Factfullness

by Hans Rosling

The book has two themes... First, the world is improving at a far better rate than we'd expect. Gone are the days of first-world excess vs. third-world poverty. The majority of the world lives somewhere between the two. 

Most of the world has access to electricity. More than 80% of all children are vaccinated. Since vaccines must be kept refrigerated, that means the electricity, maintenance and support to for this refrigerated network, must be healthy and world wide. 

Why don't we know this? Why do we think the world is crappier than it is? Rosling covers this...

1. Gap... Things are rarely A. vs. B. They are a continuum between A & B. What is this continuum like?

2. Negativity. We expect, and look for bad news. We don't pay attention to good news or boring news.

3. Straight lines-- We expect growth to follow straight lines. It rarely does. The curve will bend.

4. Fear-- When something scares us we over guard against us. We have to remember that Risk = Danger * Exposure. If we are not exposed to a danger, we should not trust our fear.

5. Size-- Judge things in proportion. A single number is rarely useful. What was that number last year? Two years ago? How big is that number in proportion to the rest of the problem? The rest of the world?

6. Generalization-- we put things in categories. This may not be true. What are the differences within a category? What are the similarities across category? 

7. Destiny-- Things change. Slow change is still change. Statistics from 10 years ago can be very different today.

8. Don't use a single tool to analyze your problems. Develop a toolbox.

9. Blame-- Resist pointing your finger. We stop thinking about root causes when we can blame someone. We really need to go beyond that to deeply understand a problem

10. Urgency. Things are rarely so urgent that you need to react quickly and dramatically. Take small steps. Validate.

Rosling suggests that many First world companies are missing business opportunities in the rising middle class world. The first world population is growing much more slowly than the middle-world.  

Digital Minimalism

By Cal Newport.

Newport makes a strong argument that we should sharply reduce the time we spend on smart phones and with social media. We are at our happiest and at our best, when we focus, when we actually have a conversation, when we actually engage in focused leisure.

Social media, with it's blips and sips of conversations and likes is a distraction that drags us down.

Using social media to arrange actual conversations... that is keeping in touch with someone. Facebooking for hours, skimming, clicking likes, that is unhealthy. It's an addiction.

Use technology intentionally, with a deep seated philosophy and set of goals.

The cost of a thing is the amount of life you had to exchange for it.

Reclaim leisure. Prioritize demanding activity over passive consumption. Use skills to produce valuable things in the physical world.

Dreyer's English

By Benjamin Dreyer.

Dreyer knows the style and rules of English far better than I every will. Several times he admits that there are more exceptions in English, than there are rules. At the end of the day the only rule is "Does it look right, and is it clear, to someone who knows and loves the language?" Convention, Consensus, Clarity & Comprehension.

Somethings to remember...

Stop using very, rather, really, quite, in fact, just, pretty, of course and actually. Sentences can be shorter and more clear without them. 

Read your prose aloud. It's one of the best ways to determine whether your prose is well-constructed.

If you can append "by zombies" to the end of a sentence, then you have written the sentence in the passive voice.

Use the series (Oxford comma.) It's more clear.

High Output Management

By Andy Grove.


On career reviews... "There are three L's to keep in mind when delivering a review; Level, listen, and leave your-self out."

On managing the unexpected... "The motto I'm advocating is 'Let chaos reign, then rein in chaos'"

The book contains three ideas...

The first is an output-oriented approach to managment.

The second idea is that the work of a business, of a government bureacracy, of most forms of human activity, is something pursued not by individuals, but by teams"

"The output of a manager is the output of his or her organization."

Third idea-- High managerial productivity depends largely on choosing to perform tasks that possess high leverage. A team will perform well only if peak performance is elicited from the individuals in it.

"If a person is not doing his job, there can only be two reasons for it. The person either can't do it or won't do it. Either he is not capable, or not motivated. This enables a manager to dramatically focus her efforts. All you can do to improve the output of a team is motivate and train. There is nothing else."

