Entries from June 2009 ↓

La Mauricienne litterature de demain !

Une initiative a encourager pour développer la culture chez nous.

l’Atelier d’écriture

est une revue littéraire qui prolonge un atelier d’écriture que j’anime le samedi de 10 heures à midi au CentreCharles Baudelaire à Rose-Hill, île Maurice. Y participent Christine Ah Fat, Didié Aza, Jean-Clément Cangy,Catherine Capponi-Langlois, Christophe Cassiau-Haurie, Neerusha Chuttoorgoon, Claudette Commarmond,Elizabeth Commarmond, Bhimsen Conhyedoss, Shenaz Currimjee, Amina Issack, Bruno Jean-François,Sabir Kadel, Yusuf Kadel, Evelyn Kee Mew, Sandrine Koa Wing, Dini Lallah, Brigitte Masson, Monica Maurel,Dominique Merven, Sandy Murden, Munavvar Namdarkhan, Brinda Pillai, Véronique Pompon, Olivier Précieux,

Olga Savannah, Alexandra Schaub, Claudine Sohawon, Umar Timol et Jean-André Viala.

Dès les premières séances de l’atelier en novembre 2008, j’ai été frappé par la qualité des textes présentés, et j’ai compris qu’une nouvelle génération d’écrivains était à l’œuvre au cœur des êtres et des choses, parfois obscurément, et j’ai voulu, comme éditeur, les accompagner dans leur quête littéraire. Nous avons donc décidé de poursuivre l’atelier, qui aurait dû prendre fin le 28 mars 2009, et de créer une revue pour permettre de découvrir chaque mois des textes lumineux, inédits ou méconnus. D’autres auteurs nous ont rejoints, de Maurice et d’ailleurs,

porteurs d’œuvres singulières, en français surtout, mais aussi en créole et en anglais, comme autant d’éclairages qui s’énoncent dans leur vitalité originelle.

Vous pouvez nous aider à élargir cet espace de liberté et de diversité en vous abonnant à l’Atelier d’écriture. La revue sera dans votre boîte aux lettres dès sa parution : et ça vous changera des prospectus.

Barlen Pyamootoo

World Politics and the entrepreneur

A lecture, last month from Thierry Garcin, a commentator on the French Radio, boasted my interest in world affairs. We listened daily to world news; perhaps we may tender a soft ear to these world occurrences. As I am quite keen on world affairs, I need to document more on the subject. With the internet, it is possible and convenient to read the worldwide media there on.

Much like a jig saw, the small pieces of news diffused everyday fit in a larger frame that in time draws the world wide trends. More so, in the globalised economies of different countries and the speed of transmission of news, geopolitical events and for that matter any large events affect any country fast. Thus an entrepreneur cannot turn a deaf ear to world news and needs to constantly updated and analyse the impact of ourselves.

As we are not on the fore front of world economics, we have the time and more interestingly the advance knowledge of seeing the impact of world happenings reaching our shore. We saw few months ago, the impact of the financial crisis and its delayed effect on us. The crunch on world travel and its repercussions on Tourism are now felt.

I have to deplore the reaction time of us Mauritians to deal with these situations. I must admit that in the case of the tourism sector, the industry reacted reasonably well. A smart operator will thus be able to bank on the slot of the changing time to maximise on his profits. I must admit that I was not smart enough to review my portfolio of investment the last time to minimise my book lost.

The wish and deployment of China in building their infra structure of their country in the last decade has put on pressure on the price on building material, petroleum products, coal and even shipping chartering. As a businessman, the strategy deployed on your market is different depending the way you perceive the trend of the market. In a recession, whilst demand is on a decrease and the prices are going up, the entrepreneur needs to readjust his actions. As recently as 2years ago, an entrepreneur who was in building material in Mauritius, was in a euphoric expanding market with the depression in prices of materials. It was possibly to maximise his profits in turning around his stock fast. The global scene has suddenly changed now, a quick readjustment is required.

Thank you Thierry Garcin for opening my mind and giving my tips on analysis world happenings.

Amy Chua and my life lessons

Watching the interview of AMY Chua in the Berkeley series ‘conversations with history’ was a delight for me. The over one hour listening absorbed me intensely and provided some insights which I could relate to in my working career.

First let me set the scene. What Amy Chua ‘Day of empire: How hyper powers rise to global dominance and why they fall’ has to do with the business of Rogers aviation of the 80’s and 90’s? To me, Amy Chua is dealing with dominating your sphere with hyper powers.

