kayminkoh - Tumblr blog

kayminkoh · 4 years

Text

[Book Review] The Institute

by Stephan King Personal rating 8/10

Personal Note

The author leaves the reader with a sensitive choice of morality, whether the purpose of the institute is rightful or wrongful. Whether a small sacrifice should be made for the chance of a greater good or if unjust actions are rendered wrongful no matter the bigger picture. The author takes effort to get the reader at personal levels with each main character. The author makes the pain of the characters real and personal to the reader. The author creates a thrilling story that takes the reader into the character's perspective, making it feel like a 3D perspective view movie. I felt the bottom of the fence raking against my legs and I felt blood dripping from a place of my body where my earlobe should have been, I saw the donut crumbs on the train that the freight manager left behind and felt hunger.

Strengths

Flawless balance between descriptive and narrative text to let the imagination and story progress fluently.

Longest book i’ve read in my life. 561 pages with relatively lots of words in one page.

Weaknesses

The book seemed unnecessarily slow at the start especially with narration around a sub character. When the sub-character is reintegrated into the story at the end, I could barely remember his character. Considering the two months it took me to read this book (my mind was on other things and other books), I took 59 days reading 30% of the book and once the action started it took me the next 24 hours to finish the remaining 70%.

Plot Summary

*Spoiler Alert. Anyone who intends to read the book already should not go any further.

Characters

Main Character: Luke Ellis (super smart kid)

Main character Friends: Kalisha (Luke's first friend in first half), Avery(Super strong TP), Tim(Local friendly cop),

Institution members: Julia(in charge), Stackhouse(2IC), Maureen(caretaker)

Story (Short reminder version)

Thousands of kids are reported missing every year. Out of those reported missing some Kids ranging from 10 to 14 are kidnapped (and their family often murdered in the process) and taken to a secret institution hidden away surrounded by forests somewhere in Maine. These kids are not taken at random, they are subjects of particular interest that are being monitored by a secret organization. Nobody knows that these few children are actually incubated by their paternal figures until they are ripe of age. How they were discovered and how the institution knew? All babies are given a test at birth called BDNF(Brain-derived neurotrophic factor) and in rare cases, babies with exceptionally high BDNF levels experience supernatural events. Hearing voices or experiencing objects move as if, in the presence of a ghost. Eventually we find out that they possess some form of either telekinesis or telepathy.

Luke wakes up one morning and finds himself in his own room. Everything is normal.. but strangely, the window is not where it is supposed to be. Overnight he has become a victim of one of these kidnappings and lost his parents in the process. He is now part of ‘The Institute’. The place seemed like a school for kids, there are caretakers, a cafeteria, a playground with a trampoline…. Just not doctors that randomly call upon kids to put needles in them and forcefully make them focus their eyes at hypnotizing videos until they pass out. This particular hypnotizing video consisted of swirling colorful dots that made some throw up, pass out or die. Despite the agony of being a test subject, the security makes sure the kids are in line and go through the procedure without resistance. The staff would electrocute young kids with zap sticks if any slight disobedience is apparent. Security cameras are everywhere, kids can't go home. They have no home if anything.

While the kids are stripped of their freedom, the internet, their rights and safety, the institute is relentless and emotionless. I assume the institution calls it motivation when the head manager Julia appears and says that the kids are serving a valuable purpose for the country and the world. At first, you would think the institute was a place of research, where they are trying to contain telekinesis and telepathy powers to create a psychic army to dominate the world, but gladly, the author provides a better story than that.

Fresh kids arrive at the institute in relatively constant frequencies and new arrivals naturally become acquainted with one another and get along. What also was constant was the rate at which kids were removed from this new home. The Kids find out they are in a sector of the institute called ‘front half’ and although not said aloud very much, becomes familiar with the word ‘back half’. Not one of the guests knows exactly what the back half is but there is a bad feeling that one gets from rumors and listening to the staff’s thoughts through telepathy. What became obvious was that when the testing was done on an individual and you have been sitting comfortably for a couple or few days, one knows. The men in red are coming for you to remove you from the front half, and take you to the back half one is never to be seen again.

The youngest of the institute Avery, age 8, comes in not long after Luke’s arrival. Avery was unusually young to be taken by his parents but one could see why he was here already. He could read minds like listening with his ears and send thoughts like speaking. The strongest telepathic the institution found in a few decades. He cries and wets his pants but luckily finds himself around some compatible people to make his substitute mommy or daddy figures. Avery has trouble sleeping at night and finds himself seeking his parent buddies to sleep together with. At night he would come find Kalisha, a TP girl of color who was the longest staying resident in the front half and inevitably, when she was taken away to the back half, Avery looked to Luke.

