Spiritual Intelligence: International Religion of the 21st Century?

Prelude

Religion it would seem, has failed us.

Prayer was to have helped us find salvation and good karma was to have paved the way for a promising destiny. Evil should have vanquished at the hands of good and the villains should have long-rotted in hell. Peace, love and discipline – preached by all religions – should have prevailed.

Instead, we find thugs leading the good life while honest citizens languish and terrible fates seem to befall the best of people we know. Religious figureheads seem as scam-prone as politicians and even temple trusts are not immune to embezzlement. Ethnic strife is, ironically, fuelled – not quelled - by religious beliefs and views.

In contrast, the long-decried materialistic ways of the West that focus on instant gratification seem to offer a more predictable and higher standard of living than our spiritual ways that promise a pathway to a future paradise.

The scientific method has empowered us with so much information that the fabric and credibility of religion have been impacted.

But has it really?

Have we truly been empowered by information or are the dangers of applying half-knowledge lurking round the corner?



Genesis

Indians are by nature heavily influenced by culture and tradition and in a sense, fairly possessive about them too. And that's not bad at all. Except that when the culture and tradition are not “scientifically-grounded”, it's easy for us to get confused.

Needless to say, our culture and traditions are heavily influenced by our religion and compounded by regional variations. Given that we have no dearth of regions or religions in India, the resulting mix of culture and tradition based on religion is both, strong and fragile, widespread and localized.

FasTrak Fool or Foolish FasTrak?

There's this guy - or gal - who seems to be making a habit of it. Either evading the toll or wrongly getting into the FasTrak lane.

Same car, same place. White Nissan hatchback/truck bearing plate number 3POH888 (number changed, of course). Bay Bridge. Twice  in 5 months. A white-colored Nissan, mind you, a white-colored Nissan.

Why do I care?

Because the blokes at FasTrak want to be "in the wrong lane" too. They keeping sending the violation notices to me. Because my car bears the number 3PQH888. The first time I dismissed it because there was clearly a human error caused by the "O" resembling the "Q" and all other numbers/alphabets being an exact match.

That they made the same mistake again is surprising enough, but what really gets me is that the Toll Notices contained the description of my car too: a Black Not-Nissan Sedan. Accompanied by the picture of the white Nissan.

Somebody, please slow down and look before you rush.

Occupational Hazards

Used under CCL from kuminiac's album

Like the fire eater pictured here, EVERY profession - without exception - has its own occupational hazards. Some are just more visible and some have a greater element of physical danger, but it's always there. 

Often, some professions are romanticized by society and the media (e.g., software engineering in India) or are vilified by its own circumstances, actions and then some more by society and the media (e.g., police forces). To a point that its occupational hazards are completely obfuscated.

Over the years, I have been struck by a different perspective of "occupational hazard" - viz., how the core soft skills (separate from the job-related competencies) exercised in one's profession tend to unwittingly and inadvertently define the individual.

The following are examples (in no particular order) that I have encountered in my personal life - examples where I have seen professionals excel at their core skills and outperform their colleagues and then seen that very skill reflecting in their personal lives in ways that they may not have always wanted and in ways they may not even realize. 

Profession	Key soft skills	Observed Impact
Doctors	Fine blend of compassion and detachment: Compassion to connect with the patient's pain, illness and suffering; detachment to ensure that the doctor can be part of the solution and not become part of the problem. This helps them deal with misery - and often, death - that they must bravely come face-to-face with every single day.	Convey an image of being hardened when  they talk about pain, misery and death (and the circumstances that bring these on) with  detachment. The very detachment that makes them excel at their profession.
Sales*	- Eloquence & Confidence - Optimism without being foolish - Zero fear of rejection without being shameless	Elan even in the absence of sufficient data and greater tolerance for white lies.
Accounts & Finance	- Drive "accountability" down to the penny(/cent/paisa) - Draw confidence and comfort from a balanced ledger - Keen financial impact analysis ability	Tendency to seek greater comfort in arithmetic than in math - i.e., have trouble seeing the larger picture and putting things in perspective.
Software Engineers*	- Syntactic and computational precision - Top-down, divide & conquer problem-solving approach	Have a black & white perspective of life - often ignoring or failing to comprehend the hues & colors of the human touch. Often sacrificing semantic appreciation for syntactic precision*