Here are some reviews on her book to have a brief view of Amy Chua’s thesis.

This analysis of world-dominant powers …

… from ancient Persia to the modern United States yields an intriguing set of common traits and progressions. Chua’s bestselling World on Fire: How Exporting Free Market Democracy Breeds Ethnic … more » Hatred and Global Instability (2002) led the pack in sizing up the backlash against global free-marketers. Now she examines hegemony and the handful of entities worthy of the title “hyperpower,” which extends to the earliest civilizations: Persia, at its peak under Darius, the Macedonia of Alexander the Great and, of course, imperial Rome. There are also some surprises: Ghenghis Khan’s 13th-century Mongolian domain, for instance, eventually extended from Vienna to the Sea of Japan, far exceeding any before or since in contiguous territory. And the Mongols did it without original technology or literacy, absorbing both from cultures that came under their dominion. Likewise, the Dutch Republic of the late 17th century, a midget among Europe’s giants, became so dominant in world commerce that it eventually exported a king, William of Orange, to England. The commonality among these empires, says Chua, was tolerance. They were diverse societies, harbouring—and exploiting—a wide range of ethnicities and unrestricted religions. The enduring model is Rome, which handed its adversaries a bloody defeat and proffered full citizenship the next day. The author notes that even China in its day of empire, the eighth-century Tang Dynasty, was a far more open society than it would be 1,000 years later. Tolerance alone won’t create a hyper power, though, says the author; the United States needed the collapse of the Soviet Union to achieve its status. Chua concludes that hyper powers ultimately tend to come “unglued” as a result of resistance to their own diversity. She cautions that the global rise of anti-Americanism today, which stems from attempts to export democracy in the service of self-interest, could be a negative sign. The author gives short shrift to forces introduced by petro-politics or the nuclear threat, but still an illuminating exploration of what makes a superpower.

Put positively, such hyper powers practice tolerance. As far as it goes, this is hardly an original observation, and while Chua attempts to offer solid examples from history of how tolerance helps build empires and how intolerance leads to their downfall, she is ultimately unsuccessful.

Translating back to my then work situation in business: Rogers Aviation was a super power in the field of commercial aviation in Mauritius in the 70’s through to the 90’s. Rogers aviation occupied 80 percent of the passenger ticket sales and over 99 percent of the air cargo sales in 1970. In a sense within its sphere I extrapolate, that Rogers was a super power. Just like any super powers of history, at a stage the super power must ask himself; “ how do I maintain my dominance forever?” I must admit that in the case of passenger sales I had no say in the formulation of the strategy. When I came on the scene in early 80’s, Rogers had lost on the passenger side its supremacy as a Super Power, the market share dropped to approximately 65 percent but on the other hand on the air cargo front it was different with a market share of over 90 percent.

With the strategic planning department of Rogers in the 80’s the team at air cargo took time to study the issue and devise strategies for Rogers to maintain a role of super power and continue to reap extra monetary benefits from this position. I was one of the proponents that pushed the thesis that our super position as super power is doomed not to last and that we had to look at enlarging our sphere by looking to conquering other areas. So there was a distinct, two legs strategy: on the local scene maintaining supremacy by joint ventures association and on the overseas scene conquer the regional areas. A smaller share of a bigger cake is better that defending our share of a small cake.

On the local front knowingly, we planned to reduce your dominance as the apparent super power by diluting our market share. One of the thoughts of that time was: the thousand of freight forwarders in the world will surely come in the Mauritius market to have their share. Will we fight them or make it easy to penetrate the market whilst retaining a fair share of the conquered market? Having experienced the fate of the passenger market we opted to control the market by making easy for our opponents to enter whilst taking a large chunk of their profits in the supply of other services. We were strategically tolerant would have been a Chua definition.

On the international scene, as we were not a super power, we had to use other strategies. We had to build our strength by working differently. In the hind sight, I have to admit that today, after listening to Amy Chua I came to realise that the strategies and mind set of our people on the international scene were not appropriate. More Guerrilla warfare strategy should have been utilised.

This strategy defined in 1980’s bored the fruits that we seeded up to 1997. Thereafter, the market situation changed and the new leaders at the helm of the company did not seem to have a clue of the strategic thinking needed to sustain the position of super power to collect the premium that the status gave you.

This phase of my working career will always be cherished. Thank you Rogers for these fabulous years.

Yook Lin

English readers have asked me to translate my posting on Uncle Yook Lin.

