When I was a kid, my Mum always said ‘learn to cook, people always need to eat’.
This is wisdom.
What is also wisdom is that, just as people need to eat, they also like to have sex. So that is also a ‘growth’ industry. And when they have sex, they tend to make more little people.
More people means more of everything that people have to have. Food, sex, shelter and, in civilised places, education, purpose, work etc.
More people also mean more creation – because humans inherently create things (aside from other humans), we create mostly waste. But in all this waste there are some incredibly valuable things. This creates another secondary need – ways to find the value in all the noise.
Nothing new in this, there are many existing metaphors for this idea, including:
Needles in haystacks, money in the muck, diamonds in the rough, noise vs signal.
When the internet meets the AI age, we are at an unprecedented intersection of unparalleled creation of digital content. Again – true to form, humans excel at creating far more shite than gold, which again requires effective ways of finding the value at atleast the same speed as always, if not faster. But the volume of shite is doubling almost every 90 days.
Right, let’s talk survival in the 21st century. It’s not enough to be a nation anymore; you’re either part of a gang, or you’re shark bait. I’m talking about the “blocs” – the EU, NATO, whatever economic pact is flavor of the week. And then you have the “whales,” the tech titans, the financial behemoths, those unelected corporate leviathans that are turning us all into their personal playthings. It’s a messed-up world, and frankly, if you’re not in a bloc, you might as well be wearing a “kick me” sign on your back.
The Blocs: Necessary Evil or Just Evil?
Let’s face it, the whole “bloc” thing is a bit of a con. Nations, puffed up with their ancient flags and national anthems, huddling together for “strength in unity.” It’s a bit like watching toddlers build a fort to keep out the neighborhood bully. Sure, they might look formidable on paper with their “shared interests” and “collective defense” buzzwords, but it usually boils down to bureaucratic nightmares and compromised sovereignty. But, let’s be honest, in this shark tank, you need a bigger boat, even if the boat’s leaking.
The Necessity of the Gang: Let’s be brutally frank. If you’re a mid-sized country not named “USA” or “China,” you’re basically a tasty treat for the whales, unless you have bloc protection. These corporations can – and will – exploit your resources, manipulate your markets, and influence your politics until you’re a hollowed-out shell. So, being in a bloc? Kind of a necessary evil, like a poorly-maintained shield against the corporate hordes.
Bureaucracy: A Feature, Not a Bug: However, blocs, by their very nature, are bureaucratic monsters. They are slow, lumbering, and about as agile as a three-legged elephant. Decision-making gets bogged down in endless meetings, while the whales, light on their feet, dance circles around them, gobbling up whatever they want.
The Whales: Unstoppable, Untouchable, and Unethical
And then, of course, we have the whales. They are the true power brokers of the 21st century. These companies control our information, our communication, and increasingly, our finances. They’re not constrained by borders, constitutions, or any pesky notions of human rights. They are profit-maximizing, data-hoarding, algorithm-wielding machines, and you’re all just pieces on their digital gameboard.
They operate in a realm where accountability is a quaint myth, and their only loyalty is to their bottom line. You don’t elect them, you can’t vote them out, and any attempts at regulation just seem to make them stronger. They’re the digital equivalent of a natural disaster, and we’re all just trying to build sandcastles on the beach.
Civil Liberties: Gone With the Tide?
So, how are these power plays impacting your everyday life? You guessed it – badly. Here’s a grim recap:
Unaccountability: The Whale’s Favorite Sport: The whales play by their own rules and have no need to justify their actions. They collect your data, manipulate your emotions, and push you around without ever facing any consequences. They are untouchable. They don’t even pretend to give a damn. [1]
Democracy, A Relic of the Past: Whales are practically buying politicians in bulk. Your elected representatives are like puppets, doing whatever their corporate masters tell them to do. They’re just there to offer the illusion of democracy, while the real power resides in the boardrooms of the whales. [2]
Social Media: The Brainwashing Machine: Platforms like Facebook, X, YouTube aren’t platforms; they’re carefully designed propaganda machines. They amplify the worst of humanity while suppressing dissent, all in the name of engagement and profit. And the digital barons? They’re fine with this, as long as the clicks keep coming. [3]
Privacy: What Privacy?: Big Tech views your data as their personal piggy bank. They collect it, sell it, and use it to manipulate you, all under the guise of “personalized experience.” And you? You’re just giving it all away. For “free” access to their services. [4]
Censorship: By Algorithm: The whales now decide what information you get to see, and what you don’t. They’re the gatekeepers of the internet, and they’re not exactly fair-minded about it. And if they disagree with your views, well, too bad, they will just ban you. [5]
The Bloc’s Dilemma: Be Big, Be Agile. Can It Be Done?
