Posts Tagged ‘notesby.me’

Come on, Can’t those restricted clubs/clans find a better term than Tribe?

Posted by: adonis49 on: March 13, 2020

In: engineering/research/experiments | Essays | humor | social articles
Leave a Comment

Come on, Can’t those restricted clubs find a better term than Tribe?

Note: A re-edit of a 2011 article “What is this notion of modern “Tribe”? Is nomadic life-style back in favor?”

It appears that old terms for social organization are considered exotic enough to be used in order to effectively disseminate new concepts; as if languages are too poor to create new words for an evolving civilization, or maybe it is a sarcastic metaphor to mean that our social organization and social behaviors did not improve after hundred of centuries.

One of these most commonly adopted words is “tribe” to describe a collection of people with same shared passions and interests, intellectually or professionally.

We know that there are syndicates, associations, organizations (profit and for non-profit), collectivity, cooperative, community, gang, cartel, commission, political parties, “circle of friends”, sects, cult, castes, clans, classes of people (privileged, poor, elite…), club, strata, close-knit group, regiment, brigade, division, army, squadron, brotherhood, sisterhood…

But why selecting “tribe” among all these social terminologies for gathering in organized units?

Is nomadic life-style back in favor?

Sort of back to nature and retaliations and vendetta customs?

Why chose a term that carries heavy bad connotation of violence and prehistoric traditions? Such as raiding another tribe, massacring all male members and saving only the virgin girls so that to secure no retribution in kind will happen in forms of vendetta, decades later, or even centuries later!

Obviously, before ransaking all their chattels and domesticated animals for the survival of the famished and unfit mentally.

For example, what is common among Meg Ryan, Debbie Allen, Brian Ray, Hellen Pilcher, Don Lipski, Matt Groening, Ewa Laurance, and Black Ice?

Ken Robinson in his “Element” would like us to believe that they all found their own tribes: Each one of them, finally, felt part in their new career domain “tribal members in the field” and hit it well with the “field” colleagues.

They discovered that the tribe members validated their passions, passions they share in the tribe, they talked shop, bounced ideas around, shared and compared techniques, indulging enthusiasms or hostilities for the same things. They were finally convinced that what they were doing mattered and was worth doing.

Is that how tribe members behaved in prehistory?

Working with your tribe, you receive inspiration and provocations to raise the bar on achievements.

For example, William Choukeir borrowed the term “tribe” in his blog notesby.me to refer to “high-energy” gathering of people who join in demanding physical activities and converse on topic of high quality intellectual level (no argumentations permitted for degrading the discussions). This process within the tribe is targeted to recharge in energy.

Many professionals in math, sciences…poets, painters, athletes… might prefer to work alone.

Fact is, they are interacting frequently within their close-knit associations: They publish and interchange ideas and comments: They stand on the shoulders of previous giants in the profession.

Otherwise, no challenging problems are resolved.

Freeman Dyson says: “Up to a point, you welcome being interrupted because it is only by interchanging ideas with other people who you get anything of interest done. When I write, I close the door; but when I’m doing science I leave the door open.”

Why using this cute term “tribe”?

Tribes were constituted of population over 150 members; consequently, tribes were split naturally to smaller units or clans for adequate communication among the members and remembering names and the family history of each member.

If the name “team” is too common or Unit is Not appropriate then, how about Tfield, meaning Terrific members (in a particular field of specialty), or Punit for pulsating unit, or RKteam for reversed karma team?

Tags: adonis49, Freeman Dyson, high-energy gathering, nomadic life-style, notesby.me, restricted clubs, reversed karma, Tfield, tribe, William Choukeir

Do we have to win arguments? Do we have to avoid arguments?

Posted by: adonis49 on: November 4, 2011

In: education methods/programs | Essays | philosophy | social articles
Leave a Comment

Do we have to win arguments? Do we have to avoid arguments?

How often have you heard “Please, I’m in no mood for arguing?” Why arguing has acquired such a terrible connotation? I read an article on the blog notesby.me a lengthy post on how to avoid arguing sessions, strong with minute technical details to follow, a step-by-step road map to discourage another party in resuming his endeavor. And yet, Dan Rockwell is very pleased to extend his “The Top 25 Ways to Win Arguments”

Don’t focus on winning or losing; focus on achieving objectives.
Interrupting to make your point is pointless.
Be smart not right. You aren’t finding the right answer; you’re searching for the better alternative.
Focus on progress rather than perfect solutions.
Trying to solve the past is futile; you can, however, move in better directions.
Give ground on peripheral or non-essential points.
Keep things simple. Complexity stalls solutions.
Never tell someone what they think; ask them.
Never let someone tell you what you think.
Your “opponent” will use over-statements and unrealistic conclusions to invalidate your goals.
Your opponent will make you angry. When they do, you lose.
Keep an open posture.
Remove barriers and obstacles. Create a clear path across the table or desk. Better yet step away from the desk.
Physically align yourself with them. Rather than face-to-face, stand beside.
Talk while taking a walk.
Be pleasant but not jovial.
When they raise their voice, lower yours.
Use “and” more than “but” because “but” is an eraser. For example, I agree with you but…, diminish agreements.
Show respect; don’t get personal.
Identify your opponent’s objectives and agree where possible. Help them win before you win.
Explore your opponent’s options.
Address your opponent’s fears.
Use experts and research.
Speak to the heart – if they have one.
Stay on point. Distractions are normal.