Last night, on the 13th June I had the very sad news of the demise of the 3rd uncle of the family. Of the 18 children of grand Pa YIPTONG, patriarch of the family and founder of the Mauritian branch we had to deplore the departure of the 3rd son.

From what I could gather, Yook Lin had a very interesting life story and career. At a very young age, he was endowed with the great gift of being a good negotiator and developped into an excellent business man.

In the eighties, I had on several occasions the opportunity to have heart to heart talks with him. These conversations lasted often till the dawn. I could make out that he was full of self esteem, intelligent, determined, thoughtful and reflective and had a forceful character. During those conversations, I place myself in the mode of the respectful Confucian nephew listening and learning from an experienced elder.

Uncle Yook Lin at a very young age, when he was under twenty, was given large responsibility in the business of the family. He was thus propelled in the world on business. In view of the prevailing circumstances of the time, in 1945, immediately after the 2nd world war, opportunities were opened to reputable businesses to prosper. The authorities required the help of honest traders to be partners for the distribution of food according to a quota system that was implemented. At that time Pak Lin the elder son, did not have a good relationship with the patriarch. Pak Lin was set aside because his choice of fiancé was not in agreement with the parents YIPTONG. Khin lin the 2nd son was sent off for studies in England. Thus Yook Lin,3rd son, who had then succeeded in his London Chamber of Commerce Diploma, occupied the driving seat and managed the business under the leadership of the patriarch.

Yook Lin was a persuasive communicator. Patriarch YIPTONG formulated the strategies and required one of my own to be the mouth piece. It was a perfect fit. The business grew from strength to strength. YIPTONG was appointed by the control board to be a partner of the scheme. During the same period, the status of the business was changed from a private ownership it became one of the first Chinese private companies under the company law as a limited company. Yook Lin has since ever been proud of this achievement.

A forceful character he had. He was rightfully ever conscious of his rights and would not easily let others dare to thread on his toes. With much passion, he told me the story of his battle with the unions. A small trader he refused to his employees to join the union which later became PAP, the major political party of Singapore. His business suffered as the union obstructed the walk way in front of his store. He held tight until amendment to the law was passed.

Not totally in agreement with his parents, partially due to his determination to marry his chosen sweet heart and perhaps more to take charge of his life destiny, on the return of PAK Lin the eldest son from China, back in the business, he decided to seek opportunities in Hong Kong. He started by an employment with a Hakka the owner of Sincere Department store. Later the owner of Sincere Department store proposed him to be stationed in Singapore. After his wedding his marriage he left for Singapore, where he resided thereafter. With little funds in a foreign country, he only had his might and initiatives to succeed. He had 5 sons and integrated and espoused the Singaporean way of living.

In 1954, for the wedding of Khin Lin, the 2nd son, in Indonesia, the patriarch visited him in Singapore. Relationships with the family improved. Father YIPTONG, later even dispatched Hoy Lin son no 5 to Singapore to help Yook. He stayed from 1956 to 1959.

I met for the first time in 1969 a very enterprising, smooth talker uncle well introduced in business. He had a department store on North Bridge road in the main business center and operated a trading import and export company mainly trading with Indonesia.

Perhaps one of his trying moments in his life was to have overnight lost, a substantial part of his assets, saved through hard work. A fire at North Bridge road destroyed his store, residence and business office. As a trader most of his assets and net worth was in his stock. The insurance company would not compensate his losses. He had hoped to get some help from the family; he admitted that the response was far under his expectations. With courage and determination he continued to fend for the needs of his family.

His second large disappointment was perhaps the battle he had to wage for the compulsory acquisition by the Government of Singapore on his property. He was offered a pittance and he took the government to court. Having lost his case, he told me, they were unjust in their dealings but equitable to all. All the owners were treated in the same manner for the sake of the nation.

Most fortunately Yook Lin succeeded. To finish off his career, he maximised on his knowledge converting himself as a premium tourist guide targeting the rich of the French market. He invested successfully in stocks and properties and was able to contribute to the well being of his family.

Dear uncle, I was really very pleased to have spent some joyful moment with you last December, when you were full of happiness with all your loved ones around you to welcome the greater family’s delegation from Mauritius and South Africa. The spirit and joy oozing from that wonderful lunch will forever be engraved in my memory. Adieu Yook Souk.

Dual SIM cards phones

At long last I have got the mobile phone that suits my needs.

