i've learned that several of my relatives in pakistan think of me as an extremist. i'm no extremist! i only pretend to be an extremist... no i'm kidding!! i don't pretend to be anything. ...i AM quite traditional. meaning: ...1- i acknowledge the traditions of my parents and ancestors; ...2- i appreciate those traditions; ...3- i try to understand them; ...4- i try to follow those that seem to be relevant to making my life better.... by better, i mean: more grounded and happy!
* i do think that there are some major forces at work that are causing instability in the world around us. among the desi muslims i know in america: some people find security from this instability in the outward symbols of religion. some find it in superficial indo-pak culture. for me i guess its tradition. real tradition.... but my tradition and religious identity was not by choice, i just grew up in it. and sometime around the age of 18, i began to appreciate it. but i also try to understand the "why and how" of it, so that i can make the necessary adjustments to it, to keep it relevent to my life as an american. this includes my religion. i try to gain knowledge of it. i try to follow it, but am not a zeleot for all of its outward symbols. maybe, the relatives in pakistan think of me as more traditional because they compare me to themselves. in my trips to pakistan, I found that I had read much more than many of them about our religion and culture. They form an active part of my conscious identity. For many in pakistan its passive, being from india or being muslim is taken for granted, its only natural.... but because i'm more passionate about my religious identity then them, I can see why they would think I was MORE traditional and hence probably extreme. But a Fact remains... My side of the clan really IS more traditional. I think of a family chart i created several years ago.... There were a bunch of Naqvi sisters a few generations up: one married an Alavi, one married a Kureshi, one married an Abassi, and one married an Usmani... Abbasi and Usmani were my great grandparents...Usmani was Mufti-e-Azam of Hyderabad and very religious, much more traditional then any of the other names i mentioned. Its something I'm proud of. My grandmother is his daughter. My mother is his grand daughter. the force...uh, i mean the tradition, runs quite strong in my family.... But i don't think this make me extreme. It DOES mean that i grew up with much more religion and tradition than other relatives, Eventhough i was in America, most probably because I was in America.... ahhh, and this leads me to another possible reason why i guess they think of me as more traditional then i am. Most of my relatives have a stereotype of how liberal a pakistani becomes in America. I don't fit that stereotype. plus, there is a slight difference how i am among my elders and how i am among my close friends. i maintain a certain amount of adab when i'm with elders. so this porbably adds to their perception of me as more traditional then other americans.
Monday, April 25, 2005
Thursday, April 21, 2005
consumerism
Omri mamu said "There was a time when one went to Lahore and knew he was there before he could see the nametag of the city on the Railway Station. I don’t think that may be true anymore. For that matter, I don’t think that may be true for other metros of Pakistan also and is trickling down to our other ‘exotic’ locations. The individualities of the places, attitudes, cultures, etc. are the victims of ‘Commercialism’ running amuck."...
The individualities of a place consist of what:
... 1: first the physical characteristics -
- race and ethnicity of the people and the language they use to communicate;
- then the local resources available to make shelter, clothing, food.
... 2: next the cultural characteristics -
- what they do to “socialize”relax, recreate, and celebrate (music, sport, festivities, etc);
- how they govern their communites (family and government structure, etc);
- what they do to earn a living using the local resources (industries, commerce, services, etc);
- how they transmit their shared knowledge and language to each other and to their children (literature, arts and sciences)
... from among the above, what exactly is the victim of “commercialism” and how?
how is he defining “commercialism”?
... dictionary.com gives me three:
... 1-The practices, methods, aims, and spirit of commerce or business.
... 2-An attitude that emphasizes tangible profit or success.
... 3-transactions (sales and purchases) having the objective of supplying commodities (goods and services).
this last one is from princeton university.
... -The last definition does not exclude it from being different in different regions. A form commercialism can exist within any individual community that operates through buying and selling. It is neither positive or negative for a community, it is neutral. But if it is accompanied by an attitude that emphasizes profits or success, I can see how someone would consider it positive or negative. But what if the individual community already had the idea of profit as a part of its culture? An argument can be made that the community’s commercialism, is a part of its individuality.
