Intellectual Roadies: IIM C interview

I didn’t really mean to write a blog about my interview experiences because I felt that such posts always undermined the reader’s ability to do well in the interview. Nevertheless, here I am. The reason why I’m writing this is that there’s a connection between my blogs and the interview that I appeared for. So, without much ado let’s go straight to the room where the author of this post is trying hard to make peace with the panelists! Happy reading!

Panel: ( A male prof aged mid 40s [P1], A female prof aged mid 40s [P2], An alumnus from IIMC, 35+ [P3])

[..After a couple of questions about my work experience and education..]

P1: You have written that your hobby is writing blogs?

(So, there were two columns in the IIMC form where you had to mention your hobbies. And the thing about these forms is that whatever you write there, you should be comfortable facing all cross-questions about that! I had written Painting/Sketching in the first and was confident that I could answer any question from this field. But, I was so confused about the second hobby that I finally wrote ‘Writing Blogs’ without giving much thought. I believe that was the only weak link in my application and P1 had just scratched that surface)

Me: *Muffled Nod* Yes.

P1: What kind of blogs do you write?

Me: Well, mostly about general happenings in life, burning topics in news and.. sometime philosophical blogs.

P1: Oh. Philosophy! So, what is philosophy?

Me: (Out-of-the-blue.. Philosophy!?) It’s the study of existence, nature, reality and what is out there.

P1: (Amused) What is out there? What do you mean by what is out there?

Me: (Clearly understood that the panelist is not going to take things ‘Lite’). Well, erm.., I meant to say that Philosophy is the study of nature, existence of human life,.. In general sense, it tells us about the philosophy of life.

P1: (Laughs..) So, you mean to say that philosophy is the philosophy of life? You’re defining a term using that term itself?

Me: Erm,, no sir. I think I just fumbled. So, in plain language, philosophy explains to us the various theories about life and.. (P1 cuts in)

P1: What is a theory?

Me: (Confused at the change of subject): Okay. So..a theory is formed when a philosophy finds decent foundation and it explains us the.. (P2 cuts in)

P2: What is difference between a thesis and a hypothesis?

Me: (Again confused at the change of subject..) A hypothesis is a premature version of.. (P2 cuts in)

P2: Wait..wait..Stop. Think and then speak.

Me: (Totally looking for a cover by now) Okay. A hypothesis is a first-hand notion of some phenomenon. Whereas, a thesis is formed when that notion is assisted with certain empirical results.

P2: What are these empirical results?

Me: Observations which help us define a theory for the phenom.. (P1 cuts in)

P1: What is the difference between Philosophy and Science?

Me: (Just thinking whose face did I look upon this morning..) One major difference is that scientific theories are supported by a lot of experiments whereas philosophy mostly deals with theories..

P1: But did you not mention earlier that Philosophy is a sort of theory that is supported by some empirical results?

Me: Yes. But the nature of results and observations is different in both.

P1: Hm. So, what was the last blog you wrote?

Me: (Yes! I can tell this..) So, my last blog was titled ‘Over time friends become acquaintances’. The idea was that over time, physical distance between the best of your friends increases and as a result you tend to miss out on the happenings in the other person’s life which finally leads to a gap.

P1: Okay. But these are your opinions, right? Where is philosophy in this?

Me: I write what my understandings are about various events. These are surely my opinions but when taken in a generalized manner, they will form a philosophical theory, I suppose.

P1: (Looking totally unconvinced..) Say, you’re married and your wife is based in US and you’re here, in India. Now, you have a female colleague in your team with whom you are good friends. You spend almost the entire day at office beside her. Will it not affect your relationship with your wife? Afterall, your wife is also your friend, right?

Me: (Even i didn’t think so deep while writing that blog!..) Well, I think the female colleague would definitely be a go-to person for me for discussing anything urgent or troubling. But, the relationship with my wife is different and I would discuss matters with her that I will not discuss with anyone else..

P1: Isn’t that self contradictory? Friendship should suffer when the physical distance has increased, right? That was your philosophy?

Me: (Okay..Let me try this) Sir, I’m no expert in philosophy. That’s a subject that has interested me and I’m trying to cut my way into it. These blogs help to understand that subject.

P1: But you’re going out on a public forum and publishing your theories! You can’t do that unless you’re very sure!

Me: (But that’s how we learn!..) Well..

P1: So, who’s your favorite philosopher? Which  philosophers do you follow?

Me: Well, um, I’m quite fascinated by Rene Descartes, his theories on existence and his idea of ‘Cognito ergo sum’ that means ‘I think therefore I am’

P1: What did you just say.. his famous idea of?

Me: ‘I think therefore I am’

P1: No, you spoke something in Latin, right?

Me: ‘Cognito ergo sum’?

P1: Is it cognito or cogito ?

Me: (Looking down and nodding..Why! Why did I have to speak those words!!) Yes, sorry. It’s cogito.

P1: (laughs..) Now I’m fascinated that you don’t even know the most famous words of your favorite philosopher!

P3: But, Descartes was a long time ago. Tell us about someone who’s more recent. Many philosophers have worked on the similar idea after him.

Me: (Now, the interview was at a stage where every word out of my mouth was being critically examined. I did not give any guess) I cannot remember any who worked on similar lines.

P1: You know about Wittgenstein?

Me: No sir.

P1: Okay. so any other philosopher you know about?

Me: (I knew I should keep the conversation going. Else, my interview was over) Yes! I know about Newton. He was also a good philosopher!

P1: (laughs and turns to P2 an P3..) Look! We have someone here who can qualify Newton as good or bad!

P3: You know about Karl Marx?

Me: (Yes! I know this! I have read some sociology!) Yes, sir. So, Karl Marx’s theories were primarily related to the functioning of the society and the control given to bourgeoisie in.. (P3 cuts in)

P3: No. Don’t talk about his social theories. Tell us about his work in the field of existence where Descartes had also contributed.

Me: I think he gave his inputs as to how the middle class can or cannot exist in a capitalist economy..

P1: You’re guessing or you know the right answer?

Me: Umm..I think he worked on thes..

P2: If you’re guessing then please stop.

Me: (I should’ve never written blogging as my hobby..!)

After this, the interview ran on for another ten minutes with questions around social entrepreneurship, differences in middle class and other classes, need for social inclination in leaders, and a few more cross questions on previously unanswered questions.

On my way back home, I really had second thoughts about writing any blog again. But, all’s well that ends well; A new blog is here and I look forward to greet P1 and P2 at the campus!