Bonus: Solve issues before arguments erupt.” End of tips for winning an argument.

These tips are pleasant and very refreshing: I was expecting aggressive tips. What come to mind was “are those tips related to argumentation”? For example, are those tips targeting candidates running for election to a public office? I had a feeling that the tips were more related to having productive conversation, a give and take swapping of ideas, concepts, facts, ideas… Sort of getting the most from investing time into talking with another person… How do you feel?

The first tip is “Don’t focus on winning or losing; focus on achieving objectives”, thus, engaging into argumentation implicitly is related to a set of objectives that you want to “relay, win over people, disseminate…” Does that mean, the other party in the arguing, necessarily has another set of objectives, or he is just reacting to a preempting “invading” opponent who takes pleasure in harassing you and wasting your precious time, and taxing your solid nerves?

Almost every tip is ground for a short essay to build upon. It is a shame that the fashion is list of top this, top that…

Why should we avoid arguments, or learn Argument Avoidance Techniques?

Is a friendly conversation supposed to be reduced to an exercise of “I poke you” and you poke me back? When engaging in a conversation, it is fitting to clearing our time schedule, and focus on what is discussed. All kinds of conversations are opportunities to picking up bits of valid information and ideas: It is one of the mechanism of restructuring our models on how we view the world, the surrounding, and dealing with people.

Otherwise, all the ideas and information will be stored in the labyrinth of the memory and not available to be used immediately. Body language, voices, emotions, and heated arguments are expressions of some form of experiences. Even when we tend to ejaculate truths, we are expressing implicit experiences of society’s ”stick and carrot” control mechanisms.

Incoherent conversations are expressions of incoherent mind structure, a state of chaotic sentiment related to the topic under discussion. Argument Avoidance Techniques are ways of imposing our logic for understanding a conversation; thus, we are robbing the talker his right for his own logic and rational system and diminishing our database of diversification on how the mind works.

It is far more exciting and remunerating if we manage, amid incoherence and mind-sets, to asking pertinent questions that would demonstrate our honest disorientation. Argument Avoidance Techniques are short-term victories that leave bitter tastes after the conversation is over: We were impressing on the other talker that we are “professional” in conversation but not necessarily interested in learning anything on the topic and kind of disrespectful of emotions and subjective ideas.

Most of us are shy engaging in discussions for many reasons. I was shy for most of my life, and still is very awkward handling discussions: My surrounding was not of the talker type and we barely discussed in the family any worthy topic. Fact is, my ignorance of the world and society and my introvert attitudes were stiff barrier into exposing my ignorance any further; it was better keeping silent so that the audience might be fooled that I am wiser than what I am.

Effectively sharing in a conversation requires practice, a level of learning, and knowledge. Even asking pertinent question require a good level of knowledge, intelligence, and training. Thus, expecting people to applying “Argument Avoidance Techniques” and keeping a certain control during conversation is robbing us from valued opportunities coming from people who are knowledgeable but not “intelligent verbally” or trained in confronting audience.

It is not pertinent focusing on diagnosing the structure of the conversation while the topic is ignored or the confused experiences of people are not attended to. We might as well learn to accepting the facts “as is” and as they come and then remodeling what we have learned into a valid model that suits our logic and rational mind. A conversation is an oral outlet to another perspective in intelligent thinking, of what is rattling our life and concepts.

Argument Avoidance Techniques are great for introvert people: they initiate them to navigating into uncharted territories and a good training to getting more sociable, openly expressing their ideas (as good as the others’), positions, and emotions.

Tags: adonis49, Dan Rockwell, Do we have to avoid arguments, Do we have to win arguments, notesby.me, writing

Are there differences among Conventional Wisdom, common sense, idioms of the land, and “obvious lessons” in applications?

Posted by: adonis49 on: October 31, 2011

In: education methods/programs | Essays | Human Factors/Ergonomics | philosophy | political Artical | professional articles | social articles
Leave a Comment

Are there differences among Conventional Wisdom, common sense, idioms of the land, and “obvious lessons” in applications?

I much prefer to base my essay on a published opinion, dissect the article and explain my position. For example, I read this post from notesby.me, titled “Why do obvious lessons never work“? It says:

You won’t really learn obvious lessons until you’ve done the mistakes yourself.
Focus on one project at a time.
Don’t be afraid to fail.
Fall down 7 times, get up 8.
People come before anything else.
Treat people the way you’d like to be treated.
Don’t wait for the perfect time, start now.
Etc.

We know all these obvious lessons. Or maybe not.

Why don’t we all abide my them? Why does it take years until a few of (these lessons) become part of our system?

I’ve come to realize that they are a huge difference between two edges. The first edge is knowing and accepting these obvious lessons. The second edge is Having these obvious lessons as part of our belief system.

We all know about Jesus, Buddha, Muhammad, and so on. But one or none of these religious figures is part of our belief system. We will not act according to the teachings of any one of these religious figures, until one of them becomes part of our belief system.

And I’m not advocating adopting one religion. I’m only using religion because it’s an example we can all identify with. I, at the moment, adopt none.

That’s the challenge.

Adopting obvious lessons as part of our belief system doesn’t happen on a rational level. It takes a strong emotional experience. A huge failure perhaps. Or a loved one turning their back on us. Or a “life changing” lost opportunity. Or a close person truly appeals to our emotions.

The problem is obvious, those of us who have experienced these obvious lessons on an emotional level, go on to share them on a rational level. It never works this way.

