An interesting reflection: Slow Down Culture

An interesting reflection: Slow Down Culture

It's been 18 years since I joined Volvo, a Swedish company. Working for them has proven to be an interesting experience. Any project here takes 2 years to be finalized, even if the idea is simple and brilliant. It's a rule.

Globalize processes have caused in us (all over the world) a general sense of searching for immediate results. Therefore, we have come to posses a need to see immediate results. This contrasts greatly with the slow movements of the Swedish. They, on the other hand, debate, debate, debate, hold x quantity of meetings and work with a slowdown scheme. At the end, this always yields better results.

Said in another words:
1. Sweden is about the size of San Pablo, a state in Brazil.
2. Sweden has 2 million inhabitants.
3. Stockholm, has 500,000 people.
4. Volvo, Escania, Ericsson, Electrolux, Nokia are some of its renowned companies.
Volvo supplies the NASA.

The first time I was in Sweden, one of my colleagues picked me up at the hotel every morning. It was September, bit cold and snowy. We would arrive early at the company and he would park far away from the entrance (2000 employees drive their car to work). The first day, I didn't say anything, either the second or third. One morning I asked, "Do you have a fixed parking space? I've noticed we park far from the entrance even when there are no other cars in the lot." To which he replied, "Since we're here early we'll have time to walk, and whoever gets in late will be late and need a place closer to the door. Don't you think? Imagine my face.

Nowadays, there's a movement in Europe name Slow Food. This movement establishes that people should eat and drink slowly, with enough time to taste their food, spend time with the family, friends, without rushing. Slow Food is against its counterpart: the spirit of Fast Food and what it stands for as a lifestyle. Slow Food is the basis for a bigger movement called Slow Europe, as mentioned by Business Week.

Basically, the movement questions the sense of "hurry" and "craziness" generated by globalization, fueled by the desire of "having in quantity" (life status) versus "having with quality", "life quality" or the "quality of being". French people, even though they work 35 hours per week, are more productive than Americans or British. Germans have established 28.8 hour workweeks and have seen their productivity been driven up by 20%. This slow attitude has brought forth the US's attention, pupils of the fast and the "do it now!".

This no-rush attitude doesn't represent doing less or having a lower productivity. It means working and doing things with greater quality, productivity, perfection, with attention to detail and less stress. It means reestablishing family values, friends, free and leisure time. Taking the "now", present and concrete, versus the "global", undefined and anonymous. It means taking humans' essential values, the simplicity of living.

It stands for a less coercive work environment, more happy, lighter and more productive where humans enjoy doing what they know best how to do. It's time to stop and think on how companies need to develop serious quality with no-rush that will increase productivity and the quality of products and services, without losing the essence of spirit.

In the movie, Scent of a Woman, there's a scene where Al Pacino asks a girl to dance and she replies, "I can't, my boyfriend will be here any minute now". To which Al responds, "A life is lived in an instant". Then they dance to a tango.

Many of us live our lives running behind time, but we only reach it when we die of a heart attack or in a car accident rushing to be on time. Others are so anxious of living the future that they forget to live the present, which is the only time that truly exists. We all have equal time throughout the world. No one has more or less. The difference lies in how each one of us does with our time. We need to live each moment. As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans".

Congratulations for reading till the end of this message. There are many who will have stopped in the middle so as not to waste time in this globalized world.

Top 10 most stupid questions people usually ask in obvious situations

1. At the movies:
When you meet acquaintances/ friends.. .
Stupid Question:- Hey, what are you doing here?
Answer:- Dont u know, I sell tickets in black over here...

2. In the bus:
A heavy lady wearing pointed high-heeled shoes steps on your feet...
Stupid Question:- Sorry, did that hurt?
Answer:- No, not at all, I'm on local anesthesia.. ...why don't you try again.

3. At a funeral:One of the teary-eyed people ask...
Stupid Question:- Why, why him, of all people.
Answer:- Why? Would it rather have been you?

4. At a restaurant: When you ask the waiter Stupid
Question:-Is the "Butter Paneer Masala" good??
Answer:- No, its terrible and made of adulterated cement. We occassionaly also spit in it.

5. At a family get-together:When some distant aunt meets you after years
Stupid Question:-Munna, Chickoo, you've become so big.
Answer:- Well you haven't particularly shrunk yourself.

6. When a friend announces her wedding, and you ask...
Stupid Question:- Is the guy you're marrying good?
Answer:- No,he's a miserable wife-beating ,insensitive lout...it's justthe money.

