I was supposed to get back to the viewing area with a proper video camera. Before the final 50 mintues before the show started, I went off to look at some of the green designs nearby at VIVOcity thinking I could easily get back in time. By then I return a little too late to pass the door. It was already jamming soon after I left the area. Jammed with the rest of the crowd with a mobile phone, this was the video I could get...
Happy Hanukkahanyway ! And MERRY CHRISTMAS! ....... Enjoy the view at the waterfront nonetheless. - @karen_fu 21 Dec 2009 Singapore.
Its in the news: disappointment is shown on many faces around the world. Why have we become so complex that a simple progressive solution cannot be found? Actually sustainability is not difficult to achieve. It is so because people have different agendas to fulfill in an incredibly complex system. Many people refuse to compromise.The system becomes tedious that we have to satisfy various economic and political agendas before we can progress. How did we get to this point? While there are the usual arguements about material comsumption of goods and services that increase the carbon footprint which are very relevant, I often think the real root cause is right in our minds. The thoughts are the ones that create the unsustainable culture of consumerism. The use and throw culture is one of those. The others are to create products and services that are really more fad than really useful. Our minds have to come clean before we can talk about saving the earth. Sustainability to me does not only restrict to how to cut down pollution of the physical environment. It should really include cleansing polluted minds of deceit, selfish and scheming thoughts to plot for individual material attainments.
All we need is just to be considerate and wise in the way we live life. Count around how many products and services you really want. Bang on those. Discard festish products and ideas that wastes energy. If many more would make use of public transport, fewer people would need the usual car that much. If public transport is not possible because of a lack of safety, then think of some policies to run the place safe. We should think along these lines. Its far less smokey, costs less, way more healthy and better still, the generosity of being self giving will recipocrate. How hard is that ? The way we live is actually a reflection of how we would treat people. The way we treat people will in turn affect how others will treat the rest. Its infectious. They are all linked. Treat all under the fairness of justice, and people will not be disappointed enough to fight. Unless there is an abuse of such fairness, then we should need to instill in peace and explain. People rebel because they feel they are disadvantaged.
I’m not very good in western philosophy, but there is one Chinese saying that’s really applicable to the last respect on treating people:
泛爱众： 凡是人， 皆须爱，天同覆，地同载。
Basically it means regardless of race, language and creed etc, equality of treatment should apply to all. We are sheltered under the same blue sky and we all walk on the same common earth. Hence we must treat all as equals without selfish and cunning schemes. So is our treatment to animals and the ecological systems around us. Both the natural and the artificial environments are part of our survival. I feel that we should not keep thinking about improving the products and services all the time. We need to think about the moral education which we instill in our students and in the people. That’s where our real roots of evil/good start.
Recently some friends and I had this conversation in our own online group. The notion was "how should you live your life; and how would you want others to live their lives?"
I thought it was a very good question. As a designer, a teacher and a non-paying adviser to some of the most expensive questions. (I really should demand some service fee, it shouldn't have been free but they are my old school mates), other than the skills and experience to do the job well and value add human and humane living; it has to be the ability to deliver happiness to people.
So my quick reply to that question focused on 3 aspects: 'Fun, cheery and happy'. Why would I insist on that ? People these days take things too seriously. Over seriousness has its pros and cons. While it does provide the propensity to work efficiently, it usually builds up tension that forces people to do things pretty differently, usually negatively & ineffectively.
Life is such that people take every damned word too seriously. They take too much emphasis on being serious and powerful, aiming on climbing the social ladder. Medical studies show being cheerful extends life. Being funny and humorous has an enormous positive energy in both personal and work life. It probably does more on improving the quality of life as a whole at a much smaller cost.
We often talk about service, and we often talk about products to improve life. While these processes are important, we may well need an often overlooked soft skill that empowers us - 'being sanguine'. It cost nothing but it can be hard to develop this unique quality. Being genuinely sanguine requires one to be truly carefree and be open to different people. That itself is one sheer power in keeping this world a much fun and peaceful place, as most hatred and war stems out on the disability on how to take life easy and simplified.
If you can't laugh at yourself, you can't do anything very much. If you can't laugh and enjoy life, you also shorten your life... Hope all this makes sense.
reference:
Humor proved to extend life : http://www.innovations-report.de/html/berichte/studien/bericht-75728.html
I don't know what else to say other than bemused by the usual social reaction of people. I have been asked (in sophisticated work terms, 'consulted') on how to handle people. It just so happens that in my Inbox there is a thread at PhD-Design Forum that discuses about human nature and the world we are living in. Not a new topic. Other than shaking my head & smiling at the posts, I have nothing to say. Just a daily discourse of merry go round. The reference was nice but it made think of the old reference lists as being pretty much useless, because most people do not preach it honestly. They either do it out of their own benefit for power in the name of 'good' or they do it for money. If people did follow the callings to do good and act upon studiously, we'll not have a civilized mess that we have today.
Hypocrisy is very common; so is the aged old selfishness. While there are as many crap in the world, there is fortunately a good handful of people who are willing to make their modest amount of good. And honestly life has treated them very well. A good example would be Teresa Xuzhe. I can't help to mention her every time such topic arises. The other is the Venerable Jingkong Monk & Mother Teresa. All these people along with many good natured modest citizens around the globe have their own deserved blessings. Strangely life has a way of dealing 'human lies' and that lies will be retributive in a way.