One day there was a heavy storm and consequentially, not so long after, a small trench was discovered under the playground fence. The security didn’t know yet and for the first time in a long while, Luke thought of hope; A way to escape this hell of an institute. With the aid of a special caretaker called Maureen who Luke had helped out with her personal issues, Luke escaped during the night. He had 3 things Maureen had secretly provided for the mission. 1, a knife to dig and to take care of something on Luke. 2, a USB. 3, some information on directions. During the night Luke went out and made the trench deeper and got through, and when the time came to remove the tracking tag on his earlobe, the young brave boy did it. Like a Saw movie, he cut a large portion of his earlobe off, threw it over the fence and dashed for it. Following the instructions he got, Luke landed himself on a train. Where was he going, what was his plan, was he going to make it?

Meanwhile back at the institute in the morning, a Janitor finds Julia saying it's urgent. Julia followed to see what he had found, imagining a clogged toilet. To everyone’s surprise…. It wasn’t the earlobe… yet... but, Maureen was found dead. Suicide by hanging in the toilet of an empty dorm. Her tongue poking out and a small message on the mirror that started turning the mentality of the institute on its head, ‘hell is coming’. The institute didn't know exactly what, but they were scared, Julia not knowing what exactly is happening did start to doubt the security systems and security measures that have been gradually weathering over time. She knew how dusty the cameras were and how laid back everyone had become with familiarity of the work. This realization was good for the institute but for the matter at hand, She was one day too late.

Avery was trying to cover up the trench Luke left behind. He was caught by the now highly alert security and was tortured, the poor tiny boy. Avery eventually leaked some information about the escape and panic made its way to the privately operated institution. The information that Avery provided was a good start for the institute, however, the help was not sufficient to avoid further punishment. Avery was dunked multiple times into a water tank, till he fainted, and was brought back to reality, and was dunked again, and repeated…. As the final punishment Avery was thrown into the Back half.

The runaway situation was a chess game. A game the smart boy Luke was best at. Luke would repeatedly mention having at least 3 moves, each with three moves the opposition can take and be ready for the right reaction. The institute had spies all over the region so they had a good home land advantage on locating Luke. First of all, they thought Luke was going to go as far away as he possibly can. And they were right. From looking at train schedules and their dedicated locations the institute was able to get a good idea as to where Luke was going. The game was just starting when Luke was caught in the freight of mattresses and lawn mowers. Thankfully not by one of the institute spies who called themselves the uncle of a lost boy, but by a friendly freight manager who may or may not have believed Luke's story, but was convinced from the blood soaked clothes and desperate conversation with Luke that he had to leave the kid alone in the train instead of taking him to local authorities to report a lost kid.

There were uncles at every stop, so Luke couldn’t simply get off when the train was parked. When Luke got off the train he tried to get off early to avoid any attention but he ran into a signpost and knocked himself out. The people at the train station all saw Luke and helped him get to a safe place. Between the local folks there was one that was a spy for the institute and called the institute right away. The institute departed with Julia leading as soon as the report came in but luckily, Luke had about 8 hours before they arrived at the station. Luke had 8 hours to convince the locals what he had seen and where he was the last few months.

It seemed 8 hours was enough, especially with the USB Maureen prepared. The USB contained footage revealing the back half and also the A ward which was revealed to be the next place kids were transferred to after being in the back half.

Meanwhile, when Avery landed himself in the Back half he learnt what the purpose of the institution was and also realized there was a ward A where one was taken to and never to be seen again. The purpose of the institution was to make globally threatening targets kill themself by means of long distance telepathy that was achievable only when the kids in back half all focused at once and with an additional boost they called the ‘hum’ that was coming from the kids in ward A. There was something strange about the kids who stayed longer in the back half, they were slowly losing their strengths and minds. At meal time, the fresh back half members would eat but the veteran back half members would drool and not eat at all, as if their mind has been brainwashed, or perhaps didn't have a brain to wash at all.

Back at the station where the townsfolk were watching the USB footage, Maureen concludes what the A ward was, it was the children at the institute who had given up their minds to the psychic power; they had gone over the mental wall and could not return to their bodies. What was left of them was their bodies, and the pure power they possessed that let out a ‘hum’. They ran around like lunatics, had no clothes on, banged their heads rhythmically or repeated saying the same phrases infinitely. They were broken. And when their bodies did not eat, they eventually died, and were taken to a special furnace for cremation. A death known to no one. Probably a better place to be than be consumed by power and not able to return to one's body.

