Enemies

"It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend. "
William Blake, English engraver, illustrator, & poet (1757 - 1827)

Another long day - the mountain of challenges keeps growing but the valley or perhaps plateau at the other side is fertile. So I wake up earlier and roll my sleeves up. It's called being alive.

Why is it easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend? Is it simply expectations? You don't expect much from an enemy and so you are not as disappointed. With a friend, you expect much more and so you are disappointed much more easily. But is that enough to make forgiveness easier? Could it be that trust is a precious commodity the loss of which distorts one's emotional and psychological stability? Or is it simply that an enemy is further away from you and a friend is closer? Therefore there is more scope and hidden desire for the enemy to be brought closer; and therefore you seize the opportunity for forgiveness when it arrives...

Education

"Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten. "
B. F. Skinner, New Scientist, May 21, 1964, US psychologist (1904 - 1990)

Long day yesterday. Longer than has been recently - a sign of the mounting challenges. I almost missed putting my son to bed, which was not ideal. But, on the other hand, I am in the investment phase of my new career.

Education is useful, not just for the knowledge one acquires, but for the ways of thinking and the discipline of the mind. These are the qualities that remain and serve us long after the knowledge has receded into the dark corners of our minds...

Economics

"Socialism failed because it couldn't tell the economic truth; capitalism may fail because it couldn't tell the ecological truth. "
Lester Brown, Fortune Brainstorm Conference, 2006

Had a particularly good creative session with my son yesterday evening. I make up stories at bedtime but ever since we decided to capture them and one day turn them into a children's book, he has become the official editor. Yesterday, he was in particularly good form, slicing and dicing the story until it fell within his acceptance parameters. And, I have to say, he was a very canny four-and-a-half-year-old editor. Today's story will probably include the floods that are ravaging England...

Climate change is upon us - of that there is little doubt, some but little. The question is, is it mankind who has caused it through rampant technology and consumption, or is it cyclical? There are two opposing camps on this topic. Instinctively, one feels that it is mankind. Five billion people on this planet does not seem natural. Surely, it was inevitable that sooner or later the planet would begin to struggle. But hasn't this sort of thing happened before? The cyclical camp would present much evidence to dismiss the climate change environmentalists. They would argue that the bulk of carbon emissions actually comes from trees and animals engaged in flatulence!

I don't know what the solution is to the climate change puzzle. Indeed there might be no solution if the cyclical camp is right. If, on the other hand, we have caused this, then we need to fix it. And let's be clear on one thing. Cutting emissions and being more environmentally friendly is a good thing. But it will not fix the problem - it's too late for that. Even the scientists have underestimated the speed of the changes. The only way out of this mess is technology. That is the price of having a 5 billion population. And not just environmentally-clean technology, but environmentally-cleansing technology. Capitalism does not tell ecological truths, but it does tell economic truth. The key is to turn ecological truth into economic truth...

Doubt

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts. "
Bertrand Russell, British author, mathematician, & philosopher (1872 - 1970)

After a period of primarily management activity over the last two weeks, managed to get technical yesterday and delve into some detail. I began to question much that had been set up by the consultants, some of which had been taken as gospel truth...

I think a lot of problems in the world are caused by the absence of doubt. The certainty of being right can lead to the most extraordinary actions. And today, we only need to look at the wars and terrorist activities to see dogma and certainty in play. Even a mass murderer is convinced that his victims deserved to die and that he was doing the world or God a service. No questions. No doubts. And yet doubt is at the very heart of civilisation. It is doubt that drives man to inquiry, to research, to develop. If we stop asking questions, we stop learning. We stop growing. Civilisation begins to grind to a halt.

Yes, there is a place for faith. Indeed, it can be a source of strength, particularly in trying times or when perseverance is needed to reach a challenging objective. But the survival of the intellect, the bedrock of civilisation, depends on its continued use. And its continued use depends on asking questions. On having doubts...

Dogs

"If a dog jumps in your lap, it is because he is fond of you; but if a cat does the same thing, it is because your lap is warmer. "
Alfred North Whitehead, English mathematician & philosopher (1861 - 1947)

Start of a new week and a whole new exciting set of challenges. The issue of motive is an important one because it colours the actions one takes. This brings us nicely to today's humorous quote. One neighbour has 4 dogs, the other has 7 cats. The difference is marked.

