Musings...
Yet again, this week's session started with a tremendous 'bang'. Nothing too dramatic but it was a good wow reaction. Prof showed us a video of what future technology could do for our lives. With interactive multi-touch panels, realistic interfaces, holographic navigation pads and basically stuff that came out of a futuristic movie - all within the comforts of your home and also in your local hospitals. With handheld sensors that could detect objects through solid barriers and interactive on-to-go maps within buildings and even in the supermarket, I truly hoped that this might be the future.
After this video, we discussed the feasibility of having this kind of technology by 2020 and beyond. I, for one, felt that 2020 was too close a date for this kind of well-connected and highly interactive interfaces to be made available, although Prof felt that it was indeed feasible because most of the fundamental technologies have already been created and we would just be improving on them by 2020. What I foresaw as being an impediment to the advancement of this technology within 9 years was the fact that it had to be implemented on a large scale. For instance, for one hospital to use this kind of technology with such connectivity, it would only be maximized if most (if not all) hospitals were using this kind of technology as well so that patients are able to receive the same treatment standards across the board. Furthermore, if a small area of residences were to implement the same technology, the connectivity aspect of it would be limited unless the other portals they are connecting to have the same level of development if not better (ie. the workplace, shops etc.). Although these doubts have already been addressed in the previous lesson when Prof mentioned that interoperability increases with technology, I feel that to be able to penetrate the market on a large scale and involve a great number of parties, it would take more than 9 years. But that's just me. Either way, I do hope that such technology comes as quickly as possible as it would be phenomenal and a milestone in technological history.
So far I've been deviating from the "BioBusiness Bubble" topic but I'll hit it eventually. Speaking of hitting, the next thing that hit me during the session was the trailer of Sicko, the Michael Moore film. I always thought Michael Moore focused on very controversial topics like the 9-11 conspiracy and national secrets etc. but I never thought he'd bring his attention to something that was necessary like healthcare in the United States. Playing this one close to the chest, Moore sought to burst the bubble surrounding how healthcare bills had gotten many normal Americans bankrupt and the utter corruption within the system that was supposed to save lives. Although I lived in the States for 3 years, this issue was veiled to me as a little high school student. But people like Moore have opened the world's eyes to how a necessity like healthcare can become a system in which people abuse for money. It shocking and sad that a global player like the United States reaches to all parts of the globe to police war and provide relief but in their own country, they can't even keep their own healthcare system clean.
Moving on, with the advances in medicine and the bio-business industry, a new dilemma arises (surprise surprise). The emphasis on the combating of diseases has been for diseases of deprivation in the early to mid 1900's but now, in the 21st century, we are combating diseases of excess. From cholesterol related heart problems to colon cancer and obesity, the shift is alarming and real. In the past, the world was bent on fighting smallpox and epidemics related to a lack of sanitation but now, we're fighting for how to stop people from becoming overweight and developing heart problems. The surface dilemma is however, whether the medical industry can shift its focus along with the trend and be able to effectively combat such causes through medical advances and prevention. Let's hypothetically say that that will happen inevitably so we can focus on a deeper problem.
The deeper dilemma is based on the fact that technology has made it so easy for people to live sedentary lifestyles. With flatscreen high-def TVs transmitting from satellites, computers with the ability to give you all the information you need and a Pizza Hut near you on speed dial, can people really live lifestyles beyond being a couch potato? It truly is an odd situation. In the future, if everything is so well-connected and advanced that work, school, shopping and even family dinners can be done at home through advanced network and conferencing infrastructure, will we ever need to get out of the house? I doubt it. What's the point of squeezing with annoying people on the MRT or the bus, or even getting stuck in traffic trying to get from one place to another when you can do it in the comfort of your own home, at your own time and at your own leisure. Things have gotten too convenient as is and I foresee that it will only get easier with how technology is advancing. The dilemma is how will we tackle this? Sitting on our bounteous behinds and living life will indefinitely lead to obesity and eventually severe health risks, so what can be done? I thought that this situation could have been a topic for further discussion during class to see what other students thought a solution could be. Without violating the freedom of being able to sit at home, how can we get people out of the house to get away from such diseases of excess?
With that said, let's look on the bright side like Einstein who said, "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.'' This was rather significant to me even beyond the scope of TWC and it was a major takeaway message for this session. Let's face it, we've all been through a period or even a day in life where we say, "Argh, screw it. It's not going to work!" or something of that nature where we give up. But what Einstein is proposing is that we look at things on a brighter note and see that the things/people/situations in life are miraculous and wonderful and we should take full advantage of them (not the people, but you know what I mean). If everyone had the "screw it" mentality, I'm sure advances in biotechnology, or any other technology for that matter, would not be possible and we would probably will be trying to eradicate smallpox and leprosy right now. No matter how you look at it, just envision things more positively.
