Category: Social

3 idiots & i-become

Prasad Ajinkya11 Comments

3-diots I read Chetan Bhagat’s novel, enjoyed it … but sadly the book lacked a certain message. It’s either that or it’s been 3 years and I dont remember the book very well. 3 idiots is a stark contrast.

The basic plot is the same, but once you go in the details, both the stories are distinctly different.

One of the central themes of the movie is about following one’s passion. To aim for excellence and not for ability. The scene where Aamir Khan talks about being well educated and not well trained is a must see. I can really identify with that, since its very much related to a vision that I am currently working on.

This is i-become.

i-become is about realizing your career not as a place just to earn money, but as a place for following one’s passion by utilizing one’s full potential. The way Madhavan decides to follow his passion for Wildlife photography, so should each one of us aim for our aspirations. Without a purpose, a goal, an aspiration … life is nothing but a empty shell.

What do you think?

Social Media

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Yesterday, I attended Startup Saturday … the theme was Social Media and how it can be leveraged by start-ups effectively.

Some of my key learning –

  • Online marketing does not replace offline marketing efforts, and vice versa. If you are planning a huge effort in one media, do not ignore the other
  • The best way to use these platforms is not as a broadcasting medium, but as a way of engaging with your customers
  • Don’t create propaganda, create evangelists … who can propagate your name
  • Social media marketing is not cheap, and it is certainly not a free alternative to traditional marketing
  • In case of B2B space, marketeers can target the end-customer through social media and get the attention of their intended customer organization

Will attach the respective presentations as and when the organization committee puts them online :)

Made in China

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During brunch today with a good friend, we were discussing about the sad tale of his failing computer. The fact that every computer part that he was purchasing was a cheap replacement part from China, without being aware of the authenticity of spare part was rattling his nerves. This includes from the motherboard to the power cord. How they manage it to produce it at such a low cost was a puzzle to him. Rightly so, imagine buying a power cord from China at Rs. 20.00, this includes the manufacturing cost, the shipping and the distribution cost.

Imagine the power wielded in such numbers, a country which can change global markets due to the sheer power of its manufacturing. Economies evolve, some do this gradually and some jump the gun. India was an agrarian economy … come the 20th century, and we are a service-based economy. We jumped the gun of becoming a manufacturing economy. Boon or bane?

Bane I say. Without the right set of manufacturing infrastructure, our service economy is an overhyped case of derived demand. A nation depending on the global markets to survive its burgeoning service industry. Almost all the infrastructure for this service comes from outside. What happens when the economy which is providing the manufactured goods suddenly decides to evolve further and move into service industry? They suddenly become more poised to take on stronger service economies simply because they can deliver end-to-end value.

People have been saying it all the time, that the Chinese are better at technology, they are hard workers, intelligent even. The only advantage that we had was previous engagements and our ability to speak english. Languages can be learnt, learning can be multiplied. Sooner or later, the Great Indian Outsourcing Dream will come to an end and turn into Comrade Mao’s Technology Farms. Service has to be differentiated upon quality and not cost. Wake up India!!

Reality Shows

Prasad Ajinkya6 Comments

If I have to go by the entertainment shows on TV these days, then I think the society is slowly going to the dogs. So many of them, and all of them are just so wrong … they involve celebrities, big and small that people worship. That people want to emulate, that people look up to … and all of them so fucked up in the head.

Sadly my wife watches all of these brain-dead shows. (Sigh!!) Sitting at home can kill those grey cells. So one of the shows currently involves one small time celeb emotionally harassing a German girl who happens to be one more small time actress. The guy has gone on a pseudo-satyagraha until the girl doesn’t say that she loves him!! The nation which laid the foundations of non-violence and proving your point by sheer will power is now stooping to these tactics? And, the media is broadcasting this?? And people are lapping it up???

Then you have MTV and other youth channels who bring together idle and adrenaline charged youngsters to come together and scheme against each other. Are we as Indians really that idle and shallow that we derive entertainment out of watching all this?

– a sad and dejected Indian

Media v/s Social Media

Prasad Ajinkya4 Comments

Why does the media corrupt? With the media being corrupt, I mean that instead of performing it’s duty of reporting news that matters to the society, what it ends up doing is look for sensational news – which are actually not sensational at all. I do not care about Amitabh Bachhan catching a cold … no I dont give a farthing about that. What I do care is a sugar scam happening right under our noses and we being oblivious to it all. Here’s how this sugar scam works –

Politician A (we all know who is the agricultural minister!!) gets into the power, then he sets up a shell company outside the country. Slowly this company acquires great hordes of sugar in its stocks. Then Politician A says that there is a sugar deficit in the country and the country might have to import sugar from outside. An artificial supply deficit causes prices to rise – simple enough?? Now, the shell company comes to the rescue! Supplies the country with the much needed sugar (of course at a higher price).

I was unaware of this till yesterday. The minute I came to know about it – one question that kept ringing in my mind was – why does not the media report events like these? If the media does not do its work, then who will?? Can Social Media take over the role of media in society??

Some would say no – since proponents of this theory say that social media is currently being used to report vain and idiotic things – like speak like a Pirate day … a’rrrr. How can you take the same seriously then? Another thought is that there is no reliability – a counter to this would be – as if currently the media is reliable :-)

I would say yes – social media is the exact kind of distributed model which needs to get its act together and let the people act for the people. Kind of like democracy, huh? More so, members of the society who are aware about the current events (and those which are under currents as well) are citizens, and citizens who act out for the benefit of other citizens are enlightened citizens. We need more of these!!!

What do you think?

Tsunamika and Small steps

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image Remember I was ranting about Co-ordinate geometry and changing communities? Well, in case you have’nt, here is the link. Well here’s a nice example that is changing the society. And it is being done bit by bit, vector by vector :-)

Today we had gone to my Maami’s place. She gave us this cute little bag which comes nicely packed in a small pouch. The pouch can be attached to a purse or your belt through a metal hook. Pretty nifty, huh!?! The cost, Rs. 100. Nice product, good value as well. The idea of this bag is that it folds out to become a very big shopping bag, eliminating the need for those pesky plastic bags. Its so small that you dont even realize that you are carrying one!! Imagine, slowly but steadily eliminating those plastic bags that vendors give to you to carry subzi. Its a fresh idea, and economical at that. Plus a nice idea for gifts as well!!

And the best part is that these bags are made by women who live in tsunami afflicted regions! The bags come with those cute Tsunamika dolls.

Imagine – the word about these spreading around slowly but surely. Sounds realistic no? Slowly because of a few determined souls, the social norm of using plastic bags has changed to not using them. Thats social transformation through the power of an idea :-)

They are only going to make 10 million of these bags, get yours today!!

Indian definition of P0rn

Prasad Ajinkya2 Comments

This is how Indian law defines Pornographic Content –

“Any content that is lascivious and that will appeal to prurient interest or the effect of which is to tend to deprave or corrupt the minds of those who are likely to see, read or hear the same.”

Who are they kidding? The lascivious and prurient I can still buy, corrupting minds?? Really?? So if it does not corrupt my mind (as if you can tell!!) then it is not porn?? Do we need to re-look at our IT Act and policies?

I say yes.