masterwordsmith-unplugged

It is that beautiful time when the seasons are changing. Autumn is here again and the leaves are falling as the air is becoming crisp. What else is changing in our lives and our country at this point of time? Do we have a sense of purpose in what we are doing, where we are heading and does it seem clear to us where our leaders are heading, what with so many scandals and drama and debacles that fill both cyberspace and MSM pages? And where are we now with that?



What’s our next turn?

Like the song "TURN! TURN! TURN!" by The Byrds suggests – everything in this world has its time and place. Our lives aren't meant to be stagnant, even if we think it is so. Whether the tide of change in this country or our loves moves from our own initiative or because of internal or external forces, the world will turn, seasons will change, we will change and most of all, THE GOVERNMENT MUST CHANGE!!! And how is that going to happen? That question is at the deep recesses of the minds of many, at the tip of our tongues, even in the hidden chambers of our hearts.

Life is strange.

Isn’t it funny how we never expected the Opposition to achieve that much success in 2008 and then once it’s all there, new needs emerge? Suddenly, our thoughts have been cast in new directions and heroes turn to zeroes as disappointments fill our hearts and outrage is exclaimed from our mouths!

"It’s all right, don’t worry" is what we tell ourselves. It's not easy to bring about change and humans, even animals are most resistant to change for that matter.

There’s a time when the scenario just right. If we strike too early, we could get burned. At the same time, if we wait too long, it’ll become cold and unwelcoming. Everything has its season, even opportunities, even governments, even our own lives.

As you listen to the youtube clip, try re-assessing your world and start dreaming, visualizing and planning for the road ahead. And why so? Well, we are all constantly evolving individuals, even governments and organizations. To put to death stagnant scenes, we have to constantly reinvent ourselves and to realize that change in our lives is inevitable. I think it makes it easier if we allow ourselves to be open to the forces at work around us and to be able to discern which are the opportunities that must not be missed!

Life is full of great potential and so are you. Let the autumn leaves fall, let icons fall and new ones to rise; bring on change and celebrate it as we let the change arrive, and remember: turn, turn, turn!

What do you think about the changing opportunities in life? Does change come too quickly, or not quickly enough? Can you spot the symptoms of change around and within us?

The song "Turn! Turn! Turn!" is a song adapted entirely from the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible (with the exception of the last line) and composed to music by Pete Seeger in 1959. Seeger waited until 1962 to record it, releasing the song on his album The Bitter and The Sweet on Columbia Records on October 1, 1965 by Columbia Records. The song was also included on the band's second album, Turn! Turn! Turn!, which was released on December 6, 1965.

This post is specially dedicated to all computer nerds among us - but we geeks will laugh out loud at the final 2 lines, since they're *so* true! Have a good laugh and if you like it, forward it to someone else to bring a smile to their faces on this rainy, dreary Monday (in Penang at least). Cheers!

’Twas the nite before implementation and all through the house,
Not a program was working, not even a browse.

The programmers hung by their tubes in despair,
With hopes that a miracle soon would be there.

The users were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of inquiries danced in their heads.

When out in the machine room there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my desk to see what was the matter.

And what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a super programmer ( with a six-pack of root beer ).

Her resume glowed with experience so rare,
She turned out great code with a bit-pusher’s flair.

More rapid than eagles, her programs they came,
And she cursed and muttered and called them by name.

On Update! On Add! On Inquiry! On Delete!
On Batch Jobs! On Closings! On Functions Complete!

Her eyes were glazed over, fingers nimble and lean,
From weekends and nights in front of a screen.

A wink of her eye and a twitch of her head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

She spoke not a word, but went straight to her work,
Turning specs into code; then turned with a jerk.

And laying her finger upon the “ENTER” key,
The system came up and worked perfectly.

The updates updated; the deletes, they deleted;
The inquiries inquired, and closings completed.

She tested each whistle, and tested each bell,
With nary a bomb, and all had gone well.

The system was finished, the tests were concluded,
The users’ last changes were even included.

And the user exclaimed with a snarl and a taunt,
“It’s just what I asked for, but not what I want!”

extracted from HERE

Have a lovely day!

Very often, we can be swept away by routine and become oblivious to what is happening around us. An enquiring mind is so vital to help us to understand what is happening within us and around us, in particular, our own country. Sometimes, we may feel that it is not appropriate for us to think so much about governments because it is all too complicated and way beyond our abilities to make any difference. But guess what? Even Greeks who lived hundreds of years ago gave much thought to their government.