* I am a software engineer by profession and my "recent" transition to a technical pre-sales role required a little bit of transformation. Kind of an "upgrade to color". I must admit therefore that I am called upon to practice a combination of skills of these two professions and consequently, am equally prone to a combination of their impact.


Of course, the foregoing is not intended to ridicule any profession or professional - true professionals are ones to be saluted and admired in any field. Like I have pointed out before, the emphasis is on "ways that they may not have always wanted" and "ways they may not even realize.".

The foregoing is just a conclusion I have drawn that leaves me bemused. It has made me realize that there are more occupational "hazards" and more perspectives to these "hazards" than meet the eye. And most importantly, it has served as an eye-opener for me and led me to some serious introspection. 

Naming Ceremony: What's in a Name?

"A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet"
                                                              - William Shakespeare


"Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose"*
                              - Gertrude Stein


Last week, I got involved in helping someone find a name for his new venture. For reasons of confidentiality, I cannot talk about the venture nor the name that we closed out on, but the process was an interesting and intriguing one.

My last - and perhaps, my only other - really serious project at identifying a name was when my wife was carrying our baby. While my wife and I sifted through many names, the "framework" was simple and the decision-making straightforward. The framework/parameters were that we both wanted a name that was easy to pronounce and easy across cultures, had a meaning that we would be proud to have our child live up to and was not a “retro” name. The decision-making was simple: we had to both like it.

With the business venture, though I had not expected it to be all too easy, it was a trifle more challenging than I had imagined. Whatever the approach to coming up with a list of names, it had to have a corresponding or phonetically similar domain name available, should not already have been trademarked/copyrighted and had to be "culturally scalable".

While my friend went with right-brain gut, I resorted to left-brain structure to compensate for my handicap in creativity. I came up with a table that looked roughly like this:

	Descriptive	Suggestive	Arbitrary	Fanciful
Color-coding	·         Domain not available ·         Domain parked – may be available ·         Domain available
One word
Two words
Multi-Syllable
Alliteration-style

Within the table, all names considered were listed and color-coded to indicate availability of the corresponding domain name. The X-axis helped profile the name based on its meaning – or lack of it – while the Y-axis helped identify names of different compositions.   

I originally started out with just "Descriptive" and "Non-descriptive" on the X-axis but the Wikipedia page on "Product Naming" helped me put more structure around it.

Eventually, we went with a name that my friend pulled out of his hat, but the table above did help me "brainstorm with myself" and generate a bunch of names.

Like I said, I found the process very interesting and am wondering how one would come up with a name if you didn't want to engage a pricey branding/marketing organization and if your creative juices weren’t flowing. Would be happy to get inputs from my readers.

Of course, once you build the brand even “fanciful" and "arbitrary" names will sound nice and even logical – Google, Twitter, Cisco, Apple are all excellent examples. These are neither descriptive nor associated with the founder’s name – e.g., Tata, Ferrari, Ford, Toyota, Mercedes, etc. – and yet, have built a powerful image and perception around the brand.

Last but not the least – and the real motivation for this post – is that I began reflecting upon a few Indian logos/brand names that we grew up with as children. I marvel at how these brands acquired mindshare without the benefit of extensive market research, without mass marketing and without social media. All of these brands are brands that were descriptive as well as suggestive as well as fanciful as well as rich in the meaning they conveyed. All but one – at least in my eyes – were also rich in the quality they delivered (and there will be no prizes for guessing which one I think, did not deliver that quality).

The next time I see or hear a name that makes me wonder what it means or why someone chose that name, I am sure I will spare a little empathy for the person who had to make the decision.

