THE GREAT SINGAPOREAN ‘TAKE AWAY’ – TALENT MANAGEMENT / PART 2
June 18, 2008
[This is an EAM – To all gamers pls refer to Harphoon’s message concerning the Transalps Training at the end of this interview series – FILB]
Kompf Q: Why do you think the West can regularly find leaders when the East i
s reduced to just producing more of the same? Allow me to paraphrase what’s really working behind the scenes in the selection process of elites in Asia?
Darkness A: Kompf. Inconsistencies just appear to surface more here that’s all. Only because democracy has always been regarded as suspect and two dimensional in Asia by the Western optic.
I know this may infuriate many of the PBK readers as once again they will label me as recalcitrant, but I firmly believe this to be true. There is hypocrisy here and even racism in large doses. This I feel is a condition that afflicts many Western intellectuals although they may choose to deny it vehemently. Subconsciously, they have a tendency of imposing their values and definition of ‘reality’ on all of us. That’s fine, if they take the trouble to first come to grips with our history and the salient in this part of the world. The problem is only a few really have any appreciation; the vast majority who claim to speak authoritatively are just no better than urination technicians. (cut off by Kompf / deleted vulgarity by Darkness)
Q: I am sorry to take exception to your generalization Darkness, but can you cite a specific incident. It’s very easy for you to go off on one of your famous rants (cut off).
A: Mind your tone with me (deleted) Exhibit A: Look at the fantasy of the so called war against terror – tell me Kompf how did the neocons manage to impose their version of ‘reality’ so surreptitiously on the rest of us? Please take sometime and think about that. Bear in mind not only did they manage to fashion a golden calf with the complicity of the so called “free” Western press corps, “enlightened” academia and “pineappled eyed” intelligentsia; why didn’t anyone put up their hand and said, “hey, wait a moment!” in the Security Council? How do you account for the widespread acquiescence to these delusional designs?
Yes, I know it’s easy to pick at the bones with the benefit of hindsight, but my feel is it pays dividends for us to revisit this fracas only because it illustrates my point only too clearly; what we may be seeing here is a classical case of what Austrian diplomats once termed ‘Schlimmbesserung.’
Tell me Kompf, do ordinary Iraqi’s aspire to freedom as G.Bush proclaims? Yes, but what he and his Coney Island planners didn’t realize was they may not want the American variant of democracy – now you know why Cheney mistook his lawyer friend as a moose and pumped him with lead! (LOL) [interview is suspended / vulgarities by Darkness deleted] their definition of freedom is closer to an Iranian theoracy as sort of post modernist Nasserism cum Jaafari movement which incidentally just happens to the sum of all our fears!
Now how did that Byzantine fuck up happen? (Vulgarity deleted again) I am asking you a question Kompf! What if I said to you this is what usually happens when all people can do is transplant ideology without first taking the trouble to understand the social political complexity of what they are actually dealing with – it would appear this is altogether new, but it isn’t. I can really go on for ten pages here alone to describe the hypocrisy of the West when it comes to human rights, the environment and even good governance.
Now here for the benefit of the benefit of PBK readers, I wish to state that I am not anti Western anything per se, but where I do take extreme exception too is when derelicts go about trying to impose their values on us without even bothering to do their homework. At best I term this intellectual negligence the equivalent of masturbation and at worst I say, you have no locus standi to even impose your values on us.
Beside who in his right mind even takes advice form a Bush? I rather have a conversation with my vacuum cleaner! The last time I checked my Bible when someone did that, they spent nearly 40 years mumbling half confused in the desert.
Q: OK, I get what you are trying to say; let me just get it straight for the benefit of our readers. What you’re saying is the Western ideal is very different from the Asian ideal and there may not be any commonality. I believe Lee Kuan Yew once said you people are defined by “Asian values,” an ideal that is diametrically opposed to Western liberalism. Tell me Darkness is there a middle ground even that allows us to stand and see the world in a common perspective?
A: Differences do certainly exist, but I don’t believe they cannot be effectively reconciled and harmonized through scholarship. As for LKY’s historical take on Asian values, he’s dead wrong. Tell me where did you ever get the idea Asian values connote the direct opposite of Western liberalism? I don’t think so, when you people were busy burning heretics during the dark ages. Emperor Akbar Khan had already passed a series of liberal laws which allowed for freedom of worship and the unfettered pursuit of the sciences. So perhaps someone can tell me how robust is this whole idea of Asian values?
