The world is facing climate change, the scientists kept saying. And we have been counting carbon footprints too. But now we are seeing the wildfires in different places in the world as drought sets its anchor in locations where summers have been known to be mild and perfect for holidays.
If the climate faces changes, how about people?
People change too, said a friend.
To that, another friend quipped, "We can see the changes in climate, but we cannot see the change in people's minds."
People change; it is only natural to evolve after all. One can see the behavioural and physical changes, but the mind — that is a whole new game.
Reading minds is not an easy skill.
"Mind reading" is actually a fascinating reality across several distinct fields today.
I am impressed with mentalists, but there is so much more happening with tech-based mind reading that has come about in neuroscience and AI.
Apparently, researchers are getting shockingly close to decoding human thoughts using brain scanning and machine learning.
According to reports, scientists have trained AI models to analyse brain scans (fMRI) while a person listens to a story or imagines an image. With this technology, the AI can reconstruct the general flow of thoughts or re-create images the person is visualising with impressive accuracy.
And I want to say, leave my mind alone. What might cause anxiety is the thought of why the scientists would want to see so much into the mind. The worry is that all that your mind's reading could also become data.
Then there are Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) where companies like Neuralink and academic labs use neural implants to allow paralysed patients to spell out sentences or control computer cursors simply by imagining the physical movement. This is, of course, of great benefit.
What many of us must have been already practicing, knowingly or unknowingly, is applied psychology's behavioural mind reading.
Most "mind readers" in daily life rely on keen observation of non-verbal cues.
When we conduct interviews as journalists, we observe micro-expressions — the tiny, involuntary facial expressions lasting a fraction of a second or so. This reveals the true emotions before a person consciously masks them.
The job interviewers are already sketching out the personality of the candidate through body language and vocal tone, and that also includes posture. How often have we noticed the eye movement patterns, speech pacing, and pupil dilation? All of these give good indications of stress levels, hesitation, or interest. These are important observations in communication.
Sometimes we want to jump to conclusions, and really there is a thin line between judging and analysing a person.
Sometimes people have to build a mental model of how someone else could think based on their current circumstances and background.
This is important for student counsellors but also in public relations, especially in corporations, because organisations today reflect diversity and it is important to know cultures so everyone feels included.
Experts point out that inclusion is not about 'fitting everyone into a single mould' — it is about building environments, systems, and mindsets flexible enough that everyone can show up as they are and contribute fully. Acceptance is as important as other qualities and skills. We tend to see the differences more often and find it tedious to adjust to someone who has a different approach to life and thoughts.
According to experts, true inclusion happens at three distinct levels: personal interactions, structural systems, and cultural mindsets.
To achieve that, we need to learn more about cultures and why people think in a certain way in particular situations.
The circle goes back to the mind.
Better understanding could start with good conversations.
The writer is a senior editor of Observer
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