When the Locals all agreed something had to be done, Julia and the kidnapping murderers had arrived and a massacre broke loose. Both locals and the institute took fatalities but Luke and the friendly police officer, Tim, survived and were able to out smart and capture the overly unstable, emotional and desperate Julia. When Stackhouse, who was second in charge after Julia was at the institution, received the call he had feared but somewhat expected. A deal was made with Luke to have Julia back and the secrecy protected in exchange for the kids in the institution.

When Luke, Tim and Julia arrived at the institution, Stackhouse was outside with both his hands in front as instructed by Luke. When the car was close enough, Stackhouse suddenly put one hand up and the hiding crew open-fired at the car. There would be no trouble if Tim and Luke were dead and if that meant Julia had to die as well, it was judged to be ‘worth it’. But being the smart boy Luke was, Luke and Tim were in the back seat against the floor while Julia was forced to drive the car seating at the front taking all the bullets thrown by her own team. Luke and Tim survived. But the game was not won yet.

It turned out, there was no need to win anything by force from Luke and Tim’s side. There was an explosion and an unbelievable event that distracted everyone there. You see, Avery being the most powerful TP, figured out how the ward A kids used their powers and realized that they respond to a strong TP Force. The Ward A kids attached themselves to any familiar power and enhanced it. The kids in back half, the ones still with their minds intact put their hands together and made their way out. They made the staff kill each other, and electrocute themselves to death, slap one self till they were out etc. When they came to a dead end due to security lock down that Stackhouse had previously ordered. Avery, felt power coming from the kids of ward A but also felt power coming from far far away. As if there were institutions all around the world. While in his time at the dead end, he fell asleep and dreamt of answering a series of phones that hung up after saying ‘can you hear me?’ the phones got bigger and bigger as he answered each one and when he woke up. One of the mindless Ward A kids had written on the wall, ‘ Answer the BIG phone’. Knowing that he might be consumed by the power when the big phone was picked up, he said his goodbyes to his friends and answered the phone. He said ‘i can hear you’ and a rumble started along with powers that were never witnessed before. The building’s security did not matter anymore because the whole building started vibrating and elevating. When the broken building lost its integrity the other kids escaped to the playground, and looked at what was happening. The whole building was levitating above and was moving toward the adjacent administration building. When the buildings were vertically aligned the levitating building fell and demolished both structures killing any who remained in them. The institution was done for. At Least this branch was.

During this event Stackhouse and his crew had forgotten about who they shot at, why that shot at them and were in shock. Luke and Tim captured this opportunity to reverse the tide and took control of the situation. The institution members were tied up and the surviving kids were reunited. The surviving kids all stayed with Tim for a while and were let go one by one, Tim let one child go at a time to where their family or closest family was. Telling them not to say anything about anything, and they don't remember or just don't know. It was judged that it was for the world’s best interest that no such institute existed.

Before Luke was to be introduced back into the real world. A person in a suit visited Tim and Luke. He said that they have caused a big mistake and now the world is on a death timer. The man was the boss of all the institutions. Mentioned a power that Luke had only guessed existed and that was future predictors. The man's job, the institution's purpose was to remove global destruction scale threats before anyone realized it would threaten life on Earth. Whether it may be the development of gas that could take out a whole race, a leader who would release multiple nukes upon the world, Hitler, who shot himself… (The institutes doing?). However, Luke was not persuaded because there was always a chance that the future could change, the many variables that could lead to an alternative path. Luke had done his research on suspicion and the conclusive factor was that the further away an event was the more subject to variations and change it could have been, and this man in the suit was talking about 10~15 years ahead. Luke and the Suited man both knew that the most accurate future readings were made 10 minutes, or just before the event. While the man’s approach to this was ‘why take a risk’ Lukes approach was why sacrifice children for a chance of a risk that might not happen anyway. This makes one think. Because of the frustration of interfacing a kid and how this kid was stabbing at all the right things the suited man had no intention of mentioning first, he casually took out a smoke. He was not allowed to smoke as weird powers prevented the cigarette from coming in reach... ‘Why smoke if you know how you will end up?”... Speechless, the man in the suit got back to his car and left.