Dignity

"Let not a man guard his dignity, but let his dignity guard him. "
Ralph Waldo Emerson, US essayist & poet (1803 - 1882)

The solution to overwhelm is action. If you feel beset by numerous tasks that all have to be done and you've written them down and prioritized etc, then you must simply begin. Start on one task and complete it, then another and onwards. You build momentum, which then propels you through the remainder of the tasks. Action then leads to a feeling of accomplishment, which then boosts your self-image which allows you to experience dignity. But let's be clear, your dignity is not something that you protect. It is not some superficial fragile creature that needs sheleter from an abusive world. It is far more fundamental than that. It should protect you.

Democracy

"Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve. "
George Bernard Shaw, Irish dramatist & socialist (1856 - 1950)

I'm in risk of being overwhelmed with commitments and new demands. This is a signal to start setting some boundaries to preserve my integrity. The other side to this is that it gives me the impetus to raise my energy levels and use my creativity.

A little detour then. I look around the various countries of the world and listen to the news. What strikes me is that the form of government that most people end up experiencing is probably what they are ready for. Democracy relies on awareness of the voting population. If the voting population is unaware or perhaps even uninterested, is democracy really effective? Is there a level of competence and knowledge required in order to properly vote. Does a surgeon get voted into office? And then does he ask for a vote when making surgical decisions? It's always amusing to see people complaining about a leader that they voted into office...

Creativity

"Frugality without creativity is deprivation. "
Amy Dacyczyn

Managed my meetings very well yesterday and also my time in general. It is interesting how the management of time is analagous to the management of money. The difference is that with time the stakes are higher. Money you can always regain, time is lost forever.

The challenge is to be frugal but also be creative. Invest the time, don't just save it. Invest the money, don't just save it. Invest the energy, don't just save it.

Courage

"Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death. "
Harold Wilson (1916 - 1995)

A series of new challenges have come to light and I now need to make additional requests. A big success factor is the willingness to take things on, despite the risks involved.

Some people believe that courage is being fearless in the face of danger. In fact, you cannot display courage unless you are afraid. Fear can paralyze or it can galvanize. The latter result is courage.

Communism

"Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it's just the opposite. "
John Kenneth Galbraith US (Canadian-born) administrator & economist (1908 - 2006)

Good weekend after an intense week. Lots of domestic work and children's parties. And some computer hardware tinkering for good measure.

I am often amused by people's obsession with political systems. "Are you left-wing or right-wing?" they demand. I like to keep things simple. I advocate freedom, but that can only come with responsibility. And the qualities of the human are the dominant consideration in any case. So whether it's man exploiting man or the reverse (man exploiting man), that can happen regardless of the political system.

Common Sense

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen. "
Albert Einstein, (attributed)US (German-born) physicist (1879 - 1955)

The good days keep piling in. Today is a big day, with my need to present a proposal. I think, apart from financial and commercial factors, which inevitably need to be considered, I will appeal to their common sense. The quote above is a little cynical but quite amusing...

Committees

"If computers get too powerful, we can organize them into a committee -- that will do them in. "
Bradley's Bromide

Another intense day and the challenges ahead are becoming clearer. There is much potential here. One key may be to successfully navigate past the inertia and bureaucracy of committees. Anyone who has dealings with committees may have an idea of what we're talking about. But I think the quotes say it best, if a little exaggeratedly!

"A committee can make a decision that is dumber than any of its members. "
David Coblitz

"Committee--a group of men who individually can do nothing but as a group decide that nothing can be done. "
Fred Allen
US radio comedian (1894 - 1956)

"To get something done, a committee should consist of no more than three men, two of whom are absent. "
Robert Copeland

"A committee is a cul-de-sac down which ideas are lured and then quietly strangled. "
Sir Barnett Cocks
(1907 - 1989)

Charm

"Charm is a way of getting the answer yes without asking a clear question. "
Albert Camus

Very hectic first day - met lots of people, had lots of training, lots of meetings and even sat in on an interview. Also got a new laptop and a new car. On your first day at a new job, there is an unwritten rule that you have to be charming. Hopefully, that will be the same as just being yourself :-). You often don't get a second chance to make a first impression. You want people to like you or at least have a positive impression of you upfront. That's level 1 charm. Level 2 charm takes it further. Here, you become very persuasive without even asking...

Character

"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."
Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)

Lovely weekend of sunshine, friends and music. Starting a new job today and it is important to stay true to one's core values. This new role will be a test of my character.