... -Sure, I can see how when the commodities being sold go from being regional ones to ones supplied from outside the region, it can cause a decrease in the distinctiveness of the community given to it by the region’s resources and its own people.
... -There are natural upheavals like catastrophes—earthquakes, volcanic eruptions come to mind—that are non-controllable phenomena. Commercialism can also be categorized in just such a way, can’t it?
... -I can understand how a drastic change in the natural environment can change the regional resources available to buy and sell, build with, make clothing with, and make food with. or how a disaster can wipe out a significant portion of an ethnicity in a region. This obviously has effects on the physical characteristics that give a region its individuality and distinctness. And yes much of it is beyond control. and will most likely cause a “paradigm shift".
... -But, to claim that “commercialism” is similarly uncontrollable might be a stretch. I need more information to understand what he means. How is “commercialism” uncontrollable? As long there is a demand for a product there will be commerce for that product. So I can see how it can never really be eliminated, but I can see many ways that it can be controlled. Didn’t soviets do it? Don’t Cuba and North Korea do it now?
... -They all cause a paradigm shift in the way people think, live, socialize. The shift manifests itself ruthlessly like it has a mind of its own and doesn’t care whether anybody likes it or not. It has an edge to it like someone saying, “so sue me!”
Sure, I agree, often a change in thinking fed by uncontrollable events is so pervasive that one person or even small groups of people can do nothing much to counter its effects. There was a similar paradigm shift in the thoughts of most average americans after the events of 9/11, it was a paradigm shift involving they way they viewed security as opposed to liberty......
Omri mamu claims that "Initially, it was the five-star hotel chains that led the way."
... -What about Coke and Pepsi? What about Toyota and Suzuki? I think there were many goods and services that came from outside Pakistan, long before the hotel chains. Now, there is a tendency to ignore the particular goods and services that Karachites sell to other regions within Pakistan, or Lahorians sell to Balochistinians, or Kashmirites sell to Peshawaristaninians. And aside from it being local or alien, does it make a difference if the product is branded by a maker who has incorporated him/her/itself as a protection from liability? Should preference be given to the unincorporated local product maker?
... -Now, about brands. It was a natural evolution of commerce to figure out that a logo and a brand can help sell something. Is this inherently an evil thing? When technological advancements enabled the creation of photography, radio, television, and internet, should sellers be denied the use of these to sell legitimate goods and services? What if the maker of the branded product is local and unincorporated? What if the selling of these goods and services brings much needed economic growth to a stagnant region?
... -What if the local product made from regional resources is not able to brand itself and thus sells less? Does this mean that controls must be placed on goods from outside the region? What if the local product is of bad quality? Does the elimination of competition, by better products from outside, give the local brand the incentive to improve? What measures should be put in place to ensure an improved local product, a local product that does not get drowned out by the brand from outside that has more name recognition and more money for research and development of its product? Should I simply stop asking these types of questions, bail out from the system, and simply advocate a non-commercial counter-cultural lifestyle that reinforces a possession free non-competitive regionalism?
... -However, it was only the privileged and the elite who felt the ‘uniqueness of total offer.’ That was followed by the phenomena of satellite television and fast food chains. When this happened, as they say, all heck broke loose. Now when one goes out of Karachi to any other metro city in Pakistan or vice versa, one is apt to not get the distinct impression that one is in a different city.
Omri mamu also claims that "Progressively, the chances are that it will get worse."
... -I think it helps if we don’t think of it as getting better or worse. I think we must see it as a natural evolution of human life, commerce being a part of it. The choice is clear: become like a Dubai, a place with little local distinctiveness other then the desert environment on its outskirts, or retain some of the distinctiveness that comes from not only your natural environment but also from earlier traditional practices. Local leaders, elite, artists, teachers, must instill a pride of their regional environment and cultural traditions. Local corporations must produce quality products that take advantage of regional characteristics but don’t harm the region. Local governments must encourage and support local industry so locals have a means of employment. The people must build and hold accountable a strong independent justice system to hold corporations liable for lying about a product, and the damage a product causes. Ha! Easier said then done Asad!