Belief systems or world views are always amended on an emotional level. That’s why you won’t really learn obvious lessons until you’ve done the mistake yourself.

Please share with me your experience in the comments. Twitter @williamchoukeir” End of post

Do you think these are obvious lessons?

The economist John Kenneth Galbraith is credited to have coined the term “Conventional Wisdom” as he wrote:

“We associate truth with convenience, with what most closely accords with self-interest and personal well-being or promises best to avoid awkward effort or unwelcome dislocation of life. We also find highly acceptable what contributes most to self-esteem…Economic and social behaviors are complex, and to comprehend their character is mentally tiring. Therefore, we adhere, as though to a raft, to those ideas which represent our understanding…” It is sort of we stick to community habits, customs, and consensus for acknowledgment, as one normal person, and not the designated fool of the community.

How do you understand “having common-sense” to mean?

Does it mean you have enough normal social-intelligence capacity to recognize how things are done in a community, to understand the customs and traditions within a community, and to behaving as it is expected of a normal member?

I have learned in Industrial Engineering the many pitfalls and errors committed in designing a system or product by simply relying on a designer common sense.

Countless people, consumers, soldiers, operators have died or were seriously injured because companies failed to conduct experiments on how people behave, using a particular system or product. Most experiments have demonstrated that someone common sense of a behavior, particularly the designer, is counter-intuitive to the majority of the subjects tested.

It is not clockwise but counterclockwise, it is not to the left but to the right, it is not up but down that the majority of people in a specific community tend to act, prefer, or behave…

The common sense attitude of people is mostly idiosyncratic to other communities that have their own preferences and opinions…

Have you read a set of idioms from another culture, civilization, country…?

Do idioms resemble closely what you have learned in school or overheard in your community? More often than not, you discover idioms with opposite meaning and carrying different value standards…

Are idioms retained because the idiot of the village was a good rhymer and very funny and the idiom was retained for its humor content…? Or many idioms were rhymed so that common people who could not read or write memorize what is to be done and how to behave under particular situations…?

How obvious is it to learn after making “the mistake”?

Aren’t all the knowledge and courses we have taken meant to know the correct answer before hand? Are we learning our lessons the wrong way, according to our idiosyncratic predisposition, or we failing to attend to details, or we are opting for shortcuts when doing our due diligence is the norm…?

Are we applying equations mindlessly that are not appropriate to the case-study? Are we failing to double-check our procedures or asking a second opinion on problems that are more complex than expected?

If to err is human, should mankind basic characteristic is to be in the wrong most of the time?

Is “Don’t be afraid to fail” such an obvious lesson?

How many teachers, bosses, or superiors… do you know who have given you a second chance to making another mistake? How often did your community or close family “condescended” to let bygone be bygone and told you “It is okay to fail once, twice, 77 times, as long as you are diligent in avoiding repeating the same error…?”

How obvious is “People come before anything else…?”

Do wars, particularly preemptive wars put people before anything else? Do the board of director members of any corporation think that people come first? Why 50% of the profit is distributed to the 1% and the other half to the hundreds of workers and employees? Why enterprises with monopoly over a section of the economy force upon the customers products and designs that should be redesigned for a healthier and safer usage…?

How about you develop and reflect on the remaining “obvious lessons”?

Tags: "obvious lessons", adonis49, common sense, Conventional Wisdom, economist John Kenneth Galbraith, err is human, idioms of land, idioms of the land, normal social-intelligence capacity, notesby.me, writing

“I am what I am”? “I am who I am?” What that mean?

Posted by: adonis49 on: October 18, 2011

In: auto-biography | Diaries | Essays | philosophy | social articles | women
Leave a Comment

“I am what I am”? What that mean?

Virginia Satir (American psychologist and Educator, 1916-1988) wrote: “I am Me. In all the world, there is no one else exactly like me. Everything that comes out of me is authentically mine, because I alone chose it — I own everything...”

I have read this quote in the About of a reader who subscribed to my blog. The About resumes:

“My body, my feelings, my mouth, my voice, all my actions, whether they be to others or myself. I own my fantasies, my dreams, my hopes, my fears. I own my triumphs and successes, all my failures and mistakes. Because I own all of me, I can become intimately acquainted with me. By so doing, I can love me and be friendly with all my parts. I know there are aspects about myself that puzzle me, and other aspects that I do not know — but as long as I am friendly and loving to myself, I can courageously and hopefully look for solutions to the puzzles and ways to find out more about me.

However I look and sound, whatever I say and do, and whatever I think and feel at a given moment in time is authentically me. If later some parts of how I looked, sounded, thought, and felt turn out to be unfitting, I can discard that which is unfitting, keep the rest, and invent something new for that which I discarded.

I can see, hear, feel, think, say, and do. I have the tools to survive, to be close to others, to be productive, and to make sense and order out of the world of people and things outside of me.

I own me, and therefore, I can engineer me. I am me, and I am Okay.”

I am not sure if the entire About is from Virginia Satir, but I felt my chest compressing and suffocating: Do all these things belong to me?

Am I responsible for all these potentials and the duty to care for them?

Shouldn’t liberal capitalist systems ease up a few of the burdens off my shoulders and offer me a few affordable social facilities?

I read a post on notesby.me titled “That’s how I am. I can’t do anything about it. I’m sorry.”

(Why people have to insert the term “I am sorry”?. It make no sense to me. Nobody is sorry, otherwise they should have changed their behavior prior to saying they are sorry)

The post read: “There’s no “That’s how I am.”