What I feel needs to be underscored here is there’s something called the politics of selection along with power and politics that regularly features in talent management. How elites perpetuate themselves is hardly a matter that requires lengthy elaboration, but one thing remains very certain in the last 3,000 years of mankind.
Every oligarchy needs to mythologize their importance to come across as relevant, valuable and credible to the plebes. In certain respects this play for the spot light is the main reason why we usually associate leaders with having the right stuff.
By and large that’s understandable. However, where it takes a wrong turn is when the myth making machine is taken too far; our if those people who make up the ruling elite start to get high on their own products i.e they start believing their own myth. Under those delusion conditions, the selection of elites can even assume grotesque shapes and forms like the Samurai’s who once instituted a ban on firearms to perpetuate the cult of the sword as a highly stylized means defining their class politics. Or in the case of the French aristocracy where élan, panache and aplomb replaced the skill of arms so totally that it even corroded métier and hard nosed expertise – One thing must be made very clear here, whenever a selection occurs, it’s nothing more than power play and this has long been noted by even anthropologist; this is kicker: perpetuation is never a rational process.
IMO it’s more profitable to see the process of selection under this stark and cold cut light; perpetuation is not rational. Just keep that in mind through out this entire read, otherwise you will just end up confusing yourself, me and everyone who reads this; perpetuation is not rational. As every oligarchy has to take a certain shape and form, and this suggest preservation must feature to some extent and indeed this is very reflected in the intimate relationship between what the form (the elite oligarchy) takes and even the social and political order to which it finally has to assume. Now where it gets really complicated is when we consider; how much influence that social and political order i.e the elites who are already in the inner circle influence the selection process? And more importantly why they need to take equity in the selection process, instead of just leaving it to a mechanical process; as we shall see what determines the relationship between those who are already in the system and those who aspire to be part of it may actually hold the key to how leaders are actually selected. Now to the perceptive reader, this is the point you will notice where meritocracy peels off and what we see instead is nothing more than simply the old boys network in operation. Let me give you an example of how certain pre-qualifications regularly militate against the whole idea of meritocratic based selection; tradition, for example, plays a preponderant role in influencing the choice of candidates; the Ottomans for example saw no problem in inuring their ranks with elite Janissary troops, yet they were strictly not given specific rights which made it possible for them to be integrated seamlessly into the local populace; why? We may even juxtapose this discussion on a wider canvas to ask ourselves whether Barack Obama will make a first class president despite his ethnicity? Or whether a foreign talent should one day be nominated as the PM of Singapore?
Do you see the divide? Do you see the lines? Do you see the schism even?
This goes back to what I mentioned earlier; perpetuation is not rational and if I had to pin it down it has to be because there will always be competing interest even within the fraternity of elites who will ensure their rights and privileges will be protected and perpetuated at all cost – what one really needs to understand is even within the cloistered fraternity of elites there is a pecking order or hierarchy, its not a monolithic oligarchy as it remains one which is very loosely bound, so there is a lot of improvisation for power politics, albeit this time on miniature scale – in this push and pull melee of factional interest lies the real keys of power of the selection process – its naïve to assume the selection of candidates can operate without interference from the patriarchs of power – as the motivation to take equity is so strong that it cannot be intellectually denied even for one moment; there is simply too much at stake and whenever such conditions feature in the decision nexus – its only fair to assume whoever gets selected will be the one who represents the least threat to these super duper elites within the ranks of the egalitarian elites. This in my view is the only way for the oligarchy of elites to perpetuate themselves.
Q: So let me get it straight, what you are saying in effect is this; even within the oligarchy of elites there are factions and the most influential ones will always try to jockey to put across their own horse ahead so as to perpetuate their hold on power?