#bookreview #stephanking #theinstitute #shortversion #reminderversion #spoilers

0 notes

kayminkoh · 5 years

Text

Acquired Autodesk Certified Professional for Revit Architecture. Also ranked within top 20 for BIM in Haeahn Architecture comunity (1000 employees)

#selfimprovement #architecture #bim #acp #autodesk #haeahnarchitecture

0 notes

kayminkoh · 6 years

Text

[Perspective] “THIS WILL KILL THAT” (Part1) - Archdeacon, Claude Frollo

“The book will kill the edifice” - A perspective on how architecture was murdered. Inspired from the book “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame” by Victor Hugo

Prologue “The tower will crumble.” One great power will fall. Fall to the heels of another greater power. Architecture will crumble and make way to the rising of the technology. Here comes the strength of literature. See how the word starts its domination. Feel the pavement being laid for the Renaissance. A new society, a new culture, a new ritual of recording history… and no longer on architecture.

The Introduction - Rein of Architecture Architecture began like writing, it was a story, it was history. Imagine, all the legends, all the stories that were passed on from even before Jesus was born, and then think, how many generations it would have penetrated to get to year 1000. Imagine having to recite these legendary stories orally, and also consider the stories that are told by other offspring of the same generation. There would be many versions of the same stories due to distortion and expression. Inevitably, the passing of countless generations would have accumulated to an uncountable amount of versions. The original stories were all about to be lost in communication and blur. So people began to transcribe these legends, these stories, these memories in the most visible, the most lasting and at the same time, the most natural medium. They engraved these stories into a monument. People used architecture to cement the uncontrollable stories that were eventually going to be undistinguishable whether it was real, fake, gossip or exaggerated rubbish. Up to the fifteenth century of the Christian era, buildings were books. It contained paintings depicting the true story of Jesus, reliefs that showed the magnificent moments of miracles and ceilings which seem to open up to heavens door. At the time, architecture was the great book of the human race. Architecture was Man’s principal means of expressing the various stages of his development, both physically and mentally.

The Twist - Technology that Dethroned Architecture Buildings were durable. The stories engraved in architecture were constantly telling the same story as long as it was standing. But there came a point when man decided to exchanged durability for immortality. When suddenly the written scripture could be kept forever. Copied and distributed like an uncontrollable virus. This fulcrum point was the invention of the printing press. You see, before the printing press, a hand written piece of art could be eliminated from history with a torch, or even a slight spill of harmless water. A handwritten masterpiece relied on the thinnest fibres of trees to survive. With the printing press, written words became an immortal idea where burning one, two or multiple copies of the printed item did not remove it from records. It was not a distinct destroyable form, nor was it ‘a thing’. The printed book it was published, it was many, it was permanent and therefore, immortal. The invention of printing could arguably be the greatest event in history. It brought a fundamental change in mankind’s mode of expression and art. Technology was making way for an uprising of a new force… a new sense of art, a new sense of permanence, a new way people can leave their mark on the world. The printing press.

To be continued… Part1 -Prologue, Introduction, The Twist Part2 -The Drama, Conclusion, Today

#bookreview #architecture #printing #part1 #architectural history

0 notes

kayminkoh · 6 years

Text

BOOK REVIEW: Favor(페이버)

하나님의 특별한 선물 by Tim Haahs (하형록)

이책에는 긴장감과 ‘심장’감이 넘치는 멋지고 놀라운 인생이 기록되어있다.Tim Haahs의 인생을 통해, 천지창조의 건축가(하나님)을 믿는 건축가는 어떤 색깔로 이 세상을 칠해야되는지 깨달았다. 진정한 건축가, 비즈니스맨, 직장인, 가정, 친구 그리고 제일 중요하게, 진정한 이웃이라는게 무엇인지에 대한 가르침이 담아있어서 나에게는 모든 면의 시아가 넓어졌다.

책 자체의 디자인에 대해 한가지 칭찬을 하자면, 긴장감이 폭포처럼 마음을 누르는 이야기를 읽는데, 각 장마다 마음을 진정 시키는 깃털 페이지가 잘 들어가있다.책의 흐름에대해 평가 하자면, 중간에 ‘정’ 그리고 ‘용서’에대한 이야기가 전체적인 진행에 부자연스럽게 느껴졌다는게 의견이다. 하지만 자서전의 어쩔 수 없는 특징이기도 하다.

아래 나의 리뷰를 두가지로; 하나님의 제자의 리뷰(1), 건축가의 리뷰(2)로 나누어 기록을 남깁니다.