There’s how everything around you made you without your awareness.

And there’s how you consciously made yourself. These are the two things that most make you.

I was having a dream.

I’m in a little cabin with a nice lady. A male friend of mine is there too. The lady is standing just outside the door on the porch. My friend is standing a the door, leaning left on his hand.

I’m watching them from inside, the light from outside glows her golden hair, and makes a silhouette of the rest of them.

My friend is telling the lady, just out of nowhere:”Warm Italian spaghetti topped with a lush tomato sauce and a hint of basil. A cold glass of wine, and strawberry cheesecake for a sweet end.”

Her face lights up, “I’m starving!” she replies. I never did that. Well maybe when I’m asking a girl out the first time. I usually shout out to the girl from one corner of the studio “I’m hungry, you?” That’s not how I am.

That’s how everything around me made me. I can change that. I like the approach of my friend in the dream. I’ll change my habit. I’ve done that countless times. How I am right now is not how I was 10 years ago.

Ten years ago, 80% of me was because of how everything around me made me. Today 80% percent of me is how I consciously made myself. Habit change is all it takes. One tiny habit at a time.

I like today’s me better. You? Twitter @williamchoukeir” End of quote

Four years ago, I wrote my autobiography, the biography of someone not glamorous or famous, and the last chapter was nature versus nurture, sort of chronological timeline of “What if this didn’t happens…What if I didn’t make that decision…”, would I have been a different person?

You judge, decide, and send me feedback. https://adonis49.wordpress.com/2009/03/06/introspectionnature-versus-nurture-58/

Tags: "I am what I am", adonis49, autobiography, I am who I am, nature versus nurture, notesby.me, Virginia Satir, What if I didn't make that decision, writing

When to have great sex? Or How to have great sex?

Posted by: adonis49 on: October 15, 2011

In: Essays | humor | lucubration Today | Safety | sex/ love/seduction | social articles | women
4 Comments

When to have great sex? Or How to have great sex?

I have posted many articles on sex and seduction: You might check the category “sex, seduction, love”. I stumbled on a link that is more of the inspirational kind than describing reality. You judge.

notesby.me posted this, titled “When to have great sex”

It goes: “In the animal world males respect females. At least when it comes to sex. Males wait until the female is in heat. She then gives them the signal. They approach. She picks one (or more of the males) And they have great sex (Would skip the great). All the other days of the year, males respect and wait.

Most human males aren’t as courteous. Some are. Males want sex all the time (not sure. Probably many females do).

Sure animal males want sex all the time too (not sure of that proposition, even male cats are not constantly engaged in that exercise) .

Yet, they don’t pressure the females. And believe it or not, although human females can have sex anytime, they too go into, and I’m carefully using the word, ‘heat’ for a few days a month.

Human females concede to the male a lot of times. Because they love the guy. Because they pity him. Because they’re afraid of the consequences. Because they don’t mind. Sure they’ll both have sex. It might feel like rape. It might suck. It might be ok. It might be good. But it won’t be great.

Male? Want great sex? Show some respect. Wait until she gives the signal. She’ll love you for it.

Female? Point your partner to this note. Twitter: @williamchoukeir” End of quote

My comments:

First, our close relatives the monkey-kinds do sex all the time, and many times per day, with many females in the tribes. Many insects behave the same. Rats too…Is it because the females want sex more often than males?

It is not a matter of respect of the male mammals for the “second sex” that the males are perceived by men in animal documentaries. Males have comprehended that it is useless to force females into copulating…It is hard work chasing after, and receiving bad injuries by forcing the matter. Large male animals have got to wait, be there all the time, showing urgency, and readiness to satisfy the partner as females are in heat…

Male animals are less agile than females, and they just like to strut and fake combativeness with competitive males…They have trees and other gentler males to do the thing…

Second, animals have not lost their powerful smell indicator: Mankind sense of smell has been deteriorating and they have to rely on their eyes and hearing to get it…Sex for male mankind is more in the brain than in the sensory urgency.

It is not when to have sex, but rather how to have great sex! Great sex in mankind is hard work, time consuming, plenty of foreplay, extremely expensive…And the male genders always pay the price for not understanding that “doing sex” is accepting slavery conditions…

Let us not romanticize the physical sex engagement…It is awfully exorbitant, if you are not mentally ready to pay the price.

Actually, having less than great sex is far more profitable in the long-range: Males can sample the females until he settles down on the one he wants to be her slave…her shadow, kissing the ground where she steps, her dog, her purse…

You want to institute a family with kids? Do it early on as your testosterone level is in the explosive range…

Marriage should be a contract with specific climaxing date, to be renewed if both couple agree for extending the family life…

Note 1: https://adonis49.wordpress.com/2009/11/09/king-cobra-may-kill-female-if-rebuffed/

Note 2: You may read this sample post https://adonis49.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/sex-for-a-sufi/

Tags: adonis49, How to have great sex, humor, In the animal world males respect females, notesby.me, Sex for a Sufi, testosterone level, useless to force females into copulating, When to have great sex, writing

Is it just a flea taunting and nagging at me? How about the “Flea-Regret”?

Posted by: adonis49 on: October 12, 2011

In: Diaries | Essays | health/medicine | Human Factors/Ergonomics | lucubration Today | social articles
Leave a Comment

Is it just a flea taunting and nagging at me?