So, the challenge for nations is clear: you need to be in a bloc for protection, but blocs tend to be slow and cumbersome. The central problem? How do you create a large, powerful entity (a bloc) that also has the agility and dynamism of a smaller, more flexible entity?
It’s like trying to design a cargo ship that can also win a speed boat race. It’s a contradiction, but that’s the bind we’re in.
A Few (Probably Futile) Ideas
So, what to do? It’s a long shot, but here’s the plan:
Demand Actual Democracy: Seriously, make politicians earn their keep, not the corporations.
Regulate the Whales: Enact real laws with real teeth to keep these corporations in check. And don’t let them “self-regulate”. That is like asking the wolf to guard the sheep.
Become Social Media Literate: Learn how to spot the scams and manipulation tactics of social media. And then spread the word.
Fight for Privacy: Stop giving away your personal information for free.
Support the Resistance: Find the people trying to challenge the status quo and back them, whatever it takes.
The Grim Conclusion
Look, we’re not in a good place. We’re being squeezed between lumbering blocs and power-hungry whales. The odds are stacked against us. But if we don’t start demanding change, we’re all going to be swimming in data and propaganda, and no one will even remember what “freedom” meant in the first place. So, get angry, get organized, and get ready to fight – because no one else is going to do it for you.
References:
[1] Zuboff, Shoshana. The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power. PublicAffairs, 2019. [2] Lessig, Lawrence. Republic, Lost: How Money Corrupts Congress—and a Plan to Stop It. Twelve, 2011. [3] Vaidhyanathan, Siva. Antisocial Media: How Facebook Disconnects Us and Undermines Democracy. Oxford University Press, 2018. [4] Lyon, David. Surveillance after Snowden. Polity, 2015. [5] Morozov, Evgeny. The Net Delusion: The Dark Side of Internet Freedom. PublicAffairs, 2011.
As you might know – I like to walk. So on the 10th of September I’ll be heading to Santander in beautiful Cantabria, Spain to complete the walk I started in June 2016.
Because I can! I’m lucky enough to be physically fit and able to, but more importantly, I would like to raise some £££ in support of 3 causes I think need more recognition and support. I hope you can help me do it.
The causes and charities I’ve chosen to support for this walk are:
Women’s Health
Endometriosis UKhelps take women’s illnesses more seriously. They help families and victims of endometriosis take back control by providing support, services and community.
Sick Children’s Trust gives families one less thing to worry about when their child falls ill. Sick Children’s Trust provides a safe place to stay and someone to talk to, all free of charge.
Alzheimer’s Research UKis the leading charity for funding dedicated research into Alzheimer’s causes and treatments in the UK. What they learn helps the world understand more about this condition that is increasingly affecting more of our elderly everywhere.
Alzheimer’s Societyare in the frontline of support and care for Alzheimer sufferers and their families – providing assistance, counselling and many other essential help. They also are active in engaging with policymakers for better support for this sector of care.
In my upcoming posts, I’ll explain why I chose these specific causes.
Back to the walk
At the end of each day, I’ll share with you a summary of my walk along with the route I took. I’ll also tell you a story of someone who has unfortunately had to experience one of these three causes. Through clearer understanding and increased empathy, I hope you can give what you can and more importantly share this we need to raise awareness as much as we need to raise money.
You can find more on the full route and gear I’ll be taking here.
Traditionally, pilgrims would start their ‘camino’ from their own homes. Millions of people from all over the world have taken part in this walk. Most people have a clear idea of why they want to walk the Camino de Santiago routes: for religious reasons, as a personal spiritual journey, for a healthy challenge, or just the social aspect.
From my previous walks, I have felt a sense of community along the journey. You meet people, walk with them for a while, share moments together and then walk on by yourself. For me, that’s what it’s really about.
