A lil' fear

A bubble - however little we may know about its very intrisic and chemical composition - certainly bursts. It is first born, develops itself with the help of our fellow men (and their respective lungs), and then explodes, showing us something that we should already know, that is, that they are empty on the inside.

No one knows for sure what caused the Great Depression. Some say that it was because of the stock market crash, some argued that a draught in Mississipi had something to do with it. We could go to a many different economists and get as many different answers as there are to deep philosophical questions such as "Why did the chicken cross the road?" What we might be able to say, and - have - an answer in common from all of those economists might be the lack of regulation and a contraction of the money supply by the US Federal Reserve. Right after the Great Depression, banks were tightly regulated, and both parties were happy, the free marketeers and the 'regulatories'. However, as the years passed and the country got richer and richer, the leashes were let loose, and any bubble, monetary bubbles, I say, that were accompanied by unending equations to justify them, weren't taken too seriously. Internet, Real State, War, and so forth. And History rhymed, as Mark Twain told us.

In the XIX century, Great Britain was the great superpower, and many, like us, believed that their empire would last forever. To their disdain, the U.S. rose as the great and massive power of comsumption that we know today. Sooner than we think, the unfortunate might happen, and the batoon could be easily passed to China, not as a power of consumption, but as a power of production, giving them not only more stability, but also longevity.

Let there be light.

A humble homage

"We need to be contemporary, not only survivors, of our own selves" -- Murilo Mendes.


A sometimes obscure, sometimes humble, at all times admired J. G. Merquior, perhaps one of the greatest intellectuals of the XX century. Born in Brazil, under the sign of Taurus, in April 22 of 1941, he was robust in his intellect, powerful in his criticism, and humane as a person. As a diplomat, he served in Paris (1966), Bonn (1973), London(1975/79), and Montevideu (1980/82). Academically, he possessed a degree in Law, two doctorates from the London School of Economics, and Sorbonne, in letters, and post-studies from the Rio Branco Institute.
Acclaimed wherever he went, he made connections with some of the most respected intellectuals of his time. Octavio Paz, the notable poet, and also a good friend, gave a few lectures together with Merquior entitled "The XX Century: The Experience of Liberty". Powerful and touchy lectures, I must say, that would leave his audience asking for more, however recognizing that all that was said, was all that had to be said. A paradox, with a sense of completeness and nakedness.

J. G. Merquior is mostly known for his treatise on Focault, and a prodigious thesis on Rosseau and Weber, which would render him that which he had never asked for: Fame. Always obscure, he more than often wrote articles for newspapers in pieaces of napkins at airports in the midst of his travels. His intinerary which was very much open, starting with his efforts to understand the literary phenomena which starts with its internal reason. In Frankfurt, he wrote on the Marcuse society, Adorno and Benjamin. In Paris, he found the structuralism of its days, and wrote a not-so-structuralist thesis on the aesthetics of Levi-Strauss. In England, he established a diologue, and problably a pact with their popperian rationalism. And so went he, in his journey, progressively advancing in his wide comprehension of books, and lines, and life.

After receiving the news about the desease that would take him, he went,as if nothing had happened, to his favorite place, his publishing company. There he verified articles for publication, gave suggestions for the cover of the book that had given him so much hapiness, knowing that he's never live to see it published. He said farewell without anyone knowing that he would, soon, go to the other sphere of time.

An except from the Discourse on the Method

"My third maxim was to endeavor always to conquer myself rather than fortune, and change my desires rather than the order of the world, and in general, accustom myself to the persuasion that, except our own thoughts, there is nothing absolutely in our power; so that when we have done our best in things external to us, all wherein we fail of success is to be held, as regards us, absolutely impossible: and this single principle seemed to me sufficient to prevent me from desiring for the future anything which I could not obtain, and thus render me contented; for since our will naturally seeks those objects alone which the understanding represents as in some way possible of attainment, it is plain, that if we consider all external goods as equally beyond our power, we shall no more regret the absence of such goods as seem due to our birth, when deprived of them without any fault of ours, than our not possessing the kingdoms of China or Mexico, and thus making, so to speak, a virtue of necessity, we shall no more desire health in disease, or freedom in imprisonment, than we now do bodies incorruptible as diamonds, or the wings of birds to fly with. But I confess there is need of prolonged discipline and frequently repeated meditation to accustom the mind to view all objects in this light; and I believe that in this chiefly consisted the secret of the power of such philosophers as in former times were enabled to rise superior to the influence of fortune, and, amid suffering and poverty, enjoy a happiness which their gods might have envied. For, occupied incessantly with the consideration of the limits prescribed to their power by nature, they became so entirely convinced that nothing was at their disposal except their own thoughts, that this conviction was of itself sufficient to prevent their entertaining any desire of other objects; and over their thoughts they acquired a sway so absolute, that they had some ground on this account for esteeming themselves more rich and more powerful, more free and more happy, than other men who, whatever be the favors heaped on them by nature and fortune, if destitute of this philosophy, can never command the realization of all their desires.

