Saturday, July 6, 2013
You copycat
The first one who learned how to make fire and taught it to others, was the first -and most important- information marketer in the world.
S/he was one of the most important teachers on earth... yet he or she never went to school.
Had the worlds first information marketer gone to school, a teacher would have told them there's only one way to do something right.
Today we know there's a million and one ways to make a living by filling a need or desire.... it doesn't even have to be a product or service! You can -still- sell information.
But when you go to school, there's only one right answer: the teacher's answer.
Funny how cheating can be grounds for expulsion.... yet the mission of every teacher to copy-paste information into each student's head.
Why is cheating bad if the goal is to copycat someone, anyways?
Not so funny is how most intellectuals complain about the environmental pollution the industrial revolution caused, yet never mention the worst pollution that came from it:
Mental pollution.
Instead of opening one's mind to simultaneous possibilities there can be, the many ways to solve the same problem, we've instead been polluted with the idea that there can only be one "correct" solution.
And the others are wrong...
Suffering
Why do you suffer? If you have no control over it and it's the same thing over, and over again... why can't you let it go?
Why do you chose to suffer, human?
Let it go and grow!
Why do you chose to suffer, human?
Let it go and grow!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Quality
The pair of leather shoes that can still get shined after 10 years, the AK-47 that just needs a good hose-down in the backyard and a quick dip in a vat of motor oil: The quality of a thing is measured by its capacity to endure maintenance.
But if change and improvement according to surroundings is the mark of an individual's quality, what's that make of con-artists? Who's to say politicians aren't the highest ranking people?
The structure and simplistic design of the AK-47 is the trademark of the iconic rifle. Without a strong structure, the shoes would fall apart in just a few months. So, what's structure and simplicity for mankind?
His or her guiding principles.
Methodologies change. Principles do not. The less complex and diverse the principles are, the more focus and attention we can give to them, thus making them stronger each day we use them.With strong principles, adapting to outside change is easy and takes almost no effort.
The quality of a person is measured by their willingness to continuously improve their practices according to their changeless principles.
But if change and improvement according to surroundings is the mark of an individual's quality, what's that make of con-artists? Who's to say politicians aren't the highest ranking people?
The structure and simplistic design of the AK-47 is the trademark of the iconic rifle. Without a strong structure, the shoes would fall apart in just a few months. So, what's structure and simplicity for mankind?
His or her guiding principles.
Methodologies change. Principles do not. The less complex and diverse the principles are, the more focus and attention we can give to them, thus making them stronger each day we use them.With strong principles, adapting to outside change is easy and takes almost no effort.
The quality of a person is measured by their willingness to continuously improve their practices according to their changeless principles.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Resuelve
Resuelve translates to "resolve" but in latin-america, it's an attitude.
When the banks are only open for a few hours a day and people offer to stand in line overnight for a fee, it's the attitude you have to have in order to get anything done. When the corrupt government official "doesn't" have the materials to make you a driver's license, what can you do but renounce your dignity and ask him/her what s/he wants. When everything seems to be going against you, but you're required to accomplish the task, guess what?
You better figure something out and figure it out quick.
It's this environment of do-or-die that breeds a mentality in all subjected to it, of accomplishment at all costs. Like the knife that can be used to either spread butter or stab someone in the back, this way of thinking is something I see lacking in this culture of on-demand, easy-access, instant-feedback.
More and more I've become aware of the huge difference between those who have gone through difficulty and those who've had it easy: the latter's view of reality and what is possible, is much more limited.
When the banks are only open for a few hours a day and people offer to stand in line overnight for a fee, it's the attitude you have to have in order to get anything done. When the corrupt government official "doesn't" have the materials to make you a driver's license, what can you do but renounce your dignity and ask him/her what s/he wants. When everything seems to be going against you, but you're required to accomplish the task, guess what?
You better figure something out and figure it out quick.
It's this environment of do-or-die that breeds a mentality in all subjected to it, of accomplishment at all costs. Like the knife that can be used to either spread butter or stab someone in the back, this way of thinking is something I see lacking in this culture of on-demand, easy-access, instant-feedback.
More and more I've become aware of the huge difference between those who have gone through difficulty and those who've had it easy: the latter's view of reality and what is possible, is much more limited.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Where did the straight-talkers go?
When I first moved to the US, I was 10 years old. I didn't know the language, I got bullied and picked on for being hispanic, I didn't understand the culture and missed my friends back home dearly.
