Destino.

"Internalizing Mr. Annan" & the Volcker Report

It has been some months since a very hopeful & committed Secretary General H.E. Kofi Annan addressed the world in his speech ‘In Larger Freedom’ (exec. summary here). It was circulating the office then, however I gladly chose to ‘keep it for later’ considering the fantastic engagement opportunities & craziness June & July on AIESEC International provide. I am glad that elusive ‘later’ for a compulsive procrastinator as me has arrived.

The speech gives a simpler and deeper understanding of the oft abused n. ‘Freedom’ and sets a case to understand it in a macro–this-worldly-'life-as-it-is' context. Mr. Annan’s three way understanding on ‘Freedom’ and approach (strategy) to get there:

- Freedom from Want = Development (national strategies / Finance / Debt Relief/ Trade)

- Freedom from Fear = Strengthen World Security / reduce risk of war.

- Freedom to Live in Dignity = Human Rights / Rule of Law / Democracy.

However, Internalizing the Secy. General’s remarks don’t prove to be easy, specially when he sets his & the biggest institution in the world’s focus on “Freedom from Want”.

Stroke of irony, another publication was brought to our attention today…. a tragic drama whose unfolding does not surprise anyone in this play titled “ The Volcker Report”. Mr. Volcker and his two immediate associates report of over 2400 corporations from as many as 66 states to be involved in the Oil for Food Program siphoning funds to Saddam’s regime (how it all happened is in the 630 pg report). The report categorically mentions Govt. of India’s Minister of External Affairs – Natwar Singh as an accomplice. The Orange & Red armies have arrived on lotus and bicycles and are knocking on 10 Janpath, New Delhi since yesterday night.

While Mr. Annan & few hundred-million other are attempting to free the 4 billion deprived from ‘want of necessities’, to survive and be nourished… the ‘top of the champagne glass’ few hundred million are inventing new desires for us humans to want. It is a tougher revolution, I know I want to be a top bubble in this ‘world champagne’, but I think I should reconsider it's causality.

As of current consciousness, Freedom from Want-itself, is a fainting tune from somewhere far behind the mountains which I am unsure I hear, or if I just ‘want to hear’ for its sake. (classic meditation dilemmma on ‘a desire to not to have any desire’) What remains undeniable in all this wanting business is that I still need to inculcate far more human empathy & hope with right time & environment it shall come.

As for now, Mr. Annan, for "Freedom from Want" choose someone else, not me.

Welcome to wherever you are!

The great reconciliation started sometime back…

I remember being in Rotterdam in one of those last few days of July, some time in late evening in my own space of 529 Hofdijk. A usual setting that felt home, from the window ahead, laid the familiar 200 degree Rotterdam view with characteristic KPN lights & stringed Erasmus bridge, room with the same cinnamon incense, multi-colored agates, one lit candle, dim lights & ‘Che soave zeffiretto’ making it complete, almost perfect. And then looking out, I had this immense urge.. “I need to be back in India”, I need to get connected with…

As I continue, I discover the urge that said ‘ I want to be back in India’ was just a metaphor, just an image to mean: I want to be ‘back to myself’...my hopes, my aspirations and my promises made to myself. A possible egocentric vision of fulfillment..or putting another way, one with most freedom; unsure at first glance, like before.

It is not same as saying.. I want to be myself… that I have been all this while, but to say I want to be doing more of what really means to me & I value. And thus to meet the challenge to know more of what really means to you or has meant to you… started the exercise to open bags of memories where you find old promises wailing to be acted upon, loved ones holding you, almost embracing you to play a part in their dreams & you running from somewhere to somewhere.

Still Running. However, the lights now said: “Welcome to wherever you are.”

End of reconciliation-1

Augusta, Georgia

In Augusta right now, the place of Golf, Cars and God. It is remarkable to see on  the highway and around the town only three things:
1) Huge Car stores..all big shapes and sizes. His Masters starts next week and the highway can see the traffic.  Cars and their sizes is characteristic to US.  You see more parked cars in lots than the number of people for 2 hours, big oil guzzling machines to take you around and explore.

2) Food..Crispy Creme, McDonalds, KFC and the ususal.. big portions of GMFood, fried in oil and at half the price at coolsingel. All you see are signs of for some inviting food stores and the proportions of food are matched by the inflated mankind here...physically, egoistically.

3) Church: Augusta is one of the place where early 'settlement' took place.. the history of this part is older than any other place in 'modern' america. I have counted over 20 Churches on a radius of 5 mile in the city.  The good thing is that their size and messages on the billboards go the same way as the other two things.

People will always consume from the choices you will offer them, their existance is not necessarily becauseof their need from people, but to determine what people should need.
Heading back to washington now.. more on 'Washington East' and 'Washington West' later....

John Kay on Fiorina.

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/fd91fdd4-7ebc-11d9-9c86-00000e2511c8.html

"Great businesses depend on the talents of thousands of people, not just one. Their management requires a multiplicity of incompatible talents: both vision and attention to detail, both emotional intelligence and analytic capability, both self-confidence and self-criticism. The most effective managers possess an idiosyncratic balance of attributes appropriate for the situations they face, and the range of abilities successful companies require must be sought across a team rather than in a single personality. Rows of suits are less photogenic than Carly Fiorina but they are what really makes modern business work."