Personal rating for this session: 9.439/10
Off to further musings,
James G14
Friday 23 September 2011
Tuesday 20 September 2011
Web Report Outline
How Technology has Influenced the Arts
Introduction
The Arts have always had close ties with advances in technology, and this paper will seek to examine how technology has influenced the arts in the past and how this relationship will progress in the future with the advent of newer, more advanced technology.
Background
We will discuss the three distinct stages at which technology would influence the arts:
1) Conceptualization
2) Production
3) Dissemination
As the ‘arts’ is a very broad term, we would narrow our discussion down to three aspects: Visual Art, Music, and Film.
This section would also address a brief historical perspective of where the visual arts, music and film have come (ie. Previous methods of how these arts have been conceptualized, developed and disseminated. For instance, the lack of mass media in the past and the methods in which these arts have been able to spread across the globe)
Current Situation
This section will address how modern technology has affected the three previously mentioned art forms in terms of the three stages.
Conceptualization of art usually means drawing from different sources of inspiration, sometimes across various mediums. This area would focus mainly on how the individual is increasingly able to access more media with greater ease.
· Examples of Current Technologies:
Visual Arts: Online art communities (deviantART), subscription-enabled personal pages (Tumblr, Twitter)
Music: Music recommendation services (Last.fm, Pandora Radio)
Film: Subscription-based streaming services (Netflix)
Production would deal with the translation of an idea into a tangible art form. Advances in technology give artists the capability to express themselves in ways previously impossible.
· Examples of Current Technologies:
Visual Arts: Image editing/creation software (Adobe Photoshop)
Music: Virtual Instruments and MIDI technology, digital pitch correction (Autotune)
Film: Stereoscopic 3D Cameras (used in Avatar)
Dissemination would be the final stage where the finished product is then distributed. This ties in closely with the first stage of Conceptualization, as these newly produced works are then made available to other artists. However, this section would focus on distribution techniques that are most effective in relation to the medium, achieving the widest reach and profitability while still being in line with the artistic vision of its creator.
· Examples of Current Technologies:
Visual Arts: Online portfolios (Carbonmade)
Music: Host streaming websites (Myspace, Soundcloud, Bandcamp)
Film: Youtube Partner services for amateur directors
Future Considerations
In this section, we would be exploring emerging technologies that could potentially improve the Conceptualization, Production and Dissemination stages for each form of media mentioned above.
Conceptualization could be aided in terms of providing the masses with a strong, global base of art. With greater web technologies and global infrastructures developed, people can get inspiration from any kind of art form, at any time in any part of the world without the constraints of visiting a museum or conventions. Although inspiration comes from within oneself, the conceptualization of the arts can definitely be inspired by the multi-platform infrastructures in the future (ie. Holographic posters where people can experience art on different levels, high-speed live visual arts expos on-the-go anywhere in the world, boundless access to these art forms wherever and whenever)
Production with greater technology beyond our current standard would entail more realistic and even 3D and 4D movies and visual arts. Ideas like visual art forms that people can see, feel, smell and even taste. More advanced production capabilities will allow producers and artists to be able to create worlds and environments that bring their audience into an alternate reality. The level of immersion of art comes with being able to produce such art with future technologies. Going beyond the brush and canvas, artists can project their imaginations onto more life-like systems that immerse the viewer and engage them on greater levels.
Dissemination would improve greatly with the access of mass media modes to everyone across the globe. With better film technology, sound and effects, movies can even be disseminated through holographic technology, going beyond the current 3D norms. With greater technology, dissemination would encompass things like ethnic and cultural art, and make it available to the masses to raise awareness and garner interest, keeping these art forms alive and maintaining cultural arts in the future.
Conclusion
Provide a summary of the points in the report and possibly assess whether futuristic technology could dilute the genuineness and rich cultural history of conventional art forms. For instance, will technology overtake the aesthetic appeal of the arts and transform it into something that becomes mechanical and lifeless, or will it be a tool of advancement and improvement in the artistic domain in the future?
Monday 19 September 2011
Session 5: Knowledge is Power
Musings...
This week's session started off on a high note for me. The focus of the session was primarily on information and communication technology and world change. As such, we went into the mind of Peter Molyneux who was the creative mastermind behind some of my all-time favourite games like Dungeon Keeper, Black & White and Fable. Prof showed us a video of the latest creative endeavours of this genius of man using the Xbox Kinect system and pinnacle artificial intelligence technology. It was simulation of a boy in the screen having a life-like conversation with a real person and both characters interacting on a truly life-like level. It was astonishing. I expected no less from Molyneux who renown for giving the gamer the freedom to choose his/her own destiny within game's story and to be the controller of the game, no pun intended. From Dungeon Keeper, a micro-managing real-time strategy game back in the 90s, to the latest additions of the Fable series, Molyneux has always wanted his gamers to be able to choose their paths and mould their in-game avatar to something they can gel with. This is why most of his productions are best-sellers and have a die-hard fanbase. It was not only interesting but also monumental to see how far gaming technology has come. Back when I was about four years old, I was playing the first ever Sonic the Hedgehog video game on the Sega 16-Bit console and now, people are having conversations and interactions with artificial intelligence on the Xbox 360. It's been a long and wonderful journey but sadly, the SMU school bus has taken me away from my happy gaming days.
