So you think you love to read?

I thought I love to read but perhaps not as much as this little boy at Dymock @ IFC. Or was the little doing some kind of exercises?

Q & A (aka Slumdog Millionaire)

I have yet to watch the movie but I really enjoyed the book. It was a surprisingly easy read novel and I literally cannot put it down. It has sparked my interest in learning more about India in general, particularly its culture. I would recommend anyone to read it before watching the movie if you have not done so. Even if you have watched the movie, read it still because I am pretty sure there are slight differences between the two. Time to buy the DVD and watch it !!!

Book Cover obtained from: http://www.rbooks.co.uk/

A Question of Fairness?

Another interesting passage on the topic of fairness. Put your think cap on and start thinking !!

Chapter 10: The Veil of Ignorance

The twenty civilians selected to go and live on the Mars colony were set an unusual task. On the red planet there would be a number of goods, including accommodation, food, drink and luxury items. They had to decide, before they went out, on what basis those goods would be distributed. But crucially, they did not know what the most important task would be on the colony. All the work could be manual, or none of it. It might require great intelligence, it might be better suited to those less in need of mental stimulation.

The first suggestion made was that everything should be shared equally; from each according to their abilities, to each according to their needs. But then someone raised an objection. If there was lots of work to be done and someone refused to do their share, wouldn't it be unfair to reward them with an equal slice of the cake? Surely there needed to be an incentive to contribute?

The objection was accepted, but that just seems to lead to more problems. Fairness did not appear to mean the same as giving everyone the same. But what then did it mean?

Source: Chapter 3 of A Theory of Justice by John Rawls (Harvard University Press, 1971)

The Pig that Wants to be Eaten: 100 Experiments for the Armchair Philosopher by Julian Baggini (2005, PLUME). Picture from: Barnes & Nobles

Don't blame me !

Another interesting passage / chapter from the book titled The Pig that Wants to be Eaten: 100 Experiments for the Armchair Philosopher. This one is a special tribute to all my friends in the legal field. Not directly applicable but it certainly made me laugh and at the same time think of its validity in a day-to-day context.

Chapter 34 - Don't blame me

'Mary, Mungo and Midge. You stand accused of a grievous crime. What do you have to say for yourselves?'

'Yes, I did it,' said Mary. 'But it wasn't my fault. I consulted an expert and she told me that was what I ought to do. So don't me me, blame her.'

'I too did it,' said Mungo. 'But it wasn't my fault. I consulted my therapist and she told me that was what I ought to do. SO don't blame me, blame her.'

'I won't deny I did it,' said Midge. 'But it wasn't my fault. I consulted an astrologer and he told me that since Neptune was in Aries, that's what I should have done. So don't blame me, blame him.'

The judge sighed and issues his verdict. 'Since this case is without precedent, I have had to discuss it with my senior colleagues. And I'm afraid to say that your arguments did not persuade them. I sentence you all to the maximum term. But, please remember that I consulted my peers and they told me to deliver this sentence. So don't blame me, blame them.'

Source: Existentialism and Humanism by Jean-Paul Sartre (Methuen, 1948)

The Pig that Wants to be Eaten: 100 Experiments for the Armchair Philosopher by Julian Baggini (2005, PLUME). Picture from: Barnes & Nobles

Fair Inequality?

I would like to share an interesting piece I read recently from a booked titled The Pig that Wants to be Eaten: 100 Experiments for the Armchair Philosopher. I wonder how often one would encounter similar situation; my bet is very often.

Chapter 87: Fair Inequality

John and Margaret went shopping to buy Christmas presents for their three sons: Matthew, aged fourteen, Mark, who is twelve, and Luke, ten. The loving parents always tried to treat their children equally. This year, they ha budgeted to spend $100 on each of them.

For once it looked as if their shopping would be trouble free, for they soon found what they were looking for; handheld PlayBoy game consuls at $100 each. Just as they were about to take the three to the checkout, John noticed a special offer. If you bought two of the new, top of the range PlayBoyPlusMax consuls at $150 each, you would get an original PlayBoy free. They could spend the same amount of money and get superior goods.

