1. What's really good and green in food... a GREAT guide that I've started using for food.
2. A refreshing look at the new MBAs, who actually have a conscience and believe in changing the world in the right way.
3. Is venture funding really the best way to get funding for your startup?? Maybe there's a better system.
4. Recycling bins from around the world.
5. How two friends built a $100M company for household cleaning products.
Showing posts with label guide. Show all posts
Showing posts with label guide. Show all posts
Friday, April 10, 2009
Monday, April 14, 2008
The White People's Guide to Development (TWPGtD) #5
Part 5 from guest blogger Victoria. Again, to jog your memory, here are the first four TWPGtDs:
1. Remember that old saying, "If you haven't got anything nice to say, don't say anything at all"?: Practice tact in your speech.
2. Discern what [behaviors, superstitions, objects] hold special significance and is sacred to the locals, and act accordingly. Discriminate more, be discerning. Practice tact in your behavior.
3. Learn the pace of time in that culture. Quit being so up-tight. Take a chill pill.
4. Socialism and Sharing. Your kindergarten lessons will come in handy...SHARE everything!
And now...
#5 The Rigidity of Truth; The Role of Exaggeration and Story-Telling.
Take a lesson from the Pope! :-) (source: cartoonstock.com)
The white liberals who jump into development and NGO work tend to be terrible at the cadence of poetry, arts and story telling, which is so integral to traditional cultures and the feeling of belonging to a closer more intimate unit. Maybe it comes from the practice of sitting around a bonfire and listening to revered grandparents, but it's something lost in modernity these days. Sometimes details will be exaggerated for comedic effect, or at least to keep the audience rapt attentively. Most of the time, it doesn't do any harm, but puritanical and record-keeping whites always tend to spoil the fun by fact-checking and causing the story-teller considerable humiliation by holding him/her accountable to his/her version of the event.
If you are serious about going into the field, you should try to tell something about your family without jumping on the "lies" of the stories of locals. Practice discretion and know when to keep your mouth shut. This isn't a Western courtroom, and exaggerations and inconsistencies are to be expected. And in certain cultures it's actually self-absorbed to not add in a light-hearted personal anecdote of your own. It isn't that you're incompetent, it's just that you tend to see revelations as inappropriate intimacy, you tend to jump into debates and cross examinations, which isn't what conversation is about. Flawless logic has its role sometimes, but for so many cultures it must be tempered with parables from the holy script, or passages from respected fables. Oh, and if they make a joke at your expense, learn to take a joke...
1. Remember that old saying, "If you haven't got anything nice to say, don't say anything at all"?: Practice tact in your speech.
2. Discern what [behaviors, superstitions, objects] hold special significance and is sacred to the locals, and act accordingly. Discriminate more, be discerning. Practice tact in your behavior.
3. Learn the pace of time in that culture. Quit being so up-tight. Take a chill pill.
4. Socialism and Sharing. Your kindergarten lessons will come in handy...SHARE everything!
And now...
#5 The Rigidity of Truth; The Role of Exaggeration and Story-Telling.
Take a lesson from the Pope! :-) (source: cartoonstock.com)
The white liberals who jump into development and NGO work tend to be terrible at the cadence of poetry, arts and story telling, which is so integral to traditional cultures and the feeling of belonging to a closer more intimate unit. Maybe it comes from the practice of sitting around a bonfire and listening to revered grandparents, but it's something lost in modernity these days. Sometimes details will be exaggerated for comedic effect, or at least to keep the audience rapt attentively. Most of the time, it doesn't do any harm, but puritanical and record-keeping whites always tend to spoil the fun by fact-checking and causing the story-teller considerable humiliation by holding him/her accountable to his/her version of the event.
If you are serious about going into the field, you should try to tell something about your family without jumping on the "lies" of the stories of locals. Practice discretion and know when to keep your mouth shut. This isn't a Western courtroom, and exaggerations and inconsistencies are to be expected. And in certain cultures it's actually self-absorbed to not add in a light-hearted personal anecdote of your own. It isn't that you're incompetent, it's just that you tend to see revelations as inappropriate intimacy, you tend to jump into debates and cross examinations, which isn't what conversation is about. Flawless logic has its role sometimes, but for so many cultures it must be tempered with parables from the holy script, or passages from respected fables. Oh, and if they make a joke at your expense, learn to take a joke...
