�Who Says You Can�t Teach an Old Dog a New Trick or Two�

The other day I read a comment by one of the readers pertaining to one of the articles published on our on-line magazine www.yoursecondfifty.com.

The interesting twist was that the comment questioned why would we want to respect the beliefs of others when in actuality these beliefs are what have caused all the separation and grief society faces today.

The persons comment basically questioned why we would want to respect the separation that religion, culture, color and gender create – when we would be much farther ahead if we removed this entire ego based separation.

To me it makes a ton of sense. I mean if we truly have God in our heart we know that religions were not created by him or should I say her, they were created by men based upon their perceptions, values and needs of the God they wanted to portray to their followers. That doesn’t mean that organized religion hasn’t played a wonderful role in humanitarian services because it has – but it has also created a great deal of strife and sorrow.

The same pros and cons can be applied to culture, race and gender – just take a look back over time and I’m sure situations to support this belief will pop up by the dozens. 

In any case for a long time now I have felt that it will be the internet that will change our society for the better. Sure there are negatives with the internet as well – BUT – the internet breaks down all the separation – tonight I can make new friends from all around the world – if I choose to. In addition the internet allows those who have been sheltered from the rest of the world to see the rest of the world through unfiltered glasses and most important the internet gives people an opportunity to choose and from my stand point once we realize how similar we are we won’t suffer from the fictitious fears that created all this need for separation in the first place.

This was passed on to me by a friend of mine in Bangkok – certainly makes a person think.

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.

Globalized processes have caused in us (all over the world) a general sense of searching for immediate results. Therefore, we have come to possess 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. Sweden pays nearly 50% personal tax, but has one of the highest standards of living with next to no poverty.

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”. 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 “gotta fly, people to see, places to go – world.”