Uba Kontrovasie | Curious, fascinated and intelligently wasting time.

On the button honesty

By Dhiren | Published: January 23, 2012

The title of this post is misleading. I don’t know how to deal with being weird. More importantly, I don’t know how to deal with being weird and black, which is a double whammy for a lot of people. My ideas don’t fit in with people’s idea of me, if you know what I mean. People like to put people in boxes, but I fucking hate boxes. The sort of all caps hate people reserve for great crimes. I’d like to say that race affects me more as I get older but it appears I’ve been the colourblind one all this time. In my younger years. (anyone who’s actually got some years under their belt look away now, I’m about to get real over angsty here) when I was 21 or whatever, I used to think race didn’t matter a jot. I was gonna go into whatever field no matter what anyone said. And I still think that. But I’ve started to realise the world isn’t as evolved as I’d like it to be. And what’s common sense to me isn’t common to everyone else. Maybe I’ve been the fool all this time, I don’t know. I’d like some comfy trust fund parents and to have my only angst be ‘will my parents cut me off’ as opposed to ‘will I get paid on time?’ but you can’t change that. And I wouldn’t be the person I was today if it weren’t for the burning desire to succeed, to excel, to be great at something, anything.

Jason Dike is a great fashion writer, journalist and thinker. I’ve had his blog in my reader for the last year or so, yet this latest post (pasted above) moved me. He’s right: ignorance just won’t fuck off die. No, Sir. It’s just evolving and as I get older the underlying notes of class prejudice and racism in people adopt new forms and blend. I hate it when people say, ‘Chav’. Do they know what that means? Probably not.

At school I had to worry about the skinheads and now I get shit from middle-class asians for listening to indie and, apparently, being a, ‘coconut’. I wasn’t white enough as a kid and now I’m not brown enough as a grown up.

To hell with them all.

Thoughts on outsourcing

By Dhiren | Published: January 18, 2012

I’ve increasingly become interested in supply chains and the outsourcing of product manufacture (note: I’m only referring to product manufacturing and nothing else). The latter is shrouded in positive and negative opinions from everyone including economists, the government and environmentalists.

The detractors argue that outsourcing has a negative impact on our GDP and unemployment rates; socially conscious tribes, not so concerned with economics, believe that it exacerbates sweatshop conditions in developing economies and environmental damage as result of increased shipping. Their points are fair and you needn’t dig deep in order to excavate the evidence: FTSE 100 companies occupy headlines for using child labour and reports claiming that western countries are ‘outsourcing pollution’.

In addition to the real world problems, consumer perceptions of products made in outsourcing hubs have, historically, been less than favourable. Early outsourcing attempts resulted in the manufacture of poor-quality products and the tags, ‘Made in China’ or, ‘Made in Taiwan’ connoted cheapness.

However, times are changing and so is the world of product manufacturing. Thoughtfully governed operations such as KTC are providing high-quality, sweatshop free outsourcing and logistics companies now offer carbon neutral shipping, which offsets emissions through energy efficiency initiatives and investing in verified emission reduction projects around the world.

Take product quality, labour exploitation and environmental damage off the table and you’re left with local employment and the GDP arguments. Does outsourcing erode the local job market? Not necessarily. Even with outsourced production, people are required in business operations including distribution, sales and customer service. Additionally, jobs are created throughout the business web: the businesses that support business.

I first read about agile business webs in Wikinomics back in 2008 and I’m now starting to think that small, agile businesses, which leverage supporting businesses when required, are exactly what’s required to refresh the UK economy. Moreover, processes such as outsourced, just-in-time manufacturing and distribution lower commercial overheads and barriers to market entry, which in-turn stimulate the growth of new businesses, making markets more granular—and monopolies smaller.

Photo props

Ice skids

By Dhiren | Published: December 11, 2011

It’s cold out. Flecks of ice are starting to cover the road and I’m dodging frozen puddles each morning. When it’s not freezing, it’s wet and muddy most of the time. Cycling adopts a new meaning at this time of year: it represents endurance, necessity and commitment.

You won’t find many polished fixies outside coffee shops or see people cycling in rolled up jeans, converse trainers and vintage cycling caps. However, the die hard cyclists are still on the road, on single track, donning thermals and sticking to it throughout the winter. I’ll be following suit this year and, as a mark of commitment, I’ve signed up to group rides on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

Photo via ndanger

Posted in bikes | Tagged cycling | Leave a comment

The demise of the cookie cutter strategy

By Dhiren | Published: November 30, 2011

The effects of the financial crisis are now more evident than ever. There will be more job cuts in the public sector, the Euro crisis will not settle anytime soon and a recession appears to be imminent. We’re fed information by the media, yet it’s often difficult to see the immediate impacts on our surroundings; however, a walk through our local town centre, and an article in the Metro (I left the house without a book), confirms that a transition has steadily been taking place on the frontline of our economy: retail.