I've always believed that human beings are mostly and mainly evil. It is a pessimistic view but a practical one that cannot be dismissed. As I have mentioned in my non phd style post, there are 2 fundamental ways in which people deal with conflicts: 1. To clobber them by force or 2. To educate the sinful with as much love and patience as you can.
Most people do the former as its faster, and more aggressive way to silence the opposition. Its not just in authoritarian states, but also in other non-authoritarian ones too. Just in daily lives, it is easily seen that many more people do not tolerate opposition, that is why violence is common.
Maybe we should also ask why people act that in a negative and even destructive way. Then maybe perhaps we could work backwards and untie the uncanny knots. There is always a story behind every 'bad' act as with every every 'kind' act. Including those who say such and work on something completely off. IMHO, instead of trying to prosecute the bad and punish them which will never really work, we might as well take the good side of them and use it to work for the good. It has worked so far, and I believe this is a good way to go into. Human nature is such. If you fail to direct them to the good path when they were teachable, I'm afraid punishing them isn't going to be of much use. It will just repeat itself.
If one can even work and turn around odds with this kind of people, please hire the person and elect him/her as a leader. We need such talent to turn the tides and save what is the remains of the day.
Short post note: The simple basis is to merely start from a micro level-self and move up to contribute bit by bit by being good and just nice every day. A genuinely nice person can accept a lot of different people and treat them non-discriminatingly. They are able to judge what is right / wrong and brave to do the distinction. If such a sign is amissed, be sure to expect the junk of the thrash, a typical human of the lowest kind.
I also believe that bullying and discrimination are 2 main issues that are still very much alive despite the campaigns and efforts. I've just had a case where someone just broke down in front of me in a way that it could wrench your heart. It was devastatingly a mental meltdown. And believe me he is not the only one who suffered so. People who extort to bullying tactics to get where they are should be apprehended or at least make to pay for the grievances they have caused.
Rightly so, which is why the elfin nature off me. If we take close look into the peculiar nature of the human mind, then you would agree that are many ways of handling different kinds of people in different sectors of the industry. I believe the art of managing people is very important. How else could you solve problems which are basically made by people? You can't solve problems purely on 'tools' like 'infrastructures', 'policies' or even with 'sound theories' without tactfully sort out people. Some people think its about clobbering and hammering down; some people think its about using all the patience in the world to educate the flawed human race. I think there must be an element of 'urgency' to get people working through uncanny and even humorous ways. The recent implementation of using 'obvious acknowledgment' of people's 'kindness' and 'generosity' works really well in getting positive energies to come in.
that's why I still adamantly feel that simple fun diplomacy works.. How to be fun and serious is really a skill. Before we all startto blow one another up with missiles and bombs from somewhere north, maybe we need to consider something *unconventional*.Maybe we should also ask why people act that way. Then maybe perhapswe could work backwards and untie the uncanny knots. There is always a storybehind every 'bad' act as with every every 'kind' act.Including those who say such and work on something completely off.
If one can even work and turn around odds with this kind of people, please hire the person and elect him/her as a leader. We need such talent to turn the tides.
Readers, who are going for this thought provoking full paper, will be interested in their detailed findings of different character traits of their targeted sample. I shall leave you to go hunt for the full paper online, which will figure out the intricate details of their findings. In the meantime, I would like to humbly share my views after reading the full paper: Life, as with entrepreneurship, is about optimal risk taking. Once you've decided to take up the risk, its all about giving all unconditionally to your cause and belief in what needs to be done. The impending business climate or indeed in any kind of physical surroundings is actually the prime condition for various decision making to be executed. In fact, the current economic crisis is the best time to affect change. In Chinese, there is a this common saying that means 'the current times make a hero': Shi shi zao ying xiong.(时事造英雄) . There are different trying times that one needs to change and adapt. And the desired character set which is the very means to fit into different changing environments is exactly what this paper is looking at. The alertness, or rather in my terms 'astuteness', requires a keen sense for information and execution of ideas. Anyone who can identify the need for change and use found information and known circumstance will make an innovative move in both the process and the end product. After reading the paper, I also have to agree that Entrepreneurship is very difficult to teach. The best way of approach would have to be hands on and intuitive rather than starting straight from the books. I would be keen to learn how these courses are run as I am imagining how they work in reality. You've got to be very creative and fun about teaching such topics. As Prof Birgit Jevnaker of the Norway School of Management's Innovation Department has put it, 'Entrepreneurship is also about transforming or revitalizing existing businesses and seizing new opportunity for and with others.' The width and the depth of the discipline itself requires several abilities to master it well. In some ways,certain traits like motivation, determination and original creativity cannot be taught. The idea of seeing beyond is hard to teach, however the business tools are feasible to deliver.
Going back to the paper, we must remind ourselves that the paper objectives aim at:
-refining the definition of EA by case studies, in 2 main geographical areas, looking into the ability to identify such opportunities and the ability to exploit and make use of such information as opportunities for new ventures.
-what is such alertness/astuteness; and how does it derived from ?