"Rene Descartes, "Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting the Reason, and Seeking Truth in the Sciences."

The US will shine, says Nobel Laureate

Despite being the epicenter of the current world crisis, considered by many the biggest since the Great Depression, the USA shall get out of the economic turbulence before Europe, defended economist Gary Becker, economics Nobel Prize laureate in 1992.

For Becker, the main reason for this lies in the economic model adopted by these countries. The American, more liberal, and the European, with more public interference."It is true that the capital markets in the US will not behave well, but the flexibility in the US economy will bring us out of this crisis faster than in other countries, like France and Germany," argues Becker, and goes further, "The US will still be the main global economy."

The recovery of the US, for Becker, will start slowly in this year's fourth trimester and will pick up throughout 2010. A opinion that is seen as full of optimism by Becker himself. Usually in this sector predictions of respected analysts are more somber.

The Nobel laureate relies on four main forces, as known as METT: Markets, Education, Technology and Commerce. He cites that the combination of those is essential. "Take away one of them and you have problems. With them all together, you have a diamond."

There are still bad problems facing stabilization, admits Becker. "I believe that we will have a little bit on inflation. The quantity of resources injected by the FED in the economy was huge. "But still, I see a brilliant future and a recuperation that won't take long, like a long stagnation that some think."

The secret of success is to know how to listen

Listen, listen and (one more time) listen. It is there that lies the secret of success and good tenure. The opinion belongs to Tom Peters, specialist and author of In Search of Excellence. "Companies don't do bad because they don't dominate equations, but simply because they don't listen." It is necessary to listen to employees, clients and suppliers", said Peters while lecturing in Brazil this Friday.

Mainly in an epoch of crisis, this ability becomes more fundamental. According to him, not only executives are the ones who talk more than hear, a conception that is generalized among our society. A good example are doctors, who, according to researches, interrupt their patients usually after the first 18 seconds of a visit. "And who would be the best resource to speak of your sickness?"

"Nobody disagrees that listening is one of the most fundamental characteristic in business, but nobody does it. I met a few business schools and even companies who actually teach it. The four most important words for any company are: 'What do you think?'".

Peter recalls the difference between hearing and listening. "When you speak, everybody listens, simply because you are the boss", says P. "Execution. Companies tend to worry too much about planning. They think that is the plan is right, the execution will do well, which is not true. I would say that is the execution is right, the plan is makes no difference. Both things are true, but the second is closer to reality."

Human Capital
Known for valuing the role of his employees within big organizations, Peter speaks of human capital. "People matter. If everyone understood this, we would not had been in this situation. Nine in ten times, GE's business's don't fail because they don't have good engines, but because of a series of mistakes in human relations."

P. assumes the point-of-view that professionals want to belong to something bigger and seek, in the corporate world, develop themselves. Companies, on the other hand, invest in that. "When developing employees, companies could serve clients better. And it is for that that they exist, to serve. Leaders, as well, live to serve."

Economic Engine
Always polemic, Peter provokes, attacking big corporations and praising the power of small and mid-sized companies, since "big ones offer us nothing. Small and mid corps. are the ones that truly move the economy. It is not GM", says. "What we need are entrepreneurs. We need to stop thinking about the which company should we copy now."

Mr. Orwell.

It's been 60 years since Orwell wrote 1984, the classic which showed us the Big Brother, ubiquitous oppressor of a totalitarian society with cameras controlling everyone's moves.

Orwell, a pseudonym that Eric Blair adopted as a writer, died because he couldn't contain the love for his work. He was sick, with a tuberculosis that in his days was fatal, and went find isolation to finish writing 1984. As soon as he was done, the recognition was immediate, public and critics. However, the efforts killed him at 46. The first lines are classic, often quoted, It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking 13.

One of the first ones to recognize his talent was V.S. Pritchett, a NY Times writer, who classified Orwell as the best man of letters of his time. The first paragraph of his criticism, published in June 1949, goes something like "1984 goes through the reader like an east wind, cracking the skin, opening the sores; hope has died in Mr Orwell’s wintry mind, and only pain is known. I do not think I have ever read a novel more frightening and depressing; and yet, such are the originality, the suspense, the speed of writing and withering indignation that it is impossible to put down"

Orwell was a versatile intellectual. In his work, abbreviated by his early death, fulgurates a notorious essay regarding the art of writing. He condensed his points in 6 advices:

- Never use a metaphor - like Ill shine like the sun - that you are used to reading;

- Never use a big word when a small one can substitute it;

- If it is possible to cut a word in your text, do it;

- Never use passive form when you can use active;

- Never write a sentence in other language, or a scientific expression, jargon, when you can express it simply.

- Break any of these rules when you find it necessary.