Now wouldn't it be terrific if you were to discover that you share opinions with great thinkers?

Let's consider Plato.

If you were to read about his life and the society in which he lived, you would be surprised as to how little has changed in politics. After more than 2000 years, one would think there would be a little more enlightenment in our leadership but that is not the case.

It might surprise you to know that Plato made some observations regarding politics that are amazingly relevant today. In fact, many political columnists are simply rehashing the same ideas Plato discussed with his cronies in Athens.

Plato, born in 427 B.C., was a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Along with his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle, Plato helped to lay the foundations of natural philosophy, science, and Western philosophy. Plato was originally a student of Socrates, and was as much influenced by his thinking as by what he saw as his teacher's unjust death.

This morning, let's consider some of his thoughts. I am sure the truth of his statements is likely to shock you till your eyes are wide open without that shot of coffee that you so desperately need! :-)

1. "One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors."

In my last post called SO WHAT IF I DON'T MAKE A STAND? I AM MALAYSIAN!! , I argued that each of us has the responsibility to be engaged in the political climate. One might say the smartest people take one look at political office and run the other way. Well, that may be smart, but it doesn't do much good when it comes to changing our country!! And why so? Would you want to end up with leaders who have the power and money and ego but not the leadership caliber or moral values required to win an election? To put it simply, that's way too similar to running for student body president in high school, if you ask me. In reality, we need to figure out how to get our best thinkers in leadership positions in our government and to do that, we need to develop a system that rewards integrity. And is this possible in Malaysia??

2. "The curse of me and my nation is that we always think things can be bettered by immediate action of some sort, any sort rather than no sort."

This has become an acceptable norm. If you were to consider virtually every paper in the world, chances are you'll find an editorial bashing the "Act now, think later" approach.

What we need today in Malaysia would be truly wise and thoughtful leaders, those who refrain from knee-jerk reactions and take the time to think about the manner in which they plan, execute and communicate their messages. We have to realize that it is thinking and not rash decision-making processes that will change the course of mankind and launch us into an era of consciousness. Plato had the same idea, which brings us to the next point.

3. "There will be no end to the troubles of states, or of humanity itself, until philosophers become kings in this world, or until those we now call kings and rulers really and truly become philosophers, and political power and philosophy thus come into the same hands."

To grow as a nation, complicated as it may sound, we have to realize that philosophy needs to become an integral part of our culture--in politics, business, art and entertainment.

What will it take for us to value thinking?

THINK!

More and more each day!!!

4. "Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws."

We see the truth of this statement every time a new measure is proposed. So much time is spent on legislation aimed at a tiny percentage of people who are bound and determined to get around the system.

We see it in our country where those on the wrong side of the political divide get into trouble for the smallest matter while others get away with bizarre acts (the Teoh Beng Hock issue and the multi-million dollar palatial home of someone are good examples.)

While we witness the declining standards of morality, don't we realize that if we spent our time and money on building better people, the country could be a better place?

THINK...COGITATE!

5. "When the tyrant has disposed of foreign enemies by conquest or treaty, and there is nothing more to fear from them, then he is always stirring up some war or other in order that the people may require a leader."

Sound familiar? If not, you haven't seen the movie, "Wag The Dog". We must come to the realization that in life, real, choreographed or simply imagined, conflicts tend to stir up a hornet's nest of controversy.

This idea is the foundation for all conspiracy theorists.

Plato isn't the only political guru. Few realize that there are plenty of great thinkers whose opinions are shared by news-makers and news-watchers today.

Albert Einstein said, "Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind."

You don't have to be a genius to see that rabid patriotism leads to conflict.

Even Socrates agreed. He said, "I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world."

So dear readers, as we begin a new day, let us wake up to the realization that we need more effort to adopt that Big Picture thinking and develop the ability to think beyond ourselves, our backyards, and our nation's political borders.

Honestly, we simply need to think. We cannot just accept anything that we read, see or hear. We see leaders campaigning for the 'ketuanan jaguh kampung' and deceive the rakyat into thinking that they are better than what they are and this makes them complacent and stagnant and then they suffer from bitter shock when they become heroes to zeroes internationally. But what can we do? We have a vile nest of morons, goons and worse - a solid fan base to cheer them on. Good heavens!

Here's one quotation that may stop you in your tracks:

"What luck for rulers that men do not think."

Who said it? Adolf Hitler.

Enough said.

Have a great day!