-the main study focus on Austrian school of economics, behavourial and cognitive areas
All these make you ponder about the differences within the topics themselves : such as theories that support classical liberalism; the "invisible hand" that governs both business and many different political environments; and voices that have asked for a reduction in government intervention, and allow the market self-regulate et cetra. These form the various viewpoints to understand Entrepreneurial alertness (EA) The paper relates all 3 studies to understand how one sees and conceives an idea and explains how one approach and derive a method of approach to business ventures. The Austrian School of Economics portrays a liberalism of thought. Via behavioral studies, it involves the nosing into one's behavior in gathering information, relating to how and why one behave differently to various business decisions. The very ability to use given information how one is keen in gathering information source reveals how one acts and reacts upon such given information. And explains why certain people could filter our unimportant information /keep / exploit crucial aspects of the given information. Paper goes through concisely on Kaish and Gilad/ Busenitz/ Given plots and methods of thinking.
Personally, I think it is very complex and difficult to analyze in this manner. Even if we were able to map every point on the different character traits of a venturing mind, we should try to derive our own methodology or risk the high probability of churning out similar strategies or thinking methodologies. However what is good about this paper is to study how different people think. But it should not be read as a means of looking to be like Richard Branson, Bill Gates or Li Kai Shing. Its a matter of self-discovery from reading the paper. The method of plotting ones way in a business is almost uncanny and perhaps that is why in the Chinese sense, it is often said that politicians and business people are 'cunning' by nature. I often feel that intelligence could be used in a different way. What the paper may have approached is to see how businesses could be done in an ethical way. You can be really smart in getting what you do for profit making, but could you be genuinely kind as well ? It's probably my wishful thinking since that is not the nature of most people..
Their chosen case studies with samples taken from both the US and China, which are 2 large geographical regions bearing more than 30% of the world population. Within the masses, there are different sub-cultures, especially in China where there is no one Chinese but several types of Chinese. Each and every behavior and societal trends are different. And hence every method of tackling innovation and adaptation to businesses will be different. Some, as I am aware, do not follow a particular pattern. They are simply fast to morph and quick to change. The level of education does affect one's style of business - at least from a social class point of view. To sustain a venture, one has to able to mingle within the group. When I was reading this paper, I was hoping that the ethical aspects was added in as a main concern. We have too many unscrupulous businesses going on which we do not want. While neglecting ethical aspects will not exactly hinder the motivation to success; it does bring in a negative return in the long run. This would come in the form of unsustainable social, economic and natural environments that we cannot afford to have. All these play a profound impact on the type of social-economic environment that we are in. Further, I truly believe that for an enterprising climate, you need a free thinking society with a sideline sense of order to keep the society in harmony.But the sideline sense of order should not meddle with personal freedom of thought which is the essence of creativity. The paper comes in a timely fashion of what I think about creativity and entrepreneurship. One cannot expect the country to be enterprising without liberal thoughts. Neither can you grow creativity in a formulated way.As selfishness is part of the human nature, we have to come up with a way to confine evil and promote the good. To offer total liberalism is too idealistic and impractical. Neither can we clobber people down in an authoritarian manner. There must be an optimal way of balancing the two. This paper has chosen a good time to publish. We are all in this hot pot of boiling soup where few economies in the world can withstand its current turmoil. As more jobs are taken away, the venturing spirit is a more important means to survive. The character of the person has to be one of sheer astuteness -- the way one sees the surrounding environment and how one reacts to it. It is also the original source of change in new markets and new trends, industrious in looking for new information and be really good at thinking and inventing new ideas and processes. On top of that, an outstanding character of motivation and determination. In short, intelligence and holistical approach of thinking in a wide array of subjects and ideas would aid in situations where there is a shortage or an excess of information; where one would be reorganizing resources in order to gain profits. Skills, political powers, regulatory rules, prosperous economy and changes in societal trends all contribute to how new information is gathered. If you are as curious as me, you'll go hunt for the details of the research methods by contacting the authors of the paper. And just maybe you will also post some ideas here on this blog...
I have the privilege to receive this Mandarin paper from Prof Murphy, which he had emailed me some 3 weeks+ ago. But I have not come around to do the blogs for the last 3 weeks until now. I had asked why the paper was delivered in Mandarin instead of English and I was told it was for a greater coverage of readers. It made sense though it would have been even better to have the English version too. I had thought my free day at home would do the trick, only to overspend time in my conceptualization work in designing a sustainable architectural module. Also, I have also thought that the mandarin paper would require some translation before my comments could make some sense. But logically, it cannot be the entire paper as it is supposedly from a paid publication. Regardless, all these need time. Hence I've decided to delegate this task into 3 parts. This is the continuation of my initial thoughts on the topic 3 weeks ago. When I received the complete paper, I was delighted to read the details and it tallies with what I was expecting - the exciting parts in both creativity and the thought process. Here is Part 1 of the paper review/comments:
Entrepreneurship has always been about seeing new ways of product creation that are novel and discovering new ways of doing businesses. It is basically about innovative thought processes in both product and service. The full paper has looked into mainly entrepreneurial alertness ('EA' for short to save my typing time) in a psychological and statistical way. The research in this area is still in its infancy despite the wide acknowledgment that entrepreneurial alertness is critical in identifying new business opportunities. The paper acknowledges the birth of creativity and creation of new final products or services are dependent on such astuteness. However, they view a difference in the process of bringing in creativity and final new innovative products. The authors feel that both are entirely two different concepts. Such astuteness are vital for concepts since EA helps in predicting how to promote new product innovation and formulate new creative skill developments. Creative skills of entrepreneurial alertness could impact the product innovation process. In order to research into depth in this area, the authors have nosed in the detail of the definition of EA.