Moving on, Prof brought up two quotes that really sparked interest in my already weary mind. The first quote was: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic”. this basically reaffirmed those countless hours of my childhood and teenage years spent playing video games. I mean, the reason why most people engulf themselves in video games is to enjoy themselves and escape from reality - to be something or someone you cannot be in real life. That, from my mindset, is the basic and fundamental notion of video gaming and why developers seek to make games more and more life-like and realistic and also why gaming has become an addiction to many people. It's because the allure comes from how deep you can be immersed in this "matrix" so to speak. And from the Molyneux video, it seems that that notion has come full circle - reality and the magical universe of technology have become one and the same. Well, almost.
The second quote from the early part of the session was by John Naisbitt saying, “The most exciting breakthroughs of the 21st century will not occur because of technology but because of an expanding concept of what it means to be human”. This to me was rather deep and thought-provoking. Naisbitt is claiming that whatever breakthroughs we have in this century will be to define ourselves and what we, as humans, can do. I believe he also means defining the human mind and how we can develop our thought processes into existential meaning. Ideas of trans-humanism, Aldous Huxley, Terminator: Salvation and Brave New World come to mind. Can humans be so perfect to the point where they can be programmed to perfection? Or is the heart of the machine, the perfect substitute for the warm, human imperfection. Will we, one day, have machines to govern us in absolutes and stoic reign or will we continue to use technology as a tool of advancement in our search for true knowledge? All these ideas, especially the Terminator and Skynet part, kept floating through my psyche, prodding me constantly to come up with an answer. Sadly, we didn't go too far into the topic which I felt could be an area for further discussion in this session. Although it may seem rather prophetic, based on science fiction and relevant for a module named Human Philosophy and the Future, it's interesting to see what others think of what it is to be human and the future of our race in this brave new world.
Another insightful topic we browsed over during the session was that of the future of the worldwide web. From Web 1.0 to the current Web 2.0, we are moving towards Web 3.0 where computers and information systems start generating solutions for people. Web 1.0 was mainly the linkages and developments of connections to other sources within the growing "interwebz". In Web 2.0, it was mainly participatory web operations like media-sharing and social media with a global and even mobile level of sharing - in essence, making the worldwide web an interactive platform for anyone with access. And futurists predict that the evolution to Web 3.0 will encompass artificial intelligence where computers are able to analyze and make judgments in generating solutions and also the advent of 3D technology and open video sourcing. I believe the current state of the Web is in about version 2.65. We currently use the internet to do searches which are filtered based on statistical data, user preferences and also public popularity by the computerized search engine, meaning the computers already do a level of solution-generation for us. Furthermore, we are already getting submerged in 3D technology and slowly getting our feet wet in the more advanced artificial intelligence systems where computers have the autonomy to make decisions and judgments instead of allowing human error to rear its ugly head. We are keeping everything from Web 1.0 and 2.0 and building rapidly upon these versions using the advances in modern information and communication technology. It would definitely be exciting to see Web 4.0 or 5.0 within our lifetimes. Hopefully, time-travel technology will also be available with every purchase of Microsoft or Macintosh systems in the not so distant future.
A major takeaway for me during the session was the fundamental process of knowledge management which consists of several steps. Firstly, the gathering of data followed by analyzing this data to come up with useable information. Then, constantly absorbing and refining the information to create knowledge and lastly, using this gained knowledge on a situational basis and eventually developing experience. This was the process highlighted during the session and found it to be rather useful when determining what to do with raw ‘data’ or when you find some information you have no clue how to use in the future. By following this process, you are able to compartmentalize these pockets of information and fully utilize them when needed.
The last takeaway I had for this session was from Bill Gates - “The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency.The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency.” Cheers, Bill.
Personal rating for this session: 8.765/10
Off to further musings,
James G14
This week's session started off on a high note for me. The focus of the session was primarily on information and communication technology and world change. As such, we went into the mind of Peter Molyneux who was the creative mastermind behind some of my all-time favourite games like Dungeon Keeper, Black & White and Fable. Prof showed us a video of the latest creative endeavours of this genius of man using the Xbox Kinect system and pinnacle artificial intelligence technology. It was simulation of a boy in the screen having a life-like conversation with a real person and both characters interacting on a truly life-like level. It was astonishing. I expected no less from Molyneux who renown for giving the gamer the freedom to choose his/her own destiny within game's story and to be the controller of the game, no pun intended. From Dungeon Keeper, a micro-managing real-time strategy game back in the 90s, to the latest additions of the Fable series, Molyneux has always wanted his gamers to be able to choose their paths and mould their in-game avatar to something they can gel with. This is why most of his productions are best-sellers and have a die-hard fanbase. It was not only interesting but also monumental to see how far gaming technology has come. Back when I was about four years old, I was playing the first ever Sonic the Hedgehog video game on the Sega 16-Bit console and now, people are having conversations and interactions with artificial intelligence on the Xbox 360. It's been a long and wonderful journey but sadly, the SMU school bus has taken me away from my happy gaming days.