A: Precisely. I don’t think one can sensibly deny this reality especially when so much is at stake – we don’t have to look very far to tease out the outline of these shadows; one just needs to peruse through the competitive environment to seek out the various flash points in our society; it really doesn’t matter whether it’s the sand box politics of establishing a community regulator in our internet or even how it’s done by way of excluding everyone except a few urination experts. Or how the MSM continually exerts its hold on the collective consciousness by regularly attempting to stamp out the counter narrative. You can even juxtapose these questions on a broader canvas like who regularly contributes to the Democratic and Republican political campaign? And what do they expect to get out of it? See what I mean. In every case what clearly surfaces is the keys to power. I think knowing this means one knows how to fight it effectively, not knowing simply means you will be outflanked at every turn and opportunity.
This could range from the Jewish lobby who have always perceived the strategic value of political parlance in Capitol hill as a reliable means of shaping the political landscape in the middle east. Or even Christian fundamentalist who see – but please have no illusions, what you are in effect witnessing is a highly ritualized and stylized dance by elites to influence other elites so that they continue to stay in power.
Q: Could you elaborate further on the Jewish lobby and what do you think about Obama with regard to his policy towards Jerusalem?
A: (LOL) There is a real danger a few Mossad agents are probably reading this and the last thing I want to do is get myself red flagged. Because I could just as well be drugged and bundled off into an El Al cargo flight and find myself snuggling up to Mat Selamat having to share body heat only to spend the rest of my days clearing landmines in the Gaza with a pair of Bata slippers – so I really cannot elaborate further. I am so sorry Kompf. I am just joking Kompf.
I think the question isn’t about the Jewish lobby as much as how they have managed to successfully insert themselves strategically into the power quadrant very much like a rook, that has a very long reach of influence; in a sense, the Jews are very much like the Florentine Medici’s or even the Guilds our game; they are essentially power brokers who wield tremendous influence.
That’s why if you look very closely at every presidential candidate going all the way back to Nixon and that even includes Obama; all of them without exception have had to pay homage to Jerusalem in one way or another.
This entails treating Israel as a “special case.” Along with trying to accommodate a hundred over inconsistencies that do not sit very well with the Arab league.
What I think most people keep forgetting about Obama especially those who have been hypnotized by his marketing manifesto is while he’s a human being. He’s first and foremost a politician and that means he will always say things he doesn’t mean or believe in order to drum up more support. There’s nothing overly unusual about this, but let us not suddenly become befuddled and pretend it isn’t happening just because he is not middle class white. If there is one thing above all which all of us should be mindful about history, it’s that shamans, false prophets and politicians should always be judged guilty until proven innocent. I think it pays to be a bit skeptical.
Q: Let me go back to one point you mention, you said earlier, “perpetuation is not necessarily logical.” Tell me Darkness how do you reconcile oppositional figures like Dr Chee into this framework? Do you consider his methods effective?
A: You know Kompf, perpetuation may not be rational or even logical, but that doesn’t mean you can elide it wholesale ; you still need to come across as rational.
As for Chee most of us here call him crash dummy No. 1, his sister is No.2 and so on and so forth – you know why because that is all they seem to be dedicating themselves too these days.
The mindless pursuit of banging into walls which they try to sell as oppositional politics. He should go and get a job with General Motors to help them design safer cars. He’s no politician and let me tell you why? Politics is first and foremost a game. He doesn’t even have the rule book. He’s no good at the game. Never even once have we seen any evidence of tactics or strategy at work in his on going campaign. All too often it’s reactive instead of proactive; irrational instead of clever; superficial instead of deep, fractious instead of unifying. Unless Chee learns to hit the bulls eye such as how do we profile better schools? How should we increase the aperture of business opportunities for the ordinary Joe? How can we make this place a better place to live?
That’s Chee’s main problem, he and his gang haven’t learn how to parlay with the thinking crowd beyond peddling snake oil sound bites like human rights etc; which IMO fails to cut the pie in the mind; that’s why all he has managed to do is recruit a zombie army like very same one Mr Brown once mobilised; they’re no good; they’re a liability to his cause.
Let me put it simply this way Kompf; if you give me command of 10 of our finest trained Sardo-Khan elite legions, I could take over Primus and by the end of business day martial law will be declared, but guess what? I will not be able to consolidate my hold on power! I know, I’ve staged a coup 3 times and every single time, I get repelled, not by the army, but by those pesky intellectuals. They will sabo me i.e undermine my cause.