After all, even though I Google for something I want to find and tweet something I want to announce, and Like something I like and even though I grew up reading Amar Chitra Katha and drinking Rasna, left to me, I would never have come up with these names. Names that resonate in so many hearts and minds across the world.

Even though a rose would smell as sweet by any name called, a rose is a rose is a rose is a rose*.

*I have of course, twisted the interpretation of this slightly, for effect

Good Work, Goa Police!

Unlike my other posts, this one is not humorous, introspective, sarcastic or reflective. This one is a grim, true story.

Often, we hear of incompetence, shoddiness, bungling and apathy on part of the Police - whether in Goa or elsewhere. It may stem from a lack of skills, lack of willingness, lack of diligence, lack of integrity, whatever... you get the picture. And it's a rather prevalent picture.

The same "energy" that fuels my angst when I hear of such incidents is fueling my obligation now - along with other factors - to recognize and publicize some outstanding work that Goa Police did this week.

Earlier this week, on 19th Sept., a 10-year-old was kidnapped from outside his school in Margao, at 1:30PM. Goa Police employed a combination of good old police work and surprising tact & professionalism instead of plain force to effect a successful rescue and nab the pieces of human garbage that perpetrated this crime. In just about 4 hours, the boy was rescued and by 8:30PM he was home after a 25km. journey and after completing all the police paperwork and procedures.

To cut a long story short, Goa Police swung into action in no time. They deployed 4 teams of plain-clothes policemen, hired 4 private cars so as to not arouse suspicion, worked with cell service providers to trace the call and place a real-time track on the kidnappers' movements and had clearly anticipated possible moves by the kidnappers. They reportedly sealed the borders as well when the cell movement indicated an eastward path. Indeed, the final rescue required them to move to Plan B since the kidnappers put paid to Plan A at the last minute. Whether they did go in with a Plan B in the first place or not, they did come up with one.

Moreover, going by all reports, all this happened without any reward being offered or sought. And no strings pulled. The victim reached out and Goa Police answered their call of duty.

While one does not want such incidents happening anywhere to anyone, hopefully, this will raise the bar. And hence, confidence. Of Goa Police in itself and of the public at large. Hopefully, the perpetrators will remain behind bars without any attempts by "vested interests" to "influence" a milder outcome. Hopefully, this will become Goa Police's norm and will extend to spheres other than child-related crimes as well.

Good work, Goa Police! I salute you on this one.

India Against Corruption. Really?

Scene 1: Borim Bridge Toll Plaza (when toll was still being collected)
Actors: X, a well-to-do businessman, driving his car; my father, the co-passenger.

X pulls out a small chit from the glove compartment that resembles the toll ticket, holds it up through the windshield and without rolling down his window tries to convince the ticket agent that it is in fact a return ticket he had purchased earlier in the day. After all, he asks my Dad, why pay the princely sum of Rs. 6/- for a confounded toll?



Scene 2: ~1998, Goa
Actor: MBA from IIM-C, Regional Sales Manager for Goa for one of India's largest pvt-sector enterprise, talking to his Dad over a phone call

"Aur haan, Daddy, yahan pe driver license chahiye hoga; ek karvake bhej dijiyega" (And oh, yes! I think I'm going to need my Driving License here; please process one and send it to me)


Scene 3: 2007, Conference Room, One of the Largest Pvt. Sector Banks in the country
Actors: Sr. GM - Technology and his cohorts, me and two of my very senior colleagues (including our own GM)

Under CCL from EMSL's Album

(I mentioned the year and "Technology" so you understand the significance of what I am about say). We - about 12 of us - are all seated and awaiting the Sr. GM. He walks in 5 minutes later and to my shock (and that of my colleagues), everyone in the room except my 2 colleagues and I, stood up when he walked in, waited till he sat down and then seated themselves. In 2007. In the technology function. I later found out this was the culture in the Bank across lines, across functions.