My Reason
Walking can be meditative. A chance to spend time with yourself and free up your mind from the noise of the outside world. It can be a way to identify what unwanted baggage you don’t realise you’re carrying. On this walk, I’ll be free of emails and replies. I can get comfortable with myself. It’s an opportunity to connect with whatever you need to connect with.
Within these 20 days, I encourage you to do the same. Spare a little time in the morning before work or a half hour on your evenings to get on your trainers and try it for yourself.
The End Game
I want to raise £5000 by doing this walk. I want to share stories and learn more about the challenges of endometriosis, dementia and sick children. I want more people to connect with walking and themselves.
And I need your help to do it.
Stay tuned. I’ll be sharing more information on the 3 causes I’m supporting, my prep for the camino and how you can get involved.
#TellYourStory
I’m just a guy going for a walk, but I know there are so many that are affected by these issues and situations that I am supporting on my walk.
If you have a personal story to share about endometriosis, dementia or supporting sick children, please consider sharing your story with me to bring more awareness, create more empathy and bring more support.
I want to tell your story.
You can share your story by filling a short form that will be turned into a blog post on this site, you don’t have to give any details beyond a first name.
I will highlight your story on a day of my walk – giving your experience space and exposure it deserves.
From my late 20s I lived with bouts of depression.
I don’t know if I’m chemically prone to it or just the pressure of perception of the expectations I placed on myself created a new ‘gem’ in my crown. In any case, I would have quite deep lows.
The first time the thought of suicide crossed my mind was when I was 31 – in the worst time of my divorce and wracked with guilt about failing as a father to two young children and the hitherto unresolved grief of missing my Dad. It was the usual thoughts of ‘they’d all be better without me’ / ‘I’d be better without this’ / ‘this is too much to take’.
I have always managed to talk myself away from ending my own life. There has always been a voice of reason that chimes in and says something to talk me down. There has always been work to pour myself into, to ride out the darkness.
Recently though, I have come to another place. One that I find great logic in and certainly what seems like a longer term cognitive solution.
A party at Hotel California, but you can leave anytime you want.
I accept that the person I am now can have these thoughts and probably always will – given enough stress. That’s OK. There is a cycle to it. There are signs of an impending low I can see and there are things I can do to mitigate.
I also now accept that I have the power to end my own life anytime I chose. That is the biggest release I found. It – for me at least – is the biggest affirmation to staying alive. In a thought, I have broken the biggest reason I had to contemplate suicide – that horrible, powerless sense of being trapped.
Speaking to my daughter recently about this, I developed a really apt metaphor (those who know me, know that metaphors are my thing!). This is something that now plays in my head and reinforces that sense of NOT feeling trapped – a new kind of fearlessness.
Imagine you went to a party. You will hear music you love, some you hate. You will bump into rude people, you’ll hang out with others that make you laugh and love. Sometimes you will feel miserable and want to leave. But there is no exit and every time you try to leave, your friends guilt trip you into staying. At some point, you’re not having fun anymore. You’re trapped.
What should have been a fun night, turns into a nightmare.
But what if, as you enter the party, – you are told where the exits are and you can leave any time you want and no one would stop you. They would miss you and perhaps might feel disappointed, but you wouldn’t feel like a party pooper for wanting to leave. My bet is you would stay all night – simply because you have the power to decide if / when to leave.
I’m sticking around in this party – however sucky it gets – because I know I can leave anytime.
Time to teach people to not feel trapped.
It is time for the taboo about suicide to end. I have no doubt that it contributes to the sense of being trapped that many people who consider suicide feel.
The fact is we each do have the power to end our lives – we should have the legal right to also. It should not be criminalised.
That is not to say other forms of intervention are not necessary – if someone is being abused and decides to not commit suicide, the abuse still needs to stop and the trauma of that still needs to be resolved.
We must still talk more about how we feel with open hearts and open minds and people who need treatment should still have it. This metaphor of being able to leave the party is only a part of the bigger picture of care for all of us.
I think that without being released from this sense of being trapped, all therapy is similar to asking a bird to live more happily in its cage.
This might have triggered you.
Yes, suicide is a sensitive subject.