The paper identifies two sample groups for research -- Empirical sample 1 :the China model and empirical Sample 2:the US model.The first group sample looks into 146 different entrepreneurs. Assumption 1 has proven in initial stages of research that EA is vital in creative skills. And in the latter part of the research, they have also investigate 109 entrepreneurs in both Midwest and Southern parts of the US. This confirms their research in which a criteria of 13 objectives.Re-looking at the definition and concepts of EA.
The 3 areas of investigation: 1. Kizner (which the authors find the definition to be unclear and even confusing when it comes to 'an intention to describe the future scenario and inclination' and 'attitude in accepting possibilities); 2. Behavioral and 3. Information management.(knowledge management?)- during the process of information gathering, retrieval and storage ; individual strive in gathering information & use selective information in discovering potential entrepreneurial activities.
Been really disturbed up by some ideas that people have brought up. Maybe it was just an off shoot remark or a quick reply with no other intentions. Maybe I am far too simple a person to think that we could reach total liberty. But these brought up a real problem of the stereotypical idea of classification: if we need to learn a language, it is best to take up the native accent. It is true from a learning point of view because we cannot read something that has a strong foreign accent that could mislead us in understanding what's being said. But if it means that learning the accent = to feel superior; or to dominate other cultures and peoples, then it is going to be a problem. This is often the root of any kind of rift or the start of problem.
IMHO, if we want to build a fair world, we need to understand sensitivity amongst different cultures and peoples. It is not an easy task to do. I too am fallible and am learning to master my tolerance skills by not being judgmental. But I do question and challenge people to such issues.
A side thought of what I've just posted at my LinkedIn group about accents, as well as chatting with friends about this matter : I bluntly spelled my thoughts that The world is a practical place and there is no such thing as perfect world by not differentiating people by accents. It is a fact and it is almost unavoidable. But I thought it may be high time to just take it by the substance than by accents. I worry that the acknowledgment of accents would bring about social dominance and unwanted discrimination.
An OT thought: if we have this kind of idea, can the world be ever be truly equal ? If one could differentiate by accent, then it is very natural that people be discriminated by skin color, physical features etc.
Design is a way of thought. The way of thought predetermines the way we decide about issues. Before we could talk about designing the physical product or a viable service that would earn respect; there is a huge need to recognize the sensitivity of different peoples and cultures.
PS: maybe I had taken the wrong educational path. For this kind of character like what my ex-tutors of my former high school had said, I should have gone to a liberal arts school in the US. They may well be correct. Had I chosen the path then I would have been a student at the Illinois Institute Of Technology / the University of Illinois. That was what the education counselor at the US Embassy in Singapore told me many years back. If you let me do it again, I would have picked Law and Management before taking up a course in Industrial design/Architecture. But the UK isn't a bad choice either though I learnt some precious lessons by the English countryside which probably no other place could offer - a natural pristine timeless beauty, with a sense of friendly nostalgia. You learn it by the natural way which probably allows you the time and energy to develop your own way of thinking and ideas that cannot be taught in college.
I have always been wondering about it the choice though I did want to head to the US for a postgrad.
John McCutcheon, a Business Consultant, has just posted an interesting question at LinkedIn that I like it very much to answer that before bed time. He asked:
What qualifications do you think you have come away within the University of Life? We may study hard, learn hard and work hard. We have have gone to University of College.But life itself is a long study process one that a normal university/college cannot compete with although is part of your education.
So having moved on in years and found work, found friends, lost friends etc, what experience have you come away with SO FAR. What are your qualifications in life?
My answer:
Nice and difficult question to answer.
Life is short and it comes and goes very quickly. To do only material success at the university of college is only part of a success since it is a subset to the university of life. If you are smart, you learn fast, but the university of college doesn't tell you the intricate details of how people and nature works --in short you need to feel and experience yourself.
Handling people is an art. University of life teaches you this science of how minds work and you have to observe and apply your wits to handle and solve problems. My personal life experience so far has taught me to be astute and wise in many different situations -- that there is always a solution to every problem. You need to see the truth of many issues on people, work and society.
I've lost a few friends who passed away far too young to unexpected ailments -- they teach me that life is unpredictable, so do not waste precious time and never be complacent about being young and healthy. Always be vigilant.
I've seen people who think they can get away with ill deeds. But trust me, they never succeed and life is never really happy for them. Its a sad / even sadistic case that such people could temporarily derive 'happiness' the wrong way.
People who have broken relationships -- you need to give and take. Picking a life partner is no small matter. Cohabitation is not the best way to make sure that you've found the one. The essence is if you truly take your partner as an important part of you and your life.
Family and true friends carry more weight than your material needs. If you fail to see this, you can never be genuinely happy, healthy and never mind keeping your wealth long. Think about it, wealth from the wrong ways and with bad people cannot ensure your financial solvency. It may spell that some day they will well be taken as quickly as you've got them in the first place.
Do not betray or do evil to people who especially do nothing to you. 'cos it comes back several times worse than you've put in the first place.