Chains, franchises and well known High Street retailers have been retreating or down-sizing, for over two years, since the closure of Woolworths. Premium retail space is now left vacant or occupied by independent traders selling low-quality, imported goods. In my opinion, the influx of independent trade erodes the cookie cutter strategy: the efforts of a group of holding companies to monopolise and replicate town centres across the country.

Next to Footlocker you will find Kaza Shoes and opposite Marks & Spencer there is Fresh Fashions. It’s all very interesting. Independent retailers are drawing in the masses once alienated by the chains, and now a walk through the town centre provides a realistic sample of the town’s population composition: Albanian and Polish immigrants, industrial estate workers from Britwell and Farnham, Asians from Cippenham and small Arabic and Lebanese communities.

Noting the changes makes me realise how local trade, through the influence larger companies, was geared to only cater for one class: the monied middle class, which probably accounts for 20 -30% of East Berkshire’s population. The town’s population hasn’t significantly changed as both grammar schools attract very well to do families; however, Middle Britain tightening its purse strings is evidently empowering small business owners and breathing life into a new, rebalanced local economy.

Posted in Business | Tagged local economy | Leave a comment

Artisans in business

By Dhiren | Published: October 20, 2011

Scratch notes (ignore grammar mistakes and embrace swearing).

I’ve been thinking: developed economies spent – at least – a third of the twentieth centry trying to repair economic damage incurred by war, gain economic momentum and grow. A focus on growth, margins and profit, from the fifties and onward, created faceless organisations, which produced medicore quality, mass produced products and services. Comodification was the overall output of these economic notions and organisations.

Suddenly, and not without reason, production costs began to rise and businesses started to outsource their operations because they were predominantly competing on price and not much else aside a brand name. This went on for sometime and then global compeition, coupled with an increase in foriegn imports, started to kill off local manufacturing. The faceless organisations began to lay people off; jobs were lost; we just kept on buying shit from elsewhere because it was cheaper. Customer experience was forgotten and the economy suffered because businesseses lost their passion and innovation due to organisational bureaucracy, six sigma crap (you know who you fuckers are) and the accumulation of dead wood.

A new breed of businesses are starting to change commerce. I call them Artisan organisations and they will be the ‘green shoots’ that will kick-start local business, employment and manufacturing. Who are they? They’re Milkbar, Racer Rosa, Foffa Bikes, Howies, Joe & The Juice, SeaSalt and Huit Denim to name a few. These businesses have been built on a genuine passion to deliver beautiful, memorable products and experiences without exception; they use the best materials; employ artisans that see the beauty in what they produce, and maintain common ethics. The Artisan’s goals are the business’s goals and vice versa. You’ll never meet a person that doesn’t know what they’re talking about or encounter a truly horrific customer experience because everybody loves what they’re doing.

If you care about something enough, go and work for a company that shares your interest or concern. Better still, set the company up yourself. You’ll get the job because you care and your company – with some graft – will succeed for the same reasons. My thoughts are heavily influenced by David Heaitt and Steve Jobs; however, when you start looking around and notice the people that are winning, you realise that they were right.

Photo by Andreas Gursky

Posted in Business | 1 Comment

Mozzer

By Dhiren | Published: September 18, 2011

I’ve always been fascinated by Mozzer. It’s probably because my opinions, about certain things, are not too dissimilar from his. However, in true Morrissey style, I don’t have to declare shit.

(via dangerous minds)

Posted in Culture | Tagged melancholy, morrissey | Leave a comment

The hidden side of everything

By Dhiren | Published: September 11, 2011

This work of pop-economics became somewhat disengaging when points were over-laboured and justified with cumbersome datasets. However, this book was, of course, written before the data visualisation and information design boom. Either concept harbours the potential to illustrate Dubner’s adroit story telling.

Levitt and Dubner collaboratively prove a variety of hypotheses — some quite ridiculous — with data mining and critical thinking that left me in awe of their confidence and unconventional approaches to problem solving. How are the Klu Klux Klan like real estate agents? What do sumo wrestlers have in common with school teachers? Intriguing questions and Dubner’s narrative kept me flitting in search for answers.

Unsurprisingly, the book concludes with the story of an anomaly: an instance where a person defied societal trends by maintaining indefatigable determination and an indomitable spirit.

