Sep 30, 2013

Beliefs and questions

When you question their beliefs, they say you don't know enough about it to question it. But the moment you become aware you can question something, it means you know enough to do that, it means the belief has revealed its flaws to you. Reaching a conclusion is the next step, but you can still criticize it, and man, you have every right to do that!

Sep 29, 2013

Jobs didn't think out of the box

I doubt Jobs' thinking out of the box made Apple successful. In fact, I don't believe "thinking outside the box" will do any good in the market. That's what people most of the time repeat without putting some thought into it. Opposite to the typical belief, the market is always conservative and do not accept extremely revolutionary products unless there is already a need for it. Meaning, customers have already tried substitute(s) but it failed them. What Jobs did was understanding those failed experiences and provided a better experience. Take iPod as an example. The market had already experienced Walkman and other mobile music players, but the quality of performance wasn't desirable or there was space for further improvement.

As a matter of fact, the greatest improvement Jobs brought about to the electronics market was not the individual products of iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad per se but the total experience a customer can achieve by using Apple products. An integrated, simple experience and the convenience the customers failed to get from other disintegrated, ugly-in-design, and unnecessary complicated products. That experience ranged from production to sale, something Apple competitors had not provided.

Thinking out of the box may do well in Art where the audience is an individual who may or may not connect with the work. The market is not a single person but it comprised of different in taste and pace of accepting changes. Jobs was a brilliant marketer.

Sep 28, 2013

Blocked

In a conversation about religion, I received so many bad words from uncivil tongues. But Facebook has removed my comments and blocked me from posting!

Sep 27, 2013

Disruption

Innovation leads to disruption of the current markets. Aside from the inevitability of it, is that a good thing for the economy as a whole whereas it collapses big businesses, with thousands of employees? Are disruptions necessarily result in progresses in better quality, enhancement of performance, and economic growth? Or, they are just different ideas that are effectively and efficiently managed?

I am not proud of them

Being proud of Afghans doing extraordinary things in other societies is so meaningless, if I contain myself to avoid using the word "fascist". Attributing their successes to their origins of being Afghan is very low. It is all about the environment where they can flourish and it has nothing to do with the so called "blood". Why are not we able to provide the "sons and daughters" of this land with opportunities/environment/freedom, inside this land, to be able to do those brilliant things. Quite the opposite, I am ashamed of myself, as an Afghan, each time an Afghan does a great job overseas.

Take the charge

I have rarely heard an Afghan says, it is my fault, it is my responsibility. Always, someone else is to blame, always there are foreign, outside hands in work to make Afghans what they are. The British, Pakistan, Iran, the U.S., the UFOs, aliens...

To grow, to survive, to flourish, we must stop these nonsense. We must take the charge, accept the responsibilities, of our weaknesses and shortcomings and failures and evils.

Sep 24, 2013

A true god

A true god, a creator, is the one who can also die, if he wants.

Social equality

Social equality doesn't mean those who work harder and earn more should share their earnings with those who don't work as hard as they can. But it should mean, should the latter want to change their social status, the society provides them the same opportunities that provide to the former.