Selfienomics- Book Review

If you take this book seriously, you may not like it that much. If you don't, chances are you will like it a lot. Because it is written in a folksy (facebookish) style with plenty of hashtags and humour. There is an underlying seriousness, though. It aims at improving you. If you are like 99% people (or is it 99.98, like the CAT cutoffs) who believe firmly that they will not improve (# Hum Nahi Sudhrenge), then that is effort wasted (# Gaya tel lene).

But it is definitely worth reading. He even takes off on IIMs and other holy cows, after saying how we Indians don't like anybody criticising our icons. Some of his jokes are ROFL type, and will keep you going through the boring parts- there are a few, like advice on how much water to drink a day and why (haven't we been through this somewhere?).

There is also a panacea for many of India's ills- a better justice system, which works fast and well, and online where possible. The solution may sound naive (after all, he did not take the offer from IIM Bangalore), but the point is well-taken, that many of our systems of governance and citizen services are archaic.

Another point well-taken is about our responsibilities to society, and to ourselves, being neglected in the blind pursuit of the "family's good" (# Mere paas maa hai).  His advice on personal branding is good, and the reason why I bought the book in the first place. Create a first opinion, rather than just a first impression. Because people take time to form an opinion, but stick to it after they form one. Don't waste money on branded clothes, but dress well. ("If you want to know how, look at gay people-they have been in the closet longer than most"- jokes like these abound in the book). Remember things about people who you want to know better, if necessary by digging up info on the net, and using it to make conversation (# Stalking-the good side).

Generally, quotes from lots of people (like 'Patriotism is loyalty to a piece of real estate'- be a global patriot instead) also make this readable. (#Go Read it)

Your Erroneous Zones

This is the title of a book by Wayne Dyer, one of the self-improvement books which are gaining popularity, but a well-written one. I particularly liked the author's take on manners and etiquette which is meaningless. He says, your worth as a human being does not get lost just because you don't follow some silly rules of etiquette and behave any way you want to, so long as you are humane and considerate and sincere.

Also, he points out the major problems of indoctrination by parents, and society on kids, and teenagers. One of these is an overemphasis on "intelligence". He says it is good if you are intelligent, but it's more important to be happy, even if you are not intelligent. Overemphasis on grades or marks kills your creativity and spontaneity. Society decides who is good or bad according to such criteria, and stifles a lot of people.

He encourages you to be your own judge, and as long as you are not harming anyone, choose your own path. In some ways, this resonates with what Jiddu Krishnamurthy keeps saying, that you shouldn't believe what anyone says, unless you have experienced something yourself. Does not apply to obvious things like walking into a fire, of course, but more meaningful stuff in life.