7. When you get woken up at midnight by a phone call...
Stupid Question:- Sorry. were you sleeping?
Answer:- No. I was doing research on whether the Zulu tribes in Africa marry or not. You thought I was sleeping.... you dumb witted moron.

8. When you see a friend/colleague with evidently shorter hair...
Stupid Question:- Hey have you had a haircut?
Answer:- No, its autumn and I'm shedding.... ..

9. At the dentist when he's sticking pointed objects in your mouth...
Stupid Question:- Tell me if it hurts?
Answer:- No it wont. It will just bleed.

10. You are smoking a cigarette and a cute woman in your office asks...
Stupid Question:- Oh, so you smoke.
Answer:- Gosh, it's a miracle ...........it was a piece of chalk and now it's in flames!!!

How Numbers Formed!

The numbers we all use (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.) are known as "arabic" numbers to distinguish them from the "Roman Numerals" (I, II, III, IV, V, VI, etc). Actually the arabs popularized these numbers but they were originally used by the early phonecian traders to count and keep track of their trading accounts.
Have you ever thought why ........ 1 means "one", and 2 means "two"? The roman numerals are easy to understand but what was the logic behind the phonecian numbers?

It's all about angles ! It's the number of angles. If one writes the numbers down (see below) on a piece of paper in their older forms, one quickly sees why. I have marked the angles with "o"s. No 1 has one angle. No 2 has two angles. No 3 has three angles.

and "O" has no angles

Interesting, isn't it?

Perfectionist/Imperfectionist!

" Being Happy Doesn't Mean Every Thing is Perfect.........
It Just Means tht U Have Decided to see Every Thing Beyond The Imperfection"

I'm not a Perfectionist.
So Think Wht U'r??????

Always Doing things to Perfection Doesn't mean you r nearer to your Goal.
Aim at Your Goal & Make Sure all Roads lead to Tht. whether Perfect or imperfect!

Waves Of Life!

Waves are Inspiring, not B'coz they Rise & Fall,
But B'coz each Time they Fall, They Never Fail to Rise Again.

Life is a Wave to Lead forward, but don't makes Waves to Lead your Life!
Life will Be Miserable!

Right Action at the Right Time is Wht Waves Teach. Learn to Rise like a Wave not to Fall Like it.

True Relationship!

Speaking without Bluffness,
Luv without Intentions,
Caring with out Expectations,
Praying Without Selfishness
is the Sign of 'True Relationship'.

Relationship is not Collection of Heart,
But its Selection of Hearts.
All Relations are not True,
But True Relations are Very Few

Where Does Your Relationship Stand at?

Have a Evaluation done at the earliest before Things are too Worse to be Rectified.

Thought for the life Time!

"Luv a Fool/Let a Fool Luv U". But,
Never Let a Luv Fool U!

"Holding on to Anger is like Grasping
Hot Coal with the intention of
throwing it at Some else;
You are the one getting Burnt First".

"Friendship is not finding Gold or Silver among the Rocks of Life.
It is Accepting each other as coal till Diamods are Fromed through Time".

"Every thing is fair in Luv & War.
Wage War, But Never Luv.
In War, Either U Win or Die.
In Luv,U Neither Win nor Die".

Dreams/Reality!

The Permanent Temptation of life is to confuse Dreams with Reality. But,
The Permanent Defeat of life comes when we surrender our Dreams to Reality!

Is it Wrong to Dream!
Should we follow reality or our Dream!

Think Again! IT is High Time Now.

When Will You Miss A Person the Most?

The Most You can miss a Person is:

When you sit besides that Person You Like The Most & You know that you can't have that Person in U'r Life!

What is True Luv???

What is True Luv?
Its when you hide tears & still care for her.
Its when she ignores you & you still luv her.
Its when she begins to Luv another & you still smile at her.
Its when she doesn't care if you existed & you still can't forget her.
Its when you know she is the 1 for you, no matter wht others say.
Its when you Luv her beyond Reason.

Luv has its reason,but the reason is unknown.

Do you have to Luv for this???
Think again???

I wud have commited a sin of killing & dieing my self if i were there.
Wht abt you?

Think Agian.
Luv is not a game to jus play & leave the field when u r lost. it is a sweet responsibility.
See if u can take tht Responsibility & then Start Loving some one you want.

This applies to Gals also.
Don't give all your things to a stranger & then get tied with the consequences.