Sunday, April 13, 2008
The White People's Guide to Development (TWPGtD) #3 revisited
If you recall TWPGtD #3 was "Learn the Pace of the Culture." Today, Chris Blattman concisely summarizes a recent thread on the subject opened by the BBC, entitled African Time. I highly recommend you read both the thread and his post on the subject (which is really just a summary).
The question is:
My favorite response is:
Read the rest of the comments here.
The question is:
Should we kill off African time ?
How many hours have you spent waiting around for people who are late? How many times have they eventually arrived, be it for an evening out or a business meeting, and instead of apologising, they've laughed it off and said "I thought we were going on African time"?
Africa has a bad reputation for time-keeping. African philosopher John S. Mbiti thinks the concept of time for Africans differs from that of the western world. Why is that?
Do you think this relaxed attitude to time is healthier and less stressful? Or is it holding Africa back? Is it part of our makeup to take things easy and not let the clock govern our lives? Send us your views.
My favorite response is:
Africa time is...waiting 30 years for a leadership change, waiting 20 days for a suspicious vote count, waiting months and years for SADC and the AU to condemn a dictator among their ranks, waiting for half a million Darfurians to die before sending in the peace keepers, waiting until a country has been bankrupted before taking action, waiting, watching, starving. Time to do something?
Read the rest of the comments here.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
The White People's Guide to Development #4
Part 4 of guest blogger Victoria's series. Just to jog your memories, here're points 1-3:
#4 Socialism and Sharing: Your things are the community's things
Learn from the little guy...share!! (photo credit: Melanga)
Don't panic, I'm not talking about communism. Traditional cultures mean big families, and extended relatives, half-cousins and great nieces and nephews. The impoverished community you spend time with is likely going to remain very medieval in their beliefs, and they might expect you, the rich visitor, to share everything you have. E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G. Sharing food. Sharing water. Sharing your pocket knife and compass, and your iPod.
In some communities, everybody is supposed to be equal. The flaunting of better things---particularly the REI premium goods and the waterproof map---is a source of resentment. Better to leave your best stuff at home unless you are prepared to pass it around to everyone. To those who believe in closing their purse strings after they've given what they've judged to be enough, working with communal-minded people can be frustrating. After all, if you don't fork up the best things you've got and you're supposed to be the person who has had the means, you violate a code of honor and sense of brotherhood that is meant to deem you a good member of the community. Best leave the nicer things at home, and prepare to donate and write off your "losses".
- Remember that old saying, "If you haven't got anything nice to say, don't say anything at all"?: Practice tact in your speech.
- Discern what [behaviors, superstitions, objects] hold special significance and is sacred to the locals, and act accordingly. Discriminate more, be discerning. Practice tact in your actions.
- Learn the pace of time in that culture. Quit being so up-tight.
#4 Socialism and Sharing: Your things are the community's things
Learn from the little guy...share!! (photo credit: Melanga)
Don't panic, I'm not talking about communism. Traditional cultures mean big families, and extended relatives, half-cousins and great nieces and nephews. The impoverished community you spend time with is likely going to remain very medieval in their beliefs, and they might expect you, the rich visitor, to share everything you have. E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G. Sharing food. Sharing water. Sharing your pocket knife and compass, and your iPod.
In some communities, everybody is supposed to be equal. The flaunting of better things---particularly the REI premium goods and the waterproof map---is a source of resentment. Better to leave your best stuff at home unless you are prepared to pass it around to everyone. To those who believe in closing their purse strings after they've given what they've judged to be enough, working with communal-minded people can be frustrating. After all, if you don't fork up the best things you've got and you're supposed to be the person who has had the means, you violate a code of honor and sense of brotherhood that is meant to deem you a good member of the community. Best leave the nicer things at home, and prepare to donate and write off your "losses".
Friday, April 11, 2008
The economies of international development
Don't alienate the people whose land you've come to visit or serve in! (source: kandyjaxx)
For a couple of weeks, I've been following Alanna Sheikh's excellent blog Blood and Milk. Now I may not necessarily agree with everything she says; but her posts are thought-provoking, and force learning and reflection.