"How you handle your own time is, in my view, the single most important aspect of being a role model and leader."


"As a rule of thumb, a manager whose work is largely supervisory should have six to eight subordinates. Three or for is too few. Ten is too many."

Solitude. A return to self

By Anthony Storr.

I was hoping this book would provide a powerful case for Solitude. I starts to, but then meanders off and in the direction of Freud and his thoughts on social life. It concludes that pursuit of the whole needs both interpersonal relationships, and time alone.

"When a person is encouraged to get in touch with and express his deepest feelings, in the secure knowledge that he will not be rejected, criticized, nor expected to be different, some kind of rearrangement or sorting-out process often occurs within the mind which brings with it a sense of peace; a sense that the depths of the well of truth have really been reached."

"The capacity to be alone thus becomes linked with self-discovery and self-realization; with becoming aware of one's deepest needs, feelings and impulses."

"It appears, therefore, that some development of the capacity to be alone is necessary if the brain is to function at its best, and if the individual is to fulfill his highest potential. Human beings easily become alienated from their own deepest needs and feelings. Learning, thinking, innovation, and maintaining contact with one's own inner world are all facilitated by solitude."

Twilight of the Idols by Neitzsche

Every now and then I like get the urge to read classic books. This time, I thought I'd try Twilight of the Idols by Nietzsche.

I don' t think I'm going to make all the way though this book. Nietzsche doesn't really agree with me.

First off. I think he is less philosophy and and more like self-help. He is a lifestyle coach. He wants us to live vibrant, exciting & meaningful lives and has major problems with any system of values that doesn't nurture that.

But, in his thrust for vibrancy, he looses depth. While there is a lot to be said for living like that. Sometimes it's good to slow down. To be more thoughtful.

Thinking in Systems

By Donella H. Meadows.

Systems exist wither we like it our not. From Meadows perspective, everything is part of a system. The end of one system, and the beginning of the next is an arbitrary point that we choose for our convenience, and not because that's the actual reality.

When you analyze a system, don't zoom in too much and loose perspective, or zoom out too much and end up with something academic. Scale the system definition to the size of the problems you are engaged with.

Problems and the way out...

I like the way that Meadows calls out "Problems and the Way Out" not "Problems and Solutions." The solution to many system solutions isn't a black or white flip of the switch, but a lot of work to slowly change the path of the system.

Problem-- Policy Resistance-- when the actors try to pull the system in a direction other than the desired new goals.
The way out-- Let go. Bring in all the actors and use the energy formerly expended on resistance to seeking mutually satisfactory ways for the goals to be realized.

Problem-- the tragedy of the commons.
The way out--
1. Educate and exhort everyone so they understand the consequences, or
2. Strengthen the feedback link, regulate, or,
3. Privatize

Problem-- Drift to Low Performance
Allowing future performance to drift based on past performance, especially if there is a negative bias in perceiving past performance.
The way out-- Keep performance standards absolute

Problem-- Escalation. There is a reinforcing feedback loop carrying the system into an arms race.
Solution--
1. Avoid getting into this trap
2. Refuse to complete
3. Negotiate a new system with balancing loops to control the escalation.

Problem-- Success to the successful. Winners have a reinforcing feedback loop that allow them to keep winning more.
The way out--
1. Diversification. The system has to support diversification.
2. Strictly limiting the faction of the pie any one winner my have.
3. Policies that level the playing field. Policies that devise rewards that do not bias the future competition.

Problem-- Shifting the burden to the Intervenor. Superficial solutions that do not solve the underlaying problem.
The way out--
1. Avoid getting into this situation.
2. Take the focus off short term relief and put it on long term restructuring. Do so quickly. The longer you wait, the harder the withdrawal process will be.

Problem-- Seeking the Wrong Goal.
Systems are very sensitive to the goals of the feedback loops, and not necessarily the goals of the designers.
The Way out-- Specify indicators and goals that reflect the real welfare of the system. Be careful to not confuse effort with result or you will end up with a system that is producing effort, not result.