Why do we all so much differ? Why do some have thunder in their voice? Why do some barely speak? Why do some have eyes brimful of compassion? Why do some speak of unity while some speak always to divide? Why do some seek best for others while others seek worst for others? Why some denote strength while some meekness? Why do some never bend while others never stand straight?
Some of it is, no doubt, hereditary, howsoever one choose to explain it. Hindus say it is the result of previous birth’s “karmas”.
But the fact is most of the attributes can be attributed to how we make use of the existing and gifted faculties. Nobody gets everything. Nobody gets nothing. How we use “the something” is upto us. Post World War II, Japan did have few resources and the country did have some legacy to support it. But how it used its resources was upto it.
Bihar and Jharkhand, for example, have huge resources. They surely have some legacy. How they use the resources is upto them.
Will power, I’ve experienced, is a big power. Resources, I believe, facilitate a purpose and ambition. It is usually the will to succeed that sees us through in good or bad times.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
The Traditional and Modern: Shall the twain meet?
There is a general tendency to know the old as outdated, almost all the time. Truth is old but never outdated. So is honesty, righteousness. So is dishonesty and falsehood. Some things are ageless and never prone to obsolescence. There is also a tendency to look upon technology as panacea. As if it is going to solve all our problems. We tend to be over enthusiastic to receive new technologies and overtly eager to forget previous one. It is like looking forward to new branches and ignoring the stem and roots. You can’t ignore history. That’s where you have evolved from. You may run away from it for sometime but you will come back to it sooner or later.
In my country, traditional (older) and modern world co-exist; seldom speaking to each other save in the time of distress or at a few meetings to marvel at each other like tourists occasionally do. Can the twain meet? Can the easy manner of the former mingle with the hectic moves of the latter? It ain’t easy. Both look upon each other like a great grandson looks upon his great grandfather. Both think they come from a different world. Both are likely to have affinity for each other. The traditional world is ripe with age and the wisdom of the ages and looks upon the modern world with eyes of an elder, saddened by the gross lack of warmth in the latter’s life. The modern world finds it hard to reconcile with “slow and least ambitious” traditional world. There is no doubt that both can learn from each other, but only if both are willing.
It is heartening to think about how traditional goods, in their original form, can be marketed through internet. Speaking of internet, it is powerful, cheap and fast medium to disseminate information; accelerate trade; remove boundations of physical presence and time; save several costs, etc. it is not traditional (old). Indeed it is a great power.
The gap needs to be bridged. The twain shall have to meet to do that. Being both --traditional and modern -- does not mean being less modern. It just means having deeper roots. And it doesn’t sound bad really. Why not use the age old wisdom amassed by saints. However, care should be taken to not become orthodox. It is good to be influenced but it is dangerous to be molded by them, never to change again. It is always good to learn new things, it is better not to forget good old things learnt earlier.
Education now has very little, if any, of traditional but lots of modern. And it gives perhaps more importance to the modern. This creeps in a feeling of being “different” in students who go on to further stages of life with that belief. Few books filled with facts never made a sage full of wisdom, knowledge, compassion, vision. They can only fill in a feeling of being wise and “different”. In the process, we limit their vision to a very limited view. Hence, two different worlds thrive and like I said, they seldom meet. To design marketing, financing solutions for pottery makers is uncool. But designing portfolio of a fund management company is supercool. While pottery makers are producing goods, portfolio just allocates funds to companies that produce goods (or services).
An entity (e.g. pottery making) may not involve complex operations but can have a market (and it does have, though not big). A villager in the countryside, far away from city should not have to worry about the transaction risk, translation risk, foreign exchange exposure, pricing, etc. that is inherent in foreign trade. That is the ideal situation. It is not easy to teach the potter all these things. He should not be despised because he is so. He still makes good products that are sold far and wide. Similarly, eliminating intermediaries in agriculture produce can unlock lots of benefits, only if one is willing to go and explore it. Perhaps it won’t be unwise to rethink about uncool activities.
It is simply best when knowledge of all kinds and ages mix. It is not utopia but very much possible. It is like breaking all boundaries which have no purpose but got built on their own, with out anyone noticing it.
In my country, traditional (older) and modern world co-exist; seldom speaking to each other save in the time of distress or at a few meetings to marvel at each other like tourists occasionally do. Can the twain meet? Can the easy manner of the former mingle with the hectic moves of the latter? It ain’t easy. Both look upon each other like a great grandson looks upon his great grandfather. Both think they come from a different world. Both are likely to have affinity for each other. The traditional world is ripe with age and the wisdom of the ages and looks upon the modern world with eyes of an elder, saddened by the gross lack of warmth in the latter’s life. The modern world finds it hard to reconcile with “slow and least ambitious” traditional world. There is no doubt that both can learn from each other, but only if both are willing.