Today she posted a very interesting short piece on the economies caused by international development organizations, called Dual Economies. It references another interesting article and I repeat here:
Expats clearly distort the market in the countries they inhabit. The labor market, the fancy restaurants. Distressingly often, the commercial sex workers. Chris Blattman has a nice post up on the phenomenon. He also likes to a UN report on the macroeconomic consequences of peacekeeping missions. I haven't read the report yet, but I plan to.
I have seen this as well, though I think the book that best showcased this issue well had nothing to do with international development. This was Elizabeth Gilbert's bestselling book Eat, Pray, Love. If you make it to the "Love" portion where she talks about 4 months in Bali where she had to decide between the expat community and the local Balinese (which if you were anything like me will be the day after you start reading!), you'll see how different the economies for the locals and the expats co-exist and barely mix.
Often, I've seen this as a source of annoyance...GREAT annoyance! This is for two reasons:
1. In international development, the point is for expats to mix with local cultures. If you don't mix then how will you know the people you are trying to reach?? (On a related note, maybe that's why so many programs fail!!)
2. It can culturally ruin a society.
As a child, I used to frequently visit this rural pilgrimage hub in southern India that was fairly quaint and quiet. In the past few years the place has been attracting a growing stream of international visitors, many who have bought property and are settling down there. Now when I go back to visit, I'm surprised by the economy of the place...on one hand its bustling; but the heart of the place has gone out. Thanks to the expats, property values have sky-rocketed. The number of restaurants catering to western tastebuds who cannot handle the spicy local fare has grown 20-fold, and each charges an arm-and-a-leg. The same can be said of the hotels/motels in the area. Now there are herbal spas, and godknowswhatelse. No one can afford to use or buy into this ultra economy, except for the ex-pats. To some extent, the local economy has benefited materially (particularly the beggars, who have also sky rocketed in number). But the people who are suffering most are the regular Indian visitors, who have been coming for years for spiritual benefit. They can't afford most of the facilities, and the traffic and noise of this once peaceful haven are detrimental to the soul of the place.
I've heard of other shady business stuff going on there as well- farmers being bullied out of land, drugs and other things coming into a place without the capacity to fight it off. So while the short-term gain from having this community of ex-pats in the area has been somewhat positive (it helps the local economy grow), the long-term gain has been negative.
This is just one example of the dual economies or the dueling economies, as I like to call them. I've usually been privy to the negatives of it, because I've seen great irresponsibility and it irks me (which is also why I post The White Man's Guide to Development series here). People need to be more responsible when they go into another country. Still there are positives of moves like this, as Chris and Alanna both point out.
Let me also say that there's a LARGE number of expats who are good and responsible, and might even get screwed as a result of being so good. Its the group of irresponsible ones who just make things hell for everyone, and somehow they can dominate these landscapes!!
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
The White People's Guide to Field Work: #3
Continuing on with guest blogger Victoria's series...
(source: http://www.jtrue.com/cartoons)
#3 Learn the pace of time in that culture.
Quit being so up-tight. You look like a storms a brewin' and there's steam coming out of your ears! Yeah I know they said they'd show up half an hour ago, and you're still waiting. Better fix yourself a cup of tea, you might be waiting an hour more... if they decide to show. For the rapid pace modern world, we are accustomed to a very linear and almost flat concept of time. Plus, the time-is-money mantra guarantees that waiting or stalling is "wasting time" and is reason alone to be irate and angry. Many philanthropists who grew up in hard-and-fast big cities come across as too abrasive to those who have never been.
No, no, no. This is barely acceptable for rude travelers, but in any sort of business or collective collaboration, it always leads to project failure on account of human relationships getting strained. Learning the kinder and gentler pace of time that pervades in Latin America and Asia will help make you seem more approachable, more worthy of their affection, and more easier to work with. Be firm on getting things done, and be accountable to what you do, but try to adjust your inner clocks to the local lull and the different sense of time. In religious cultures such as Islam or Tibetan Buddhist, where the idea of an afterlife is crucial and death is only a transient phase for the spirit, time may even take on an eternal bent. Respect this, and earn a whole lot more goodwill from the locals.
(source: http://www.jtrue.com/cartoons)
#3 Learn the pace of time in that culture.
