Logically illogical

The logic behind defensiveness doesn’t stack up.

If we’re wrong, do we really want to defend a bad idea or position? If we’re right, will being defensive increase or decrease the strength of our position? Will it hurt or help the odds that others will give up their position in favor of a better way? Will defensiveness foster better listening, on either side? Will our defense or denial of our weaknesses make us stronger.

While there’s no rationale behind the tactic of being defensive, there’s plenty of emotion. Fear is the mortar that holds together the wall of defensiveness. We fear that

• We weren’t smart enough to see it first.
• We risk losing what we have or who we are if we change.
• If we admit we’re wrong, we’ll lose face.
• The world is changing and we don’t want it to – so we defend the “old world”, under the illusion that if we hold to our position long enough, the world will adjust to us.
• The past has been different from what we thought it was, and the future might be different from what we want it to be.
• We are the feedback we’re getting.

Excerpt from "Egonomics" by David Marcum and Steven Smith

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Animal minds

I'm a fan of National Geographic magazine, and found the March 2008 issue interesting.

The main articule of this issue is Animal Minds - that animals are smarter than we think. It goes like this on the cover: Animal Minds - Birds, Apes, Dolphins, and a Dog with a World-Class Vocabulary.

It features the following animals:

Uek the crow: solves problems and creates and uses tools

Azy the orangutan: shows cognitive complexity and flexibility rivaling that of chimps; the species maintains cultural traditions in the wild. The article says: "In the wild, orangutans keep innovative cultural traditions: Some groups construct foraging tools for extracting insects from tree holes; others use leaves as rain hats or napkins, wad them up as pillows, or line their hands with them when climbing a spiky tree. And in rare instances orangutans will twist leaves into bundles and cradle them like dolls."

Alex the parrot: counted; knew colors; shapes, and sizes had basic grasp of the abstract concept of zero.

Betsie the (Border Collie) dog: retains an ever growing vocabulary that rivals a toddlers.

JB the octopus: has distinct personality, uses tools, recognizes individuals.

Kanzi the bonobo (ape): acquired language spontaneously; makes tools at level of early humans.

Psychobird the jay: recalls the past, plans for the future.


And, uh, I also learned that the capital of Bhutan is Thimphu.

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He who shoots faster than own shadow

Lucky Luke shoots faster than his own shadow does. One of my favorite comics back then.

I used to collect a lot of comics available in my preteen; my dad reads a lot too. Mostly bought in Gramedia bookstore, some of my favorites include Tintin, EPPO, Album Cerita Ternama, and some more.

Lucky Luke rides Jolly Jumper, who sometimes is smarter than his master. In most editions, Luke fights the Dalton brothers, who are like dumb and dumber among them. There is one where Luke is the host to a Russian visitor or ambassador, of whom he gets in trouble a lot. And in some, Rantanplan, a dumb yet lucky dog, gets in his way. Rantanplan is his journey to look for his parents, if I'm not mistaken.

Tintin is probably one of the most successful comics ever. The first Tintin was published in 1930. It now even has its own official website though there hasn't been any new edition since 1986.

EPPO is a bit unique. It was probably not too suitable for kids in elementary schools. There was Storm, a six-pack hero, and his partner 'Rambut Merah' who almost always wore bikini-type war clothing. I never really understood the story...

I like Roel Djikstra story in EPPO too. One of the plots I remember was when Roel was shot while getting ready for a corner kick. It was all football politics and stuff. And there were Arad and Maya with their teleporter device, and I think a story about a French military guy who tried to put a bomb in the Eiffel tower... or somewhere along that line.

Album Cerita Ternama, a comic series published by Gramedia, was all about classic stories. Not only the stories were from the Western authors like Karl May or Jules Verne, but it also had stories like the Mahabarata, Pandawa, and such. A very enjoyable reading and learning.

I guess I will check out what kind of comics are available in the bookstores nowadays...

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Bleachers

I recently finished reading John Grisham's Bleachers. One of Grisham's books that do not feature court room in the story. It is around the death of a football coach and all the experiences of his former players. What they learned. What they loved, and hated. What they wanted to, but couldn't, forget.

Eddie Rake, the coach, was a tough one. A very tough one. He swears, pushes his players to the limit, and makes them throw up during practices.

It reminds me of Pak Bobby who passed away a few years back. He was my high school sport (physical education) teacher.

Like Eddie Rake, Pak Bobby was tough and made us throw up during physical exercise. Despite that, he was like a father figure to some of us. But I believe there were students who hated him as well.

I was out of the country when he passed away. And I just couldn't make the time to visit his widow and children every time I was back. I heard they moved out of Jakarta.

It's kinda a guilty feeling that I have. One promise to myself I just couldn't keep.

Probably I managed to spend some time thinking about life.

Birthday

Thanks to Jennie for the wish. And to friends whose SMS I didn't reply until late in the evening. Like my buddy Sheque said, it's the symptom of getting old -- late SMS replies.

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The New Manager's Handbook

A book by Morey Stettner. I bought 'just to make sure' I'm aware of all the possible challenges in the near future. The book is easy to read, but, really, is quite similar to other management or 'new manager' books around. Other books I've read, "Winning" and "Execution" also share similar values and learnings. The good thing about "The New Manager's Handbook" is that it is brief, concise, and easy to read, although at times I wish it provides more hands-on example.

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