It is heartening to think about how traditional goods, in their original form, can be marketed through internet. Speaking of internet, it is powerful, cheap and fast medium to disseminate information; accelerate trade; remove boundations of physical presence and time; save several costs, etc. it is not traditional (old). Indeed it is a great power.
The gap needs to be bridged. The twain shall have to meet to do that. Being both --traditional and modern -- does not mean being less modern. It just means having deeper roots. And it doesn’t sound bad really. Why not use the age old wisdom amassed by saints. However, care should be taken to not become orthodox. It is good to be influenced but it is dangerous to be molded by them, never to change again. It is always good to learn new things, it is better not to forget good old things learnt earlier.
Education now has very little, if any, of traditional but lots of modern. And it gives perhaps more importance to the modern. This creeps in a feeling of being “different” in students who go on to further stages of life with that belief. Few books filled with facts never made a sage full of wisdom, knowledge, compassion, vision. They can only fill in a feeling of being wise and “different”. In the process, we limit their vision to a very limited view. Hence, two different worlds thrive and like I said, they seldom meet. To design marketing, financing solutions for pottery makers is uncool. But designing portfolio of a fund management company is supercool. While pottery makers are producing goods, portfolio just allocates funds to companies that produce goods (or services).
An entity (e.g. pottery making) may not involve complex operations but can have a market (and it does have, though not big). A villager in the countryside, far away from city should not have to worry about the transaction risk, translation risk, foreign exchange exposure, pricing, etc. that is inherent in foreign trade. That is the ideal situation. It is not easy to teach the potter all these things. He should not be despised because he is so. He still makes good products that are sold far and wide. Similarly, eliminating intermediaries in agriculture produce can unlock lots of benefits, only if one is willing to go and explore it. Perhaps it won’t be unwise to rethink about uncool activities.
It is simply best when knowledge of all kinds and ages mix. It is not utopia but very much possible. It is like breaking all boundaries which have no purpose but got built on their own, with out anyone noticing it.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Soul
Lets consider a simple analogy. A few musical instruments and a few good musicians breathing the life into them and a soulful song coming straight out of the soul of the poet. And consider another case, where you have best of instruments -- electronic and otherwise -- and a song to go along with them and access to best of the resources.
In no case does the best resources in this case guarantee that the product will touch the heart whenever they play the number. Simple resources in the first case may create a timeless piece. Such is life. The huge amount of resources and access to them may ease the process but it can in no way guarantee that the journey will be smooth. While we run around everywhere for resources, the time flies and the soul remains thristy. And when you do gather a few resources they never are enough. Soul needs more than money can buy. Running everywhere around will not answer many questions but running a little inside yourself will. It is not bad to amass gold, or eat good food but these aren't the only thing you should be doing in your life.
In no case does the best resources in this case guarantee that the product will touch the heart whenever they play the number. Simple resources in the first case may create a timeless piece. Such is life. The huge amount of resources and access to them may ease the process but it can in no way guarantee that the journey will be smooth. While we run around everywhere for resources, the time flies and the soul remains thristy. And when you do gather a few resources they never are enough. Soul needs more than money can buy. Running everywhere around will not answer many questions but running a little inside yourself will. It is not bad to amass gold, or eat good food but these aren't the only thing you should be doing in your life.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Increase in Income and its Effect
Group: It represents an informal or formal set of individuals who have similar level of income, lifestyle, job level, etc.
General Increase: It is the increase in income level that everyone in the group experienced (more or less the same increase).
Specific Increase: It is exclusive and not everyone in the group experienced that.
Individual: An individual forms a unit of the group. She moves usually within her group and level of people. A junior accountant is unlikely to upgrade to a Seven Star hotel in case of income increase where she will run into a CEO.
How does rise in Income Level affects us? If affects our consumption and savings pattern, priorities, etc. Our basket of goods surely rises a few notches up higher.
Taking a group of people with similar qualifications and relatively same or nearly same job level, let us consider their income level at A1 approximately. The basket of goods they buy at this level is B1. The position indicated in the graph is (A1,B1).
Considering a rise in the income level across a group of people, the income curve shifts rightwards. (A2,B2) now represent the basket of goods that the group will now buy. An individual will realize that the shift is general and all within the same informal group have shifted to the new curve.
While the new basket contains more goods but the increase is not exclusive to any individual but general, i.e., “everyone” (in the group) experienced.