Quit being so up-tight. You look like a storms a brewin' and there's steam coming out of your ears! Yeah I know they said they'd show up half an hour ago, and you're still waiting. Better fix yourself a cup of tea, you might be waiting an hour more... if they decide to show. For the rapid pace modern world, we are accustomed to a very linear and almost flat concept of time. Plus, the time-is-money mantra guarantees that waiting or stalling is "wasting time" and is reason alone to be irate and angry. Many philanthropists who grew up in hard-and-fast big cities come across as too abrasive to those who have never been.
No, no, no. This is barely acceptable for rude travelers, but in any sort of business or collective collaboration, it always leads to project failure on account of human relationships getting strained. Learning the kinder and gentler pace of time that pervades in Latin America and Asia will help make you seem more approachable, more worthy of their affection, and more easier to work with. Be firm on getting things done, and be accountable to what you do, but try to adjust your inner clocks to the local lull and the different sense of time. In religious cultures such as Islam or Tibetan Buddhist, where the idea of an afterlife is crucial and death is only a transient phase for the spirit, time may even take on an eternal bent. Respect this, and earn a whole lot more goodwill from the locals.
Friday, April 4, 2008
The White People's Guide to Field Work: #2
Part two of guest blogger Victoria's post.
source: www.coxandforkum.com
#2 Discern what [behaviors, superstitions, objects] hold special significance and is sacred to the locals, and act accordingly. Discriminate more, be discerning.
I don't restrict this to a religious sense. Beyond shamans and village sorcery, for many traditional cultures there is honor, love and communion attached to mealtimes, to beverages, to wearing clothes, to household cleaning, to certain days of the week, and seating order that the average white do-gooder doesn't appreciate or cannot instinctively feel.
This is because these social rules are observed and learned through socialization over years and since childhood, and in essence forms part of the common language within a society. Take for instance, the social significance and rules for photography, modesty, or whether shoes are allowed indoors. An accumulated amount of these faux pas will force the local to become defensive and angry and reject all things "tainted" by the white foreigner. The white person, if s/he tries earnestly, usually manages to learn a pidgin version of what is sacred, but even to an amateur his/her actions are normally fraught with embarrassing mishaps and sometimes serious offenses. The worst part is that because the white person is trying to help and unable to instinctively feel the guilt and shame of his/her blunder, s/he usually will not apologize to assuage the dishonor. As a result, a lot of developing regions will say: "We want American/European money, but we don't want their representatives," and it isn't to be curt. Truth is, fewer and fewer institutions (brotherly bonds, honoring a marriage for a lifetime, guarding one's reputation) are be-all sacred for modern Western society, particularly the ones where philanthropy is coming from.
This is me again (not Victoria). I have a great story to further illustrate this point. I remember after a particularly grueling field assignment, we had invited our local partners out to dinner with us at one of the expensive restaurants in town. It was to be a celebratory dinner for a job well-done. We were therefore very surprised when only one of the 20 people, the most senior of them all, showed up. When probed, she didn't say much except that they would all join us later for drinks. It was only at the end of dinner, when the bill came out that we learned the truth. Christine (name changed) had ordered the cheapest thing on the menu (again baffling) and had placed a set of bills that covered her meal neatly on the table. It was the first time I had seen this in a developing country (generally in these countries, when you invite someone, you pay for everything)! I asked her to put the money back and explain to us what was going on. It turned out that the NGO had been partnering with U.S organizations for some time and everytime the group went out, they only paid for themselves (a common American custom). The poor NGO workers would often shell out upto a month's salary on a single meal! This was why none of them had shown up; Christine had shown up out of politeness. Since then I've always carried extra money with me to cover for situations like this.
source: www.coxandforkum.com
#2 Discern what [behaviors, superstitions, objects] hold special significance and is sacred to the locals, and act accordingly. Discriminate more, be discerning.
I don't restrict this to a religious sense. Beyond shamans and village sorcery, for many traditional cultures there is honor, love and communion attached to mealtimes, to beverages, to wearing clothes, to household cleaning, to certain days of the week, and seating order that the average white do-gooder doesn't appreciate or cannot instinctively feel.