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I was delighted to be delivered last Saturday, the mobile with the features that I require without breaking my purse. First of all this new mobile saves me the trouble of having to carry two phones.

I have two SIM S as I use two numbers and keep my personal and more private calls from the professional one. I suppose it is the practice for a number of you. Some may even have one number which is on account of the company and another one for one’s own.

I have now access to two different service providers: one EMTEL and the other Mauritius Telecom on the same phone. Have you ever been stuck when one of the service providers is not functioning properly in a particular area of the country?

The billing for the calls made from a service provider to another recipient of another company is more expensive and besides the service level across service providers are different.

I have been on the lookout for a Dual SIM cards for months. The offer was more expensive that having two separate phones. This new Mi323, though not as performing as the expensive versions is good enough for me. I can afford the 3975 rupees from My shop, it is just great.

Reflexion Dominicale

Mc 14,12-16.22-26.
Le premier jour de la fête des pains sans levain, où l’on immolait l’agneau
pascal, les disciples de Jésus lui disent : « Où veux-tu que nous allions
faire les préparatifs pour ton repas pascal ? »
Il envoie deux disciples : « Allez à la ville ; vous y rencontrerez un
homme portant une cruche d’eau. Suivez-le.
Et là où il entrera, dites au propriétaire : ‘Le maître te fait dire : Où
est la salle où je pourrai manger la Pâque avec mes disciples ? ‘
Il vous montrera, à l’étage, une grande pièce toute prête pour un repas.
Faites-y pour nous les préparatifs. »
Les disciples partirent, allèrent en ville ; tout se passa comme Jésus le
leur avait dit ; et ils préparèrent la Pâque.
Pendant le repas, Jésus prit du pain, prononça la bénédiction, le rompit,
et le leur donna, en disant : « Prenez, ceci est mon corps. »
Puis, prenant une coupe et rendant grâce, il la leur donna, et ils en
burent tous.
Et il leur dit : « Ceci est mon sang, le sang de l’Alliance, répandu pour
la multitude.
Amen, je vous le dis : je ne boirai plus du fruit de la vigne, jusqu’à ce
jour où je boirai un vin nouveau dans le royaume de Dieu. »
Après avoir chanté les psaumes, ils partirent pour le mont des Oliviers.

Aujourd’hui la liturgie de l’Eglise nous conduit à La Fête-Dieu ou Solennité du Saint Sacrement du Corps et du Sang du Christ. Autrefois à Maurice cette fête était célébrée en grande pompe : c’était même un jour férié. Enfant, je me voyais en grand habit du Dimanche, pour assister aux offices et la procession qui précédait la grande messe et la grande bénédiction du Saint Sacrement. Les abords de la ville ou passait le cortège de Chrétiens étaient ornés de fleurs pour signifier la fête et surtout pour témoigner de la foi chrétienne aux autres qui ne sont pas. Les notables de la ville avaient le privilège de tenir les cordons du dé qui abritait le Saint Sacrement.

La fête des pains sans levain des juifs a été transformée par les chrétiens en une fête du pain d’amour. En instituant le sacrement de l’Eucharistie, la célébration du don de son corps et de son sang dans la communion du pain et du vin, Jésus nous laisse et livre son héritage d’amour partagé. La messe n’est pas seulement une commémoration de cet instant de la vie de Jésus, pour nous croyants, à chaque messe, il y a trans-matérialisation. Nous recevons à chaque communion, la substance de l’amour de notre Seigneur, son don de son corps et de son sang livrés pour nous sauver. Dans la lecture de l’exode ce matin, référence était faite aux sacrifices animales de Moise de l’ancien testament, plus jamais aucun sacrifice est maintenant requises car notre Seigneur, dans son amour infini, lui-même s’est offert en l’ultime sacrifice.

Je prends conscience encore plus, à cette fête d’aujourd’hui du cadeau qu’IL nous laisse : un cadeau d’Amour inépuisable : ce pain qui nous nourrit sera source de vie dans la mesure où nous y croirons.

Ce matin, dans son homélie, le Père Regis m’a transporté dans une dimension nouvelle. Il parlait de ce don d’amour que nous offre son Seigneur et qui se fécond dans sa transmission. Le sacrifice de Jésus sur la Croix était bien un don d’amour gratuit de lui pour nous sauver n’est ce pas ? Et si chaque récipiendaire en le recevant ce don gratuit me met à transmettre a leur tour  ce don entièrement ou une infime partie à son voisin et ainsi de suite ? En peu de temps, nous aurions vu une floraison infinie d’amour dans tout  l’univers ?