Be sincere and honest, fill your life and others who are kind the same love you have or more. Everyone likes a loving person. Even animals do. When you care for them, it is often that they will love you more than you do. And this is always true when you see tears in their eyes, sad to part with you. (pets included.I've never noticed animals could even cry until people told me so.) And often when you are in danger, somehow these little creatures or nature will see you through.
PS: I am not religious. In fact I am a free thinker. For the college and life experience have taught me so far, I've learnt that being good and kind will pay itself. It may not reward you directly but it comes to you in an uncanny way. I believe all religions teach very similar ways for people to live well and happy by being nice and positive. Its just that people usually do not obey the nature laws of continual happiness that leads to what we have -- a world of pending disasters.
Quick draw before late night sleep. But I think its worth it !
We've got products everywhere -- tangibles and intangibles aka physical products or services. One of such products that I do not really like is the credit card. But this has been one of the most profitable products that one can find on this planet earth. Credit, if used correctly, could bring you a far better lifestyle. But unfortunately, many more people fail to use credit wisely and very often, one would eventually realize that one actually does not need credit to live very well. The current economic crisis has its roots based on endless borrowing. We borrow to spend and live comfortably. And that itself is one of the main problems why the debt is so high. I wonder how this whole economic saga is going to be solved. But I think a lot of people are going to suffer. Borrowing more to save borrowing woes simply is not the ultimate solution.
On the other hand, I often believe that a few other products aren't exactly needed. Generating a need for money making is what business is all about. But we need to do it humanely. Some products fuel wastage and an unwanted need to drool on basically unwanted material needs that are not exactly important... As designers, innovators, teachers, policy makers in every line and engineers, we need to think hard what is the real need and design a real business process to achieve a truly useful result. Educating an unwanted need is a sin. And to continue with the process till production and consumption is another sin that will reciprocate in a negative form big time. For all you know if we could just delete a little bit more on our indulgence, we could live a far better and sustainable world.
I present you this wonderful You Tube video excerpt of our dear SHOPAHOLIC for your viewing pleasure...(its a short trailer but it shows relevance of this post here.
PS: note the word 'PRODUCT' PPS: listen and look at the screams. That actually put me off seeing the real film itself.
I'm tired after a long week of work, work and nothing but WORK.I have come to redesign my life to make it more interesting, easy and healthier.I do not believe that one should sacrifice health for wealth, as what a lot more people seem to be doing it. Health, love and compassion should always come before anything else. To live a life blindly for the sake of material needs is one of the silliest aims one could have. Sadly that is exactly what a huge majority of people are doing.
So have a life, and better still have a fun and poetic one !
I don't think they will reply me as I think the questions I've posed may have put them on the line. Perhaps no reply is a reply. I have already received some very good replies off from other professionals. They gave some very interesting views. They probably give better and honest answers to human factors in a way that they come from the users point of view. And it does confirm that some of the PC design need some good revamp. Like what I have earlier envisaged, most consumers agree with me of the physical attributes of the machine. Some people would have liked more choice of colours and motifs and see that as a value-added trait. BUT they want the power of the machine over aesthetics. Many think that buying a PC, from a household point of view, is a waste of money; as the value of PC decreases very quickly in just a matter of months. Updating OS and software is an expensive chore too. If we need to keep our environment sane, we should really look at the way we use and throw computers away every few years. That is a waste.
I personally find that the Ethnographic design appears to be lacking on PCs. Perhaps its a common use of technology globally but the keyboards is definitely sensitive to cultural usage. Though there are improvements, the keyboard doesn't make typing Mandarin easy especially if you are an advanced learner. The style of PCs in notebooks/net books pin heavily on the western culture. True on the aspect on the keyboard layout design. Physical comfort is lacking too.
Favorable PCs ?
At local schools, the Ministry of Education here subsidies Notebook PC purchases at around 40% on selected high end HP notebooks for students. I personally like HP for the price and value though some accused that HP lacks originality. It is true to a certain extent. I had been eying for one but all the stocks were totally bought up even at full price. There was also a long back log of orders even without the subsidized purchase. Net books were hot sellers across the brands probably because the differentiation between brands on net books are hardly noticeable regardless how you look at it in terms of price and quality. They are light, inexpensive and they serve the primary function very well.
What seems to be interesting to me is that not a lot of people seem to be bothered about vision health as much as I do. Staring at the screen is to me a very unhealthy habit. Yet no one seems to be bothered about glare, radiation and static electricity from the use of computers. That to me was a little shocking.
Right now, I am typing merrily with my forefinger during break. Depends on what humor we are talking about. It has to come with respect of cultures and mannerisms. But sometimes, I feel that people may be overtly sensitive and mistake a certain well-meaning humor -- usually happens on the internet where all you rely are the words you see on the page.
Humor with good wit and tact solves problems. It is not an easy task to do. Even more so if it is on a rough situation where the issue is serious. Then again the most successful politicians, diplomats, business people, writers, professors etc are often equipped with a keen sense of creativity with not only the work they do but the words they use. Such tact brings down barriers, softens a tense scenario up, simplifies complexity. And before you know it, the problems are usually eliminated to a very large extent. Good humor is rare and cannot be taught.