1.하나남의 제자의 리뷰

-심장 = 생활 = 감사 Tim Haahs는 실제 남의 심장을 받아 살 수 밖에 없었다. 실제로 Tim Haahs는 ’내가 살기위해서는 누군가가 죽어야한다는 사실을’ 깨닫고 ’심장을 준 사람에게 해줄 것이 아무것도 없었다’는 것을 인정 할 수 밖에 없었다.왜 이 책속에 이 내용이 없는지 모르겠지만, 바로 예수님이 우리를 위해 죽어야만 했다는 사실이 생각 났다. 주님이 나를 살리기 위해 죽어서 지금 나는 살아있고, 어쩔수 없이 내가 할 수 있는 일은 ‘그에게 하지 못한 보답을 다른 이들에게 하는 것이’라면, 나는 하나님께 감사의 삶을 다른 이들에게 표현하면서 살아야한다는것을 깨달았다. 우리는 모두 예수 그리스도의 심장을 받아 살고있다. 어떻게 보답 할 것인가?

-1) listen + 2) respect + 3) live through them + bonus) live through me 이웃을 사랑하고 섬기는 자가 진짜 주님을 사랑하는 자라는게 하나님의 말씀이다. 하지만 현실은, 이웃의 고통에 동참 하고 이웃의 꿈을 이루기 위해 도와주는 것은 아무나 할 수 있는게 아니다. 소통에 많은 관심을 갖고 있는 나는 ‘이웃을 통해 사는 것’은 쉽지 않다고 강조하고 싶다. 1) 내가 listen이 되어야한다. 2)다음으로 respect를 배워 이웃의 입장에서 생각이 가능해야한다. 그리고 드디어 3)이웃을 통해 사는 것을 실천 할 수 있는 것인데, 1) listen부터 못하는 사람들이 대다수다. 이 글을 읽는 사람에게는 진정 ‘듣다’라는 게 무엇인지 관심을 한번 가져 주는 것을 적극 추천한다. Trust me! 모든 관계가 좋아지고, 일도 더 잘하게 된다. 나는 1) 하고 2)는 어느정도 된다고 생각하고, 이제는 3)이웃을 통해 사는 것을 실천 할 차례다. Bonus로 주님이 나를 통해 살게 된 다는 것인데...어떤 느낌, 어떤 은혜, 어떤 favor가 나에게 떨어질지 기대가 된다.

-Twin Tower: 나의 탑… 그리고 이웃의 탑 하나님의 제자로 봤을때, 이 책의 가장 핵심적인 글은 아래와 같다: ‘페이버의 축복을 바란다면 지금까지 싸아왔던 ‘자기 사랑’의 탑을 허물고 ‘이웃 사랑의 탑’을 쌓아야 한다.’ 주님께 ‘내려놓음’은 질리도록 많이 들어봤으나, 이와 같이 ’이웃에게 내려놓음’과 같은 표현은 처음이다. 물론, 같은 의미는 아니지만... 다시 생각해 보면... 같은 의미 인가? ...anyway, 심각하게 고민하고 앞으로 과제로 생각해야 할게 있다. 나의 자신을 내려, 나의 욕심을 내려, 이웃과 나누고, 이웃에게 주는 건 실천 해볼 수 있지만, 과제는 이거다. 어느정도가 주님의 눈에 기쁘게 하는 것일까... 감을 잡아 나아 가자.

2.건축가의 리뷰

‘오직 여호와를 앙망하는 자는 새 힘을 얻으리니 독수리가 날개치며 올라감 같을 것이요. 달음박질하여도 곤비하지 아니하겠고 걸어가도 피곤하지 아니하리로다.’ - 이사야 40:31

-Tim Haahs Architecture Tim Haahs는 ‘이웃을 돕기 위해 존재한다’는 사명선언문을 세워 독수리처럼 수직으로 솟아오르게 해준 주님의 Favor를 받아 건축 시장에 주차장 건축사로서 identity를 차렸다. 건물 밑에 묻어있는 지하 주차장을 지양하고 지상 주차장건물을 지향하는 이유는 까먹을 수가 없다. 사람들을 억지로라도 주변에 돌아다니게 하여 지역의 활성화를 허락하는게 주차장이다.

-Love at first sight, Carpark at first sight 사람은 건물을 입장할때 건축물의 첫인상은 주차장에서 받게 된다는것을 다시 깨닫게 되었고, 예전이랑 달리, 나의 다음 프로젝트에는 지하 및 주차장을 맡아 설계하고 싶게 한다. 일반적으로 주차장이라 하면 건축팀에서는 아무도 담당하고 싶지 않은 부분이다. 나는 뉴질랜드 대학교에서는 자유롭게 화려한 외피와 인테리어를 통해 아이디어를 제시하는 것을 배웠는데, 내가 주차장을 담당하게되면 손이 겸손해 져야 하고 건물을 사용하는 사람들의 입장을 배려하면서 그려야된다. 살면서 한번쯤은 제데로 해봐야되니 열정을 다해 주차장을 설계해 봐야겠다.

