"Do not regret growing older. It's a privilege denied to many."-Unknown
"I don't care what you think about me. I don't think about you at all."-Coco Chanel
Sunday, November 20, 2011
thoughts of the day
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
life report
[David Brooks is publishing a series on his blog of autobiographical essays written by people over 70. Below are a couple excerpts from Marguerite Wolff Hessini's essay.]
"Sometimes I feel I have not lived one life, but many different ones within a 79 year lifespan so far. Having known several different historic moments in different geographic locations, within different social and political contexts, I have a sense of fragmentation, yet there is an ongoing, uninterrupted thread that characterizes my life and links it to the wider human experience."
"Now, what have I learned through all this?
Despite appearances, real choices are few in life for most,
and circumstances beyond our control may determine our options, if any.
Still, there is our inherent aptitude for adaptation, for creating new possibilities within what seem, at times, impossible situations,
and that is an incredible force we can claim for ourselves and use constructively and creatively."
Saturday, November 12, 2011
why no one likes brands
[Re-posted from www.good.is]
What if 70 percent of brands in the world disappeared overnight? Most people wouldn’t care, according to a new study of 50,000 people in 14 global markets performed by Havas Media, an international communications firm.
Of all the brands surveyed, only 20 percent made a notably positive impact on people’s lives. That means for all the millions spent on marketing and ads around the world, most people could care less which company sells them their lunch, television, or car. “The overall consumption model and the overall marketing model is not working anymore,” says Sara del Dios, the Havas executive behind the survey.
Reflecting demonstrations and disappointment in the global economy, the survey notes that most consumers don’t trust companies, think their efforts to be responsible are largely spin, and that they don’t work hard to fix big problems.
Some brands have succeeded, however, in creating a meaningful image. The top 10 list includes Ikea, Google, Danone (the French diary giant), Leroy Merlin (a global Home Depot), and Samsung. The survey’s results suggest that these brands succeed by convincing consumers that they are working to improve their lives, whether through their products or their responsible business practices.
Take Coke as an example. It’s one of the most well-known global brands, but comes in 20th on this list because only 35 percent think the soda improves their quality of life; others worry about the health concerns that come with sugary soft drinks.
According to the survey, 85 percent of consumers worldwide expect companies to be tackling major problems, whether environmental or social. That fact is reflected in another finding—53 percent of consumers surveyed said they would pay a 10 percent price premium for a product made responsibly, up from 44 percent last year.
There is a huge disparity between how brands are perceived in the developed and developing worlds. In the United States and Europe, far fewer brands are respected than in Latin America or Asia. That’s a reflection of economic reality, too: Growth is happening in the developing countries even as it slows in most established economies.
This, researchers say, is because brands and material advancement are more connected, and consumers reward companies who provide them with transportation (like cars from India’s Tata Motors) or hygiene (like Unilever’s Lifebuoy disinfectant soap). In more developed nations, where basic needs are more frequently met, consumers focus far more on the responsibility of the companies in question. And broader economic trends that have led to a poorer middle class in the developed world are also syncing up with what del Dios calls the “post-materialist society,” as consumers look to brands not just for products, but also for some sense of a richer life.
"Many of the aspirational stories that brands try to communicate are not so true, and what we want is more authenticity," del Dios says.
Whether or not corporations can provide actual meaning in people's lives was not addressed by the survey.
What if 70 percent of brands in the world disappeared overnight? Most people wouldn’t care, according to a new study of 50,000 people in 14 global markets performed by Havas Media, an international communications firm.
Of all the brands surveyed, only 20 percent made a notably positive impact on people’s lives. That means for all the millions spent on marketing and ads around the world, most people could care less which company sells them their lunch, television, or car. “The overall consumption model and the overall marketing model is not working anymore,” says Sara del Dios, the Havas executive behind the survey.
Reflecting demonstrations and disappointment in the global economy, the survey notes that most consumers don’t trust companies, think their efforts to be responsible are largely spin, and that they don’t work hard to fix big problems.
Some brands have succeeded, however, in creating a meaningful image. The top 10 list includes Ikea, Google, Danone (the French diary giant), Leroy Merlin (a global Home Depot), and Samsung. The survey’s results suggest that these brands succeed by convincing consumers that they are working to improve their lives, whether through their products or their responsible business practices.
Take Coke as an example. It’s one of the most well-known global brands, but comes in 20th on this list because only 35 percent think the soda improves their quality of life; others worry about the health concerns that come with sugary soft drinks.
According to the survey, 85 percent of consumers worldwide expect companies to be tackling major problems, whether environmental or social. That fact is reflected in another finding—53 percent of consumers surveyed said they would pay a 10 percent price premium for a product made responsibly, up from 44 percent last year.
There is a huge disparity between how brands are perceived in the developed and developing worlds. In the United States and Europe, far fewer brands are respected than in Latin America or Asia. That’s a reflection of economic reality, too: Growth is happening in the developing countries even as it slows in most established economies.
This, researchers say, is because brands and material advancement are more connected, and consumers reward companies who provide them with transportation (like cars from India’s Tata Motors) or hygiene (like Unilever’s Lifebuoy disinfectant soap). In more developed nations, where basic needs are more frequently met, consumers focus far more on the responsibility of the companies in question. And broader economic trends that have led to a poorer middle class in the developed world are also syncing up with what del Dios calls the “post-materialist society,” as consumers look to brands not just for products, but also for some sense of a richer life.
"Many of the aspirational stories that brands try to communicate are not so true, and what we want is more authenticity," del Dios says.
Whether or not corporations can provide actual meaning in people's lives was not addressed by the survey.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
empathic civilization
I never realized how truly powerful empathy is and can be.
I thought it was really interesting when he said that there wouldn't be any empathy in utopia, because we wouldn't need it with out any suffering. How would we connect with other people if there was no empathy? Utopia doesn't sound like such a warm and friendly place then. Would we be isolated in ourselves with happiness? That just seems odd. Is this why we aren't meant to find/create utopia? Something to think about...
Friday, November 4, 2011
gone
Although you have gone,
You still live in my memories.
Real enough to touch,
But as light and as fleeting as the wind.
Now that there is no You,
You have become a piece of Me.
You live in me now.
For better and for worse,
For joy and for pain.
You still live in my memories.
Real enough to touch,
But as light and as fleeting as the wind.
Now that there is no You,
You have become a piece of Me.
You live in me now.
For better and for worse,
For joy and for pain.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
power of belief
It's crazy to think how much our beliefs can change our physical health...
If we can do all that with our minds, can we also change our circumstances too? I don't think it's possible all the time, but I do think we can make our own luck.
If we can do all that with our minds, can we also change our circumstances too? I don't think it's possible all the time, but I do think we can make our own luck.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
percolating thoughts (#12)
['Percolating thoughts' is an on-going collection of quotes I have found and gained wisdom from. These are the ones that I've recently discovered and that I'm currently sitting with and reflecting on...]
"Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes... the ones who see things differently -- they're not fond of rules... You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things... they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do."
-Steve Jobs
"Peace is not something you must hope for in the future. Rather, it is a deepening of the present, and unless you look for it in the present you will never find it."
-Thomas Merton
"All real living is meeting."
-Martin Buber, from I and Thou
"Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes... the ones who see things differently -- they're not fond of rules... You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things... they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do."
-Steve Jobs
"Peace is not something you must hope for in the future. Rather, it is a deepening of the present, and unless you look for it in the present you will never find it."
-Thomas Merton
"All real living is meeting."
-Martin Buber, from I and Thou
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