This is how politics is conducted in the virtual, it’s not so different from the real world and it’s proven surprising robust for the last five thousand years – I think these are the corner stones that will always feature in any discussion concerning talent management and power & politics. The bent folk in the ASDF know this trick; that’s why they hold tremendous influence in the brotherhood. Although the intellectuals only occupy less than 5% of the seats in Primus; they can move mountains; because each of them leads in the field of the mind; so when you multiply than across the field; they’re a super power; in short, it pays dividends to get the thinking people on your side.
If I don’t have those intellectuals in the second row in my back pocket, it doesn’t matter how many senators I have on my side. I can even have the full backing of the Guild. It goes no where, I will be harried, hobbled and vetoed – it will not even see the light of day. No chance. Again those pesky intellectuals will back stab me like Caesar in the steps of the Senate.
So I’ve learnt a few things in my 500 year career in Primus – never ever piss off the intellectuals. You’re just buying into a black hole of perpetual grief. Always get them on your side before you do anything. If you don’t have them eating out of your hands, it’s no good. You will get absolutely no where. Nothing will ever happen. That regrettably is easier said than done; as I said, they’re a pesky lot. Here, we would do well to remember the Roman dictum,
“Those who cannot be conquered, must be embraced.”
[This interview with J.Kompf ended prematurely as Darkness rode off on his bicycle very suddenly – we are very sorry for any inconvenienced caused – the brotherhood press]
[Interview Series J.Kompf / Darkness – The Brotherhood Press 2008 / This article was first posted on Phi Beta Kappa / The Singapore Daily / The Intelligent Singaporean / The Strangelands and ASICS – This interview series has been reconstituted courtesy of the Free Internet Library Board based in Primus Aldentes Prime / this edition contains previously unpublished material which has been uncovered by the FILB – The Brotherhood Press / Retrieval Code for this EV 983929201]
Are You Having Difficulty Finding Materials on the proposal to “Deregulate our net?”
Part A : The Nonsense Packaged as the “Truth.” http://singaporedaily.wordpress.com/2008/04/23/daily-sg-23-apr-2008/#comment-1836
Part B : Is the Net really “Evil?’
http://singaporedaily.wordpress.com/2008/04/23/daily-sg-23-apr-2008/#comment-1851
Part C / Chapter 1 : “We should be bee keepers instead of zoo keepers.” Darkness 2008
Part C / Chapter 2 ‘ When the Community Good is No Bloody Good!’
Part C / Chapter 3 “Bloggers Eating Bloggers”
http://singaporedaily.wordpress.com/2008/04/29/daily-sg-29-apr-2008/#comment-1919
Part D / Chapter 4 “When You Love Something…” – Why We Need To Leave The Net Alone
http://singaporedaily.wordpress.com/2008/04/29/daily-sg-29-apr-2008/#comment-1921
[This compilation has been reconstituted by the Free Internet Library Board [FILB] 2008]
TRANSALPS TRAINING ANNOUNCEMENT – IMPORTANT!
Please be informed on Saturday 21, June 2008, at 2 p.m. We will be conducting our first stage pre-selection of the team who will hopefully qualify for the Transalps Challenge
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=7iY4UYVPn8g.
This training session is compulsory no exceptions will be made. Those of you who have injuries will report to the mechanics or medics to assist them. There will always be room to accommodate one more person. Our meet point will be the “Big Tree” along East Coast Rd. Please be punctual and don’t loiter and talk loudly as I have received a lot of complaints from the resident committee that some of you have been a public nuisance. Please do not invite your girl friends, family members etc. This is not a recreational ride, this is a pre qualifier. Please do not bring along unnecessary barang e.g binoculars, playstation etc. Do conduct a thorough check of your bicycle, gear and check your heart for any defects the night before.Anyone requiring the tool box? It’s underneath Astro boys bed, so please feel free to call at his house. If he is not home, his mother knows where it is. The torque wrench has gone missing again! I hope the last person who loaned it will return it back as we cannot be spending money indiscriminately. Mechanics, I expect you all to conduct a full checklist on toolsets / prepare for a long and hard ride. Medics to prepare for medipack, it will be hot. Marshalls will be Team A, Nacramanga – JDAM – Pumpman.
I have received very disturbing reports from the safety officer some of you have been cycling and listening to music – I do not want to see this. Lets make it happen.
Harphoon
dotseng.wordpress.com 