-Thankful Everyday Tim Haahs는 지금도 매일 오늘이 마지막이 될 수 있다는 생각에 하나님께 감사함으로 산다고 한다. 이말이랑 흔히 보이는 비슷한 말이 있는데, 그것은 바로 ‘오늘이 마지막인 듯이 살아라’ 라는 책임 없는 말이다. 두 문장이 크게 다르게 보이지 않으나, Tim Haahs의 말은 접근 하는 방향 자체가 다르고 더 아름답다. 오늘도 사랑하는 사람에게 사랑을 표현할수 있고, 이웃을 도울 수 있고, Favor를 찾기위한 가지발전과 도전을 품어 살수 있게 해주셔서 감사드립니다.

#Bookreview #Favor #Timhaahs

0 notes

kayminkoh · 6 years

Text

[Book Review] The Hunchback of Notre-Dame

Victor Hugo Complete and Unabridged, Signet Classics Personal Rating: 8/10

This is an amazingly detailed book. I can only limit my personal rating to 8 because I couldn’t finish it. This book is rich, with so much more than story, it has history, place and explanation that all run parallel along with the narrative. That being said, vocabulary is very hard and the pace too slow for my personal liking. The author Victor Hugo, is amazingly intelligent in many ways. Even though I call myself an architect, he knows more than me about architecture. He likes to intervene with the story to talk about the place the context the meaning, the language, the surrounding and the architecture. You can really feel the passion the author has about the context and base on which this amazing story takes place and definitely is a must read for those advanced readers, especially those who are still fooled by the children’s version of the Walt Disney movie.

Victor gave me, one of the greatest reading moments of my reading life. This is the moment when the author believed it was about time the Archdeacon; Claude Frollo’s was subject to exposure to the reader. There is a scene when the Archdeacon makes a statement about a belief; a truth... a truthful catastrophe.

He points at a published book…

He points at the Cathedral of Notre-dame…

He says “This Will Kill That.”

#bookreview #the hunchback of notre dame

4 notes · View notes

kayminkoh · 6 years

Text

[Book Review] RICH DAD POOR DAD

What the rich teach their kids about money that poor and middle class do not! Robert T. KiyosakiPersonal Personal Rating: 8.5/10

Personal Note: This was my first book at lead me on a journey to find financial independence. To seek a position in life where i work simply because I want to work and because i love architecture. Not because I have to work for the monthly pay check, or in other words… work to live.

Summary: Robert effectively plants a seed in the readers mind. Rotating 360 degrees around the idea of ‘Make Money work for you’. A financially illiterate person like me would find the first 1/20 of the book confusing. However, once Robert kicks you in the head with rich dad’s advice, your world will suddenly feel lost as invisible doors open up, and inside is glowing hope, glowing with colors that are not in the spectrum that you know. Consequently, the following half of the book just flickered by in seconds. I found myself desperately looking for more of a firm grasp on personal finance. This is a must read for those working ants in life, aiming for more knowledge in a specialization to ultimately and merely, get a raise. I strongly do not recommend this book to businessmen or people who believe themselves as financially aware. The book is highly conceptual and basic, targeted for those who are ready for a change in paradigm.I have given this book a rating of 8.5/10 because the continuous effective pokes at the brain that Robert makes to clearly address his lesson. I can not give the book the full 10 points because for me, the fireworks stopped at the last minute. I was given a great paradigm change, but left in an awkward position. Maybe it is because the numbers and examples made the concept more real, less reachable, more risk.

Structure: The progression of the book is very normal, very effective. Starting with the set up of the mind and slowly moving into application. Inevitably in the last moments of the book. the discourse becomes less conceptual and more practical. The pace of the book slows down, not because the written content is less interesting, but just because the first half was an explosive snap of an experience to the actual brain.

Strengths: Having two dads sounds like the best condition in the world in terms of developing reason and personal development. Robert clearly portrays the paradigm of his Rich Dad and Poor Dad with crystal clear expressions. These comparisons are perfectly in context with the authors intentions and allows for a very fast pace and also with blazing interest. Robert was able to flip the map that I had in my hands and make me realise that there was a third ‘Z axis’, not just X and Y.

Weakness: The book is biased about ‘knowing less about more’. While this book aims to provide a wider view on how money works. it does not elaborate enough on the short falls of ‘knowing less about more’. The guidance that this book gifts the reader may also be toxic to the reader if not applied right. Irreversible consequences from taking a fatal risk and staying a non-professional forever seems to be a case that is neglected. Having more knowledge in one particular specialization or area than others is an aspect of self pride and identity, and co-relates with personal goals and dreams. Readers should watch out about the application of the lessons and also how it impacts the readers mind. Remember, you decide how you will feel, you decided what you will learn, the book is very persuasively written so maintain an open mind when reading.