Ironies: A Study of Contrasts

From Wikipedia - reportedly taken
at Baker Street Tub Station

\ˈī-rə-nē - noun -  (1) : incongruity between the actual result of a sequence of events and the normal or expected result (2) : an event or result marked by such incongruity




This is a compilation of "calling-it-as-I-see-it" observations based on my life in India and the US. It is neither anti-India or anti-USA, nor for that matter, pro-India or pro-US. It is like I said, a compilation of calling-it-as-I-see-it observations. I know there is more than meets the eye to most of these and surely, there are rational explanations for others, but here goes:

India is a tolerant state, but we have no patience.

Americans on the other hand are generally patient, but have low tolerance.

The US is a dominant global force, 

but GK about the world (in particular, geography and culture) is surprisingly poor.

India is fiercely territorial, 

but wants to adopt (read: ape) all trends foreign.

Whereas, the US is inherently cosmopolitan, 

but will resist new ways or balk at non-American ways of doing things 

(e.g., my wife's gynecologist who freaked out and cautioned against

contamination when she found out we were making curds at home)

Indians tend to over-engineer and have complex decision-making setups, 

but Americans have trouble placing or processing a simple order for "coffee" 

(Colombian vs. French Roast vs. Vanilla vs ..., 

 with cream vs. without cream, 

 sugar vs. Splenda, 

 here vs. to-go). 

Or water (regular vs. sparkling, plain vs. flavored, with ice vs. without ice).

Americans have sophisticated recycling technology, but haven't learnt conservation.

Indians believe in karma and after-life and are God-fearing, 

but seem to care little about reputation and lie without compunction.

Life in America revolves around instant-gratification, 

but Americans are much better at seeing the big picture.

Whereas, instant-gratification is not our culture, 

but we have narrow perspectives and short-term views.

And yet, Indians save for a rainy day, 

While the Americans live for today.

The US has an outstanding social support infrastructure, sophisticated medical technologies and established, widespread healthcare networks and infrastructure, 

And yet, the fabric of domestic support is rather fractured, its population is plagued by life-threatening or arcane allergies and it is easier to buy a gun than life-saving drugs.

We've inherited bureaucracy that can nauseate, 

but haven't inculcated system-oriented/process-driven thinking.

Americans are light on bureaucracy, 

but are highly process-oriented.

And yet (or perhaps, I should say "therefore") 

no one handles chaos and surprises as well as Indians do.

Americans are paranoid about privacy 

And yet, acts, facts and artifacts they expose to public view 

makes "private" a redundant word in the dictionary.

Conversely, India gave the world the Kama Sutra,
but we rebel at the idea of formal sex education.
And yet, make Bollywood movies that are so suggestive,
It might make the Playboy look like an Archies comic book.

The Americans have almost made creativity a science,
And yet, India produces far better ads than the US.

Indians are very particular about "what others will think" and love to give advice,

but get very defensive when we receive even constructive feedback.

America is by & large a "cold country" (even the supposedly-harsh summer only lasts a couple of months), but it's obsession with ice and fascination with cold meals is inscrutable.

Indians are subservient by nature,

but find it very difficult to follow any rules.

Whereas Americans, care a damn, 

but are sticklers for the rule.

Americans are extremely civil and affable,

Always smiling, holding the door for you and waiting,

And yet, are litigious to a point that makes you wonder

whether money is indeed the key to happiness.

India is a country of a billion people,

but we are yet to learn how to conquer scale.

America is high on hygiene,
but the only place they find to put up water fountains is outside public restrooms.

We are high on rituals and ceremonies in India,
but don't quite have the penchant for "doing things in style".

Religion and spirituality do not matter in the US like they do in India,

and yet, "In God We Trust" is the official motto of the USA.

Much as I am sometimes harshly sarcastic about life in both nations,

Fact is, I have enjoyed the best of both nations

And have had the privilege of living in what I consider to be the best states in both nations:

Goa and California.

Jai Hind! In God We Trust!