Mon esprit s’évada pour un moment. J’ai vu dans mon imagination, une multitude de petites lumières d’amour propagées par des connexions faites par cette multitude d’êtres voulant  partager leur amour reçu. N’est ce pas cela déjà la béatitude du paradis ?

Tonton Yook Lin

Hier soir le 13 juin, nous avons eu la triste nouvelle du décès du 3eme Oncle de la famille. Des 18 enfants de mon grand père YIPTONG, patriarche de la famille et fondateur de la branche Mauricienne ce fut le départ du 3eme fils. De ce que j’ai pu glaner, Yook Lin a également eu une histoire et carrière de vie intéressante. Très jeune, il avait un don de négociateur et était un fin homme d’affaires.
Au cours des quelques longues séances de conversations avec lui surtout dans les années 80, ou j’avais eu l’occasion de discuter avec lui, j’avais décelé chez lui des caractéristiques d’un homme rempli d’estime de soi, intelligent, très déterminé, réfléchi et de caractère. Il a connu dans sa vie pas mal de difficultés, mais son esprit combatif l’aide toujours d’avancer. Au cours de ces conversations que j’avais eu avec lui, je me plaçais en bon neveu confucéen, – par rapport au rang hiérarchique- d’être à son écoute pour en tirer un maximum de son expérience.
Tonton Yook dès son jeune âge eut l’occasion d’être propulsé dans le monde des affaires. Vu les circonstances qui prévalait, dans les années 1945, juste après la seconde guerre, les commerçants de réputation reconnues, dont La famille YIPTONG, avaient des opportunités de prospérer notamment quand le gouvernent de l’époque avait besoin des commerçants sérieux et honnêtes pour être partie de la distribution des vivres par les quotas mise en place.
Pak Lin le fils ainé par rapport à son choix de fiancée était un peu mise à l’écart, Khin Lin, le second fils était hors du pays pour les études. Ainsi le confident, la gérance sous le patriarche, du commerce revenait à Yook Lin qui d’autant plus venait d’obtenir un diplôme de commerce London Chamber of Commerce.
Yook avait l’âme un excellent homme de communication- un beau parleur. Il avait bien sa place. Père YIPTONG, avait des idées et formulait ses stratégies, mais avait grand besoin d’un des ses siens pour être le porte parole. Ainsi, pendant cette période YIPTONG devint un commerçant nommé par le control board. Durant la même période le statut du commerce fut amendé pour devenir la première compagnie chinoise sous le company act en limited company. Une fierté que Yook Lin a toujours gardé.
Yook Lin avait une personnalité forte. Il est très conscient de ses droits il me se laisse jamais les autres s’en emparer. Avec passion, il m’a raconté l’anecdote de sa bataille avec les syndicalistes dans son commerce à Singapour. En tant que petit commerçant, il avait refusé à ses employées le droit de syndiquer. Il s’est battu avec PAP le syndicat qui devint après le parti politique primaire du pays. Son commerce souffrit car des piquets étaient installés devant chez lui. Il tint ferme jus qu’au jour la loi fut amendée.
Quelque peu en désaccord avec son Père, il décide de partir de l’ile Maurice pour Hong Kong. Il partit pour prendre sa destinée en main. Il prit de l’emploi chez Sincere Department store , un Hakka. Peu de temps après, le propriétaire Hakka décida de l’envoyer à Singapour. Après son mariage, ils partirent pour s’y installer.
Une vie en dents de scie, bien des hauts et des bas mais progressivement il se met à son compte pour se faire une place au soleil. Avec peu de fonds propres dans un pays étranger, il n’avait que son initiative et sa débrouillardise pour réussir. Il eut 5 fils. Ils fut tous très intégrés dans la société Singapourienne.
Dans le années 50, après la visite du Patriarche YIPTONG à Singapour pour le mariage de Khin Lin, fils no 2 en Indonésie, les relations avec le Patriarche s’est détendues. Hoy Lin fils no 5 fut envoyé pour travailler à Singapour. Il retourna quelques années après.
A ma première visite chez lui en 1969, j’avais rencontré un tonton très volubile avec beaucoup de contacts surtout bien installés dans le milieu d’affaires. Il possédait un département store dans la route marchande de Singapour, North Bridge road, et fonctionnait surtout comme un courtier en affaires surtout avec des connections indonésiennes.
Peut- être, un des moments les plus éprouvants de sa vie était de retrouver d’une grande partie de son patrimoine amassé au fils des années partir en fumée à la suite d’une incendie à son quartier général et de ses magasins. Comme il était négociant, tout ses avoirs étaient dans son stock de marchandises. Du jour au lendemain plus rien des marchandises, plus de maison et plus de commerce. Comble de malheur, l’assurance refusa de lui rembourser ses pertes. Il s’attendait pour une fois un geste réconfortant de sa famille. Ce qu’il reçu était, de son avis était timide et immatériel. Avec beaucoup de courage et détermination, il continue à lutter pour subvenir aux besoins de sa famille. Le deuxième coup de massue fut l’acquisition obligatoire de son fond de commerce par le gouvernement pour une bouchée de pain. Il ne céda pas et eut recours aux tribunaux. Ayant perdu son cas, Injuste est le gouvernement Singapourien me disait il et y ajoutait, mais équitable car tous ont été traité de la même façon.
Heureusement Yook Lin s’en est bien tiré. Vers la fin de sa carrière, il continua à gagner sa vie en plaçant intelligemment ses avoirs sur la bourse et dans l’immobilier et à travailler à la pige comme guide de tourisme spécialisé pour le marché Français.
Tonton, j’étais vraiment heureux à la fin de l’année dernière de t’avoir revu surtout au moment ou tu étais heureux d’avoir réuni avec toi toute ta famille et la grande délégation venue te voir. Le souvenir de ce déjeuner familial et l’ambiance de la grande famille qui y régnait restera toujours dans ma mémoire. Adieu Yook Sook.

