Some time ago I saw 3 animation movies almost back to back. Kung Fu Panda, Finding Nemo and Chicken Little. It dawned on me that these movies have a lot in common. Apart from all of them being animated and Disney movies, they all had a running theme. They all had a single father, struggling to connect with their only child, wishing if the kid's mummy would be there it would be alright, and having problems trusting their kid but in the end trusting the boy. Does the success of these movies represent the demographic of the developed world? Are their more single parents now than ever before? Is the nucleus of the society called Family breaking apart?
Monday, August 20, 2012
The Wealth pyramid
Many people think that the rich should give away their money and the poor should receive it and that's the only way the financial disparity will disappear and the world economy will improve. It is in our fantasies, this redistribution. We have many a times romanced with the idea, secretly wishing that a modern day Robin Hood will appear who will rob the rich to give to the poor. And as much as I hate to be the harbinger of bad news, alas, it isn't going to work in the real life. Because the wealth distribution is naturally a pyramid, not a cube. The Lower half of the pyramid, which represents the "have nots" is three times the number of the Upper half residents, the "haves". So even if some revolution manages to take all the wealth lying in the upper half and distribute it to the lower half, it will only fill the needs of one third of the have nots, which would mean that the other two-thirds will continue to remain have nots. The revolution will have only wasted a huge effort and the end result would be worse than the situation right now.
There is a reason why communism failed so badly. Not that I am saying that democracy is the knight in shining armor that has rescued the world. The present economic situation would lead many to believe that democracy has only resulted in increased debt and unemployment. But before forming any strong opinion, we must realise that economy doesn't go linear, it is always cyclical, and a large part of the world is in recessionary phase right now, beginning with Europe. While the policy makers are battling hard to find out solution to get out of this sticky mess, people are growing impatient. 2011 was a year of revolutions, beginning from Mid East and North Africa, that overturned a lot of anarchies. So while we hang in this delicate state of Lack of growth and political inaction, I hope we don't end up acting irrational and end up spreading violence in the hope that it will somehow cause the rich to give up their money and it ends up in the pockets of the poor.
I am not in the rich category, and in my country I am somewhere in the middle (we have a term for that, we are the "Middle class"). So I am not advocating the rich or trying to promote poverty. I am just pointing out what is not considered obvious by many. Where does the solution to the economic mess lie then? I would say it lies in Governments making rational decisions like cutting back spending on non essential things and increasing spending on generating employment. Austerity has never worked and it never will, but cutting back multi billion kickbacks on Wars in other countries (monthly US expenditure on Iraq war is upwards of 9 Billion $. It's only prudent of the US to systematically get out of it. As the internet meme would say, Good guy Obama) and Space programs (oh c'mon, was there really a need to spend billions of public money to send ANOTHER space wanderer to Mars? What result were you expecting?) and focusing on creating infrastructure like China is doing seems the sane thing forward.
There is a reason why communism failed so badly. Not that I am saying that democracy is the knight in shining armor that has rescued the world. The present economic situation would lead many to believe that democracy has only resulted in increased debt and unemployment. But before forming any strong opinion, we must realise that economy doesn't go linear, it is always cyclical, and a large part of the world is in recessionary phase right now, beginning with Europe. While the policy makers are battling hard to find out solution to get out of this sticky mess, people are growing impatient. 2011 was a year of revolutions, beginning from Mid East and North Africa, that overturned a lot of anarchies. So while we hang in this delicate state of Lack of growth and political inaction, I hope we don't end up acting irrational and end up spreading violence in the hope that it will somehow cause the rich to give up their money and it ends up in the pockets of the poor.
I am not in the rich category, and in my country I am somewhere in the middle (we have a term for that, we are the "Middle class"). So I am not advocating the rich or trying to promote poverty. I am just pointing out what is not considered obvious by many. Where does the solution to the economic mess lie then? I would say it lies in Governments making rational decisions like cutting back spending on non essential things and increasing spending on generating employment. Austerity has never worked and it never will, but cutting back multi billion kickbacks on Wars in other countries (monthly US expenditure on Iraq war is upwards of 9 Billion $. It's only prudent of the US to systematically get out of it. As the internet meme would say, Good guy Obama) and Space programs (oh c'mon, was there really a need to spend billions of public money to send ANOTHER space wanderer to Mars? What result were you expecting?) and focusing on creating infrastructure like China is doing seems the sane thing forward.
Diary Entry: Change is the only permanent thing in life
I recently came across an article that explained why time seems to "fly" once you cross the age of 20. It essentially highlighted a phenomenon of our brain that practically ignores the routine and only stores the "outliers" or the unusual experiences. After our brains physically reorganise in our teen years; resulting in the most torrid times filled with emotional rollercoasters and vivid memories; most of us get into the routine mode of work after we reach the age of 20-21. When someone at the age of 80 looks back into their lives, the middle point is not 40 but 20! Hence it is important to try and pack in different experiences as much as one can.