People tend to regard suffering or adversity as the ultimate test of character. But does that really bring character out, or do we simply observe the survival instinct or mechanism of the person? In his book, "The Survivor Personality", Al Siebert describes the habits and qualities that help human beings overcome difficult situations - from everyday conflicts to major life stresses. My reading of this is not a description of people's characters, but rather a description of their resilience or survival capacity. I am more in agreement with Abraham Lincoln. It is when you have power that your true character comes out.

Let's take a look. What is character? The dictionary would tell you that it is, basically, an attribute or a quality that defines a person. This means that you are defined by a certain set of habits, qualities or attitudes and these form the basis upon which you character is judged. Now, typically, that would be demonstrated when you have many options and so your true inclinations and controls then can be released. If you are in adversity, your choices are limited and you basically have to either stand up and fight or curl up and capitulate or run. Very little scope for character revelation, but plenty of scope for survival mechanisms to kick in (or not). So, yes, that is the best way to elucidate character - give choices.

Prisoners

"Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds. "
Franklin D. Roosevelt, Pan American Day address, April 15, 19393
2nd president of US (1882 - 1945)

Bringing order to my environment was the order of the day yesterday (if you'll excuse the pun). It's also one of the quickest ways of regaining one's flow. Otherwise, it is easy to get trapped in your clutter.

This introduces an interesting topic - imprisonment. But not physical imprisonment as in jail or being kidnapped. We are talking about being trapped in life in general, not being able to break out of one's life situation or"predicament", sentenced to mediocrity by history and circumstance. "I had a poor upbringing, my parents neglected or abused me, I had a poor education, I was born in the wrong place, I was born the wrong colour or race etc". This then may become the limiting platform for a life of mediocrity. It is like a prison that was constructed to jail poor victims of chance. You didn't choose to have a poor upbringing. You didn't choose to have bad parents. You didn't choose to have a poor education. You didn't choose any of that...You have been unfairly convicted. You must be freed immediately. This is the basis of some philosophies and political systems. Are these sound?

Let's take a look. Indeed you must be freed immediately because prison is never pleasant. However, there is something a little suspicious here: you have the key to the lock. But it seems that you are so busy feeling victimised that you don't simply unlock your cell and step out into freedom. There are no guards, there are no dogs; there's just you in your cell. So, getting out of your prison is down to you. But perhaps you cannot see that you hold the key because you cannot see that it is your thinking that keeps you there; and probably got you there in the first place! It may even have escaped you that numerous others had the same or worse background experiences as you and still avoided life prison. Of course you might, or indeed those who would have you remain in prison so they could campaign for you would, say that it's not the same. Those other lucky people were blessed with good genes and so they were able to lift themselves from the appalling childhood circumstances. There is no escape...Right? Bull.

It all starts with simple steps. Decide what you want and then start to take little steps towards it. As you get into the habit of taking action to meet your goals you begin to reclaim your responsibility for your life. Other important attributes like empowering beliefs and ways of seeing the world will come, but the key is to start! Victimhood is seductive because it precludes responsibility and the need to take action. It is important to be aware of this trap. Because avoiding the mental trap of victimhood keeps you out of most life prisons. And reclaiming your power - responsibility - unlocks the prison door.

Reading

"Reading, after a certain age, diverts the mind too much from its creative pursuits. Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking".
Albert Einstein US (German-born) physicist (1879 - 1955)

Well, it has been a long break and much has happened in the interim. The two most significant events have been a tremendous holiday in Sardinia (Cagliari, Costa Rei, Pula, Buggerru, Domusnovas, Chia, Nora etc ) and my leaving my professional home, the company I had worked for for almost nine years. I am looking forward to the exciting challenges ahead and I have also been doing much reading....and thinking.

Reading is essential. And particularly for children, it is an unquestionable imperative.
It is the most straighforward way of acquiring and leveraging knowledge. It opens up new dimensions. It can stimulate and it can entertain. But it can also become a passive habit. It is a question of approach. How do you read? Does your mind race? Does it make connections? Ask questions? Do you pause your reading and ponder? Do you integrate what you learn? Do you relate it to what you already know? Or do you simply absorb the information and feel good?

The other side of this is how active do you keep your brain? Do you do some independent thinking? Do you create concepts? Do you organize ideas? What about solving problems, puzzles or playing chess? Or even writing your own book?

The more you keep your brain active, the more capacity you have for benefiting from reading...