Trinh Xuan Thuan

Trinh était à Maurice le 29 & 30 mai. C’était un grand plaisir de le revoir au Hilton pendant une bonne heure en compagnie de mon ami Marcel qui avait organisé la dernière visite de l’illustre Astrophysicien chez nous.

Qui est Trinh Xuan Thuan ?

Il est professeur d’astrophysique à l’Université de Virginie aux états unis et est spécialisé dans l’extragalactique. Il est surtout un écrivain de langue française, très lu pour un scientifique qui vulgarise l’astrophysique avec un relent de spiritualité bouddhisme. Parmi ses écrits :

  • Les voies de la lumière : Physique et métaphysique du clair-obscur, Fayard, 2007
  • Origines – la nostalgie des commencements, Fayard, 2003
  • L’Infini dans la paume de la main, avec Matthieu Ricard, 2000
  • le Chaos et l’Harmonie, Fayard, 1998
  • Le Destin de l’Univers, Découvertes Gallimard, 1992
  • Un astrophysicien, Beauchesne-Fayard, 1992
  • La mélodie secrète, Fayard, 1988

Il était en route pour une série de conférences pendant les vacances scolaires. La semaine dernière il était au festival de Fez au Maroc ou se tenait une colloque sur l’interreligieux. Durant tout l’été de l’hémisphère du nord il animera des colloques et conférences avant de prendre un peu de vacances dans son pays d’origine, le Vietnam.

Depuis notre dernière rencontre, Trinh avoue qu’en matière Astronomie, les dernières recherches confirment l’expansion galactique car il y a une théorie qui prône que par l’attraction l’expansion du Big Bang pourrait se ralentir.  Je garde en souvenir les paroles dites, d’un regard rêveur toute aussi bien en grande paix: ( je paraphrase ici) le monde des infiniment petits et le monde des infiniment grands nous transportent dans une béatitude inouïe vers notre voie pour un  éveil de l’esprit créateur.

Citations de Trinh

Au terme de nos conversations, je dois dire mon admiration accrue pour la manière dont le bouddhisme analyse
le monde des phénomènes. Il l’a fait de façon profonde et originale. Mais le but ultime de la science et du
bouddhisme n’est pas le même. La science s’arrête à l’étude et l’interprétation des phénomènes, alors que pour le
bouddhisme, le but est thérapeutique. En comprenant la vraie nature du monde physique, nous pouvons nous
libérer de la souffrance engendrée par notre attachement erroné à la réalité apparente du monde extérieur et
progresser dans la voie de l’Eveil.


Merci Trinh pour ton affabilité, ta générosité, et ta grande simplicité.

Kishore Mahbubani

If you do not have 2 days to spare on reading an interesting book and you are interested in world politics and would like to know the way the world will be transformed to in the next years, then watch the video of Kishore Mahbubani on Conversation with history from the most famous American university. I did that today for a whole hour and redoubled the vision twice lest I had missed some important issues.