This essay on fleas, flies, mosquitoes, flea-types of connotations, “flea-regret”,…was inspired by the post of notesby.me under “How opportunities flea”

The post says:

“A flea just like the one above, kept bugging me all night. It was somewhere in my cloth, jumping around, biting on occasion.

After a long and painful night of searching and looking, I find it. Sitting there on my leg motionless. Finally! This is my opportunity to end this nightmare. I hesitate for just a moment.

If you know fleas, you’d know that they’re very elusive bugs. They don’t stay put for more than a fraction of a second. And when they jump… You may never spot them again. They’re gone.

In that moment of slight hesitation, the flea jumps. I’m sure that at some point in your life, you’ve lost an opportunity you’ve long been waiting for. And I can bet that it’s more likely than not, that you’ve lost that opportunity by inaction. Take a minute now to remember that opportunity lost by inaction.

Next time you spot a golden opportunity, be quick. Don’t hesitate. Take immediate action. Don’t let the opportunity flee”. End of quote, Twitter: @williamchouker

Fleas are tiny creatures, almost invisible. You cannot just take them by two fingers: You have got to use two sharp nails and hear “crush” before you assume that the flea is probably dead. It is hard work and requires sharp vision, dexterity, patience…all the prerequisites lacking in older people…

You can watch flies when you eat meat outdoors (or indoor). Flies can be cajoled: Just leave them a dish of meat, treat them as guests, a collective guest, a cluster guest…

Mosquitoes are a different story: They much prefer fresh and hot blood, particularly your blood-type. You may take a few seconds to decide on killing the first one: You quickly learn the first principle of dictators and absolute monarchs “kill with utmost prejudice, immediately”

The number One nemesis among the flea-types is “flea-regret“. Flea-regret is immortal as long as you live. It reincarnate newborn, exactly the same spectrum and gamut of regrets that you suffered in your limited life. A few are more virulent: They are commun to all genders, cultures, civilization, work-types, colors, ethnicity, climatic regions…

It does not matter how dumb you are, you eventually learn the only two truths in life: Death and regrets.

The problem with the kinds of “flea-regret” is that the older you get the faster they procreate: You just keep committing the same kinds of regrets, and you are not the wiser. You think that you cornered one regret and want to have a sensible conversation with it, but it is a flea and hop! It was just here and was replaced by a nastier “flea-regret”.

The “flea-regret” always sit on the front voluptuous seat and nag you, silently screaming: “And me; and me! I dare you to eliminate me”

All you wanted is a rational discussion, but regret denies you this luxury, no matter how determined and tenacious you think you are.

Occasionally, I hear someone say: “I feel great. I have no regrets”, and I understand what he means: “I would feel great if I had no regrets”. Others would say: “I managed to survive against all odds”, and I translate “I managed so far to ward off the onslaught of thousands of regrets. I was not talking of famine or accepting an undignified life…I survived my demons…”

Another says: “I am under pressure. I feel down. I am kind of depressed…”, and I interpret “Regrets are constantly nagging at me. Can’t shake-off the “I should have…”

Flea-regret? More accurately, virus-regret!

Note 1: Can you imagine million of soldiers cramped in ditches, and not able to take any decent shower for weeks? Do you think this soldier has time to think about imminent death when he is constantly itching and fighting off the bites and diseases of all kinds of small creatures?

More people die of diseases after soldiers return home than during the war, including “collateral civilian damages”. Over 30 million died in the US and Europe after WWI from the flu epidemic and related diseases. How could any warrior leader claim that he won a victory overseas, when half his population will die of diseases as the warrior return home?

Note 2: William was worried that his concept of opportunity might be taken out of context. You may read https://adonis49.wordpress.com/2011/10/01/since-when-had-a-knocking-opportunity-failed-you/

Tags: adonis49, collateral civilian damages, flea-regret, flue epidemic, How opportunities flea, just a flea taunting me, notesby.me, virus-regret, WilliamChoukeir, writing

Is Imagination a better quality than Smart? Comparing TEDxRamallah and TEDxBeirut

Posted by: adonis49 on: October 10, 2011

Is Imagination a better quality than Smart? Comparing TEDxRamallah and TEDxBeirut

Note: I have attended both events of TEDxRamallah (last summer in Beirut) and TEDxBeirut (this summer). My comparison will focus on imaginative thinking and smart processes. TEDXRamallah was organized by Palestinians in Ramallah and Jordan, and shown direct in a small theater in Beirut. This event was a catalyst for a group of Lebanese to try their hands at organizing the event in Beirut. TEDxBeirut was a huge success attracting over 750 people in the auditorium of a high-tech institution.

Does an Imaginative person refers to someone who can do things in a different way than the “masses” do, (people being carried away by the common sense dicta)? Is a smart person someone who comprehended the customs and tradition of his community and is capable of emulating their methods of thinking and satisfying the community wants and desires?

For example, Steve Jobs claimed that “consumers have no idea what they want” and went ahead and set a trend. Is that what we call a tendency for imagination? But then, when Steve Jobs and Apple emulated all the other companies in turning a blind eye on sweatshop factories that manufacture their product, are we within the Smart-ass side of vision?

Does the difference between Imaginative and smart extends to the technical matters? For example, can we say that a smart person accepts the consensus standards of methods and logics and is capable of applying them in his field? Is the imaginative person someone frequently looking at a problem from different perspectives in order to discovering a shortcut or a better way of resolving a problem? Is looking at various perspectives a one time shot or it might generate into a trend in handling problems?

