Facts & Videos - January Reads

Last year I read 21 books against a plan of 24. So this year again, I will try to reach that elusive number of 24. I am happy to report that the year has started on a bright note and I have completed two books in January, both of them non-fiction. Interestingly, both of them are also directly relevant to my line of work. But most importantly, each book has a unique perspective on things which are happening today, in front of us. 

First book that I read is interestingly titled, 'Factfulness' by Hans Rosling. The tagline in the book title reads, "Ten Reasons we're Wrong About the World - And Why Things are Better Than You Think." That is a great hook. Though this book is not as deep or as profound as Sapiens written by Yuval Noah Harari (read my views on the book Sapiens here); in a way the souls of both books are connected. Both books tell us how our world is in a better place than we imagine. Sapiens relies on historical / archaeological evidence to make its case, while Factfulness makes us question our basic human instincts and biases, that blind us towards any data or facts or trends, contrary to our dominant thinking. 

The author warns us about ten such human instincts and suggests methods to overcome those while making any assessment or forming any opinion. As certain instincts resemble each other, you might find book to be repetitive at times, especially in the first few chapters. 

Also while the book deals with the subject of numbers / data / facts, it is still an easy read for everyone because the book's narrative is in the form of a story and is replete with relevant examples and visual aids. So while it is a good read for people who work with numbers, it is great for those who don't.

The second book is interesting and flawed at the same time. Videocracy by Kevin Allocca (YouTube's Head of Culture and Trends) is an interesting book because it talks about videos on YouTube and builds a context around them by explaining what makes YouTube a big deal for everyone in this universe. It is a flawed book because at times it sounds like a propaganda and a hard-sell. The book conveniently ignores the aspects related to moderation, privacy, consent, intellectual property and negative content - especially hate videos. It almost justifies cyber-bullying by citing the larger good. The book pompously suggests that everyone in this universe will rely on video content to know about humanity and culture and thus there is no other way to assimilate knowledge or learn. Now let me focus on my takeaways and the good bits.

The author tries to establish three things in this book:

1. The power to make a piece of content or a video (art?) successful or viral has shifted towards users /  viewers / communities. They are the ones who are shaping the changes on YouTube and the role of  content itself. 

2. Celebrities - Fans equation is changing and is more of a relationship of equals now, due to diminishing distance between them through platforms like YouTube.

3. Most of the organically successful videos on YouTube are expression of self identity of the creator as well as of the viewers who made them successful. This concept is then linked to the rise of huge number of niche art forms and niche communities on YouTube. 

There are several other takeaways in the book, but these three resonated with me the most. 

Initial parts of the book were repetitive and exhausting as the subject matter isn't classified properly in chapters. Also most of the video references given to explain the points were US based and I either had to look them up or make some assumptions, which made it a slower reading experience. But the chapters on how marketing ads changed their nature due to YouTube or how YouTube changed lives,  due to its content related to learning (example 'How to' videos) and political discourse (example Arab Spring) appealed to me. 

The last part of the book warns us of the pitfalls of what we share, view or believe. But it is not enough!

Both books made me think and that is a win. Next on cards is Yuval Noah Harari's follow-up book to Sapiens - Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow. Keep watching this space to know about it. Happy Reading!

...and he is 2

"Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing up is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing." - A quote by Phyllis Diller, an American actress and a stand up comedian who had 6 children. 

21st December 2016 : My son Meharaj was born in Mumbai. I used to work in Mumbai then.

21st December 2017 : We celebrated his first birthday in Ludhiana. That is where his grandparents and our extended families live. I wrote about it here. 

21st December 2018 : We celebrated his second birthday in New Delhi. I had to travel regarding my work to New Delhi and didn't want to be away from him on this day, so I took him and my wife along with me. My mother and brother traveled all the way from Ludhiana to meet him in Delhi and we had a mini celebration. 

He has a sweet tooth, clearly.

He stays and goes to a playschool, in Chennai. And he had his first international vacation in Mauritius in November last year. Interestingly, he is a very well behaved child in flights, so far. Touch-wood! Because on ground he is unrestrained, putting it mildly. 

So he has in all probability, clocked more miles in 2 years than I did in first decade of my life. He has stayed in multiple cities and is exposed to many languages - English, Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil and Marathi. His parents don't know the last two. He is truly growing up in a multi-cultural environment. This is an exciting and a scary thought at the same time. 