A 50% increase in the Income level across the “group” will not cause the satisfaction level to increase proportionately but less than proportionately. However, a “specific” and “exclusive” increase in the Income level will cause the satisfaction level to increase almost proportionately or more than proportionately. An individual will consider “general” increase as normal and exclusive as “special”.
At first, an individual tends to compare his Income level among his immediate group mates. An exclusive increase is not alone but always accompanies the general increase. An exclusive increase gives him access to a basket higher basket but that is not available to the group he belongs (belonged). As he moves within his group, his exclusive recent access to the higher basket gives more satisfaction than the income increase. It is not only an income rise, it is an upgrade to a new group – at point (A3,B3). The individual is now actually on a new curve (representing new group) which is further right to is previous group’s new curve.
Carrying on the previous example, 50% is the general increase. An individual gets 100% increase – 50% general and 50% exclusive. The general increase(50%) shall give him less than proportional satisfaction, while 50% exclusive/special increase shall give him more than proportionate satisfaction. We can put his satisfaction to around 75% while other in the group experiencing general increase will get less than 50% satisfaction.
~
Antriksh
General Increase: It is the increase in income level that everyone in the group experienced (more or less the same increase).
Specific Increase: It is exclusive and not everyone in the group experienced that.
Individual: An individual forms a unit of the group. She moves usually within her group and level of people. A junior accountant is unlikely to upgrade to a Seven Star hotel in case of income increase where she will run into a CEO.
How does rise in Income Level affects us? If affects our consumption and savings pattern, priorities, etc. Our basket of goods surely rises a few notches up higher.
Taking a group of people with similar qualifications and relatively same or nearly same job level, let us consider their income level at A1 approximately. The basket of goods they buy at this level is B1. The position indicated in the graph is (A1,B1).
Considering a rise in the income level across a group of people, the income curve shifts rightwards. (A2,B2) now represent the basket of goods that the group will now buy. An individual will realize that the shift is general and all within the same informal group have shifted to the new curve.
While the new basket contains more goods but the increase is not exclusive to any individual but general, i.e., “everyone” (in the group) experienced.
A 50% increase in the Income level across the “group” will not cause the satisfaction level to increase proportionately but less than proportionately. However, a “specific” and “exclusive” increase in the Income level will cause the satisfaction level to increase almost proportionately or more than proportionately. An individual will consider “general” increase as normal and exclusive as “special”.
At first, an individual tends to compare his Income level among his immediate group mates. An exclusive increase is not alone but always accompanies the general increase. An exclusive increase gives him access to a basket higher basket but that is not available to the group he belongs (belonged). As he moves within his group, his exclusive recent access to the higher basket gives more satisfaction than the income increase. It is not only an income rise, it is an upgrade to a new group – at point (A3,B3). The individual is now actually on a new curve (representing new group) which is further right to is previous group’s new curve.
Carrying on the previous example, 50% is the general increase. An individual gets 100% increase – 50% general and 50% exclusive. The general increase(50%) shall give him less than proportional satisfaction, while 50% exclusive/special increase shall give him more than proportionate satisfaction. We can put his satisfaction to around 75% while other in the group experiencing general increase will get less than 50% satisfaction.
~
Antriksh
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Paper Boats
Business Analysis is what I do,
falls the rain, rises the smell from earth,,
I forget the trends and the database,
And the clients and the Business Intelligence.
I suddenly lose all intelligence
And play a country song
And hum all along, my eyes closed
Somewhere far the peacock dances,
it is more beautiful than any report I’ve written
I go back to the old memories
Heap of papers on my desk
would make rather good paper boats, I think
I feel good, suddenly
despite all the software around me
I never let the soft part in me die
And the hardware
Well it just could not harden my heart
I still analyze
How Kings and Queens lived,
How poems are written,
How folk songs are sung,
How the birds sing,
How the sun rises,
How the stars twinkle,
And despite fundamental analysis
My fundamentals remain strong
I still believe in old stories
but find it difficult to believe
the stories my colleagues build
I believe chetak would wait
a season for the rain drops
but never will I believe
that people in office
waited for me before starting a party,
Somehow the older things
seem a lot more true
and try hard as I may,
I find no trace of truth
in words that go around in the workplace
Solitude
What power does solitude have? A lot. You spend time with yourself. You can dive deep in the innermost self to get answers to a lot of questions.
“Jeda apne naal hisaab nahi karda, ode naal hisaab ki karnaa hoo” -- Baba Bulleh Shah.
The one who takes not the account of one’s deeds, should not be kept account with.