Could we extend this concept into groups? For example, we say this community is imaginative because it considered alternative solutions, while that community is smart for taking advantage of knowing the system and working a solution within the system from “Ine to2kal al katef”?

Would you be wasting time and resources if you do things just like everyone else is doing? Does investing time and energy to find a shortcut in order to figure out a way to do things differently a worthy endeavor? Does a smart person necessarily lack imagination? How would you define a person who is frequently looking t problems from different perspectives in order to resolve the difficulty? Is this characteristic of considering problems from various perspective resulting from Smart or Imagination? Does mankind needs more of the Smart or the Imaginative kinds of people? To doing what? Toward which goal and objective?

Let us read this inspirational post from notesby.me (a main organizer of TEDxBeirut) and analyze what behavior (smart or imaginative) transpires. (Words and sentences in parenthesis are mine).

Under the title “How TEDxBeirut showed me that you can handle much more than your wildest dreams” William Choukeir wrote:
“This is not a story about me. It’s a story about YOU (meaning the team of volunteers). Through my eyes.
While organizing TEDxBeirut, I had so much to do that I barely had 3 hours of sleep even night, for 1 month straight. I barely slept a single hour during the last week. I was eating in the car while driving. I also made most of my phone calls in the car.

During all this time, I was still running my design studio, at a reduced load (personal enterprise), but it was still running nonetheless. We were still working on the time-sensitive projects (that we had contract on).

At the studio, we were also doing everything (related) to design and communication for TEDxBeirut. The website, T-shirts, emails, event catalog, banners, sponsor kits, business cards, invitations, etc.

In addition to that, I was meeting TEDxBeirut speakers, almost on a daily basis, starting at 3 or 4 pm, and coaching them, and refining their talks.

I was receiving around 300 emails a day. Toward the last 2 weeks, I was clearing my inbox every other day. I was taking and making so my phone calls that my phone bill surpassed $300 that month.

I also spent time supporting Hanane in her times of crisis. Because without her, I and everything around me would crumble. Hanane is my partner in life and in work. She’s the pillar that supports me. I stand in the spotlight, but she deserves all the credit. I’m just a facade.

In addition to all of these (tasks), I was still sitting with my thoughts every day. I was still writing my notes every day (notesby.me). Even on event day. I was still showering and brushing my teeth.

And yet, I didn’t crack. I didn’t crumble. Not that it was easy. On the contrary. Not that I wasn’t on the verge of collapse. I was. But I didn’t. I hung in there. I saw it through. I realized that I am capable of handling far more than I ever thought possible.

But this isn’t my story. This is the story of Patricia, our curator. This is the story of Ziad. This is the story of Aya. This is the story of Sandra. This is the story of Joseph. This is the story of Farah, of Fatimah, of Rytta, of Marc, of Zeina, and of every single person that was at the core of TEDxBeirut.

I’m not the hero. We all are. I’m not the only one capable of handling much more that I ever thought possible. We all are. And that’s how I realized that anyone, yes anyone, can handle much more than we all ever imagined.

YOU can handle much more than your wildest dreams. Just throw yourself out there. You’ll see. You’ll come through.We all did.” End of quote.

Could you deduce from the previous post whether TEDxBeirut was driven by imaginative thinking or pure smart hard work?

For example, candidate speakers were to submit a one-minute video. Candidates didn’t receive any feedback for the reasons of declining their candidacy. Is this attitude a smart behavior for organizing events. Suppose the organizers used the video as an excuse to meeting face to face with candidates and investigate the range of limitations and inspiration of the candidate, would that decision be within the imaginative behavior?

Why do I have this strong feeling that TEDxRamallah had a stronger impact on me? Is it because it was the first event that I attended live? This event was held in a small theater (barely 300 attendees) and it lacked the technical power that Beirut organizers managed to install and run; and yet, I felt sweet vibrations that have nothing to do with feeling amazed by technology. The Ramallah event was well-organized in its simplicity, and I enjoyed the compact atmosphere of engaged people to listen to “what’s going on in Palestine and in the Arab World”.

Can TEDxBeirut organizers claim that the audience had this feeling of “What’s going on in Lebanon? What’s going on in the Arab World after the spring upheavals?” Did the audience appreciated the potentials for change and reforms? I had the net realization that women speakers tackled Lebanon socio/political problems, and actually offered tangible, pragmatic projects and programs to resolving our problems.

I sincerely wish the TEDxBeirut organizers refrain from throwing in this statement: “We were shooting to be global”. That would insult my intelligence and imagination.

How can you think global if you are immature in comprehending the limitations and needs of your own community? Worst, lacking the desire to get engaged in changing Lebanon rotten political/social structure?

Note: Attached are links to the first session of both events and you may take it from there https://adonis49.wordpress.com/2011/10/01/session-one-of-tedxbeirut-inspiration-regardless-of-lack-of-limitations/

https://adonis49.wordpress.com/2011/04/17/tedx-ramallah-in-beirut-sunflower-theater-part-one/

Tags: adonis49, alternative solutions, Comparing TEDxRamallah and TEDxBeirut, Ine to2kal al katef, Is Imagination a better quality than Smart, notesby.me, Palestinians in Ramallah, Steve Jobs, What's going on in Lebanon, William Choukeir, writing

Goodbye perfectionism. Hello “Let go”. How to learn to delegate tasks?

Posted by: adonis49 on: October 4, 2011

Goodbye perfectionism. Hello “Let go”. How to learn to delegate?

