Lost In Conceptualisation

This is a spoon I use everyday.

However, to six year old Zara, she exclaimed,

"WHAT A KOOL SPOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!".

"Why is it a kool spoon?" I asked.

"Because it is so colourful!" she replied.

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Yes, come to think of it, now that she has mentioned, it is a 'kool spoon'! I did not notice that it is such a colourful spoon, though I look at it everyday. Looking is different from observing. To me, I saw it just as a spoon with a function, that falls into a category conceptualised as 'a spoon'. When we conceptualise things, we stop looking at the true characteristics and finer properties of the 'thing', and the true 'thing' gets lost in conceptualisation.
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Conceptualisation, categorisation or labeling is useful in our everyday thoughts and communications, but we need to be careful not to be blinded by them. We learn about concepts and labels early in our life, right from the time when someone told us that 'it is a bird' that flew by, or 'that is an aeroplane', etc. It would have been better to have been taught that "the feathered creature that just flew over is something we call a 'bird'" or such like. There is a difference. In the latter, it would encourage me (as a child) to continue to be observant with all things around me as they are, not blinded by the labeling, but still made aware of their names or labels.

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Being observant is fascinating, as we notice the simple beauty in all things around us and understand them better. By observing, we discover new things everyday and remember what we see better. Have you wondered why some people have a better memory than others? That is because they live in the NOW. Being observant is living in the NOW. That's how children below six, develop photographic memory.

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Photographers, painters and writers produce works from their detailed observations in life. I have found photography to be very relaxing as it makes me observe the various and varied colours, geometry and expressions of all life forms. Likewise, writing and painting are relaxing because the painter or writer has to observe the intricate details of his object.

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As adults, we have missed a lot in life by ceasing to be observant. Sometimes, when we see a new shop opening along the high streets, we wonder what was there before. Even though the shop was much bigger than us and we pass by it everyday, we couldn't remember how it looked like or what was there. Sometimes, a whole building got demolished and we wonder what was there before!

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We perform better when we are observant and it helps us serve people and organisations better. By observing the needs of our customers, remembering their names and what they purchase before, costs us nothing, but gives much. Being observant and not being distracted by labeling and conceptualisation helps me a great deal in my role as an information security specialist - the sort that outwit hackers.

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My knowledge about information security emerged from the old days of computing, the time when we instruct computers with strings of 1s and 0s. It was extremely tedious going through switches and punch-cards, but it compelled us to go through every necessary logic. Then, we have to observe each blinking light, and laboriously enter every '1' and '0'. It was painful, but it made all of us remember.

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As the knowledge developed, the 1s and 0s got collectively generated by programs written in more English-like computer languages. This in turn, got generated by programs that writes programs. By the 1990's, some application programs became so popular that just knowing how to operate the application becomes a commercial skill.

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As programming evolves, the 'programmer' now becomes more and more distant from the core computer and lack the intimate experience to understand its fundamentals directly. Meanwhile, program development are continuously abstracted, conceptualised, de-skilled, and drifted further from its happier pioneering days.

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[Incidentally, drawing parallels with computing, this is the same for human beings. I find that the more I understand about my innerself, the happier I become.]

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An information security specialist has to be highly concerned over details, as understanding what goes on in a system is critical. 'System' here goes beyond technology, to embrace the whole operating environment, like people, procedures, business needs...etc. In such a breadth and diversity, it would be impossible to know everything by mere logic. However, by careful observation a lot can be discovered intuitively. This is what they call the "Aha!", or "when the coin finally drops", much like how detectives unveil mysteries.

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In one of my investigations, an executive I interviewed claimed that morale was high in the company and therefore information security was not a problem. I accepted that at face-value. However later as I strolled the corridors of the company, I noticed broken door knobs in the offices and a cracked mirror in the elevators, that looked like acts of vandalism.

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This led me to suspect that what the executive said wasn't true. I then decided to mingle around during lunchtime, and it was then I found out that the company was firing many people and morale was all-time low. If so, there will be more disgruntled employees and security would be a problem, since most security breaches in organisations comes from within. So, what started out as seemingly unrelated observations, aggregated into useful information that suggested for more internal controls.

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Just like computing, information security has been over-conceptualised, compartmentalised and have distanced the present day practitioner from fundamentals like identifying risks to strengthen the weakest link and aggregating clues in investigating incidents. In the old days, we started on the ground, work through the fundamental data, aggregate them into useful information and implement the controls.