... -OK OK, I’m afraid chances are that it will “get worse”. People continue to get suckered into buying products from outside that cause physical harm and a loss of distinctiveness of culture. People do not develop a pride of their region, and instead destroy it through pollution, mismanagement, and exploitation. But all is not lost, this can be countered, by those willing and able to become the type of parents that continue positive traditions and pass them down to their children. Liberal individuals can complain about loss of identity and distinctiveness all they want, but it is meaningless unless they are willing to accept tradition and the role it plays in perpetuating a culture. I think Commerce and Tradition can probably co exist and balance each other. Being too rigid in tradition suffocates a peoples ability to survive in a constantly evolving world, and Being too commercial makes one nothing but a shallow tool. Being both makes us distinctive and our distinctiveness may help give us a competitive edge in certain global markets.
The individualities of a place consist of what:
... 1: first the physical characteristics -
- race and ethnicity of the people and the language they use to communicate;
- then the local resources available to make shelter, clothing, food.
... 2: next the cultural characteristics -
- what they do to “socialize”relax, recreate, and celebrate (music, sport, festivities, etc);
- how they govern their communites (family and government structure, etc);
- what they do to earn a living using the local resources (industries, commerce, services, etc);
- how they transmit their shared knowledge and language to each other and to their children (literature, arts and sciences)
... from among the above, what exactly is the victim of “commercialism” and how?
how is he defining “commercialism”?
... dictionary.com gives me three:
... 1-The practices, methods, aims, and spirit of commerce or business.
... 2-An attitude that emphasizes tangible profit or success.
... 3-transactions (sales and purchases) having the objective of supplying commodities (goods and services).
this last one is from princeton university.
... -The last definition does not exclude it from being different in different regions. A form commercialism can exist within any individual community that operates through buying and selling. It is neither positive or negative for a community, it is neutral. But if it is accompanied by an attitude that emphasizes profits or success, I can see how someone would consider it positive or negative. But what if the individual community already had the idea of profit as a part of its culture? An argument can be made that the community’s commercialism, is a part of its individuality.
... -Sure, I can see how when the commodities being sold go from being regional ones to ones supplied from outside the region, it can cause a decrease in the distinctiveness of the community given to it by the region’s resources and its own people.
... -There are natural upheavals like catastrophes—earthquakes, volcanic eruptions come to mind—that are non-controllable phenomena. Commercialism can also be categorized in just such a way, can’t it?
... -I can understand how a drastic change in the natural environment can change the regional resources available to buy and sell, build with, make clothing with, and make food with. or how a disaster can wipe out a significant portion of an ethnicity in a region. This obviously has effects on the physical characteristics that give a region its individuality and distinctness. And yes much of it is beyond control. and will most likely cause a “paradigm shift".
... -But, to claim that “commercialism” is similarly uncontrollable might be a stretch. I need more information to understand what he means. How is “commercialism” uncontrollable? As long there is a demand for a product there will be commerce for that product. So I can see how it can never really be eliminated, but I can see many ways that it can be controlled. Didn’t soviets do it? Don’t Cuba and North Korea do it now?
... -They all cause a paradigm shift in the way people think, live, socialize. The shift manifests itself ruthlessly like it has a mind of its own and doesn’t care whether anybody likes it or not. It has an edge to it like someone saying, “so sue me!”
Sure, I agree, often a change in thinking fed by uncontrollable events is so pervasive that one person or even small groups of people can do nothing much to counter its effects. There was a similar paradigm shift in the thoughts of most average americans after the events of 9/11, it was a paradigm shift involving they way they viewed security as opposed to liberty......
Omri mamu claims that "Initially, it was the five-star hotel chains that led the way."
... -What about Coke and Pepsi? What about Toyota and Suzuki? I think there were many goods and services that came from outside Pakistan, long before the hotel chains. Now, there is a tendency to ignore the particular goods and services that Karachites sell to other regions within Pakistan, or Lahorians sell to Balochistinians, or Kashmirites sell to Peshawaristaninians. And aside from it being local or alien, does it make a difference if the product is branded by a maker who has incorporated him/her/itself as a protection from liability? Should preference be given to the unincorporated local product maker?
