Book Review: Make Now Matter

 Make Now Matter by Julie Williamson PhD
Why, how we lead together matters much, especially for businesses today that are highly interconnected and with massive dependencies? This book tries to answer this, noting - when the world moves too fast, a business cannot be slow to transform.
Part 1 of the book begins by elaborating techniques to identify and eliminate such elements, and enable a business to meet its most ambitious goals. Followed by a deep analysis of the transformation that happens as a result, and gaps, the failures will cause. How and why, in business, its leadership is the one that needs to transform first. Part 2 is about putting all this into practice. Mentioning the importance of habits, it introduces certain formal behavior model that can be an effective way to move through the Failure Gap. Also, new ways of working and fresh techniques for leadership, followed by practical tips about the actual implementation, and a review of the all that is covered in the book.
I found this book a good collection of new ideas, techniques and studies. Those are elaborated well, supported by notes, tables, and worksheets that can simplify its adoption. Case studies help in appreciating the effectiveness and versatility of the ideas presented.

Book Review: Democracy-The God that Failed

 Democracy-The God that Failed, by Hans-Hermann Hoppe examines the economics and politics of monarchy, democracy, and natural order. It begins with a discussion about universal idea of preference - earlier over later goods, more over less durable, etc. It then traces the transition of monarchy to democracy - a process from early eighteenth to early twentieth century. Public opinion and distribution of social needs is then analyzed, effects of transition of power taking a prime spot. Then comes a thought experiment - if the world decides to go democratic, China, or India, or both, shall be the ruler. How monopoly of jurisdiction for the redistribution of income and wealth, as well as uncontrolled migration, gives democracy, monarchic powers, without undermining one's own position, as it is in the case of a king. Thus the book goes on to list the pitfalls of both monarchy and democracy, explaining how, a system based on private wealth stands to fare better, while interpreting fitting historical events that are of significance.

Book Review: SURVIVING LIFE

 SURVIVING LIFE-The Art of Resilience, by TOM SCHNEIDER, MD, is a memoir written with the hope that relating to 'the potholes of mine will be like a teaching for you'. It starts with the memories of a regular sweltering day during the height of the Vietnam War in 1969, when he gets shot down. There he recollects the times of his childhood, like that of the oasis of grammar school. Also, how his plans of becoming a Jesuit priest went, his affairs with someone who happened to be related to the local mafia head, and how, his escapades with “spirits” and learning, kept progressing.
Come graduation, wedding, Pensacola, Florida, and the navy flight training with all its adventures. Off to school of medicine as a naval officer in the medical corps. Spends time in Vietnam and also an appointment with malaria, and back to NewYork and fun. Goes to school of medicine while in navy. Goes on to command a naval hospital. Retires from navy and opts for a private practice in Milton, Florida, outside Pensacola. And the memoir ends with a quote from Dalai Lama, "..our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.”
This memoir reeks of adventure in each page. Every character standing to amass sympathy and every event to arrest the attention of all the readers, no wonder, this book is a page-turner.

Impact of AI

    

I understand, coding is an area where workforce is heading for something new, given the rapid advances in software, computation, and technology. For those who follow this profession, there will be a lack of opportunities for much of the pastimes, exchanges, and recreations, AI programmers and helpers keeping them perpetually busy. An ‘artificial intelligence economy’ is going to happen soon, says one editorial.

What was happening all this while? Each one of us have been toiling for hours (one;s calling), while enjoying whatever hours one could manage for progressing one’s interests and affairs, collectively called living. Interests or activity that could take any form, like reading, writing, music, fine arts, or social transactions of whatever genre. Or, the time and space we devote to progress and celebrate things other than one's  calling, is what constitutes one's life. Now that AI is poised to eat away the toiling hours, each of us is going to be left with very many hours to follow or progress those matters. And it is going to be the same for everyone, however much the calling may differ. Time available for one’s calling will shoot up, occupying the lion’s share of each day.

Remember, one’s calling could only stem out of the same for another one. For example, if reading is my passion, it can happen only when the one whose passion is writing keeps oneself busy in it. And so is it, far all of us. So, when each of us engage with our own calling more an more, every other one also need to do so. As a result, for all, involvement with one’s interests and affairs stand to go down.

Since, AI, more than stealing our jobs, is going to take away the life from each one of us, we need to quickly come up with another one that can take its place.

Book Review: Breaking Democracy's Chains

 Breaking Democracy's Chains by Metin Pekin is a critical look at the practice of democracy; and is quite in line with the ideas I personally hold.

It introduces freedom, something we cherish a lot, as an invisible cage, and democracy, our expression of freedom, a polished illusion of the same. In the first of 14 chapters, the book narrates the initial days of USA and the duel between the federalists, who wanted central control, and the Jeffersonians, who stood for the states. This is the origin of the party system that continue to defeat the ideals of democracy, it adds. The book then goes on to elaborate, how, every evil that happens in a democracy will be having a party behind it, and what, a no-party system can do here. It then shows the nuts and bolts of the next democratic evolution, and suggests a path, specifically for a no-party model. How, responsibility can replace illusion, and let us all out of a cage.

This is a remarkable work with compelling arguments and examples. I agree with the author. Party system, rather than uniting, is turning us into each other. And, we now need to unite, for bringing in a no-party system to replace it.

Book Review: Conspicuous

Conspicuous by Karina Vunnam

This book covers a lot of topics, like culture, consumer psychology, and business analysis to present a dual approach of immersive story-telling and pointed research. The whole discussion is presented as three Acts.

The first one of 8 chapters narrate the emergence of an emotional connection to business, and how it lead to heritage as a value in itself. The next eight chapters form Act II, which dwells into the journey we constantly make through the resulting path, and how the juxtaposing of novelty and our desire at  every step is giving birth to a constant stream of new ideas. Last eight chapters make Act III, which traces how, brands and consumers evolved from all this, like the inter-mingling of exclusivity, craft, and meaning.

I found it a vivid discussion and a page-turner. How our desires are made to associate with certain objects to create images and ideas of luxury that can install heritage as an end. How, elements of modern communication like instagram opened a new avenue for luxury marketing. And how, the meteoric rise in prices driven by inflation, artificial scarcity, and associated fluctuations stand to shape it all. The book also covers more recent developments like localization of luxury and its access, and re-validation and democratization of luxury, while highlighting certain contradictions that go along.