Why do you have to delegate tasks? What for, and how hard could it be? First, let us read the experience of notesby.me:

How TEDxBeirut taught me to delegate

“I’ve been a perfectionist all my life. If I needed something done right, I’d do it myself.

I’m aware of it. I fight it hard. I lose most of the time. I win sometimes. Because of TEDxBeirut, I think I’m now equipped to win most of the time.

With the sheer amount of work (to prepare) for TEDxBeirut event (on Sept.24), I had no choice but to let go. It worked ‘perfectly’ well. I learned these simple but powerful lessons that hopefully can help you delegate.

1. Brief the team as clearly as you can. Don’t tell them what to do step-by-step. Explain the desired outcome, and the reasoning behind it. This empowers them to own the work and the responsibility.

2. Let go.

3. Let them mess up. Don’t interfere.

4. Let them fix it. Don’t interfere.

5. Let them mess up while fixing it. Don’t interfere.

6. When there isn’t enough time left, take over. Fix it.

7. If there isn’t enough time left for you to fix it, let go. It has passed.

8. Once complete, take a look. Share with the team what you loved about their work. No need to mention what you didn’t like because these might be a result of your perfectionist tendency. With time, the team will maximize what you like, and minimize what you don’t.

I know I was under pressure to let go. You might not have it that easy, but try.
Goodbye perfectionism. Hello letting go.”

There is this pivotal assumption before delegating tasks: The tem members are skilled in their task, and they have been trained to implement the tasks. Otherwise, why delegate? Why accept unskilled members in the team?

Given that the first assumption is satisfied, it is part of the training process to allow a member to err, to do mistakes. The question is: Should we permit the member who erred to fix his mistake voluntarily, or we call for a general meeting of “experts” in order to analyze the “performance” of the team members?

Any member should appreciate to receiving feedback on his work, and it has not to be technical in nature. The team, as a group, has the tendency to err on a large-scale and miss the goal, unless occasional rectifications are implemented. Frequent meetings are essential in keeping the cohesion of the team and redirecting their work. Waiting for “step 6” in order to interfere and fix the mistake is already too late, if we think that the member is about “to fix it” on a timely manner: A few pointers to the members are in place as they realize their mistake.

When all is done, it is of the past, and what has been achieved is the “best” under the current conditions of methodology and administration. The next event is not from the past, and it should build on the misconceptions and mistakes of the previous ways of “doing business”.

You can have it that easy if you delegate all the way because you are under time pressure: It should not be that easy under any circumstances.

Tags: Don't interfere, empowers team members to own the work, Goodbye perfectionism, Hello "Let go", learn to delegate tasks, notesby.me, perfectionist tendency, right to err, TEDxBeirut event

Is developing a working system: An obsession to be productive?

Posted by: adonis49 on: October 2, 2011

In: economy/finance | Essays | Human Factors/Ergonomics | social articles | Time for Outrage
1 Comment

Is developing a working system: An obsession to be productive?

Do you start developing a working system for your enterprise before you start producing anything, or working out a system is a consequence to this urge of being more efficient in order to making profit, and increasing profit, and reviewing the system in order to generating more profit…?

Is developing a system a modern mania of mankind, an acquired tradition generated by colonial powers since the 16th century in order to abusing the indigenous people, the most efficiently way possible? Is developing a system a consequence of how our acquired brain structure developed in order to reducing chaotic phenomena in our knowledge of living nature?

Mankind has suffered greatly, since the 19th century, of centralized dicta of modern States, trying to homogenize the concept of “civilization” and reducing differences in ethnicity culture and custom in order to have an efficient State system functioning with the least of uncertainty through various efficient control systems…Catholic religious centralized hegemony for over 11 centuries has left its mark on how western societies should govern…Communism, Nazism, Fascism, and Capitalism ideological systems are alike in their quest for central control over communities…

Do you think that efficient working system is not synonymous to efficient control system? Basically, a system is be applied on people, working people, and consequently, it is mankind that is to be submitted to any man-made system.Don’t you feel that obsession to productivity is basically an implicit obsession on how to exploit workers?Notesby.me has a say in why we tend to develop a working system. He wrote:

“Have you ever been obsessed with being productive to the extent that you sabotage yourself?

You spend all your time researching, optimizing, and coming up with new ways to be more productive. This goes on to the point where you realize that you’re not getting any work done.

And the funny thing is, you develop a system that allows you to work more productively, but… As soon as you have the system, you’re still not working. Since you’re not working, you can’t test the system. So you put it aside and don’t use it.

You then get frustrated that you are not working. You look back to see what was the last time you did something that made you feel good. You say to yourself: “Oh! I need a system that makes me productive!”…And the cycle starts again.”(End of quote)

The cycle for finding more efficient control systems recurs every time a slight change in governing mentality takes hold on the spirit of communities. Nothing fundamental is altered in the control system, but a new governing power, regardless of political structure and ideology, thinks that it is in the nature of things to have their own brand of control system…

Don’t you have this strong impression that most civil servant jobs are directed at controlling society? Private enterprises have assimilated this mentality by osmosis, and instead of trusting workers and employees to focusing on producing, they invest too much time on discovering ways to controlling the work force. Mankind is unable to produce effectively because they are tide down with controlling systems that blocked their mind and sidetracked the best method for survival: Mainly, get to work.

Keep working and producing: It is the sustained process of working that generates the most appropriate personal system. Experts in developing systems are generally “non-producing” people and their systems are fundamentally based on abstract notions, meant to “benefit” mankind at large! How stupid.