Notes:

*The following are spoilers and anyone who intends to read the book should not go any further.

Definition of Wealth Consider a case where everybody stopped working. The first to end up with no money first are poor and those who are able to sustain themselves longer are the rich. It can be said that the rich will never run out of money because their asset will provide more ‘income’ than the expenditure. Quote: ‘ Wealth is a person’s abilitiy to survive so many number of days forward - or, if I stopped working today, how long could i survive?’

Dont work for money, make money work for you: From savings, create assets that produce money. Either something that becomes more valuable with time, or by buying at cheaper prices than selling it. There are many forms of assets and should be studied for application.

Asking about Money, not the paycheck Quote: ‘You boys are the first people who have ever asked me to teach them how to make money. I have more than 150 employees, and not one of them has asked me what I know about money. They ask me for a job and a paycheck, but never to teach them about money. So most will spend the best years of their lies working for money, not really understanding what it is they are working for.’

“The Rat Race”: Quote: ’The pattern to get up, go to work, pay bills; get up go to work, pay bills, People’s lives are forever controlled by two emotions: fear and greed. Offer them more money and they continue the cycle by increasing their spending.’

Assets and Liabilities: Quote: 'Rich People acquire assets. The poor and middle class acquire liabilities that they think are assets.'

Mind set for Financial Goals: Quote: 'The words "I can't afford it" shut down your brain. :how can i afford it?" opens up possibilities excitement, and dreams.'

How the Rich Avoid Tax: The rich create a corporation, effectively a private company. Money earned is only taxed at the end of the tax period. If the money is invested and used to deplete the money earned, It counters the net taxable income because the 'income' has been spent already.

#Bookreview #Financialiq #financial freedom

0 notes

kayminkoh · 7 years

Text

[Book Review] THE 7 HABITS of HIGHLY EFFICIENT PEOPLE

Stephen R. Covey 25th Anniversary Edition Personal Rating: 8/10

Summary: This is a great book that gathers familiar concepts that are already embedded into our brains and attempts to align them in such a way to create new open dimensions within the reader’s brain. This book covers a large portion of how we live because Stephen Covey’s lessons are as much as about the paradigm to create efficient approaches to relationships as it is about approaching work. The most important change this book gave me is that it allowed me to see beyond my problems and address the cause of the problem. To see beyond the surface of the sea, to see beyond the bottom of the sea, and to see into the core of the Earth.

Please note that this book is about the paradigm (how we look at the world) of people and not about physical habits (though it has examples).

I have given this book a rating of 8/10 because the pace slows down after Habit 5 [Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood] and items are readdressed in a less efficient way of writing.

Structure: The structure of the contents is well designed for the shift in paradigm that Covey’s lessons intend. Starting with yourself, then with others, and then covering how to synergise them.

Strengths: The book has its strongest impact at the start; Habit 1 [Be Proactive], Habit 2 [Begin with the End in Mind] and Habit 3 [Put First Things First]. These opening chapters are well structured, explained with delicacy and have concise examples that effectively convey the lessons. I believe most readers would feel this way because personal development is the initial area of interest for the readers who have selected this book; for self improvement. Also it is in these chapters where the readers can most easily reflect upon themselves. Habits 4 [Think Win/Win] and Habit 5 [Seek First to understand, Then to Be Understood] are also very well addressed and are critical to human interaction. The importance of understanding another human being is convincingly written and will definitely help with (if not change completely) how readers see relationships.

Weakness: Habits 6 [Synergise] and Habit 7 [Sharpening the Saw] are good, but compared to the habits covered upfront, are less convincingly written and also contain relatively blunt examples. This weakness is understandable because it is a summary of the parts and previously conveyed lessons have to be readdressed. These Habit 6 and Habit 7 are important but could have been shorter and more concise. A chapter doesn’t need to be long to be interpreted as a ‘chapter’.

Notes:

*The following are spoilers and anyone who intends to read the book should not go any further.

Look beyond the physical problem You can only achieve temporary and small improvements by solving the problem. Significant improvements are achieved by solving the root of the problem; the cause, the attitude, the behaviour, the mind set. Quote. Thoreau - “For every thousand hacking at the leaves of evil, there is one striking at the root.” Quote. Albert Einstein “ The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.”