Lack of seriousness, however, is another matter. I don't think you can equate that to good sense of smart humor. Minister mentor Lee Kuan Yew often makes his audience laugh during his political/national speeches. That doesn't make him look anything less than a serious politician. Bob Hope, as with Bill Cosby, are comedians who bring out the problems in life for us to think about; and you don't see them lack the qualities of an intellectually smart comedian. Thomas Friedman's natural sense of humor found in his books is another example. These people do not load people with verbose talks and written matter. They make you enjoy the toughest kind of intellectual ideas in layman terms.
Tommy Koh, our former Ambassador to the US, used humor to lighten tones in diplomatic matters. He smoothed out wrinkles very well.
What would be dreadfully stupid is to rigidly use the so-called sense of seriousness and formality with a certain fixed formula to solve a problem. When there is a much simpler way to do so, a creative and intelligent person would change the routes and make a way to a fine, happy and even an amicable solution.
That, to me, is very smart wise and extremely intelligent.
if I were to hire, such skills mentioned in my reply above would be an ideal choice. Knowledge, substance and character with an original sense of wit is the biggest draw. I would not want to work with or collaborate with verbose people who think they know it all. Humor is a catalyst. People who are able to provide humor needs certain kind of intelligence. Really it requires a strategy in words, context and meaning. If you could find such a person, do contact me, I am looking for work partners who are not only bright academically, but brilliant in social entrepreneurship too.
Here are some of the selected models I could find online, but I have also realized that the models online are inferior to the ones I can find here in Singapore. But I thought I would just put some images here to illustrate the models and brands I had mentioned about ergonomics for PCs. In fact these were the models I had in mind when I was shopping.
Just read this on LinkedIn today that I 've found worth my time to do a quick post on what I've just replied here:
'Need: A Thought Experiment. Who gets to decide?', asked by Susan Shwartz PhD AVP,Oppenheimer & Co. Inc., financial marketing writer.
As the recession has deepened, I've seen a lot of discussion of need. Well, actually, I've seen a lot of assertions about NEED. It's usually in capital letters, as in I NEEDED this X, and the more E's you can sense in the word, the more intensity you feel.
Being me, I decide to wonder. The last time I got into this discussion, someone threw NEEEED at me, and I mouthed off with King Lear's "Oh reason not the need. Our basest beggars are in the meanest thing superfluous." (Warning: I didn't look up the quote.)
Personally, I don't understand the need for four-figure shower curtains or seven-figure office redecorations, or multiple yachts. I really don't understand them when they're paid for with what really is other people's money.
But the part that troubles me and that I'd like to focus on is the way people comment on other people's desires and acquisitions. "She didn't NEEED" that. "He NEEDS the Y." "That's not NECESSARY."
Who judges? We all do. Who gets to judge? Who has the right to judge and why?
I'm talking real people here, not John Galt, okay? Is there a legitimate reason to gauge other people's needs? What is it? Or why not?
My LinkedIn reply 6 April 09
Susan, this is very good thread ! Quick reply here again as I use this pocket of time to catch up :
Need is actually self generated most of the time. There is also a tendency to want more when you have more.It is endless and the cycle continues.
If we look around, it is easy to see that wants are increasing and morphing into different forms. Human nature on want is mostly greed. And greed is a common majority trait. Personally I have seen it through, and the only way to get pass it is to go around them tactfully how to 'give' it to them and keeping ourselves and the environment (both human and natural) sane and healthy. In due course of their greed or put it nicely, and 'an over demand of need'; these people will get it many times back of what they put in. This kind of 'need' will not last, and there is always a punishment for it. If we force them to stop this 'need', we may get add more problems to the question. I would just make my way through creatively -- let them have 'what they want' but remember to keep the wants in a justified way.
People and human nature will never change. It is a sad truth. But what is fortunate is that there is always a way to handle them.
I've just replied a friends email over at LinkedIn. He posed interesting points on pride and I replied something about it. There is nothing wrong with pride but I thought he had slightly misunderstood my post.
So I clarified that I was not saying people and companies do not have the right to feel proud. However, if its because of certain status quo that the person or organization has against others to show how big they are, then that is arrogance to the brim and I hate those kind of hot air. Liberal designers are free to be proud of what they have achieved. Every being has the very right to do so. But if it develops into an ego, then that is unhealthy habit that we shouldn't cultivate at all. Any product or service should have a high sense of humility and definitely anything that 'looks' good must have real substance to keep this world a genuinely better place to live in. Earning that ego doesn't reflect liberalism. Its narcissism in the worst kind. Just think about it: how can self-love and adoration in oneself be liberal and truly generous to others ?
Anyway, this is not the first time I see this. its pretty normal. But I am just wondering how can a world be a better place with these mentality ?
I also answered about 'sticking nails': 'Hammering sticking nails' is something that all cultures do it at some point. It is only a matter of extent. Why do I say that ? No one likes a pain in the neck to get someone who is too different that it is an sore. Otherwise we won't have cliques and groups. What could be said is that there is a difference in tolerance limit. Some people/cultures more, and some less. We need to respect that too. Those who take in more (tolerance) will win. And ego is one of the dumbest traits to prevent growth of very great products and friendships around the world. Unfortunately in this mortal world, there are plenty of such stupidity around. Hence unwanted trouble....