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These days, this intuitive process is de-skilled into standard checkboxes built into 'standards'. Expectedly, these standards now become yet another buzzword demanded by the industry. So now, they start from "standards" to dictate what should be done, or not to be done, with the naive expectations that everyone will obey, and the fallacy that they are working with the fundamentals.

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While specialised fields grow in scope and conceptualisation, it will be useful to induct professionals from other fields that are not lost in inbred conceptualisations. These introduced professionals from other fields will observe and ask questions akin to those from an infant and discover the hidden colours of the field. Devoid of previous conceptualisation, labeling and blindspots, new designs, improvements and new knowhow can more easily be developed.

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At the beginning of this article, I mentioned that Zara saw the colourful kool spoon while I didn't. Now I do.

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How about you? Have you passed by your life missing the many colours?

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You may also like to read Universal Law Part 2 where subjects like 'the observer' and 'living in the now' are further discussed.

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Cat's Play

My cat likes to bring back dead mice into the house, meant as presents for me. It is his own way of saying "thank you" to me. However, I don't really want these dead creatures like, mice, frogs, birds, dragon flies...etc, in the house as I will have to clean up and throw them out again. It is work for me. Also these creatures, including the mice, are from the woods and are not house pests, they had been minding their own business until they were caught by my cat.

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Isn't life sometimes like this? Each of us acting out our own part in our own nature, often meaning well and hoping that we fit into the grand picture?

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Like the teenage daughter bringing her 'cool and hip' friends home, to the worry of mum and dad when they meet them? Or the industrious husband coming home after a long day, only to be met by the wife's distressing naggings about his long hours at work? Or the overzealous boyfriend chasing the girl of his dream, eventually scaring her away?

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Each of them are acting out their part in their own nature, often perceived to be well meaning, but with conflicting desires, demands and results.

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Other posts:

Bucky Group - Thankful

Somedays we forget

To look around us

Somedays we can't see

The joy that surrounds us

So caught up inside ourselves

We take when we should give... more

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Daily Contemplation

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Now here is what I know will bring you joy. Decide that the rest of your life -- every day, every moment, every word -- is something that you will share with everyone whose life you touch in a way that ensures that they will know there is nothing they have to do, nowhere they have to go, and no way they have to be, in order to be loved by you right now. Let them know that they are perfect just as they are, just as they are standing there.

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-- Neale Donald Walsch

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Daily Contemplation is a free email service from Bodhi Fellowship / Center For Inner Peace to inspire and empower you to live a spiritually-centered and loving life.
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Invite A Friend: subscribe@bodhifellowship.org

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You may also like to read my post on "Conversations with God". Click here

Kids Play 14 - Golden Spirituality

The family was watching a documentary on Venice that explained the art of Italian mosaic and its adding of real gold to symbolise the spirituality of Jesus, Mother Mary and the various saints.

Vic (12 years old) immediately commented that it should be more useful if they melt the gold and convert it to cash. Dad then asked Vic what he would he do with the cash, which Vic was a little shy about his love for money and merely grinned. Mum mocked him by suggesting that he spend the money to buy spiritual books. Dad thinks that Vic would end up spending it on spiritual gurus! People who eventually got all the cash would still seek for their spirituality. :)
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Gross National Happinesss 2

This is a letter that my friend Clinton has sent to the local newspapers on the 26th Jan 2006, in the aftermath of the tragic Tsunami devastation in South East Asia.

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The Editor

Forum Page

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Dear Sir,
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“ NATURE at its worst, humanity at its very best” ( ST, Jan 26 ) was thought-provoking and warrants some postulations, some possible solutions.
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The tsunami taught the world two key lessons – how small and inter-connected our “global village” is and the power of globalisation. Just as it had “globalised” 11 countries in less than 24 hours, mankind responded magnificently and was equal to the challenge, as unprecedented compassionate aid was globalised to the affected areas in double-quick time.
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One month later, many – myself included – are left wondering not only why nature reared its ugly head so devastatingly, but perhaps with much gratification, why mankind responded so compassionately, so magnanimously.
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Scientists tell us that everything in the universe is a movement of energy. And nothing is 100 per cent solid. Under a very powerful microscope, at the sub-atomic level, everything and everyone vibrates, at different frequencies.
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Mankind comprises two words – man and kind. Man was born kind – a sub-property of love, which is one of the two most basic and powerful of our emotions ( the other is fear ).