... -Now, about brands. It was a natural evolution of commerce to figure out that a logo and a brand can help sell something. Is this inherently an evil thing? When technological advancements enabled the creation of photography, radio, television, and internet, should sellers be denied the use of these to sell legitimate goods and services? What if the maker of the branded product is local and unincorporated? What if the selling of these goods and services brings much needed economic growth to a stagnant region?
... -What if the local product made from regional resources is not able to brand itself and thus sells less? Does this mean that controls must be placed on goods from outside the region? What if the local product is of bad quality? Does the elimination of competition, by better products from outside, give the local brand the incentive to improve? What measures should be put in place to ensure an improved local product, a local product that does not get drowned out by the brand from outside that has more name recognition and more money for research and development of its product? Should I simply stop asking these types of questions, bail out from the system, and simply advocate a non-commercial counter-cultural lifestyle that reinforces a possession free non-competitive regionalism?
... -However, it was only the privileged and the elite who felt the ‘uniqueness of total offer.’ That was followed by the phenomena of satellite television and fast food chains. When this happened, as they say, all heck broke loose. Now when one goes out of Karachi to any other metro city in Pakistan or vice versa, one is apt to not get the distinct impression that one is in a different city.
Omri mamu also claims that "Progressively, the chances are that it will get worse."
... -I think it helps if we don’t think of it as getting better or worse. I think we must see it as a natural evolution of human life, commerce being a part of it. The choice is clear: become like a Dubai, a place with little local distinctiveness other then the desert environment on its outskirts, or retain some of the distinctiveness that comes from not only your natural environment but also from earlier traditional practices. Local leaders, elite, artists, teachers, must instill a pride of their regional environment and cultural traditions. Local corporations must produce quality products that take advantage of regional characteristics but don’t harm the region. Local governments must encourage and support local industry so locals have a means of employment. The people must build and hold accountable a strong independent justice system to hold corporations liable for lying about a product, and the damage a product causes. Ha! Easier said then done Asad!
... -OK OK, I’m afraid chances are that it will “get worse”. People continue to get suckered into buying products from outside that cause physical harm and a loss of distinctiveness of culture. People do not develop a pride of their region, and instead destroy it through pollution, mismanagement, and exploitation. But all is not lost, this can be countered, by those willing and able to become the type of parents that continue positive traditions and pass them down to their children. Liberal individuals can complain about loss of identity and distinctiveness all they want, but it is meaningless unless they are willing to accept tradition and the role it plays in perpetuating a culture. I think Commerce and Tradition can probably co exist and balance each other. Being too rigid in tradition suffocates a peoples ability to survive in a constantly evolving world, and Being too commercial makes one nothing but a shallow tool. Being both makes us distinctive and our distinctiveness may help give us a competitive edge in certain global markets.
Thursday, April 7, 2005
the siddiqui way
just some more thinking out loud. I’d drafted some rules for success in theworld of small business. After thinking about it somemore, I’m narrowing the focus to the world of professional service firms. I’m also making them more personal, they are rules that I’m now setting for myself. I say "setting" because i can see my deficiencies and know the following things have to be sustained for continued success, inshallah. here’s a revised version with explanations: Working for a living requires interaction with others. To have lasting relationships with others. I need to... 1-Be Selfless: Consider the needs of others. Seek the welfare of my family, friends, neighborhood, clients, industry, and environment; in that order. Be there to help be a part of the solution when i'm called on. The service I provide and the way I provide it should not cause harm. I believe being good opens doors; or at least it may clear my sight enough to see the doors that I need to open... 2-Be Trustworthy: Hire people I can Trust. Often in the world of professional firms, the client will hire the services of my firm because of me. There are many small firms that offer similar services but the client may hire mine because of who I am. The client is placing a trust in me, not just my company. The work done by my employees has a direct impact on my reputation. A small firm has a more personal working environment, where the technicians and staff are often directly visible to the executives. There can be no shifting of blame by the executives. In a small business there is no excuse for bad work. The executives are directly to blame for the failure to meet