People who have lost loved ones and are dealing with the grief and inexplicable nature of it all might feel angry about reading what I have written. That’s OK – lets talk about it.
I offer my words as someone on the same path as their loved ones but who has found a way to manage it differently. Perhaps it might help someone.
Imagine you had a goal – perhaps to lose weight or to learn a skill, or even to build some capacity/capability as a person, team, company or country.
Lets call that goal ‘B’ and your starting point – now – is ‘A’.
The sharp angle path
Now imagine you did very little towards getting to ‘B’ until one day when ‘B’ stops being a nice-to-have and , instead, becomes a must-have. I call that day or the event triggering that realisation ‘a sharp turn event’.
So now you’re scrambling, stressing and enduring a massive disruption to everything so you can start heading towards ‘B’ and you needed to be there yesterday.
An example of a sharp turn event is cancer, a heart attack i.e it happens and to reduce the chances of it happening again or as severely – you start to eat better, exercise, cut out smoking and excessive drinking.
Other examples might be being mocked for being overweight or a global pandemic.
The arc path
Now imagine you are in exactly the same starting point and the goal remains unchanged. But instead of doing very little about getting to ‘B’, every day you did something tangible towards the goal and you kept the goal alive by checking if those things you did got you closer and adjusted as you went.
Sharp turn events are not entirely eradicated on this path, but their negative effects can be significantly reduced. You are already some way to the goal, you are on the path.
An example might losing your livelihood whilst pursuing a goal of saving for a home and choosing to live frugally whilst you were saving – being lean. Of course, it seems calamitous that you have lost your job – but given how you are living as you pursued the goal, you are in a better position to weather the disruption vs someone who lived extravagantly (even if they had the same goal as you!).
Arcs are softer but build habit and resilience.
Some thoughts on arcs and sharp angles…
Arcs require diligence and deliberate action to the goal – not huge steps, but small ones, consistently taken.
Sharp angle paths are easy – you don’t have to do anything but wish and occasionally lie to yourself and others that you are doing something.
The longer you leave a goal without working towards it, the sharper and more disruptive the turn. Sometimes, you can leave it too late you pass a point beyond which that exact goal is unattainable and you have to pick another that is within you then-current abilities. E.g. I want to buy a home in 2 years time. I need to save €50,000 for a deposit. The sooner I start the more likely I will be able to do it. If I leave it until, say, a month before I wanted to buy the home – I would have to find €50k in 1 month – an almost impossible task for most people not robbing banks. So maybe you now have to set a goal to buy a house in 5 years vs 2 or not buy at all.
Arcs require regular reflection and calibration that what you are doing is still valid towards the goal. You might even question if the goal is still valid.
Critically reviewing your goals can shine a light on what potential sharp turn events might happen. e.g. if my goal was to save €50k in 2 years, an obvious sharp turn event is that I could lose my job. That might lead me down the path of developing side gigs that build resilience to my finances.
In closing, I am no expert in this and I’m not selling any ‘improve your life’ crap. I am simply introspecting into events and paths in my life and things I see around me.
The coronavirus pandemic has shown us that many – if not all – countries have been fixated on either the wrong goals or have not acted in an arc way towards the right goals and we find ourselves in a sharp turn event where the world is mostly unprepared for massive unemployment coupled with a lack of digital tech for everything from government to education.
What are your thoughts on this theory? Please disagree with it and lets explore it further.
This highly inspiring man who could, by all accounts, be sitting in his wealth, isolated from everything that is going on in the world, is instead on an audacious mission to help ONE BILLION people figure out and focus on their happiness.
Not only for themselves, but to significantly shift the narrative we are all putting out into the world – specifically to shift what data machines learn from.
I love this and I’m going to help.
What’s not to love? Help people prioritise and invest in their happiness leading to happier lives and help a better world data stream that machines can learn from.
I’m in.
Over the next 3 months, I want to run an experiment:
I will invite 8 people to join a ~30 minute video call where we will explore what happiness means to each of us and how we each invest in it.
Each person invited commits to run another 8 person meetup – online or offline, in exactly the same way, discussing exactly the same topic. And so on.
If my math is right (it’s basically 8^10) and the plan works, in 10 weeks, over ONE BILLION people will have met. No repeats, no strain on organisers.
