29 July 2007

Equilibrium Beta

"Women marry men hoping they will change. Men marry women hoping they will not. So each is inevitably disappointed." Albert Einstein

Relationship is all about demand and supply.

At the first level, it is simply about counting. If the number of men equals that of women, then everyone should be able to find his or her better half.

At the second level, it is about segmentation. People are classified into different categories. Charming? Smart? Handsome? Adorable? Ugly? Annoying? Because everyone has his or her own preference, even if the numbers are the same, those who are not being selected will be forever abandoned.

People have preferences because there are different choices available. If everything is the same, there would be no choices. When people do not have to make choices, life would be easier.

27 July 2007

Identification Beta

"A complete life may be one ending in so full an identification with the oneself that there is no self left to die." Bernard Berenson

Everyone is unique. Nobody is the same, even among twins. Why does anyone need identification then? Isn't that duplicated effort?

Identification, or ID, is an official document that shows or proves who the person is. But, why does someone need to prove who he or she is? I am what I am. The reason why someone exists is not because of someone else, but everyone lives and acts according to his or her vision. Living someone else's life is a waste of time. I am not what you are.

Sadly, everyone is given a tag, not long after his or her birth. The first ID number is used for many purposes. One of them is to apply for almost everything, except for web-based email account. The second ID number could be the username of an email account. In the new flat world, everyone has at least one ID.

Can the ID number really represent anyone? It is only a combination of the alphabet and numbers. How about words used to describe personality, such as bad-tempered, dull, trustworthy, two-faced, and weird? These adjectives are supposed to describe the person's personality best, aren't they? Why then the ID number, which only provides neutral information about the person? People are after all flesh and blood. Alphabet and numbers deliver only neutral information experience, and definitely won't help build anything positive.

If each ID number represents an identity, then a person with multiple ID numbers has many different identities. The world is not only flat, but it is also getting into mess. Who are you? Who am I? When is this you? When is that you?

Name is always more meaningful than a string of meaningless symbols. It at least tells what kinds of expectations the parents have on the children.

26 July 2007

Resignation Beta

"A sense of duty is useful in work but offensive in personal relations. People wish to be liked, not to be endured with patient resignation." Bertrand Russell

Nowadays, everyone works for at least one company. Those who expect to work for one single company lifelong will be seen as aliens from Mars. Who wants to stay with one company forever? There are many choices available everywhere. If company A does not have what employee X wants, then resignation is the obvious result.

It is difficult for anyone to make a long-term commitment to one company, because loyalty is seldom rewarded. Longevity is no longer a recognition but is perceived as the inability to change, an indispensible quality demanded by every organization.

It is trendy to job hop, but it is important to work out how and when to jump with grace. Good reasons for leaving a job include a higher salary, and flexible working hours. Bad reasons for leaving include peer pressure, and seduction (the potential employer who paints too rosy a picture).

Moving jobs regularly and meaningfully becomes acceptable with employers. They look on at as gathering experiences, therefore benefiting the company and making them more rounded employees.

What was negative in the past now becomes positive. There is always a chance for "downside up."

25 July 2007

Graduation Beta

"Some men see things as they are and ask why. Others dream things that never were and ask why not." George Bernard Shaw

Below are the graduation requirements for MSc in Marketing of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

"To be awarded the MSc degree, candidtates must have satisfactorily completed the prescribed course-work with a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.70 and have satisfied both of the following:

(i) no more than three grades below B-; and
(ii) no more than one grade of D or F.

Any student who has failed to meet the above requirements will be required to drop from the programme."

According to the grading system, C+ is pass, D failure, and F bad failure.

Students won't be able to graduate if they have three grades below B-, but why? What if the students have 3 C+. C+ is not failure. As long as it is not failure, they should still deserve to graduate. Why can't they graduate when they did not really fail?

Interestingly enough, the student can receive the post-graduate degree if he or she fails one course.

What actually is the definition of failure?

A failure is a failure. Why failure and bad failure? What is the difference between failure and bad failure? But success, there is vast difference between good and great. There is always only one champion, then followed up by 1st runner-up, and 2nd runner-up. Runner-up is a polite way of saying first place loser.

Graduation is about getting a degree. The degree itself is already a recognition. Winners are those who can graduate after years of hard work, but not those who graduate with first honors.

After all, it is not the marks that students should be after. Instead, learning cannot last and will not be effective without an element of fun.