Moving on, Prof brought up two quotes that really sparked interest in my already weary mind. The first quote was: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic”. this basically reaffirmed those countless hours of my childhood and teenage years spent playing video games. I mean, the reason why most people engulf themselves in video games is to enjoy themselves and escape from reality - to be something or someone you cannot be in real life. That, from my mindset, is the basic and fundamental notion of video gaming and why developers seek to make games more and more life-like and realistic and also why gaming has become an addiction to many people. It's because the allure comes from how deep you can be immersed in this "matrix" so to speak. And from the Molyneux video, it seems that that notion has come full circle - reality and the magical universe of technology have become one and the same. Well, almost.
The second quote from the early part of the session was by John Naisbitt saying, “The most exciting breakthroughs of the 21st century will not occur because of technology but because of an expanding concept of what it means to be human”. This to me was rather deep and thought-provoking. Naisbitt is claiming that whatever breakthroughs we have in this century will be to define ourselves and what we, as humans, can do. I believe he also means defining the human mind and how we can develop our thought processes into existential meaning. Ideas of trans-humanism, Aldous Huxley, Terminator: Salvation and Brave New World come to mind. Can humans be so perfect to the point where they can be programmed to perfection? Or is the heart of the machine, the perfect substitute for the warm, human imperfection. Will we, one day, have machines to govern us in absolutes and stoic reign or will we continue to use technology as a tool of advancement in our search for true knowledge? All these ideas, especially the Terminator and Skynet part, kept floating through my psyche, prodding me constantly to come up with an answer. Sadly, we didn't go too far into the topic which I felt could be an area for further discussion in this session. Although it may seem rather prophetic, based on science fiction and relevant for a module named Human Philosophy and the Future, it's interesting to see what others think of what it is to be human and the future of our race in this brave new world.
Another insightful topic we browsed over during the session was that of the future of the worldwide web. From Web 1.0 to the current Web 2.0, we are moving towards Web 3.0 where computers and information systems start generating solutions for people. Web 1.0 was mainly the linkages and developments of connections to other sources within the growing "interwebz". In Web 2.0, it was mainly participatory web operations like media-sharing and social media with a global and even mobile level of sharing - in essence, making the worldwide web an interactive platform for anyone with access. And futurists predict that the evolution to Web 3.0 will encompass artificial intelligence where computers are able to analyze and make judgments in generating solutions and also the advent of 3D technology and open video sourcing. I believe the current state of the Web is in about version 2.65. We currently use the internet to do searches which are filtered based on statistical data, user preferences and also public popularity by the computerized search engine, meaning the computers already do a level of solution-generation for us. Furthermore, we are already getting submerged in 3D technology and slowly getting our feet wet in the more advanced artificial intelligence systems where computers have the autonomy to make decisions and judgments instead of allowing human error to rear its ugly head. We are keeping everything from Web 1.0 and 2.0 and building rapidly upon these versions using the advances in modern information and communication technology. It would definitely be exciting to see Web 4.0 or 5.0 within our lifetimes. Hopefully, time-travel technology will also be available with every purchase of Microsoft or Macintosh systems in the not so distant future.
A major takeaway for me during the session was the fundamental process of knowledge management which consists of several steps. Firstly, the gathering of data followed by analyzing this data to come up with useable information. Then, constantly absorbing and refining the information to create knowledge and lastly, using this gained knowledge on a situational basis and eventually developing experience. This was the process highlighted during the session and found it to be rather useful when determining what to do with raw ‘data’ or when you find some information you have no clue how to use in the future. By following this process, you are able to compartmentalize these pockets of information and fully utilize them when needed.
The last takeaway I had for this session was from Bill Gates - “The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency.The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency.” Cheers, Bill.
Personal rating for this session: 8.765/10
Off to further musings,
James G14
Monday 12 September 2011
Individual Topical Review Outline
Innovation of Interest
· The innovation of interest I chose is the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). However, the UAV was only a revolutionary change back in World War I and thus, I decided to narrow down the scope of my innovation to include just the Predator class of UAVs which are armed for combat and strike operations.
Rationale for Selection
· I chose this innovation because I believe that the unmanned aerial vehicle is a pinnacle in reconnaissance technology back in the day. And now, with the advent of greater military capabilities and technology, the Predator class UAVs are the future of the aerial reconnaissance and combat, and the potential for these UAVs is very great especially in the area of aerial reconnaissance, reducing military personnel risk and also full-fledged combat.
Outline
· Executive Summary
o This paper will seek to explore the innovation of the Predator class UAVs through its historical roots and beginnings till its present day efforts in on-going global conflict and also provide a projection of where this class of UAVs will take warfare and reconnaissance in the future.