No, ‘ The new Asian hemisphere, the irresistible shift of global power to the east’ is not only a critique to the way the west is seeing the world more importantly it is an appeal to the western powers to change course in their thinking and deeds. For 200 years, the west has controlled and directed the world affairs, time has now come for the East to be reinstalled. The new world order passed the 2nd world war which has worked for decades need now to be reviewed and amended to the reality of today. May the world leaders in the west hear his call and work towards restoring the right place to the East in the affair of the world.

As an avid reader on world politics and geo political the listening of Kishore Mahbubani was a delightful relish. I immediately researched more of Kishore Mahbubani’s writings or interviews on the web. I struck lucky. There were a couple excerpt of Mahbubani’s interviews BBC Hard Talk.

Very enjoyable and pleasant conversations from a cool marcher to Modernity I noted, his choice of words makes his delivery simple and easily understandable. I also observed his very frequent use of metaphors to support his thesis. The story of the looting of Bagdad to illustrate the non considerations of America for the Iraqis as opposed to the consideration of Japanese in their invasion of Singapore in respect of the botanical garden is yet another example of Mahbubani’s depth of thoughts.

The book review of Paul Bracken from the most prestigious Yale University excites me even more and causes me to order a copy of the book.

Reviewed by Paul Bracken, Professor of Management & Political Science, Yale

University.

A number of new books have appeared this year on the world’s shifting

power structure accompanied by the rise of Asian giants China and India. This in

itself is a noteworthy development. Apparently the period of America as sole

superpower, or the American Empire to its critics, is over. Having lasted a very

few short years American power seems not so much in decline as checked by

many realties.

Professor Kishore Mahbubani, Dean and Professor of the Lee Kuan Yew

School of Public Policy in Singapore, has written an absorbing account of some of

the consequences of the rise of the two Asian giants, and also of the smaller

countries who are part of this new power system. His perch in Singapore give

Mahbubani, a widely respected observer of international politics, a refreshing

view which is not contaminated by many of the U.S. based accounts of what’s

going on. One may disagree with some of his arguments. But his larger message

is the need to open up and broaden the global dialogue. Here, his book is right on

the mark. Its critique of the U.S. is a friendly one, of someone trying to be helpful.

This is a good thing and is likely to get more sympathy than the more harsh

critiques which come from those lacking this friendly attitude.

His core thesis is that the West which has been running the world for twohundred

years created institutions – organizations and laws – to maintain its hold

on things. The incapacity of these institutions to come to grips with the challenges

of the 21st century is evident, and so Asia must come to the rescue to insert its

own values and interests into the global dialogue. He foresees major transition

problems, largely around the difficulty of accepting the new powers into the

global system by the United States.

Mahbubani offers some trenchant insights into important matters. On

democracy, he describes how it has become an ideological crusade for the United

States, which in the process overlooks many of this form of governance’s

deficiencies. You will not find many American accounts that openly say how the

spread of democracy, pushed by Washington, to Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq has

proven disastrous. Again, Mahbubani is speaking as a friend when he says these

things. On the positive side, he emphasizes how many aspects of Western

democracy have spread around the world. Chinese, Indian, or Singaporean

citizens who start a business, point out environmental degradation, or stand up for

human rights are empowered to do so, in part, because Western democracy points

to just such actions.

Mahbubani’s greatest fear is the reluctance of Western minds to

acknowledge the unsustainability of Western global domination. His critique of

Western institutions in this regard is the best I have seen. In particular, his acidic

comments about the self promotion of the G-7 as the arbiter of everything from

macroeconomic order to climate change, and every other problem in between is

brilliant. I know I won’t ever be able to listen to a G-7 communiqué quite the

same way ever again.

The policies he advances to avoid disaster scenarios follow from his fear.

Openness to the views of others, and consideration of the best of Asian values

(meritocracy, order, competence) rank high here. His comparison of the U.S.

occupation of Japan after World War II and of Iraq is quite telling. He

underscores the sharp decline in simple competence, leaving aside the merits of

the Iraq war. In 1945 the U.S. took the occupation of Japan as a serious matter. In

2003 it did not, with respect to Iraq. He describes American ignorance of history

and culture as inevitably leading to disaster, regardless of the cause. What is

frightening about his observation is not only how valid it is. It is also how general

it is, applying to so many policy arenas that go beyond the war in Iraq. What he’s

saying, I think, is that the Iraqi occupation is symptomatic of a lack of seriousness

that has overtaken the American policy process generally.