'We can't do that,' said Margaret. 'That would be unfair, since one of the boys would be getting less than the others.'

'But Margaret,' said John, excited at the thought of borrowing his sons' new toys, 'how can it be unfair? This way none of them get a worse gift than the would have done, and two of them do better. But if we don't take the offer, two of the kids are worse off than they would otherwise be.'

'I want them to be equal,' replied Margaret.

'Even if it means making them worse off?'

Source: A Theory of Justice by John Rawls (Harvard University Press, 1971)

The Pig that Wants to be Eaten: 100 Experiments for the Armchair Philosopher by Julian Baggini (2005, PLUME). Picture from: Barnes & Noble

The Art of Bullshit

Do you like to bullshit? Why do we bullshit? How do we distinguish a lie from a bullshit? The book I just finished reading a book titled On Bullshit by Harry G. Frankfurt attempts to answer the above questions in a philological approach. The following introduction and excerpts are some I found to be rather interesting.

One of the most salient feature of our culture is is that there is so much bullshit. Everyone knows this. Each of us contributes his share. But we tend to take the situation for granted. Most people are rather confident of their ability to recognize bullshit and to avoid being taken in it ... we have no clear understanding of what bullshit is, why there is so much of it, or what functions it serves ...

What bullshit essentially misrepresents is neither the state of affairs to which it refers nor beliefs of the speaker concerning that state of affairs. Those are what lies misrepresent, by virtue of being false. since bullshit need not be false, it differs from lies in its nonrepresentational intent. The bullshitter may not deceive us, or even intend to do so, either about the facts or about what he takes the facts to be. What he does necessarily attempt to deceive us about his enterprise. His only indispensably distinctive characteristic is that in a certain way he misrepresents what he is up to.

On Bullshit by Harry G. Frankfurt (Princeton University Press, 2005.) Picture obtained from: Princeton University Press

A meaningful job?

This blog is inspired by Daisy Lancashire's most recent blog post regarding investment bankers whereby she briefly discussed about a book titled The Accidental Investment Banker: Inside the Decade That Transformed Wall Street by Johnathan A. Knee. I read this book a while ago and I have to say it was both entertaining and enlightening. By reading this book, you would get a better understanding of what exactly an investment banker does or at least based on author's own experiences. Whether you think compiling a 50+ pages pitch book merely for the purpose of showing off is a meaningless job or not, it is for you to judge. In terms of how true the job nature is, only investment bankers themselves can give you any justifications. I am not an investment banker, but I do believe that there is always a reason for things and investment bankers have their fair share of sacrifices doing their job.

Anyhow, Daisy's entry reminded me of another book of similar genre titled: Liar's Poker by Michael Lewis. Majority of the book focus on the author's experiences as a trader. This book was first published in 1989 and what I found most interesting is the author's detailed discussion on the creation, development and the rise of the home mortgage securities / bonds trading within investment banks back in the EARLY 1980s. The sudden rise in the mortgages department within investment banks was sparked buy the establishment of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae whose main objectives were designed to guarantee the mortgages that did not qualify for the Ginnie Mae stamp. Well, shall I call these types of home loans sub-prime mortgages? You bet you can! As the author states, "once [these sub-prime mortgages] were stamped [by Freddie Mac & Fannie Mae] ... nobody cared about the quality of the loans. Defaulting homeowners became the Government's problem." I think the rest is history. A highly recommended read indeed !

The Accidental Investment Banker: Inside the Decade that Transformed Wall Street by Jonathan A. Knee (Oxford University Press, 2006)
Picture obtained from: Barnes & Nobles

Liar's Poker by Michael Lewis (Hodder and Stoughton, 2006)
Picture obtained from: Hodder and Stoughton

Status Anxiety? ... you? me? All of us?

I am currently reading a philosophy book titled Status Anxiety and came across a few passages which I like to share because I think many of us who live in Hong Kong can relate to this at some point of our lives. First of all, ask yourself whether you have Status Anxiety? ... My answer to this question is: of course I do.

