One of the most thought provoking and insightful piece I have read on our ability to put ‘time in perspective’ is from Tim Urban, a prolific writer. His writings are deeply researched and often an explainer on many topics when one is trying to make sense of this world. Our ability to have a sense…
This was triggered by Charles Assissi’s post and piece on ‘Why I Write?.’ It probably resonated with many people who are professional writers as well as some of us who write once in 12 blue moons. Like the Cycle Agarbathi advertisement says, ‘Everyone has a reason to pray,’ perhaps everyone has a reason to write….
“Can a history of interest rates really entertain? You bet.. To read this terrific book is to be reacquainted with the bizzaire, Alice-in-Wonderland condition of modern finance” – Marc Sidwell, Sunday Telgraph. [From the blurb on the back cover] I have been reading books on economics of all types for the last many years, as…
(First published in Economic Times Brand Equity) Recently a former colleague and a popular podcast host asked me in a conversation that how much of what we do are really impactful and how much of that is playing to the gallery. And my response to that was most of the things done in the pretext…
A few days back, in an attempt to reduce the number of times I reach out to the mobile phone involuntarily, I set up a timer for the screen time of WhatsApp. For now, it is working. Most of us have enough anecdotal stories of our attempts to reduce the infinite scrolling and browsing, with…
Getting lost in a rabbit hole is easier these days. We get introduced to a new concept or subject. And if there is a desire to get to know more about it, there are enough pathways, thanks to the internet. From tweets to short reads, long reads, videos, podcasts, and books itself, it’s all out…
I have never been a religious person, barring the first 15 years or so, though I grew up in a deeply religious and ritualistic family. Since high school, I have moved in the spectrum of agnosticism to atheism, finally settling for the latter. No compulsions or pressures from home also helped my cause. During my…
When the famous author Nassim Taleb coined the phrase ‘antilibrary,’ so many of us, across the world, felt a sigh of relief. Felt validated. Legitimised. Liberated from the guilt of buying more books than one could read. Antilibrary refers to the number of books in your personal collection that you have not read. “The library…
(First published in 2016) In the 1500s, the Spanish explorer Hernan Cortes landed at Aztec empire in Mexico with a team of just 550 people. In just 4 years, the Aztec empire was ravaged. A mere 550 people subjugated an empire of millions, making Mexico a Spanish colony. Within the next 10 years, another Spaniard,…
‘Company loyalty’ is a new term I heard recently from Sriram, co-founder of Crossword book stores and now an independent marketing and retail consultant. Should consumers be loyal to their brand OR companies be loyal to their consumers? The tables are perhaps turning. With innumerable choices, commoditization of many services and products, consumers have no reason…