This is because these social rules are observed and learned through socialization over years and since childhood, and in essence forms part of the common language within a society. Take for instance, the social significance and rules for photography, modesty, or whether shoes are allowed indoors. An accumulated amount of these faux pas will force the local to become defensive and angry and reject all things "tainted" by the white foreigner. The white person, if s/he tries earnestly, usually manages to learn a pidgin version of what is sacred, but even to an amateur his/her actions are normally fraught with embarrassing mishaps and sometimes serious offenses. The worst part is that because the white person is trying to help and unable to instinctively feel the guilt and shame of his/her blunder, s/he usually will not apologize to assuage the dishonor. As a result, a lot of developing regions will say: "We want American/European money, but we don't want their representatives," and it isn't to be curt. Truth is, fewer and fewer institutions (brotherly bonds, honoring a marriage for a lifetime, guarding one's reputation) are be-all sacred for modern Western society, particularly the ones where philanthropy is coming from.
This is me again (not Victoria). I have a great story to further illustrate this point. I remember after a particularly grueling field assignment, we had invited our local partners out to dinner with us at one of the expensive restaurants in town. It was to be a celebratory dinner for a job well-done. We were therefore very surprised when only one of the 20 people, the most senior of them all, showed up. When probed, she didn't say much except that they would all join us later for drinks. It was only at the end of dinner, when the bill came out that we learned the truth. Christine (name changed) had ordered the cheapest thing on the menu (again baffling) and had placed a set of bills that covered her meal neatly on the table. It was the first time I had seen this in a developing country (generally in these countries, when you invite someone, you pay for everything)! I asked her to put the money back and explain to us what was going on. It turned out that the NGO had been partnering with U.S organizations for some time and everytime the group went out, they only paid for themselves (a common American custom). The poor NGO workers would often shell out upto a month's salary on a single meal! This was why none of them had shown up; Christine had shown up out of politeness. Since then I've always carried extra money with me to cover for situations like this.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
The white people's guide to field work: #1
This post is written by guest blogger Victoria (I'm just posting it for her). A couple of notes on her behalf: Victoria has just come back from a long field assignment where she dealt with a lot of well-meaning North Americans and Europeans repeatedly making the same stupid field mistakes. In order to send them out better prepared, she has put together these bits of wisdom.
The term "white" has nothing to do with skin color...it has more to do with the attitude of the person. Read on, and it'll come together...
Yeah, kinda like these folks! In case you can't see it, the sign says "JELLYFISH. Stings are painful. Stay out of the water." (source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/casch/)
White folks, it's hard to not accidentally be a douchebag when you're trying to do good out there, isn't it? I mean, it's not exactly easy to go to an entirely alien place and figure out all the cultural minefield while doing your project... and who knew that impoverished places could have a code of honor that is so different from our own?
This is a guest post written tongue-in-cheek for all the newbie white liberals we meet while gaining field experience. You mean well, we see that. You're trying your best, even while you bring your Bibles to convert starving locals. And sometimes, it's just hard to bring this stuff up, because, well, it's not easy to lecture you if you're the one bringing in all the funding, the expertise and the media. Besides, we've got our own cultural rules to abide by, and one of them is to not put your character flaws in your face.
Still, since most of the global NGO aid and philanthropy is coming from pockets of white coastal North America, Australia, England, Scandinavia and Northern Europe... and since most of that "help" that has largely gone to Africa has more or less crippled its economy and done one harm after another and wasted billions of dollars...I think it's safe to say that for the sake of Latin America and Asia, where more than half of the poorest poor still reside, we've got to mention something. How do I put it kindly: White culture misses some really obvious things that, if heeded, would put them on the same wavelength as those they are trying to assist or solve problems for. Quit being a blockhead out there....um, please, and thank you.
Here's a helpful behavior guide to field work and development. I know, I've got a heart of gold. No need to thank me, I do it for the children of Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Um, and, our sanity.
#1 Remember that old saying, "If you haven't got anything nice to say, don't say anything at all"? It probably holds a bit more true in the developing country than the one you come from, especially if you are received as a guest. As a rule of thumb, compliments will get you anywhere and a foul mouth will only gain you ill will from the locals.