Look beyond production Finding the balance between P (Production) and PC (Production Capacity). An approach that focuses solely on P can cause problems that do not allow sustainable production if the PC is not addressed correctly. Again here, we see beyond production, looking into what components makes up and results for the production. Always keep in mind the quality of the method, process, maintenance and people involved and there will be more assurance and improvement in the long run.

Avoid Dependance and aim for Independance and Interdependance. Dependance: you take care of me, You didn’t complete it, I blame you for the result. Independance(private): I can do it, I am responsible, I can choose. Interdependance(public): We can do it, we can cooperate, we can combine our strengths and create something great.

Self-awareness and Reactions Control how you act, how you feel and how you respond. See how you are affected by your surrounding because it is important that you identify that you are not the product of your conditions. You are in control of yourself and you choose how you see things. Quote: “He could decide within himself how all of this was going to affect him” Quote: “Between stimulus and response man has the freedom to choose.” Quote: “No one can hurt you without your consent” Quote: “It’s not what happens to us, but our response to what happens to us that hurts us.”

Circle of Influence and Circle of Concern. There are things we can and can not do. Concentrate energy into solving things that can be done within the range of things we can do(Circle of Influence) that may have an effect on the things we can only worry about (Circle of Concern). There is much more that can be done within the Circle of Influence than you think. As soon as we admit a problem is solely in the Circle of Concern, that problem can control you because you are admitting there is nothing you can do. Quote: “Anytime we think the problem is “out there,” that thought is the problem.”

Be Proactive not Reactive. Lead the way instead of being dragged. In a difficult situation, look for a way instead of judging that you cant. Be Proactive and go forward. Do not be Reactive and let it define you.

Reactive Language vs Proactive Language There’s nothing i can do vs Let’s look at our alternatives. That’s just the way I am vs I can choose a different approach He makes me so mad vs I control my own feelings They won’t allow that vs I can create an effective presentation. I have to do that vs I will choose an appropriate response I Cant vs I choose I must vs I prefer If only vs I will

All things are created twice. Buildings: Once on paper, once in real life. Drawings: Once in the mind, Once on paper. You: Plan your future, become the future. If you do not create your self image for your future, your future will be designed according to your past, your surroundings and things outside your circle of influence that you can not control. When Designing your future, borrow strength of the limitless potential of the future instead of the limiting and already defined past.

“In the great literature of all progressive societies, love is a verb, Reactive people make it a feeling.” Love is something that I choose to do, Love is not the result (it is not a reactive feeling about someone).

Managers and Leaders Managers and leaders are completely different roles. Managers make sure that the ladders are made with good quality, Leaders make sure that the ladders are place on the right wall. Managers make sure machetes are sharp and durable so that they can pass through the forest, The leader makes sure they are headed toward the right direction. As Form follows function, Management follows Leadership

Time Management Matrix Always have priority with tasks. First things need to come first. Always consider tasks in a larger context where applicable.

Urgent and Important

Not Urgent and Important

Urgent and Not Important

Not Urgent and Not Important

Quote: “Urgent matters are usually visible. They press on us; they insist on action. They’re usually right in front of us. And they are pleasant, easy, fun to do. But so often they are unimportant!” Quote: “Daily planning often misses important things that can only be seen from a larger perspective.”

Aim for Stewardship Delegation “Gofer Delegation” involves a manager saying ‘go for’ this, ‘go for that’, ‘do this’, ‘do that’. When delegating a job to someone, “Gofer Delegation” does not allow for growth, it is not an effective way of communication, it does not convey the aim of the job, it makes life harder for the job giver and the receiver. “Stewardship Delegation” involves making the job receiver take responsibility for the job. Good managers are able to delegate jobs well. A good delegator considers the following. More detail is on page 180 of the book.

Desired Results

Guidelines

Resources

Accountability

Consequences

Show Integrity by being respective at all times Talking behind peoples backs only makes the listener think that you will talk behind their backs. If you can not talk about a problem to the person being the problem, you should no talk about it with another. Quote: “Be loyal to those who are not present. In doing so, we build the trust of those who are present.”

“Because you really listen, you become influenceable. And being influenceable is the key to influencing others. Your circle begins to expand. You increase your ability to influence many of the things in your Circle of Concern.” Flexibility will allow you to grow, learn and understand. If you are able to understand well, you are able to pass that understanding to others well. If you want change to happen, you must be able know what it is to change yourself.

The concept of a Win/Win condition “Middle in this sense does not mean compromise; it means higher, like the apex of the triangle.”

#Bookreview #Efficiency #work #relationships #management #leadership

0 notes