requirements. So, if I am an executive or a manager, I need to be able to trust the staff; that they are in fact doing what is required of them when I am not looking. They need to trust me; that I am not using them for my own gain without any consideration for their needs. The employer/employee relationship requires trust. Trustworthiness is the most important characteristic to look for when hiring. Not family, Not religion. Just because people have the same blood or pray to the same God, does not mean they are trustworthy. But often, the people I can trust most are family and friends. That doesn’t mean they make the ideal employee. Showing favoritism to some employees over others undermines the trust they place in me... Working for a living requires doing work. To compete in the world of professional service firms. I need to... 3-Be Motivated: Want to do it. Have the drive required to provide the service and run the business; the drive to accomplish the task. Be the first one in and last one out. Being motivated is not like being selfless and trustworthy. Being motivated is not related to my actions towards others. Being motivated is a state of mind. It comes and goes. When I have it I will succeed... 4-Be Professional: Do it right. The work I am being contracted to do needs to be done according to the standards set by the industry. The client is expecting professional work when a professional is hired. The way I deal with my employees should be professional. They are expecting to be compensated for the work they do, on time, and with the benefits that are common to the industry. Being professional is about the actual work, and the actual running of the business, not people. Being professional is not like being selfless or trustworthy. Being professional is not like being motivated. In fact, it requires motivation. Being professional is based on the knowledge and skills that I acquire through a class, a teacher, a mentor, or a book... Working for a living requires a paper trail. To have a trouble free relationship with clients. I need to... 5-Get every thing in writing... 6-Follow up on invoices... Just because I am trustworthy does not mean my clients are. These two rules deal with specificactions that must be done before and after the work is done. For these actions to be successful I need assistance from other professionals. People who study law and accounting need to be tapped. These two rules also require systems and structures to be set up in the company to ensure that they are done. Having some management skills helps... Working for a living can become a drag. To have happiness and relieve the stress of running abusiness. I need to... 7-Enjoy the Profits... Spread the wealth. Give the employee who deserves it a bonus. There are things I and my employees want to do besides work, things that bring joy to life, to family, to friends, to community. Do them before death. That's the lesson I learned from my father. I will call these rules: "THE SIDDIQUI WAY"
Saturday, April 2, 2005
never hire a muslim?!?
last weekend, during dinner at the Longhorn Muslim Reunion, as we divided into career groups, i was asked what i have to say about being a business man. As one of dude's i was talking to lives in Middle-Of-Nowhere, America. He feels that Muslims should help each other more. I replied by saying: "rule No.1 of running a business:Don't hire Muslims!! it makes trying to get anything done on friday's impossible!" He looked upset... confused... How can someone he knew to be an awesome leader of the best Muslim Students Association in any american university say something like this!?! (yes, I said AWESOME!)... A former roommate of mine added something about family. I then corrected myself: "OH! Yes! I'm such a fool, FAMILY... Nevermind what i said before, Scratch it! New Rule No.1... Don't hire Family!! Rule No.2... Don't hire Muslims!" The confused dude looked even more shocked by the turn this conversation was taking... I said I was absolutely serious. To do business with family or muslims differently just because they are that, only means you are relaxing your professional standards and will later get kicked in the ass. If it goes bad you will be the one considered bad family or greedy muslim. never compromise your professional standards!... They asked me when the book was coming out? Hey, first I'd have to make up some more rules. no one would pay me good money for a two line book!! and so... i went on to elaborate on the rules for success in the stressfull world of small business. imagine the cover: a big 2 with a slash through it and a small 5 written next to it by hand also slashed out with a smaller 7 written next to that... "RULES FOR SUCCESS IN SMALL BUSINESS" by Asad I. Siddiqui... The Accidental Business Man! Now... I present to you a rough outline of my rules: - Rule No.1: There is no Fight Club no really... Rule No.1: Be a Good Human Being... - Rule No.2: Be Professional in what you Do... - Rule No.3: Say No to Family and Friendship ties... - Rule No.4: Say No to Religious ties... - Rule No.5: Get Everything in Writing... - Rule No.6: Follow up on Invoices... - Rule No.7: Enjoy the Profits... (when in doubt, refer to rule 1 and 2) No MBA required!!... they are completely obvious rules, completely common sence, but so easy to fall into temptation and ignore... i know them because i see the consequences of violating them every single day! peace and love.
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