called plagiarism in academic world too.
Akshay, and teachers will be teachers :)
NB, that is the beauty of having a blog, in my own limited sphere, i can talk back and I thoroughly enjoyed doing so.
Abi, I entirely agree with you.
Anonymous, do you think I am talking in all serious? I too am poking fun at Menthos ad. Talking back through my blog. And I am told by my teachers even today that I was soooo good as a student!
Sumit, but in many places if you are caught, you get a zero. That should serve as a deterrent?
Nahin Raj, just making fun of the ad and getting so many comments made my day ;)
ROFL.
the ad touched a raw nerve huh?
quite a bit of the post comes out as rather vindictive, imo. something I hated my teachers for.
Soon to be Bengaluruguy, easy my lad, vindicative is a strong word. I do not hate my students.
ROFL.
hey, dont shoot the messenger. I wrote what I saw! :-D
And Bengaluru is gonna wait till 1 Nov. Besides, I took that name long before Dharam Singh thot of changing it!
My dear messanger, you call some parts of my post vindicative and object to my *harmless* pun on a name?
And pray which parts are vindicative? You like shooting posts with evidence?
ROFL!
there are good and the bad in the students community just as they are in the teachers'. but its surprising to see that the teachers understand the worst of their students better than the students seem to understand even the best of the teachers. lots of students can't even manage to understand what is good for them even while their teachers can do it fairly easily for them. real pity on such students who consider a good advice as being vindictive.
Tabrez, thanks a lot for your comment.My humor must be bad, because people are taking this seriously.
Few home truths sounding vindicative? :-)
Mridula,
I dont object to the pun on the name. If you notice, my blog goes by the moniker "bombat bengluru"(and I was saying just that)
And as for specific references amongst your not-so-big post, well, the first half and the last few lines.
Alka, there's a "tone" conveyed by the msg, I was referring to that. Anyone who's ever been a student will know most of the home-truths.
Tabrez,
Generalisation fails at most levels.
Cheers.
On the other hand a person calling me vindicative says "something I hated my teachers for." Hate is a strong word and sounds ugly in the context of my post.
So then, "well, the first half and the last few lines" is too vague a reference to call me vindicate. And I repeat, I do not hate my students.
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