· Background
o The Predator class UAVs developed by General Atomics for the use of the United States Air Force has become a quintessential part of the modern warfare arsenal. From the introduction of the MQ-1 Predator (Predator A) back in 1995 to the revolutionary Avenger (Predator C), these unmanned aircraft, with their full combat and strike capabilities, have created a niche for themselves in reconnaissance and combat operations all over the globe.
· Historical Perspective
o Highlight the use of UAVs since World War I
o Provide research on UAVs prior to the Predator and show how they have lacked in certain operational capabilities in terms of reconnaissance and combat.
· Current Situation
o Highlight the achievements of the MQ-9 Reaper (Predator B) and how it has revolutionized reconnaissance missions and warfare all over the world.
o Provide research on how the CIA and United States Airforce has managed to use the Reaper to great success
o Introduce the new Predator class UAV – the Avenger and give a short background on its capability and why it will revolutionize modern warfare in the near future.
o Show that the advancements in technology have led to greater capabilities of these Predator class UAVs and provide examples of how they:
§ Revolutionize aerial reconnaissance
§ Save the lives military personnel and reduce manpower requirements on the battlefield
§ Create a new dimension of unmanned combat that is comparable to that of manned combat aircraft
· Future Considerations
o Upon highlighting the achievements of these Predators, consider how they may evolve in the future and any possible avenues in which they can once again revolutionize warfare
§ Instead of manned aerial squadrons for strikes and aerial combat, a squadron of Predator class UAVs can take their place. The use of such remote drones eliminates human error and more importantly does not put the pilot at risk.
§ Development of these Predators’ artificial intelligence in order to be fully automated drones for use in enforcement in peace-keeping missions, search-and-rescue missions, search-and-destroy missions etc.
§ Development of more sophisticated and deadly weaponry – greater firepower
§ In the distant future (2050), drones that stemmed from these Predators might rule the sky and they might be the controllers of war and the enforcers of global deterrence.
· References
o To be determined
Session 4: Revolution, Evolution and Adaptation
Musings...
This week's session in TWC was one of nervousness and significance all at the same time. Nervousness primarily due to the fact that it was my turn to present my individual topic in class. But that anxiety was short-lived, thankfully. And the rest of the session was rather insightful and applicable to what I've experienced in life so far.
One of the main ideas that perked out at me during the session was the difference between evolutionary change and revolutionary change. This clear distinction between the two changes was something I never really thought about. To me, change was simply just change. Sometimes, it was a big change, sometimes it was a small change. And categorizing something like change as evolutionary and revolutionary made sense but was never really something I considered deeply. Evolutionary change was change that was created essentially from adaptation. By continuously making changes and adapting to a specific situation, condition or requirement, evolutionary change is born. Evolutionary change was more of a process than an overnight occurrence. Also born from change, was the idea of revolutionary change. This child of change was the rebel; he was the smart, strong-headed and sometimes, radical one. Often looking for ways to trump everyone else in whatever he did and also keeping an eye out for trying to change the game so that he would be remembered as someone great - the spark of a revolution. The unique thing that caught me was that these two were not exclusive, meaning an evolutionary change could eventually turn into a revolutionary change considering the scale of the change and the way it affected the world or the industry etc. If an evolutionary change has adapted and evolved to the point where it surpasses all norms and changes the way things are done in the future, then it will be considered as revolutionary, no?
An interesting take-away I got from this session is the quote by Deming -“It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory”. I found this provocatively humorous as it uses dry sarcasm to get a point across. However, the point is one of paramount importance since survival is the key purpose of any species in this universe. And in a reversed, black-humoured kind of way, Deming is saying that change is key in ensuring we continue to survive. I found this idea to be jarringly obvious as evolution in nature which is the biological change of species as a form of adaptation is the reason why these species have survived on till today. Nature has a way to telling us - adapt or die. Prehistoric creatures are prehistoric because they didn't or couldn't change in time, but animals like sharks which evolved from the gigantic Megalodon and other prehistoric water creatures have come to exist in oceans today because of their ability to evolve and adapt. Similarly, us as humans need to be able to adapt to situations, changes in the world and also to other humans in order to continue to thrive.
The table that showed the process of Uninformed optimisim -> informed pessimism -> informed realism -> completion was something I felt truly akin to. During my national service days, a few friends and I started a small web-based clothing line. Our idea was to provide budding local designers fresh out of their colleges with an avenue to showcase their talent and make some money at the same time. We liaised with them to produce their designs to the online market and many of the designers shared our enthusiasm for the project. My team and I definitely went through each and every stage of the table save Completion which was sadly put on hold due to all of us having to go to university to further our studies. The first time the four of us met up and discussed this new business, it was utter optimism and we all felt like we could definitely take this project somewhere. When we took it to the next step and sourced for an affordable manufacturer, continued our market research, approached government bodies for young entrepreneurship grants and started spending capital in making the project a reality, we suddenly realised how difficult it all was to begin this small business. It was informed pessimism at its finest. But as we surged on and devoted more and more of our waking hours into forging the project into existence, we came the informed realism plateau. Sadly, after travelling to Guangzhou, China and finding a manufacturer that was adept and dependable, we had to abandon the project in hopes of achieving a higher education. The plateaus in this table were vividly real to me and they will definitely be present in all forms of entrepreneurship.