Freakonomics confirms a notion that I’ve held ever since my curiosities surrounding the progress of people, classes and society began to emerge: trends can only identify points and standards, which are indicators and not defacto rules. Yes, we must understand data and information, but we must in turn use our understandings to charge creativity and motivation that must exceed or defy.

Posted in Books | Tagged economics, freakonomics | Leave a comment

Soma holiday

By Dhiren | Published: August 28, 2011

I was recently told that A Brave New World was a book for teenagers; a literary muse for the young intelligentsia. I disagree. The complexity of the book allows you to extract different meanings each time it’s visited. Immersed, I found my-self reading, re-reading and questioning chapters to confirm the sentiments they evoked.

Huxley was a visionary that had a grasp on how society would evolve to disregard the values bestowed upon it by religion, philosophy and history; and favour a synthesized utopia. Overpriced polyester sportswear, flat screen televisions, gaming consoles, recycled music (shitty, commercial house and dance) and the abundance of cocaine bring our London closer to Huxley’s narrow, soma-fuelled world.

I perceive A Brave New World as a polemic against a prophesy. Huxley was trying to encourage us to confront life’s challenges, make us self-aware and aware of societal changes effected by greater powers. Take it as you will, but most certainly read it if you appreciate anything written by George Orwell.

Posted in Books | Tagged a brave new world, aldous huxley | Leave a comment

Middle class triviality

By Dhiren | Published: August 21, 2011

(written at some point after the riots kicked off, but never got around to posting)

I sit here thinking about aspidistras whilst London burns. The shooting of Mark Duggan has triggered the neglected and often demonized communities of London to revolt. Comments on Twitter and Facebook suggest that many are puzzled by the furore and cannot comprehend the motivations behind the violence. Why would they? Why would I? People, products of a sheltered life will never understand their dystopia.

Completing Keep the Aspidistra Flying, a lesser known Geroge Orwell masterpiece, delivered an emotive perspective on local poverty. Through his arguably self-modeled character, Gordon Comstock, we inherit the frustrations of a man that feels constantly judged by his social standing and material wealth. Money, in Gordon’s world, buys acceptance, inclusion, safety, freedom, security, happiness and even creative license.

Gordon wages war on the aspidistra: the epitome of domestic, middle class triviality, and finally, through want of relief from poverty and social anxiety, he succumbs to his antagonist by re-adopting a once resigned bourgeois lifestyle. Conformity delivers Gordon’s relief and, for me, it’s a sad ending because, at the back of your mind, you’re rooting for Gordon to succeed in his plight.

Conformity is a pivotal action. Is this what we want everyone to do? Conform? Many lack the means to conform to a life we deem normal. I’ve heard people simply label the rioters as, ‘chavs,’ on the scout for trainers; however, my perceptions are different. People within the most deprived parts of the UK are contained within xenophobic microcosms, which are inescapable because they lack realistic paths to enterprise and education that’s not dogmatic. Conformity is seeing your way through our read-write education system, paying tuition fees, buying your groceries at Tesco and paying endless taxes. Normality will seldom materialize for the communities that are on the back-foot unless the roots of the issues obstructing progress are upturned. The government will continue to – knowingly – pluck weeds off the surface of a broken society without digging any deeper.

The widespread looting is, without any doubt, opportunistic mindlessness, which will obfuscate anyone trying to understand the people that have genuine frustrations, and contribute toward the riots becoming a bone of contention without conclusion.

(photo props)

Posted in Books | Tagged eric arthur blair, george orwell, London, society | Leave a comment

Not so velvety

By Dhiren | Published: July 30, 2011

When you see a book titled Memoirs of My Melancholy Whores, you gravitate toward it and ask yourself, ‘What the fuck could this be about?’ It’s the kind of book you’d discover after clicking ‘I’m feeling lucky’ on Google; a wildcard and frivolous purchase of sorts.

I flicked through it in a few days and – after confusedly putting it down – concluded that Marquez and I are never going to get on. I find his style of writing too fantastic and removed from reality; however, I didn’t have a problem with the story, which is the tale of a ninety-year-old man’s infatuation with a fourteen-year-old first-time, prostitute. As disturbing as it sounds, I’m sure the story could be validated if you ventured toward the copious arse ends of our world.

Marquez’s work is definitely suited to the ardent, literary aesthete and not a kinethestic, people-watching, truth seeker such as myself. Not to imply that his work is indulgent style over substance, you just have to work to extract any meaning and humility is a lacking ingredient.

Not as Tarantino as the title suggests, but definitely a dark, abstract tale about coping with age and solitude.

Posted in Books | 1 Comment