Over the last several centuries, particularly the last several decades, most developed societies enjoyed "an extraordinary increase in wealth, in food supply, in scientific knowledge, in consumer goods, in physical security, in life expectancy and economic opportunity." However, with such material advances, there is "a rise in the level of status anxiety" among us , "a rise in the level of concern about importance, achievement and income." The author further explains that:

A sharp decline in actual deprivation may - paradoxically - have been accompanied by a continuing and even increased sense of deprivation and a fear of it ... These feeling of deprivation may not look so peculiar ... [because] ... our sense of an appropriate limit to anything - for example, to wealth and esteem - is never decided independently. It is arrived at by comparing our condition with that of a reference group, with that of people we consider to be our equals. We cannot appreciate what we have in isolation, or judge against lives of our medieval forebears. We cannot be impressed by how prosperous we are in historical terms. We will take ourselves to be fortunate only when we have as much as, or a little more than, the people we grew up with, work alongside, have as friends and identify with in the public realm.

... If we have a pleasant home and a comfortable job, however, but learn through ill-advised attendance at a school reunion that some of our old friends (there is no stronger reference group) are now living in houses larger than our own, bought on the proceeds of more enticing occupations, we are likely to return home nursing a violent sense of misfortunate.

... It is the feeling that we might be something other than what we are - a feeling transmitted by the superior achievements of those we take to be our equals - that generates anxiety and resentment.

In my opinion, Hong Kong i a breeding ground for Status Anxiety in a massive scale - even worst than the US. For some odd reasons I still do know understand, many people carry the perception that Hong Kong allows the generation of unlimited expectation. Don't get me wrong, such expectation can be a positive motivational engine to attain greater achievement in life; however, it can also be a factor behind the increased level of status anxiety among us. Solution? I am not that far in the book yet but this is certainly something worth reflecting on. Now, ask yourself again, do you have Status Anxiety?

The above excerpts are from Alain de Botton's Status Anxiety, Chapter on the Equality, Expectation and Envy. (Penguin Books, 2005)

Photo from http://www.alaindebotton.com/

A Random Walk around TST

While passing by Ocean Terminal on my way to dinner, realized that there is a floating international book fair on a cruise ship docked at the Terminal. Its name is MV Doulos. With more than 30 mins to kill before dinner, walked on board (with a $10 Fee that is) for a little tour. Apparently it is one of the world's oldest (or THE oldest) active ocean-going passenger ship.



What I really wanted to visit was the bookfair but somehow the designated path makes you walk pass / around the deck before leading you to the fair location. O my, the fair is being held under a tent without any air condition! The area was smaller than what I expected and for those looking for a wide selection of books, I am afraid this is not the place to come. What they do offer is a selection of books in the subjects such as sports, hobbies, cookery, arts, education, children and Christian books. If you are interested in any of those, this would be a nice place to take a walk. However, for book lovers, the location + the lack of air conditioning cause the environment to be very humid and hence might affect the paper quality of the books. Just a note I thought worth mentioning.




Anyhow, on my way out I got the chance to take a picture of a junk across the Victoria Harbour in front of the Convention center while a Ferry was crossing by. the thought of how the old meets the new came to my mind. I know it is kind of lame to say it but hey, that was what in my mind at that moment. After dinner, the sky was very clear and I got to take a very nice night scene of Central with MV DOULOS in it. What is the picture on the right? It is the billboard in front of the 5 Flag Pole / Pier. Have you ever seen it as blank or without any Ads? It was the first time for me and I felt weird seeing a blank billboard at this prime location.

How to Overcome Difficulties in Life ...

Just completed the book titled Consolidations of Philosophy and would like to share a few passages I consider worth our thinking on the topic of treating difficulties, pain or obstacles in life. In the chapter Consolidation of Difficulties, the author uses the philosophy by Friedrich Nietzsche to explain the relation between pleasure and pain in life. A simplest explanation is that pleasure or fulfillment in life is to be 'reached not by avoiding pain, but by recognizing its role as a natural, inevitable step on the way to anything good.' In support of this mentality, the author references an excerpt from Michel de Montaigne's famous work Essais of which explains that 'the art of living lies in finding uses for our adversities':

We must learn to suffer whatever we cannot avoid. Our life is composed, like the harmony of the world, of discords as well as of different tones, sweet and harsh sharp and flat, soft and loud. If a musician liked only some of them, what could he sing? He has got to know how to use all of them and blend them together. So too must we with good and ill, which are of one substance with our life.