Fast forward to 2001 when I moved back to the states, and I was dumbfounded. It took me a while to figure it out. I figured maybe it was the social circle I was with. Maybe I had just romanticized the time spent in the south.
But then I moved back to the south. Now here I am, 9 years since I left Georgia thinking: these people are racist, xenophobic, devoid of sophistication and intellect...
But at least they'll tell it to your face.
What ever happened to the stern, but polite good-ol'-boy who didn't beat around the bush? What ever happened to saying what you mean and meaning what you say? Where did the opinionated, yet respectful cowboys go? Why have people forgotten that you don't have to agree with me for me to find you respectful and of having tact?
Living in California, it was easy to blame the smug attitude and worse manners, but here? Of all places? Maybe it's a global phenomenon? Back home everyone's afraid of getting mugged so they'll act the part of a tough-guy... or tough-woman for that matter. Women will talk to you like they're your big brother. Instead of the pleasantness Venezuelan women have always been known for, now they curse at you worse then the guy she's married to who's standing next to her.
But that's a third world country! When you're trying to survive, fending off would-be attackers and doing your best for you and your family, that's understandable. But here? In the US? Where people spend longer planning their vacations than they do enjoying it? Where people have the luxury of being depressed? In a country who's military budget is greater than most nation's GDP combined?
I'm not asking for much, am I?
Is it really that hard to tell someone you're not interested? Practice with me: smile... ok, fine smirk. Smirk and tilt your head a bit while saying "Thank you, but I'm not interested" See? Was that hard? If you want to be extra polite, you can even put your right hand on your chest while you say it.
"Oh noes! The evil salesperson kept me here for over 2 hours!" exclaims the timeshare presentation attendee, who was clearly informed that they only needed to stay 90 minutes. You couldn't get up? you couldn't, in a calm and mature way excuse yourself and ask to leave?
Is it really that hard to push a single button on a website that will "politely decline" for you?
A button... Seriously?
A button.
We've become such pussy-footers, so easily offended, so indecisive and meek that people have started businesses out of alerting your ex-boy/girlfriend that s/he is just that... your ex... via facebook.
For God's sake people, grow a pair! You don't have to be rude to say what you mean, it's called being assertive. You'll be amazed at the results it yields.
Fast forward to 2001 when I moved back to the states, and I was dumbfounded. It took me a while to figure it out. I figured maybe it was the social circle I was with. Maybe I had just romanticized the time spent in the south.
But then I moved back to the south. Now here I am, 9 years since I left Georgia thinking: these people are racist, xenophobic, devoid of sophistication and intellect...
But at least they'll tell it to your face.
What ever happened to the stern, but polite good-ol'-boy who didn't beat around the bush? What ever happened to saying what you mean and meaning what you say? Where did the opinionated, yet respectful cowboys go? Why have people forgotten that you don't have to agree with me for me to find you respectful and of having tact?
Living in California, it was easy to blame the smug attitude and worse manners, but here? Of all places? Maybe it's a global phenomenon? Back home everyone's afraid of getting mugged so they'll act the part of a tough-guy... or tough-woman for that matter. Women will talk to you like they're your big brother. Instead of the pleasantness Venezuelan women have always been known for, now they curse at you worse then the guy she's married to who's standing next to her.
But that's a third world country! When you're trying to survive, fending off would-be attackers and doing your best for you and your family, that's understandable. But here? In the US? Where people spend longer planning their vacations than they do enjoying it? Where people have the luxury of being depressed? In a country who's military budget is greater than most nation's GDP combined?
I'm not asking for much, am I?
Is it really that hard to tell someone you're not interested? Practice with me: smile... ok, fine smirk. Smirk and tilt your head a bit while saying "Thank you, but I'm not interested" See? Was that hard? If you want to be extra polite, you can even put your right hand on your chest while you say it.
"Oh noes! The evil salesperson kept me here for over 2 hours!" exclaims the timeshare presentation attendee, who was clearly informed that they only needed to stay 90 minutes. You couldn't get up? you couldn't, in a calm and mature way excuse yourself and ask to leave?
Is it really that hard to push a single button on a website that will "politely decline" for you?
A button... Seriously?
A button.
We've become such pussy-footers, so easily offended, so indecisive and meek that people have started businesses out of alerting your ex-boy/girlfriend that s/he is just that... your ex... via facebook.