Just a simple 30 minute conversation.
Each person will have invested about 1 hour to create such an impact – 30 minutes as a guest, 30 minutes as a host.
Here is my simple projection:
Thank you for being willing to help with this experiment and if you would like to be included in the invitation, please comment below.
I was recently in a dialogue with a client and the conversation turned to “Evil Scrum” and some previous negative experiences that some people had experienced.
They imposed velocity targets and demanded estimates a year in advance and then bashed people when those forecasts weren’t met
Now, I’m no big fan of Scrum or Kanban in the same way I’m no fan of the Catholic Church or any religious organisation. It’s not the tool that I object to per se – it is the commercial agenda and what it makes otherwise nice people do in order to profit from the tool.
However, I am deeply knowledgeable about Scrum and Kanban and the agile manifesto that broadly underpin the credentials of both as better ways to handle complex adaptive systems and work.
My response to the client group was this:
Even a bluebell could be used by a bully to bludgeon you to death.
Neither of these process frameworks advocate any kind of violence to anyone. But they provide the hooks by which the brutish minded can exact violence on some people.
There was consensus in the room that this misuse of process and power e.g. Evil Scrum (could as well be Evil Kanban / SAFe / LeSS / whatever – was often worse than no process.
So my assertion is that those who get what they want through bullying others will try it with whatever tool they can find. From process, to working conditions and contracts to , yes, even bluebells.
It has been the maddest 10 days of my life and I’ve had plenty mad.
Time to reflect on this LinkyBrain thing – taking in all the feedback that’s rolling in from chats, blog posts and spontaneous conversations and I’d like to share them.
Here are my reflections, 10 days in.
LinkyBrains has touched on something profound
People from all kinds of backgrounds, jobs, ethnicities, genders are engaging with this. They want to share their experience, others just want to read and comment. Others still are volunteering to help – even as the plan of what needs help is emerging.
People are organising and meeting up and connecting.
The Core Are Committed
Every community/movement was started somewhere by someone.
This one started with 3 naked dancers – Doug, Alex and Chris.
It was joined by a follower – Mike (me) – now we are all dancing naked.
It is what it is.
We aren’t more important, we aren’t thought leaders, we sure as hell aren’t experts in anything remotely like this. ‘First’ doesn’t confer any more rights and privileges than ‘last’. What matters is being in the movement – everyone earns their respect from the things they choose to help with, and the impact they create.
We are simply naked dancers and we keep dancing and working to keep the dance growing. Join in.
We are walking a fine line. Inclusion vs Exclusivity
A really amazing article gave words to what many seemed to be thinking:
Is this some kind of self-congratulating, wealthy male party?
Is this another exclusive club for those who love talking about themselves – because we need that like a hole in the head?
Is this LinkyBrain vs non LinkyBrain?
No. It isn’t any of that.
The narratives so far seems to be dominated with stories/confessions of ‘look how great I turned out with these things that should have slowed me down’.
If that is all you read, it would paint a picture of exclusivity. But I see this differently.
Life is full of challenges, they are like tunnels.
Of course it can be hard for everyone but, for people who see the world differently from society’s normal range, it can be especially hard. That is what this movement is about – making it easier and helping those people contribute to the benefit of everyone.
Most of the confessions are from ‘Jubilant emergers’ – they’ve emerged from various tunnels and discovered ways to be happy and successful at navigating tunnels.
We are not hearing from anyone currently in a tunnel – confused with where they fit, struggling with school / work / life, being understood or however it manifests.
We are not hearing from those approaching a tunnel – who might not even know there are tunnels.
We are not hearing those who might not be facing the challenges themselves, but are supporting people who are. Their voices are important too.
Those groups aren’t often able to speak out and share their realities.
We must do better to find way to hear them. Help us.
We need to move beyond Jubilance to sharing ways to navigate tunnels with anyone just behind us. How did you cope with this, what did you actually do to address that fear etc.
Some abuse will happen
I remember seeing someone trying to sell underwear with the tag #metoo. It pissed me off.
There will always be people trying to promote a personal agenda with any movement – however noble the cause is. That is just what it is. There’s nothing I can do about that beyond doing my best and remain committed to the bigger picture.