Since I last wrote about him in this post, he has added few more words to his vocabulary. Though other children of his age speak many more words and more complex words too, he compensates for this lack of vocabulary with his exaggerated body language. Each word he has learned is always accompanied with a gesture. He keeps saying "Bye" to people in a musical way and with a wave of his hand. He looks really cute doing it. Then he has learned two words in Punjabi, "Bas" (stop or that's it) accompanied with a show of hand like a traffic cop and "Kitthe" (where) along with an upward nod of his face, as if questioning me. For him every bird is a crow. He sees a bird and he shouts happily, "K(r)owww," with the 'r' remaining silent. At times, he points towards himself and will keep repeating, "Baby" in his babbieee sound. While he learned the word "Papa" very early (in fact it was the first word he ever uttered), he still just keeps saying it without necessarily calling me out. Though when his mom asks to give his "Papa" something, he knows where to go. He doesn't say Mama or Mummy and surprisingly calls his mother "Paapi" or "Papi". But his favorite phrase is actually gibberish. He even keeps blabbering it in his sleep. "Kunte-Kunte". Guess what we were trying to teach him! "Chhotte-Chhotte." (Little-Little)

He has also learned to throw a tantrum and knows how to get things done. He is a really active child and can shake his legs in a clumsy manner when you ask him to dance. He keeps climbing on things and people without fear of falling. He likes to eat only while playing with my shoes. He likes to walk in them. He raids the refrigerator for chocolates or dates every time he gets a chance. When I reach home, he asks me to pick him up and then he would keep my pen, my watch and my wallet in the cupboard. The day I forget this ritual, he starts whining. He has now a complete set of teeth, with which he can give you the brightest smile or he can bite your fingers off. When he makes a mistake and he knows it, he will blink both his eyes in a way that you will be forced to kiss him or hug him.

I like my home to be clean and like my things to be at the right places. But Meharaj is not like that. He likes mess. He loves chaos. He throws toys, food, water, remotes, keys, creams, pillows, or anything which he can hold in his hands on the floor, on the bed, under the bed and inside the shower. I was too naive to think that I can keep my house in order. I have given up! I think I have finally learned to 'Let go'. I love him. 

Catching Up

After a long gap I got sometime today, to write. Also it is the first time in this year, when I am lagging on my reading goals. I should have completed reading my 22nd book this year by now, but I just completed the 21st.  Truly speaking, I am not unhappy about it for two reasons. One, I had a well deserved vacation with my family and I didn't feel like reading during that period. Second, the last book I finished made me think about my life and thus I wanted to stay with the thoughts expressed in that book for a little longer before picking something else up. So I believe December would be all about catching up. 

The three books I am going to write about today are totally different from each other. They belong to different genres, have varied writing styles and cater to sensibilities across the spectrum. 

But there was a commonality I believe. Each book talks about Search. Search for meaning. Search for purpose. Search for your true calling. Search for the killer. Okay! Last one is about a really bad thriller.

Man's Search for Meaning comes highly recommended. And I had huge expectations from it. It is part biopic and part treatise. In the first part Viktor talks about his horrific experiences at a concentration camp and how he survived by focusing on the meaning of his life. In the second part he talks about his takeaways from the time he spent in those camps and gives a theoretical framework of his seminal work in logotherapy. Truth is that the second part of this book was way too technical for me to appreciate it. Also as I have not read much about psychology or psychotherapy in general, I would not like to comment on this part of the book. The first part is fast paced and the author paints a vivid account of his experiences. There are few points in this part which forced me to think about the importance of meaning in life. I have seen the film Life is Beautiful on a similar subject. In comparison the book comes across as tad underwhelming when describing the

horrors of being held captive.

So while the book is touted as highly profound, I would say that it is rather a well chronicled account of life at concentration camps and, as a reader, there is lot to learn from this part of world history. The book ends with following lines which exhort the readers to do their best.

"So, let us be alert - alert in a twofold sense:

Since Auschwitz we know what man is capable of.

And since Hiroshima we know what is at stake."

Chetan Bhagat's latest book is a huge disappointment and I am not one of those readers who dismisses him as an author. I have always believed that he is a good story-teller despite his limitations. He mostly writes about youth and slice of life experiences which are narrated with a light touch and a typical sense of humor. The conflicts in his books are very middle-class and thus as a reader you identify with them. But in his latest book The Girl in Room 105, he tries to switch genres. He attempts a thriller and fails miserably at that. In portions, where he talks about college experiences, conflicts between the girl and the boy and career choices, he does well. But as a thriller he fails to create any tension. The reveal at the climax is not satisfying. And while the book is fast paced, as a thriller it is repetitive and slow. 

Tuesdays with Morrie was an interesting read for me because: 

1. It doesn't belong to any conventional genre of books. It is a true account of two lives but not really a biopic. It is that rare self-help book that doesn't get prescriptive. It is a motivational book but without the standard tropes

2. It deals with intense subjects of illness and death and still remains light and breezy

3. The book is not only about what it says but also about what you think after you read something in it.

While many readers claim that it has helped them re-look at their lives and set their priorities right, I believe that at least I am more aware about the same, even if I am yet to make a change. So the book succeeds in stirring something inside you. It helps you understand life and death better. It makes you more accepting of the inevitable. Out of the three books I read in last few weeks, this one was the best. 

Do share your Search experiences with me in the comments space. 

Which book you would recommend for me next?