In other words, we should embrace ourselves for difficulties and realize that painful experiences or displeasure are all part of our life experiences. According to Nietzsche, pleasure and displeasure are closed linked:

What if pleasure and displeasure were so tied together that whoever wanted to have a much as possible of one must also have as much as possible of the other ... you have the choice: either as little displeasure as possible, painlessness in brief ... or as much displeasure as possible as the price for he growth of an abundance of subtle pleasures and joys that have rarely been relished yet? If you decide for the former and desire to diminish and lower the level of human pain, you also have to diminish and lower the level of their capacity for joy.

I am not suggesting whether the above theory or philosophy is correct, all I am hoping is that for those who are experiencing tough times (and that would definitely apply to myself as well) can apply a view onto this difficult period as Nietzsche's displeasure in life. Instead of trying to avoid or feel sad and embarrassed by it, treat it as a learning opportunity or as the author simply puts it in a single sentence: 'we should not feel embarrassed by our difficulties, only by our failure to grow anything beautiful from them. After all, as the author further explains, 'not everything which makes us feel better is good for us. Not everything which hurts may be bad.'

The above excerpts are from Alain de Botton's The Consolidation of Philosophy; Chapter on the Consolidation of Difficulties. (Penguin Books, 2001)

Photo from http://www.alaindebotton.com/

What is Common Sense?

I came across the following few passages from a book on the concept of unpopularity and realized that many of us, in more than one occasion, would fall into the perception that what is believed by the majority would somehow translate to be correct, just or even as common sense.

Every society has notions of what one should believe and how one should behave in order to avoid suspicion and unpopularity. Some of these societal conventions are given explicit formulation in a legal code, others are more intuitively held in a vast body of ethical and practical judgment described as 'common sense' ... ... ...

The same concept would apply to how we try to please everyone or to avoid being unpopular. Many try not to go against what is popular even though there exist doubts. The author describes his basic reactions to many daily activities with priority on the perceptions of 'common sense' and popularity in mind.

In conversations, my priority was to be liked, rather than to speak the truth. A desire to please led me to laugh as modest jokes like a parent on the opening night of a school play. With strangers, I adopted the servile manner or a concierge greeting wealthy clients in a hotel ... indiscriminate desire for affection. I did not publicly doubt ideas to which the majority was committed. I sought the approval of figures of authority and after encounters with them, worried at length whether they had thought me acceptable. When passing through customs or driving alongside police cars, I harbored a confused wish for the uniformed officials to think well of me.

... ... ... Our will to doubt can be just as powerfully sapped by an internal sense that society conventions must have a sound basis, even if we are not sure exactly what this may be, because they have been adhered to by great many people for a long time. It seems implausible that our society could be gravely mistaken in its beliefs and at the same time that we would be alone in noticing that facts.

It is so true indeed. However, the more important thing is why that is so and how things can be changed. Deriving from Socrates' philosophy on popularity or unpopularity, the author, following a Socratic method of thinking, came up with the following summary (or at least what I think is the summary):

What is declared obvious and 'natural' rarely is so. Recognition of this should teach us to think that the world is more flexible than it seems, for the established views have frequently emerged not through a process of faultless reasoning, but through centuries of intellectual muddle. There may be no good reason for things to be the way they are ... ... ...

... ... ... The validity of an idea or action is determined not by whether it is widely believed or widely reviled but by whether it obeys the rules of logic. It is not because an argument is denounced by a majority that it is wrong nor, for those drawn to heroic defiance, that it is right.

Next time when you come across something which is considered common sense by the majority, try to question the logic behind it as well as the reasons for it to be so. Any act believed to be right by most is not necessary the right thing to do. I am going to start doing that myself when there are doubts.

The above excerpts are from Alain de Botton's The Consolidation of Philosophy; Chapter on the Consolidation of Unpopularity. (Penguin Books, 2001)

Photo from http://www.alaindebotton.com/