The Good Will Shine Through
We – me and the emerging LinkyBrains community – are going to keep encouraging the good, the humanity in us all, the positive. We will continue to help stories emerge, help people connect and do their best work for the benefit of everyone.
I am an unwavering believer in the fundamental goodness of people and that will carry our efforts to everywhere in the world. It will quieten the negativity and amplify the goodness.
What Now?
You have simple decisions to make :
Help or not.
Join the dance or watch from the sidelines – pointing and laughing while we change the world.
Helping is easier than you imagine – just some easy things you can do now!
Comment and share this
Publish something – share a story, ask a question, be skeptical
Twenty seven years ago, in a small but important town in southern Nigeria, two teenage boys – bored with revising for their GCSEs – succumbed to the temptation of ‘guaranteeing the outcome’ of their Chemistry exam.
As with any situation with demand, supply always rises to meet it. As such, both boys independently went off to acquire the exam paper from different sources.
A few days later, they jubilantly reunited – each with their exam paper – suitably contained in large brown envelopes. As each boy opened his envelope and read the questions to see how well they were prepared, the first student commented that one of the questions didn’t make sense, thus prompting the second boy to look at the question.
Before too long, both boys looked at the papers side by side in disbelief. Both papers seemed identical on the front page but as soon as the pages were turned, the questions were completely different.
If they were different to each other, were either the correct paper or were both actually just passable fakes.
Despite their unscrupulous intentions, lady luck smiled on the boys. They still had a week before the exam and, to put it mildly, resumed revising with unquestionable focus.
One of those boys was me. I remembered I paid 70 Naira for my fake exam papers, at the time that was about £20.
That was the first and ultimately the last time I ever tried to cheat – neither in an exam or in any dealings with anyone.
Lessons to live by
That experience held some powerful lessons for a young person to learn, namely:
That some things are too good to be true – especially when the alternative is hard work. That the time you spend chasing the quick win is valuable time being ‘stolen’ from working hard on the surer win.
Something quite tremendous happened in addition to the lesson – I developed a strong principle of not cheating and not tolerating it from anyone else.
This is not to say don’t look for shortcuts – because there are some. But rather, invest in looking for the honest ones, that don’t compromise your principles. Of course, if you don’t have that principle then none of this matters.
What experiences and lessons about cheating have you had? Or what principles have you developed from your own experiences – I’d love to hear them.
I love to take my dog – Maya – for walks and she loves it when I throw for her and she fetches. A long throw really helps her open up the speed!
As I took her for a walk this morning, I brought with us one of her ‘throw and chew’ balls. Much like a tennis ball but squidgier.
Usually I throw rocks for her and I have a pretty long throw – but despite my usual effort, this ball didn’t travel as far.
Now, it was substantially larger than a stone and almost perfectly spherical – looking picture perfect to throw, but it lacked density and this is why it didn’t make the most of the strength with which it was hurled. In fact, sometimes it only travelled a few meters! Needless to say, Maya was none too pleased.
It got me thinking
I believe that Life, the Universe and the force that is greater than us all, seems to want to propel us to great heights towards what we wish for ourselves, but what do we bring to this ambition to help it along?
If life presents an opportunity to propel a person forward – perhaps to greater learning and prosperity, how does that person get themselves in a position to maximise how far they travel?
As I pondered this, I wondered if the density or substance of the rock was more suitable to be propelled than the ball – which ‘looked’ like the best thing to be propelled.
What is the substance of a person that helps them make the most of the propulsion that life offers? Seems to me that by the time the opportunity arrives, there is likely very little a person can do to acquire the skills to make the most of that particular gift. So it seems substance is a set of general characteristics and capabilities.
Here’s a list of attributes that I think count as ‘substance’ by which a person ‘goes far’.
Integrity – being true to your word and being guided by your principles.
Being good to work with – being respectful of others, open to collaboration.
Being adaptable – anticipating and responding elegantly to change,
Learning what they need to – and quickly.
Being generous – with their time, knowledge and resources.
Being open – in mind and of heart.
Persistence – knowing when to push on (and pushing on) and when to pull out.
I’m sure this is not exhaustive but what do you think?
Do you agree with my list, can you think of any more?
How does one develop these capacities to be a person of substance?