Quick post here after replying to a professor at the local university with regards to the college and the ergonomics talk that was held last week. I am still waiting for replies for now. I was late because of a misdirection and entered the lecture theatre 15 minutes late. So I wouldn't know what was the introduction. But basically, it was about how studies in human factors had turned around fortunes of a computer company and a comprehensive illustration of the design process with the inclusion of human factors. Mobility, individuality,credibity and aesthetics have all played a part in delivering a marketable and hot selling PC product, especially the notebooks and the netbooks. However I had a lot of questions about sustainability and the human factors that were mentioned. Throughout the talk though, my main impression was styling and branding appeared to be far more dominant than ergonomics. That was my overall feeling. I didn't seem to be hearing anything about how targetted consumers were interacting with the computers. I was hoping to listen more. Maybe the PCs have run out of new forms that are comfortable to use and carry, but I was looking for more than thinner notebooks and colours that sparkle to consumers. My PDA had ran out of batteries and I resorted to jotting points down on my handphone by thumb-typing brief notes.
Somewhere along the typing, I was also wondering how different brands would fare in ergonomics ? Dell, HP, Sony Vaio, Apple, Acer, Asus, Fujitsu et cetra. Can you think of one good computer that fits sustainability well along with a nice affordable price tag without the loud colours ? And also fits the physical usage by majority of the human species in the global sense ?
I often find the cheaper Notebooks heavy and the batteries do not last long. Why should comfort be restricted to the expensive models ? I have both cheapie computer that weighs like a brick and heats like an oven. (no joking here: it does feel like a mini oven. I could cook a pigeon egg on it. ); and a quite expensive one that is lighter, more fashionable and nicer to use. I had a good interesting time looking for a notebook so I know what kind of troubles I have been into if I wanted some machine that was good and 'cheap' during times of global financial crisis. It is still good to save more when times are unpredictable. I bet many consumers are thinking along the same lines. The problem of using a notebook has not exactly been eradicated. It doesn't really fit on your lap nicely. Neither does it allow you to read the screen as you type on your lap or on the table. There is a problem of damaging your eye sight. But why is the form of the notebook remains basically the same ? I recall having once seen a detachable keyboard off a notebook. It was a Japanese make, but I have forgotten the brand. I had wanted to get it but the last set was already booked. Since then, I have never come across anything like that. Neither is there any new gadgets that allow one to use the notebook as a fun and healthy tool.
Quick typing here and this is actually a draft but I will return to the topic soon as they give me a reply !
I have just posted a quick reply over at LinkedIn under Rob Curedale's Poll at his Product Design Group. I wrote that the ID design process itself can be totally reinvented, which is the real power of problem solving. --the abililty to use knowledge and creativity to come up with solutions regardless how the factors of production/circumstance are given.
If we base on the polls that is given at Linkedin at his group, then what I have been believing is correct. Problem solving skills are actually important right across different industries. It's the specific type of problem solving that is crucial and that defines the profession. In this case, the other important skill of the designer is actually styling, making the object desirable yet useful. Hence I was a little surpriced that styling was ranked least because the another prime function of ID is to be able to make anything look attractive and set that as another selling point. What is missing in the choice of the polls is 'ethical responsibility and another is 'character'. We do not want egoistical people who seem to be focusing on designing things that stands out for themselves or the designers only. Maarten Scheffer had stated some of the most important abilities of a designer. Indeed a sharp problem solver sees ahead of others, plans simply, and execute strongly. Which is why I placed a very importance on brain power and the special ability to see a problem in different ways. This is not exactly a skill that can taught. Design is an ability to come up with a strong product differentiation. How can you be radically different, or at least reasonably different when everyone or most people are taught in the same/similar mode ??
Something to think about, isn't it ?
It actually applies to a lot of other professions in the industry too. And really it does make educational establishments think too.
I am a late blogger. And so I am a real novice in this area. Not too bad setting up so many sites in a matter of 2/3 weeks under a busy schedule; and I enjoy it most of the time except with my minphf blog of design sites at blogger. It IS a real pain the neck a billion times over for some oddball reason. All I wanted was a plain workable site with page tabs and working comments function. But somehow they do not work on that site, if I also wanted a clean looking design. I had thought getting templates was easy. It was. But not under what I wanted and I wasted a lot of time looking for 'the one'.
I bet a million times the latter is hard but looking for a working blogger template appears to be finding that fine needle in the haystack. I gave up and decided to stick to the current site by just taking off the comments function which was malfunctioning in a hellish way. Besides hardly a lot of people do comments on these kind of issues. So I added an emailer on that site instead. I will go set up a wordpress blog for all the discussions for all the blogs I have there for a more interactive and intense exchange of thoughts. For my virtual diaries, I will leave the comment function on.
Thoughtful living isn't that hard to achieve. All we need is to be less selfish and spare some thoughts for others. In return, one will be rewarded more than one has put in. But most people fail to see this. And out of self protection they usually do quite harmful acts in the name of defence.
Something well worth the time to ponder about.
We need Change. But that Change has to come from everyone doing every bit to improve lives.
Recently on facebook, someone discussed the faithful topic on ethics and if the good will receive the good and the bad will get their retribution. I thought it was crystal clear, but obviously many people do not have the positive mindset or the patience to see the karma in all things or deeds we humans do. All living beings create design. Regardless of quality and ethics, every design decision will invariably lead to a result. The reason why the good cannot achieve the good may well be a flaw in the thinking process. It may be a trivial small one that one has carelessly neglected. Hence it makes it seems that the good does not receive the good and the bad appears to win it all. Given the right methodlogy, one could achieve one's goals. But if ethics is ignored, in due course, life will treat you what you put in because the natural laws of life is disrupted.