I can't blame white people, every single thing you've ever learned in journalism class, science lab, or court rooms has been to exalt candor. You're supposed to question authority, drag out the dirty truth, find proof in shady dealings, and...what's that word again? "Transparency." This whole movement to question authority, to drag out the dirty truth. A lot of white people make it their civic duty to weasel out the problems, document the atrocities, photograph the horrors of poverty, pestilence and disease.
Still, remember two things: One, you are like a guest to someone's home. It is extremely rude to simply arrive to dig up dirt, be discreet! Two, every human being no matter how poor and how compromised has his/her pride to defend. National allegiance and their ego identity will force locals on the defensive. While places like Haiti may have more than its fair portion of violence, corruption and tragedies, its people will still be proud to be Haitian and resent the guest who doesn't know how to act gracious. Because even when nothing seems to be going right, they still wish to put the best foot forward to the public.
Practice tact and be very cautious not to always seek the sensationalist stuff to report, to photograph, to remember.That involves what you are most interested in: the homeless, the befallen, the environmental outrage, the disease-ridden, the sufferers. The same goes for gruesome deaths and private moments. Remember: they themselves are not proud of this. It is usually bad form for the foreign visitors to criticize; and even worse to base their entire assumption of the country on their dirty laundry.
The term "white" has nothing to do with skin color...it has more to do with the attitude of the person. Read on, and it'll come together...
Yeah, kinda like these folks! In case you can't see it, the sign says "JELLYFISH. Stings are painful. Stay out of the water." (source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/casch/)
White folks, it's hard to not accidentally be a douchebag when you're trying to do good out there, isn't it? I mean, it's not exactly easy to go to an entirely alien place and figure out all the cultural minefield while doing your project... and who knew that impoverished places could have a code of honor that is so different from our own?
This is a guest post written tongue-in-cheek for all the newbie white liberals we meet while gaining field experience. You mean well, we see that. You're trying your best, even while you bring your Bibles to convert starving locals. And sometimes, it's just hard to bring this stuff up, because, well, it's not easy to lecture you if you're the one bringing in all the funding, the expertise and the media. Besides, we've got our own cultural rules to abide by, and one of them is to not put your character flaws in your face.
Still, since most of the global NGO aid and philanthropy is coming from pockets of white coastal North America, Australia, England, Scandinavia and Northern Europe... and since most of that "help" that has largely gone to Africa has more or less crippled its economy and done one harm after another and wasted billions of dollars...I think it's safe to say that for the sake of Latin America and Asia, where more than half of the poorest poor still reside, we've got to mention something. How do I put it kindly: White culture misses some really obvious things that, if heeded, would put them on the same wavelength as those they are trying to assist or solve problems for. Quit being a blockhead out there....um, please, and thank you.
Here's a helpful behavior guide to field work and development. I know, I've got a heart of gold. No need to thank me, I do it for the children of Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Um, and, our sanity.
#1 Remember that old saying, "If you haven't got anything nice to say, don't say anything at all"? It probably holds a bit more true in the developing country than the one you come from, especially if you are received as a guest. As a rule of thumb, compliments will get you anywhere and a foul mouth will only gain you ill will from the locals.
I can't blame white people, every single thing you've ever learned in journalism class, science lab, or court rooms has been to exalt candor. You're supposed to question authority, drag out the dirty truth, find proof in shady dealings, and...what's that word again? "Transparency." This whole movement to question authority, to drag out the dirty truth. A lot of white people make it their civic duty to weasel out the problems, document the atrocities, photograph the horrors of poverty, pestilence and disease.
Still, remember two things: One, you are like a guest to someone's home. It is extremely rude to simply arrive to dig up dirt, be discreet! Two, every human being no matter how poor and how compromised has his/her pride to defend. National allegiance and their ego identity will force locals on the defensive. While places like Haiti may have more than its fair portion of violence, corruption and tragedies, its people will still be proud to be Haitian and resent the guest who doesn't know how to act gracious. Because even when nothing seems to be going right, they still wish to put the best foot forward to the public.
Practice tact and be very cautious not to always seek the sensationalist stuff to report, to photograph, to remember.That involves what you are most interested in: the homeless, the befallen, the environmental outrage, the disease-ridden, the sufferers. The same goes for gruesome deaths and private moments. Remember: they themselves are not proud of this. It is usually bad form for the foreign visitors to criticize; and even worse to base their entire assumption of the country on their dirty laundry.
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