Another aspect of this session that struck a chord with me was the article about "Herding Cats". It was interesting for the author to draw parallels between cats and followers and how leaders of the future need to keep in mind that modern followers have their own mindsets, beliefs and values. Essentially, modern day followers, like cats, are often individualistic. As education becomes a mainstay in modern, growingly affluent societies, individuals become more like individuals. They question, ask, and are able to think for themselves. Thus, leaders have to respect that aspect of followers in this day and age in order to be effective in reaching out to them as a leader. Leadership, as a result, has to evolve into a more respect-based system as followers become more skilled and knowledgeable. Gone are the days where the leader is portrayed as the all-knowing and wise figure which followers idolize and follow without question. This evolution of leadership poses new challenges for leaders and the skill sets they need in order to be successful in the modern age. Although I know this has little to do with TWC, a topic of discussion I would have liked to engage with the class in is - what kind of values and what kind of leader will best suit today's world? It feel that it would be interesting to see what the class thinks a leader truly is and maybe we can each pick up a thing or two about leadership as being a leader is something almost anybody will encounter in the future, be it in the household, the workplace or in your future business units.
Personal rating for this session: 7.921/10
Off to further musings,
James G14
This week's session in TWC was one of nervousness and significance all at the same time. Nervousness primarily due to the fact that it was my turn to present my individual topic in class. But that anxiety was short-lived, thankfully. And the rest of the session was rather insightful and applicable to what I've experienced in life so far.
One of the main ideas that perked out at me during the session was the difference between evolutionary change and revolutionary change. This clear distinction between the two changes was something I never really thought about. To me, change was simply just change. Sometimes, it was a big change, sometimes it was a small change. And categorizing something like change as evolutionary and revolutionary made sense but was never really something I considered deeply. Evolutionary change was change that was created essentially from adaptation. By continuously making changes and adapting to a specific situation, condition or requirement, evolutionary change is born. Evolutionary change was more of a process than an overnight occurrence. Also born from change, was the idea of revolutionary change. This child of change was the rebel; he was the smart, strong-headed and sometimes, radical one. Often looking for ways to trump everyone else in whatever he did and also keeping an eye out for trying to change the game so that he would be remembered as someone great - the spark of a revolution. The unique thing that caught me was that these two were not exclusive, meaning an evolutionary change could eventually turn into a revolutionary change considering the scale of the change and the way it affected the world or the industry etc. If an evolutionary change has adapted and evolved to the point where it surpasses all norms and changes the way things are done in the future, then it will be considered as revolutionary, no?
An interesting take-away I got from this session is the quote by Deming -“It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory”. I found this provocatively humorous as it uses dry sarcasm to get a point across. However, the point is one of paramount importance since survival is the key purpose of any species in this universe. And in a reversed, black-humoured kind of way, Deming is saying that change is key in ensuring we continue to survive. I found this idea to be jarringly obvious as evolution in nature which is the biological change of species as a form of adaptation is the reason why these species have survived on till today. Nature has a way to telling us - adapt or die. Prehistoric creatures are prehistoric because they didn't or couldn't change in time, but animals like sharks which evolved from the gigantic Megalodon and other prehistoric water creatures have come to exist in oceans today because of their ability to evolve and adapt. Similarly, us as humans need to be able to adapt to situations, changes in the world and also to other humans in order to continue to thrive.
The table that showed the process of Uninformed optimisim -> informed pessimism -> informed realism -> completion was something I felt truly akin to. During my national service days, a few friends and I started a small web-based clothing line. Our idea was to provide budding local designers fresh out of their colleges with an avenue to showcase their talent and make some money at the same time. We liaised with them to produce their designs to the online market and many of the designers shared our enthusiasm for the project. My team and I definitely went through each and every stage of the table save Completion which was sadly put on hold due to all of us having to go to university to further our studies. The first time the four of us met up and discussed this new business, it was utter optimism and we all felt like we could definitely take this project somewhere. When we took it to the next step and sourced for an affordable manufacturer, continued our market research, approached government bodies for young entrepreneurship grants and started spending capital in making the project a reality, we suddenly realised how difficult it all was to begin this small business. It was informed pessimism at its finest. But as we surged on and devoted more and more of our waking hours into forging the project into existence, we came the informed realism plateau. Sadly, after travelling to Guangzhou, China and finding a manufacturer that was adept and dependable, we had to abandon the project in hopes of achieving a higher education. The plateaus in this table were vividly real to me and they will definitely be present in all forms of entrepreneurship.