It is a most exciting job to be asked to developing systems that controls mankind…Nobody is about to refuse these exciting tasks, when opportunity knocks.

I have problem with this pervasive term of DESIGN. Designing was reserved to the engineering fields: One project at a time, meant to satisfy the safety, health, comfort…of the client…Design has taken implicitly the connotation of developing control system. Some one design a system that works adequately for his line of work and he has to extrapolate into thinking: “It works fine for me, and it must necessarily function well with good intentioned clients…”

Tags: adonis49, assimilated mentality by osmosis, civil servant jobs directed at controlling society, design of control systems, developing a working system, get to work, notesby.me, obsession to be productive, writing

Has ever a “knocking opportunity” failed you?

Posted by: adonis49 on: October 1, 2011

In: Essays | Human Factors/Ergonomics | social articles
Leave a Comment

Since when had a “knocking opportunity” failed you?

It is very disturbing trying to explain and define the term opportunity. It is always a gut feeling, a second-split decision, that tells you “if I fail to grab this opportunity I will regret my decision most of my life”. Isn’t a lie when you reply to a good offer “Can I think it over for a day”?

Regret is fundamentally the worst downer in life: You cannot shake off regrets of failed decision to act, you cannot forget the event, you cannot forgive your moment of lazy behavior “to go get it”.

The regret keeps coming backing and haunting whatever success story you managed to get; it is always: “Just imagine how greater I would have been if I grabbed this and that opportunity…”

It is a good tactic to master and say YES to an offer and get the game going. Isn’t what you are taught at clowning practices to keeping the play on?

Notesby.me has another view to “opportunity grabbing tendencies”. I certainly has many comments, but first let us read what William has to say:

“September 29, 2011, Why saying ‘Yes’ to opportunities means setting yourself up for failure

Hanane is telling me about how she has this work opportunity that she doesn’t want to loose. Both she and I know that she doesn’t have the time for this opportunity right now.

The reason many of us fail to succeed is because we can’t let go. We’re afraid to loose opportunities. We say ‘yes’ to every single one.

By doing that, we dilute our efforts. We can’t focus on one project, nor one direction, nor one niche. We try to do everything at once. We try to ‘be’ everything at once. Those of us who are like that, constantly fail to succeed.

Yes, failure is good. It helps us grow and learn. Yet, we have to be careful. This ‘failure-is-good’ philosophy only applies when we fail despite our best efforts; despite our 100% focus and attention.

When we dilute our focus and attention 4 ways (25% each way), and then fail, please let’s not claim that ‘failure-is-good’. Let’s not claim that failure is a learning experience. We all know that 25% effort can’t create a success at anything.

When we’re afraid to lose opportunities; and when we say ‘Yes’ to all of these opportunities, we set ourselves up for failure. We agree to play a game we can’t win at.

Seth Godin failed at 300 businesses so that he can succeed at a few. The trick is that he was 100% dedicated and focused on one business at a time.

Alternately, we too can fail at 300 businesses. The difference is that we won’t succeed at any if them when we’re working on 2 or more at a time.

One of the key ingredients to success, is for us to be ready to turn down tempting opportunities for the sake of focus. One idea at a time. One project at a time. One vision at a time.

Hanane, take up all opportunities and fail to succeed at all of them. Loose all opportunities but one, and succeed over and over again.”

You read this note and you say “wow, this is inspirational”. You reflect for a minute and you say: “This is just rhetoric: So many rational holes in that idea…”

I get very jittery when I read giving 100% of any abstract concept that has no quantifying basis for evaluation, not been measurable, nor a rigorous operational process for evaluating the concept has been researched and applied.

I read that mankind barely uses 10% of his brain potential, and maybe less than 30% of his physical energy potentials. Does William means by 100% effort, attention, or focus the current developed potential, or we have to wait to develop a certain level of potentials before considering seriously any other opportunities? What level of development can we judge appropriate for taking the second step into opportunity investigation?

William is funny: He cannot help it; he has to accept Seth claims as truth, like “Seth invested 100% effort on each of his 300 failed enterprises…” Seth looks pretty young to me for the claim; as if you can say “I failed” after just a month trial…Just count how many years it took Seth to discover his “calling”.

I say to Hanane: “Go get that opportunity that your heart wants. You have enough experience, maturity, and you made the effort to let your heart be a winner, this time around. Your heart is the focus of your strongest passions and dreams… Would you dare fail your powerful instinct?”

Tags: "knocking opportunity" failed you, abstract concept, adonis49, failure-is-good philosophy, notesby.me, operational process for evaluating concept, regret, writing

Older Entries

Adonis Diaries

Posts Tagged ‘notesby.me’

adonis49

adonis49

Blogroll

adonis49

adonis49

adonis49

Blog Stats

Top Posts

adonis49

adonis49

Email subscription

Posts Tagged ‘notesby.me’

Note: A re-edit of a 2011 article “What is this notion of modern “Tribe”? Is nomadic life-style back in favor?”

Share this:

Like this:

Do we have to win arguments? Do we have to avoid arguments?

Share this:

Like this:

Are there differences among Conventional Wisdom, common sense, idioms of the land, and “obvious lessons” in applications?

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

When to have great sex? Or How to have great sex?

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

adonis49

adonis49

Blogroll

adonis49

adonis49

adonis49

Blog Stats

Top Posts

adonis49

adonis49

Email subscription