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Man is a total energy system, not just comprising cells, fluids and bones. Within us, too, is an energy system of thoughts, feelings and emotions. Love, which vibrates at the highest level, is capable of converting lower energies and possibly impacting everyone, whether close by or far away.
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So, like it or not, at the spirit or soul level, everyone on Planet Earth is connected. Each one of us is like a scoop of the mighty ocean. Humanity is one immense, infinite, immortal soul. And that is one key reason for the outpouring of love, compassion, empathy and sympathy.
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The other possible reason is that for most people, contentment and happiness are not measured by just material wealth alone. Equally important is for one to be fulfilled mentally, emotionally and spiritually. And this in itself is a cry for help… for love, for happiness.
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World leaders would do well to take a leaf from the book of the tiny kingdom of Bhutan, the only country in the world to measure its well-being by Gross National Happiness, instead of Gross National Product. In Himalayan cultures, the whole society’s economy was meant to serve the quest for happiness.
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If for nothing else, this tsunami catastrophe has led to an awakening for, and the creation of more love, more happiness amongst us all, then the thousands of lives lost will not have been in vain.
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Gross National Happiness, anyone? )
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Thank you.

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Yours sincerely,

Clinton Lim

Gross National Happinesss

Some of you may have heard of Bhutan's Gross National Happiness index. I have not been to Bhutan, but found some informative videos on Youtube, which I have included here, as they have helped me to reflect on my life and the priorities I set for myself daily.

Some data about Bhutan (from Wikipedia):

Location: In the Himalayas, in between China and India.

Capital: Thimpu

Land area: 47,000 sq km

Population: 672,425

Per capita GDP: $5,477

For more on the history and geography of Bhutan, click here

Here is an introductory video of Bhutan:

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Click here to watch this video entitled, "Dragon Kingdom Bhutan". It depicts the country, its culture rooted in Buddhism and their reverence to their King, who embraces happiness above their GNP.

Early this year, Bhutan became a constitutional monarchy, with their first democratic elections:
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As Bhutan opens up, some of the social ills found in the West have started to surface in the country. The following documentary depicts the situation, where alcoholism and drug abuse has become an increasing problem.

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Questions:

1. Do you think Gross National Happiness can be applied to the country you live in? Does it apply to a densely populated city-state like Singapore that relies heavily on industrial efficiency, foreign labour, foreign trade and tourism?

2. Do you think Happiness should be the ultimate end of companies and organisations in their quest for material wealth? Watch the commuters in mass rapid transit in the morning rush hour. I have tried observing this in London, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Budapest, Singapore and Hong Kong. They always give me a quick and rough guide to a city. Is GNH feasible amid the vagaries and the harsh cut-and-thrust forces of the market economy? Is there a better economic model? Communism failed. Socialism is expensive! :) How about Bucky's vision of the 'World Game'? Read here . Or Alvin Toffler's Revolutionary Wealth? Read here

3. Do you think as an individual, you can put happiness first? Is this feasible with the meritocratic and competitive school system you go to, or the organisation you serve?

4. As a parent, do you tell your child to study hard to make more money and have a comfortable life after that? Or do you remind your children to be educated so that they will grow up to be useful citizens that can put a smile on every other person he meets everyday?

5. In the quest for happiness, does it necessarily mean that you will have less material wealth? Do you think it is worthwhile to sacrifice material for happiness? Or does sacrificing happiness for material wealth makes more sense to you?

6. Many of us have been happy children when we were little, yet we didn't realise we were poor at the time, until years later as an adult. Why is this so?

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...till death do us part - Part 2

I have not heard about her since I visited her place some twenty years ago in her village. My friend knows her son. Then, she seemed a happy woman and her husband at that time was a teacher in the local school.

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Now, I heard she has remarried six years ago after divorcing her husband who has turned alcoholic. She found her present husband through the Internet and she re-married around the age of 60. What is more surprising is that her present husband used to be married to an alcoholic wife who eventually died of overdose.

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Just as I was about to think that it is the Law of Attraction at work, she told me that she believes in the law and encouraged me to watch "The Secret" DVD.

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In a way, I am happy that both of them got out of the rut of their previous marriages which were troubled by alcholic spouses.

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Incidentally, I have a friend whose wife have left him because he was an alcoholic. He haven't touched a drop of alcohol since the divorce. He said he drank to cover his depression. Alcoholism is a cover for manic depressive people. Such people may not even know they are drinking for that reason. They are trapped in their unhappy state.

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My friend, who has now recovered, would like to set up such a charitable foundation to help this group of people. According to his doctor, one in four persons are clinically depressed, but few people will ever notice it and many callously regard such depressive people as "bad characters".

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