Another aspect of this session that struck a chord with me was the article about "Herding Cats". It was interesting for the author to draw parallels between cats and followers and how leaders of the future need to keep in mind that modern followers have their own mindsets, beliefs and values. Essentially, modern day followers, like cats, are often individualistic. As education becomes a mainstay in modern, growingly affluent societies, individuals become more like individuals. They question, ask, and are able to think for themselves. Thus, leaders have to respect that aspect of followers in this day and age in order to be effective in reaching out to them as a leader. Leadership, as a result, has to evolve into a more respect-based system as followers become more skilled and knowledgeable. Gone are the days where the leader is portrayed as the all-knowing and wise figure which followers idolize and follow without question. This evolution of leadership poses new challenges for leaders and the skill sets they need in order to be successful in the modern age. Although I know this has little to do with TWC, a topic of discussion I would have liked to engage with the class in is - what kind of values and what kind of leader will best suit today's world? It feel that it would be interesting to see what the class thinks a leader truly is and maybe we can each pick up a thing or two about leadership as being a leader is something almost anybody will encounter in the future, be it in the household, the workplace or in your future business units.
Personal rating for this session: 7.921/10
Off to further musings,
James G14
Monday 5 September 2011
Session 3: Environment, E-novation and E-Cigarettes
Musings...
This session was certainly one of the more interesting sessions so far. At the start of the class, Prof showed us a video called "History of Stuff". To me, this video was creative, insightful and convincing. Firstly, the creative aspect flowed from the speaker using a 'Green Screen' to illustrate her points, having a strong visual component and speaking with confidence amplified this this area of the video tremendously well. The clear insight that sprung from this was evident in the fact that the speaker used alarmingly true facts to capture the audience and ensure that they stay captured by the information given. The art of how the speaker managed to convince me was when she was able to relate every single aspect of the presentation back to the layperson. Every point made about how the world is being used and abused, and how consumers like us are perpetuating this linear cycle to no end truly caught my attention and made an impact. Unlike issues of polluted lakes and rivers that occur daily all over the globe, this issue hit pretty close to home. In our society, where even the smallest act of littering is considered a serious offense, issues like mass pollution seem foreign. But when the speaker puts such issues of over-consumption and limitless wastage, I could feel the significance.
In our growingly affluent society, people are enticed to spend, spend, spend. Things like the Great Singapore Sale and Comex become national events where people compete to queue up for slightly discounted clothes, electronics, household appliances, lingerie and everything in between. But do we really need an ample supply of such goods? It becomes consumer gluttony, and sadly, such behaviour will inevitably lead to even more wastage. People start replacing their shoes, clothes, electronics, cellphones faster and faster - to the point that the demand increases so drastically and the worst part is that the majority of these goods are not eco-friendly or recyclable. This nightmare slowly manifested and contributed to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch - which for the longest time, I believed to be a myth. It's like one of those bad stories that your parents tell you to stop you from littering but now, this is a reality and its a pretty huge one at that.
An interesting and yet rather controversial visual aid from History of Stuff includes the Fat 'Business' Man and the Little 'Government' Boy. Most may take it as silly depictions of the political system in the United States where the government is often at the mercy of the large corporate entities due to the economic power that hold. However, if we were to project this system elsewhere in the world, would it look ridiculous? For one, the Singaporean government seems to have bludgeoned, cooked and actually eaten the Fat 'Business' Man. Strangely enough, most of the large corporations are either government-owned, ran by the government (or its corporate manifestations [yes, you know what Holdings I'm talking about]) or influenced in the direction that the government wants. Secure? Maybe. Because of this, not many corporations have the power nor the influence to rise up and challenge our government. In some cases, this stifles competition and most free-market advocates will tend to challenge this, however, it does have positive aspects as Singapore is never at the mercy of the large corporate forces even in this turbulent global age.
Aside from History of Stuff, the points raised in the discussion of the second reading was rather interesting. The advantage of backwardness. This was a new concept to me. However, this definitely shed some light as to how developing nations can leapfrog into the 21st century. Giants like China and India don't just take advantage of their large supply of labour and resources but also the fact that most of the technological frameworks and global business infrastructures have been set in place by countries who trailblazed their way into this century. By using the knowledge, technology and expertise of the forerunners, many growing countries managed to get ahead in the global system today. With the advent of globalisation, countries like Singapore have take what the West has done and what other Asian tigers have succeeded in and mimicked their success through effective planning and efficient processes. And now, the giants of China and Indian have caught on and exemplified this trend of advantageous backwardness.
This session's presentation on electronic cigarettes was one I found surprisingly refreshing. As a smoker, the innovation of electronic cigarettes does open doors where conventional cigarettes can't enter. Just for the fact that the electronic cigarette does not release harmful second-hand smoke but harmless vapour, the initial attraction to this technology has been sparked. However, through more thought-provoking discussion, I realised that legalizing electronic cigarettes could definitely unlock a floodgate argument. The idea that it would be legal for 18 year olds to be addicted to nicotine and the idea that they could perpetuate this addiction in almost any venue is scary. Most people dislike or disapprove of smoking due to the proven health risks, the odour and the harmful second-hand emissions. However, with electronic cigarettes these stigmas have been removed and it may become very attractive to most people, looking at the prevalent pop culture of being cool and having a cigarette in hand. Essentially, that was how I started smoking, back in high school when being rebellious meant being cool, smoking was a growing influence from friends. It was socially accepted and most people even saw it as something like the fruit from the tree in Eden. We couldn't have been more foolish however as the addiction to nicotine is something real and rather frightening. My takeaway message for myself is that - if something is too good to be true, it probably isn't.