For God's sake people, grow a pair! You don't have to be rude to say what you mean, it's called being assertive. You'll be amazed at the results it yields.
Monday, February 21, 2011
First Post!
I've created this blog solely for the sake of sharing thoughts my mind has generated over the years, as well as crowd-source my need for stupid-checking said ideas. My best friend has been extremely helpful with this, but I've nagged for far too long for it to be remotely reasonable. So, here goes my first post:
People want to be lied to.
Yes you do, admit it.
Do you want to know all the intricacies of the chemical reactions and how it affects your physiology every time you take a pain killer? No, you just want the pain to go away. Does your boss want to know what you're browsing while you work? No, she just wants to see you busy. The cop on the side of the road, seeing orderly traffic. The supervisor of said cop, sending him out to ensure orderly traffic. The busy parents who want a babysitter but don't want to do a full background check. The client who is impressed by their impressive powerpoint and fast talk, instead of your sincerity about how long the job will really take. The CEO who expects better results from the R&D department by giving them more money. The shareholders of the company who demand higher earnings without scrutinizing over the fundamentals of the company. The shoppers who put their sprees on credit and pretend things aren't that bad. The masses of unemployed people voting for a candidate because he promises more jobs.
It's sad, but we live in a society that wants to be lazy. Finding out the truth takes time, it takes work. If the truth hurts, then we're made of glass.
Hell, I'm lazy. But even in my laziness, I lie to myself.
I call it efficiency: I always look for the shortest line, the quickest path, the macro script that will cut the time it takes for me to make the report by a third.
If we're all high on the bliss of ignorance, how am I lying to myself?
...
I rationalize. Yeah, that's it.
The emotional decisions, the failures, all wishfully dissapear under the banner "It wasn't meant to be": 6 of the scariest words I kept hearing as a child. I grew to resent them, yet here I am blaming God's plans instead of my lack of conviction, my lack of courage, my lack of repeated effort.
Oh, here's another one: I live in the future.
A million and one ideas that would be profitable businesses, or even species-altering changes... yet too lazy to do anything about them and lying to myself that there's still time. I refuse to lie to myself, I won't be another smiling cow in the slow line for the guillotine of old age.
And thus it hurts. It hurts to see yourself for what you really are. Knowing your own limits is one of the pinacles of being a man, and to know thyself is to know thy Lord, right?
Why does it have to hurt?
People want to be lied to.
Yes you do, admit it.
Do you want to know all the intricacies of the chemical reactions and how it affects your physiology every time you take a pain killer? No, you just want the pain to go away. Does your boss want to know what you're browsing while you work? No, she just wants to see you busy. The cop on the side of the road, seeing orderly traffic. The supervisor of said cop, sending him out to ensure orderly traffic. The busy parents who want a babysitter but don't want to do a full background check. The client who is impressed by their impressive powerpoint and fast talk, instead of your sincerity about how long the job will really take. The CEO who expects better results from the R&D department by giving them more money. The shareholders of the company who demand higher earnings without scrutinizing over the fundamentals of the company. The shoppers who put their sprees on credit and pretend things aren't that bad. The masses of unemployed people voting for a candidate because he promises more jobs.
It's sad, but we live in a society that wants to be lazy. Finding out the truth takes time, it takes work. If the truth hurts, then we're made of glass.
Hell, I'm lazy. But even in my laziness, I lie to myself.
I call it efficiency: I always look for the shortest line, the quickest path, the macro script that will cut the time it takes for me to make the report by a third.
If we're all high on the bliss of ignorance, how am I lying to myself?
...
I rationalize. Yeah, that's it.
The emotional decisions, the failures, all wishfully dissapear under the banner "It wasn't meant to be": 6 of the scariest words I kept hearing as a child. I grew to resent them, yet here I am blaming God's plans instead of my lack of conviction, my lack of courage, my lack of repeated effort.
Oh, here's another one: I live in the future.
A million and one ideas that would be profitable businesses, or even species-altering changes... yet too lazy to do anything about them and lying to myself that there's still time. I refuse to lie to myself, I won't be another smiling cow in the slow line for the guillotine of old age.
And thus it hurts. It hurts to see yourself for what you really are. Knowing your own limits is one of the pinacles of being a man, and to know thyself is to know thy Lord, right?
Why does it have to hurt?
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