His advice on where to go next is centered on pragmatism. But it is a two

way pragmatism. Each has to listen to the other. Asian hectoring of the U.S. isn’t

likely to be any more effective than the West trying to keep its grip on the U.N.

Security Council by pretending that France and Britain are the serious world

powers that they once were.

Pragmatism was once considered a definitive American characteristic. It

was the American positive spin to existentialism. Mahbubani thinks that Asians

have a good pragmatic streak as well. The two worlds could meet on this basis.

This requires the U.S. to give up some of its cherished illusions of recent years.

But it’s a path that offers a meeting ground between new and old power centers

where a more productive conversation could tackle the challenges facing the

global order.

Pacing and leading by OBAMA

Thanks to a toastmasters friend, I have now access to a very interesting document which I am studying with eagerness and great pleasure. The 60 odd pages document written by somebody who wants to run down Obama and accuse him of using covert or even illegal means in hypnotherapy to convince his audiences fascinates me. It is a recall to my lessons in NLP some 10 years ago and a refresher to the NLP techniques which I was supposed to acquire, possess and used. Although the intent of the document is to accuse President Obama for wrongfully using hypnotherapy to his benefit, I personally feel that the same document enhances my admiration for the man. Have I been hypnotised by his language?

The fine and precise analysis given, pays high tribute to the author of the document. From his quotes and numerous citations from learned experts in the field of NLP, namely Milton Ericson, he has shown that the author himself is versed in the subject and has researched and studied the speeches of Obama thoroughly. The referral to legal cases in the use of covert hypnosis is also interesting. I wish he could publish the same work on the Obama’s address to the Muslim World in Cairo.

What pleased me most is the demonstration of the use of NLP in the art of public speaking and the skills of mass persuasion. I shall gladly pass on this document to any reader who wants it on request.

Pacing and leading techniques for example:

Basics of Obama’s pacing and leading: The “because we need change, that is why I should be your next president” argument

Building on this basic framework, you do not hear specifics largely because much of Obama’s entire

presentation is pacing the audience. Obama’s sentence structure is often exactly what is taught by Erickson

in ways that cannot be coincidence. If he went into specifics, he would not be pacing, he would be

encouraging the use of the conscious mind, something he is attempting to avoid. Obama’s entire campaign,

essentially, can be summarized as:

1. The economy is bad, or the country is going in the wrong direction (pace) or we need to get an

education for every child (whatever statements no one can disagree with (pace) and therefore creates

a “yes-yes-yes” response, or “yes room.”)64

2. Change (can be used as a pace, an anchor, and/or a preprogrammed response)

3. And or because or that is why (conjunction linking statement)65

4. I will be your next President. (subconscious lead)

Saying that things are bad and we need change is only a logical basis for the conclusion that we need

someone able to solve our current problems for President – but the suggestion that the person to do this is

Obama is rationally under-supported or entirely unsupported. It doesn’t matter though, because the

connection is made on the subconscious level through the use of linking statements applied precisely per

Ericksonian techniques.

Obama says he offers hope, but actually much of Obama’s pacing is negative, e.g. based on how negative

things are. In fact, anger works well as an emotion with which to change behavior through hypnosis.

Notice how Obama rarely if ever smiles during the substantive parts within his formal hypnotic speeches. In fact, he has been described as looking angry.66 The hypnotic analysis is simple, angrily pointing while

frowning and making emotionally strong points in speeches send the subconscious message of a person in

commanding authority over you ordering you to act a certain way.67 Many feel is that Obama is the person

for whom to vote because he magically “inspires”, when in fact, Obama has commanded subconsciously.

Obama says he is the person with judgment, and he says he is the person to solve our problems because he

recognizes what is wrong, but these are logically empty arguments. His arguments based on his “ability to

see” what is wrong provides no real logical basis. His point is no more advanced nor specific than the

average listener’s viewpoint. He opposed the war in Iraq in 2003, but so did half the world, logically,

making Obama no more qualified than half the planet to be President. However, because he uses pacing and

leading so effectively, he says, “because we need change, that is why I want to be your next President” – it is

absorbed into the subconscious as absolute truth. The fact that this argument has no logic is irrelevant to

such feelings. Similarly, just because Obama powerfully says “its time for new energy and new ideas”

doesn’t mean he actually has any new ideas, but through his hypnotic techniques, that’s what people walk

away feeling.