Personal rating for this session: 9.09/10
Off to further musings,
James G14
This session was certainly one of the more interesting sessions so far. At the start of the class, Prof showed us a video called "History of Stuff". To me, this video was creative, insightful and convincing. Firstly, the creative aspect flowed from the speaker using a 'Green Screen' to illustrate her points, having a strong visual component and speaking with confidence amplified this this area of the video tremendously well. The clear insight that sprung from this was evident in the fact that the speaker used alarmingly true facts to capture the audience and ensure that they stay captured by the information given. The art of how the speaker managed to convince me was when she was able to relate every single aspect of the presentation back to the layperson. Every point made about how the world is being used and abused, and how consumers like us are perpetuating this linear cycle to no end truly caught my attention and made an impact. Unlike issues of polluted lakes and rivers that occur daily all over the globe, this issue hit pretty close to home. In our society, where even the smallest act of littering is considered a serious offense, issues like mass pollution seem foreign. But when the speaker puts such issues of over-consumption and limitless wastage, I could feel the significance.
In our growingly affluent society, people are enticed to spend, spend, spend. Things like the Great Singapore Sale and Comex become national events where people compete to queue up for slightly discounted clothes, electronics, household appliances, lingerie and everything in between. But do we really need an ample supply of such goods? It becomes consumer gluttony, and sadly, such behaviour will inevitably lead to even more wastage. People start replacing their shoes, clothes, electronics, cellphones faster and faster - to the point that the demand increases so drastically and the worst part is that the majority of these goods are not eco-friendly or recyclable. This nightmare slowly manifested and contributed to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch - which for the longest time, I believed to be a myth. It's like one of those bad stories that your parents tell you to stop you from littering but now, this is a reality and its a pretty huge one at that.
An interesting and yet rather controversial visual aid from History of Stuff includes the Fat 'Business' Man and the Little 'Government' Boy. Most may take it as silly depictions of the political system in the United States where the government is often at the mercy of the large corporate entities due to the economic power that hold. However, if we were to project this system elsewhere in the world, would it look ridiculous? For one, the Singaporean government seems to have bludgeoned, cooked and actually eaten the Fat 'Business' Man. Strangely enough, most of the large corporations are either government-owned, ran by the government (or its corporate manifestations [yes, you know what Holdings I'm talking about]) or influenced in the direction that the government wants. Secure? Maybe. Because of this, not many corporations have the power nor the influence to rise up and challenge our government. In some cases, this stifles competition and most free-market advocates will tend to challenge this, however, it does have positive aspects as Singapore is never at the mercy of the large corporate forces even in this turbulent global age.
Aside from History of Stuff, the points raised in the discussion of the second reading was rather interesting. The advantage of backwardness. This was a new concept to me. However, this definitely shed some light as to how developing nations can leapfrog into the 21st century. Giants like China and India don't just take advantage of their large supply of labour and resources but also the fact that most of the technological frameworks and global business infrastructures have been set in place by countries who trailblazed their way into this century. By using the knowledge, technology and expertise of the forerunners, many growing countries managed to get ahead in the global system today. With the advent of globalisation, countries like Singapore have take what the West has done and what other Asian tigers have succeeded in and mimicked their success through effective planning and efficient processes. And now, the giants of China and Indian have caught on and exemplified this trend of advantageous backwardness.
This session's presentation on electronic cigarettes was one I found surprisingly refreshing. As a smoker, the innovation of electronic cigarettes does open doors where conventional cigarettes can't enter. Just for the fact that the electronic cigarette does not release harmful second-hand smoke but harmless vapour, the initial attraction to this technology has been sparked. However, through more thought-provoking discussion, I realised that legalizing electronic cigarettes could definitely unlock a floodgate argument. The idea that it would be legal for 18 year olds to be addicted to nicotine and the idea that they could perpetuate this addiction in almost any venue is scary. Most people dislike or disapprove of smoking due to the proven health risks, the odour and the harmful second-hand emissions. However, with electronic cigarettes these stigmas have been removed and it may become very attractive to most people, looking at the prevalent pop culture of being cool and having a cigarette in hand. Essentially, that was how I started smoking, back in high school when being rebellious meant being cool, smoking was a growing influence from friends. It was socially accepted and most people even saw it as something like the fruit from the tree in Eden. We couldn't have been more foolish however as the addiction to nicotine is something real and rather frightening. My takeaway message for myself is that - if something is too good to be true, it probably isn't.
Personal rating for this session: 9.09/10
Off to further musings,
James G14
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