And I heard and read that one who is afraid to be alone and to think in solitude isn’t that clear of heart after all. When you gaze at infinity and do not look at anything in particular, that’s when the thoughts churn and the spirit reveals its innermost secrets.
Be in the company of men and women to enjoy the celebrations but also take time out to be in the company of your spirit, to be one with it and thus the Almighty.
And when you think of all those who have left a bitter taste in your mouth, think not of them as evil and in bad spirit. They acted, perhaps, out of their ignorance. And ignorant is best ignored if it is not possible to enlighten them. Thank Lord for all those who have been good to you like the messenger of God. Your thoughts may take you to what you think are your achievements. Realize that you are too little to contribute, and have influence. But that should not in anyway discourage you from contributing. You may think of your shortcomings. Remember that they will stay, in small or greater measure, for you are born to be imperfect and so is the case with everything except Him. But that should not in no way discourage you from attempts to diminish them in numbers and intensity.
The best part about solitude is that you can disown all false claims, remove all false masks, all airs of pretensions, all your ego, for you are with no none but yourself. You need not feign an achievement. Be true to yourself, at least. Believe you me, it does take a bit of dirt away from your heart.
“Jeda apne naal hisaab nahi karda, ode naal hisaab ki karnaa hoo” -- Baba Bulleh Shah.
The one who takes not the account of one’s deeds, should not be kept account with.
And I heard and read that one who is afraid to be alone and to think in solitude isn’t that clear of heart after all. When you gaze at infinity and do not look at anything in particular, that’s when the thoughts churn and the spirit reveals its innermost secrets.
Be in the company of men and women to enjoy the celebrations but also take time out to be in the company of your spirit, to be one with it and thus the Almighty.
And when you think of all those who have left a bitter taste in your mouth, think not of them as evil and in bad spirit. They acted, perhaps, out of their ignorance. And ignorant is best ignored if it is not possible to enlighten them. Thank Lord for all those who have been good to you like the messenger of God. Your thoughts may take you to what you think are your achievements. Realize that you are too little to contribute, and have influence. But that should not in anyway discourage you from contributing. You may think of your shortcomings. Remember that they will stay, in small or greater measure, for you are born to be imperfect and so is the case with everything except Him. But that should not in no way discourage you from attempts to diminish them in numbers and intensity.
The best part about solitude is that you can disown all false claims, remove all false masks, all airs of pretensions, all your ego, for you are with no none but yourself. You need not feign an achievement. Be true to yourself, at least. Believe you me, it does take a bit of dirt away from your heart.
Worldly Business
Many a time I overhear about me “There goes he who listens not to anyone”. I do listen but not to everyone. I do not listen nor pretend to listen to those whose speech is flowery but who carries a dagger hidden in their robes, waiting to strike a fatal blow. I accept my shortcomings and look forward to be told about them. I expect none to praise me unnecessarily and do not wish to praise anyone unnecessarily.
The way worldly business is transacted is horrible. It is so full of frills. It is like picking grains from stones of untruth, and the grains are hard to find. It is indeed necessary to cut the frills out. We must know how to pick a few elusive relevant pearls from the huge overpowering and overwhelming sea of frills and useless things. That can only happen when you yourself are not contributing towards adding frills. Keep away from them and their contributors, for they keep you busy and your short lifetime is gone before you realize it is wasted.
The way worldly business is transacted is horrible. It is so full of frills. It is like picking grains from stones of untruth, and the grains are hard to find. It is indeed necessary to cut the frills out. We must know how to pick a few elusive relevant pearls from the huge overpowering and overwhelming sea of frills and useless things. That can only happen when you yourself are not contributing towards adding frills. Keep away from them and their contributors, for they keep you busy and your short lifetime is gone before you realize it is wasted.
Contentment
Where does contentment flow from? Does it come from the riches of the world? Does it come from beauty? Does it come from good food? Does it come from admiration? It may. It may not. All these are ends and not the means. Means too form an important constituent of contentment. You amass riches. But how do you do it? If you get it by slavery, forget contentment. You get it by hard work and sweat and not indulging in things immoral, contentment is yours. You have a beautiful portrait of yours painted in return of gold, hung upon the big wall of your big mansion. It does satisfy your ego and attract praises from all around. It matches not the small painting gifted by a friend out of sheer love. Both are thing of beauty and the wise knows which is worth what. Delicately prepared delicacies by highly paid chefs do have the warmth of the simple food prepared by a friend himself.
(Financial) Valuation, from my limited knowledge I know, is a tricky subject indeed. Moreover, how you value depends upon what you value.
(Financial) Valuation, from my limited knowledge I know, is a tricky subject indeed. Moreover, how you value depends upon what you value.
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