I have had the fortune of experiencing different experiences and changes in these past few weeks therefore I am assured that I'll have a little to look back to at the age of 28. Not keeping the post long, here are the few changes in the past few weeks:
1. Appreciation from a colleague at BoB corporate office
I had initially planned this as a separate blog entry but part thanks to laziness and part thanks to avoiding total narcissm, it finds a mention only as a bullet point in a separate blog. Yes I do count my blessings and try to forget criticisms. This was important not only because it was the first time someone who doesn't work in my office appreciated my work, it was also a kind of a redemption and a boost to my confidence and belief that I can work well if I put my mind to something. That the ridiculous behaviour I faced from certain someone was indeed unbiased and not based on facts or reality.
2. Farewell and the last few days at BoB
Even though it took a whole 3 months for my relieving letter to be delivered into my hands, the moving process was associated with a whole sea of emotions. Uncertainty about people and working environment, moving out of comfort zone, not being able to enjoy certain "perks" that came with the old workplace, and in general having to work harder, smarter and fitting into a new role with targets. It is moving beyond words when the entire office has only good words at the farewell. When I realised that I had touched so many souls and was a positive influence in so many lives, it feels very very good. No wonder that I still want to meet up with my BoB buddies and they want to meet me too and we call and keep in touch.
3. Coorg, Mysore and Hampi trip
A vacation is always necessary. More so when someone is as travelholic as me and hasn't had a chance to go out since Nov '11. Add to that the fact that his usual travel partner, his mom, also couldn't get a chance to travel because of the dental issues that took away her whole summer vacation. And as a last straw, add to the fact that the new workplace is not going to let you have any casual leave for a whole year. The dreary routine was beginning to take its toll and I decided that enough is enough. I took a leave without pay in my last week at work and proceeded to a tour of a place that I always wanted to visit. Coorg was heavenly in monsoon, and also did River rafting for the first time. Mom fell in love with Hampi and wants to visit it again, this time for a longer time to take in all of its beauty.
4. New job, new office, new role.
It's just been a week here so I won't come to judge of the new place and the new role. But I do like the fact that the work environment is awesome and that everything else is taken care of. Just need to focus on my job and everything else should be alright. Also enjoying the saturdays off. Well, as long as it lasts :)
So keep the new experiences coming. Visit new places, do something that you haven't done before, try out a new cuisine, meet new people. It gives you a whole new perspective to life.
I have had the fortune of experiencing different experiences and changes in these past few weeks therefore I am assured that I'll have a little to look back to at the age of 28. Not keeping the post long, here are the few changes in the past few weeks:
1. Appreciation from a colleague at BoB corporate office
I had initially planned this as a separate blog entry but part thanks to laziness and part thanks to avoiding total narcissm, it finds a mention only as a bullet point in a separate blog. Yes I do count my blessings and try to forget criticisms. This was important not only because it was the first time someone who doesn't work in my office appreciated my work, it was also a kind of a redemption and a boost to my confidence and belief that I can work well if I put my mind to something. That the ridiculous behaviour I faced from certain someone was indeed unbiased and not based on facts or reality.
2. Farewell and the last few days at BoB
Even though it took a whole 3 months for my relieving letter to be delivered into my hands, the moving process was associated with a whole sea of emotions. Uncertainty about people and working environment, moving out of comfort zone, not being able to enjoy certain "perks" that came with the old workplace, and in general having to work harder, smarter and fitting into a new role with targets. It is moving beyond words when the entire office has only good words at the farewell. When I realised that I had touched so many souls and was a positive influence in so many lives, it feels very very good. No wonder that I still want to meet up with my BoB buddies and they want to meet me too and we call and keep in touch.
3. Coorg, Mysore and Hampi trip
A vacation is always necessary. More so when someone is as travelholic as me and hasn't had a chance to go out since Nov '11. Add to that the fact that his usual travel partner, his mom, also couldn't get a chance to travel because of the dental issues that took away her whole summer vacation. And as a last straw, add to the fact that the new workplace is not going to let you have any casual leave for a whole year. The dreary routine was beginning to take its toll and I decided that enough is enough. I took a leave without pay in my last week at work and proceeded to a tour of a place that I always wanted to visit. Coorg was heavenly in monsoon, and also did River rafting for the first time. Mom fell in love with Hampi and wants to visit it again, this time for a longer time to take in all of its beauty.
4. New job, new office, new role.
It's just been a week here so I won't come to judge of the new place and the new role. But I do like the fact that the work environment is awesome and that everything else is taken care of. Just need to focus on my job and everything else should be alright. Also enjoying the saturdays off. Well, as long as it lasts :)
So keep the new experiences coming. Visit new places, do something that you haven't done before, try out a new cuisine, meet new people. It gives you a whole new perspective to life.
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