Publicity

How Baboons Spend Their Money

As this is being typed, at least a 100 people will die of malnutrition (one person dies of hunger every three seconds), 3 square meters of the Arctic Ice Cap will melt (An average of 400 square meters melt daily), at least 4 women will be married off against their will in either China, India or South East Asia, AIDS will spread to 27 more people, and innumerable other human rights violations, political misdemeanors and international offenses will occur.
Yet, never fear, because researchers are using their funds wisely to try and solve these problems. Take for example, this study on How Baboons Think. Although it is a most appreciable and fascinating topic to think about, I often wonder about the longer term purpose of researches such as this one. Every year, there is an estimated influx of 120 billion US dollars into research in major universities and research institutes worldwide. Even if you estimate that 95% of these grants are used for medical and chemical research that has important implications and may be used to discover cures to disease, plausible solutions to international problems, or other noble and noteworthy factors, that leaves a few hundred million lying around for us to study baboons, cheetahs, the Indus valley, the impact of walking on your feet, and other such ludicrous topics of research. This is not to undermine researchers or to say that their topics of study are completely unimportant or uninteresting. But judging their studies against the plight of a few million dying people, it is not difficult to decide who would triumph. Relative importance should be considered, and while there are numerous social problems to which few resources are being contributed, we continue to ponder things such as walnuts, baboons, ancient runes, and such topics that are important to a grand total of about 12 and a half people. So the next time the governments or colleges or whoever assigns the funds for these researches has to assign a grant, maybe they should think about some of the larger issues facing the world today.

Hats Off to Radiohead

Radiohead have always been a unique and rather excellent band. From their earlier works like Pablo Honey they have progressively grown and improved with every album they have released. But more than their music, they have received endless media attention for their principles. Yes, those vague things that nobody seems to have these days. Vowing to remain independent of record labels and free from contracts, they have taken this a step further by distributing their new album, In Rainbows, exclusively on their website, and through their download service called W.A.S.T.E (based on Thomas Pynchon's concept in the The Crying of Lot 49, a brilliant and rather complex book). But what is truly special about this policy is that the buyers get to choose their own price for the album. Yes, you read correctly. If you think Radiohead are absolutely terrible, you can pay 50 cents for their album without any ramifications (except hateful glares from fans like yours truly), and if you worship them, you can pay as much as you like. What is even more interesting is that so far, a large number of people have actually paid regular or higher prices for this album, showing that, contrary to popular belief, not all of us are thieving, slimy scoundrels. This method of selling has more or less shattered two basic economic and business-based principles:

1. For commercial success it is necessary to have a wide distribution base: While record labels like EMI and Universal are struggling to keep up with iTunes and Amazon, concept and underground movements like this one are gaining ground and becoming more and more commercially successful. They may not be linked with every mega-store in the country, yet Radiohead has shown that the quality of their music is a far more useful selling point than operating based on volume.

2. Selling at a fixed price just below or equal to that set by the market is a surefire way to profit: Once again, economics has been proven wrong. In this fast evolving market, people like to have power to choose. If they are given the right to decide, most of them will actually pay as much as you want or more. Which also refutes the theory that people are only good if you instill fear in them, but that's a whole different story.

Anyways, reading about Radiohead's independent success makes me happy and affirms that there are still a few people out there that believe in independent operation and the principles of consumer rights. I'm definitely going to order In Rainbows.

Link to In Rainbows
New York Times Story on Radiohead

A Great Way to Lure Customers

Are you tired of being told how great fortune will come upon you as you strive for success? Are you tired of the traditional astrological and hopeful messages that fortune cookies have come to represent? Apparently Wonton Foods are too.

The Odyssey

This commentary on the way our lives are changing is interesting, not only because of the observations it makes, but also because every single one of the parts of "The Odyssey" is tellingly true. The patterns in the lives of these late teens and 20-something adults is reflective of a larger and more complicated question. No longer does the paradigm of "go to college, get a job, get married, have kids" hold true, because of the way perceptions worldwide and especially in America are changing. More people want to discover themselves, more people want to do what they enjoy, more people want to grow into responsibility rather than follow established patterns. I certainly believe that this is a good thing, not only because of the opportunities it offers, but because, unavoidably, an 'odyssey' raises far more questions than the beaten path does, and as we keep addressing these questions, society continues to evolve.

The iPod

A lust for instant gratification.
As we progress, we need it,
every waking moment must be filled up,
every step has to be recorded,
there has to be a soundtrack,
for every action in this film of life.

It is our individuality,
what defines us,
our music makes us different,
from the millions of others
who listen to the same thing,
all in isolation,
The two earphones are a security blanket

If only every teenager knew,
that this device which now represents
freedom, independence and rebellion,
the symbol of their generation,
is not truly theirs to celebrate.
They are victims, unsuspecting,
to the game of marketing.

Choosing on A Whim

This is something I found that I wrote nearly two years ago, after the 10th grade ICSE exams.

It's over. After all the struggles and the hours spent studying, the endless phone calls and the stress over questions, freedom is finally here. I have finished the so called "biggest exam of my life so far", and it doesn't feel particularly liberating. More than anything, I feel sad at the way the system works, how everything is based on this one exam and it determines your future. I am moving to Singapore, so I won't have to choose, but the people that need to make that final decision between arts, sciences and commerce, I feel bad for you. You're screwed. Is it possible to choose what you want to do now, on the basis of one exam? I hope not. If I did have to make the decision, I don't know what I would do. It seems to me that too many people will choose science, not because the like physics or chemistry or biology, but because they are desperate to do engineering or medicine, then ring in a fat paycheck. For commerce, too, it seems quite doubtful that every single one of those students wants to work on accounts, commercial studies and math for the rest of their lives without any exposure to other subjects or fields. And as always, the people with the lowest scores will choose arts, because it is perceived as low earning. If they opened their eyes and looked, most people that enjoy reading or designing or drawing would see that they don't have to be limited by that percentage, the perception that the only jobs worth having are doctor, engineer, or corporate, then they would do far better. Perhaps the wisest are those choosing to do the IB or moving abroad, because at least, before they choose their final course of study, they can explore for a few more years, look at what options there are, see what they find most interesting and then do what they actually enjoy. Forgive me for being impractical or unrealistic, but I'd rather have a smaller house and enjoy every day of my job than slog at something I don't like just to be able to afford that Mercedes.

The Fight

There is fury building up inside of me,
It's a fury only I can see, I can feel,
It feels like I have to set it free,
Unleash the anger that is so real.

Then I can't control what I say,
As the screaming and the pain escalates,
Everything between us continues to fray,
Feels like love is made up of momentary hate.

There's too much within for apology to solve,
Too many issues, too much history,
too many things that are unresolved,
I wish things would be fine if I just said 'forgive me'.

But this has happened too many times,
I just hope it works out fine.