Global warming is one very real example. The lure of materialism has thwarted the way we think. If we could have the guts to change the 'norm' and daringly change the way we consume goods and services, I believe we can at least slow down the effects of global warming drastically.
The very first step is to discard the fallacy that the bad usually gets the upper hand. That would be a giant step forward.
Had an interesting conversation albeit the thread was a little off shot. Nonetheless worth the time to add in quickly.
short quickie note:
seems like most people, at least the old timers appear to think that virtual 3D and wood are safer working materials. There are quite a number of people already using other 'scraps' to make rough models years ago.
Sometimes the conventional process of making models are just one way of retricting the mind to venture into other design methods. But that is natural.
The computer model making is just a way of communicating it over the internet. Well personally to me it is. It does not give you the actual tactile feel and neither does it really give you the exact spatial experience. Besides prolonged usage of the PC isn't exactly healthy too.
Thinking about it, ID can be quite health-harzardous itself. : )
Elfinic me, Karen Fu
--- .....
Am really busy with work all around but if I do get round to dig out the references, there are people who indeed are using different materials / even scrap to work on draft models before using formal materials/3d printing etc for the final.
I too believe in inventing methods to innovate. I do not rigidly believe in that conventional few, especially if the team or the designer is able to adapt and see different perspectives.
Cheers, Karen Fu
... if you stick to the standard way of thinking. But I think even in the process that you've stated, if you look into it, that is not exactly 'a tiny fraction' (refering to the conventional method of model making using not a lot of materials). If you are really good at it (visualisations, investigating forms etc), you don't exactly need a lot of mockups. I often see people making far more mock ups than they really need. They don't improvise. Once finished, they just add on to another mockup and so on. It is a waste of materials. When you know how to see and note your investigations, you don't need that much materials.
Research and findings is a must. But I do encourage improvision. And smart improvision doesn't eat up design quality. Its the quality of thinking that makes the cut. You can do a lot of experimentaions of forms and functions, user interactions; and do not utilise lots and lots of foam or 'harmless' jelutongs. Many other materials from so-called scraps can be utilised too.
Probably out of the usual, but I do believe there are others who do the similar. Just that its not that many. They still get their things in -- regardless patented or not.
Karen Fu ps: its like people who think they buy environmental friendly reusable bags are good for sustainabilty. It does help but the actual way to sustain envirponment is to actually use what you really need to use and cut off what you don't need. I don't think these bags make a dramatic difference because consumerism to the brim is very real.
I have just found a good gadget that I could use with anyone who likes my site and make more new friends around the world -- a community toolbar. I've stuck some of the sites for now. The components can be modified from time to time and updates could be done through the toolbar regardless where you are on the virtual net. Its pretty useful. I have yet to learn what this toolbar could offer. But for now I just like the functions on this application and I hope others would like it too. :)
This is a post that I made last year 18 November at Sampa.com (which I do not really use it at all because of the poor user interface)and I will transfer it here:
I am trying to find the best site for blogs. This seems to be the one...But I will go see how my other sites could fit in.
The world has certainly come to a huge turmoil.Perhaps that before the environment could take us all,the human made disaster of greed itself is unsustainable on another hand. While global recession is setting in with the larger countries coming down to its knees on their economy, smaller countries like Singapore will have to brace up and make the necessary steps to move on.
Change is needed and its going to be everywhere.How should we as ordinary citizens of the world make the incremental changes to alter the world for the better ?
Economy wise: major car manufacturers are facing bankruptcies after the banks. Citigroup has just announced that they are laying off 20% of their global workforce.While this is almost anticipated, I cannot help to think that we need a personal change before we can embark on the larger one.Thinking processes must change on a micro level as well as on a macro level.
More later.
As of today, Citigroup has already shrunk to a fraction of what it used to be. Along with Citi, other industries are following suit. Nothing like this was expected. But I really think that the underlying problem of these huge capitalist establishments are actually stemmed from long term greed.Should capitalism be changed ? Design is a way of thinking. Well at least from my own modest definition, it is. Design is a strategic way to solve problems, and not repeating it. Neither is it about morphing into another form, which we have witness in many so-called solutions.
Whether we are in any form of self-destruction is really predictable. The way I see it is if we are daring to change the form that we have always been ascustomed to....
Dear online folks, whoever bumps onto this nth blog would hopefully finds this interesting. I've started a string of catch-ups with the current web 2.0 technology with tiny pockets of time in between juggling with work, housework and homework. The virtual journey has been pretty fruitful albeit problematic as usual with people like me. I thought I would hate blogger until this fleeting moment of time that I've found a pretty though not the usual design sense of aesthetics for a diary blog.
It is really out of my usual style. But I like this nostalgic look with a cuppa and a traditional fountain pen for a change. I like to think how this format would work for a more down to earth, traditional, or rather a more reserved look for a not exactly reserved piece of blog.
So to bang this off, I hope my prospective netizens would like this new cosy place on line and join me with a heartwarming sense of thought on how design could add to a thoughtful living.
She lives somewhere over the rainbow and on the equator. An 'infamously naughty' creative professional by both trade and training, She loves to get herself into various kinds of 'trouble' by experimenting different areas of arts, sciences and technology.
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