El Estado chileno es bipolar

Me parece inverosímil que en este tiempo y época el Estado siga siendo un incomparable ejemplo de eficiencia en temas como la seguridad nacional y la recaudación de impuestos, y por otra sea un notable ejemplo de ineficiencia en el uso de los recursos públicos.

Temas como la seguridad pública, la educación y la salud, son sólo ejemplos de lo mala que es la administración de los dineros de todos los chilenos por causa de la insistencia de los mismos de siempre sobre la capacidad del aparato estatal para administrar. Alguien ha sabido alguna vez del nivel de logro de resultados que alcanza el gasto público? Algún ciudadano ha visto alguna vez una evaluación de un proyecto público?

Yo pregunto: ¿Por que el Estado es una máquina más ambrienta de dinero año tras año y los ciudadanos para quienes el Estado existe en primer lugar, tenemos que pagar más y más por cada vez menos y menos?

¿Cómo se explica que sean tan eficientes y tan ineptos al mismo tiempo?


"No hace falta un gobierno perfecto; se necesita uno que sea práctico" Aristóteles

Japanese Culture and Humility

Many of the ideals of the way of the Samurai or Bushido (way of the warrior) are still very much a part of Japanese culture today. Yes, there are egotistical business people in Japan just as anywhere else, but it is generally considered very bad form to speak disparagingly about your competition or rivals. Good advice for presenting in Japan — and I think it applies globally — is not to speak ill of your competitor in a public forum. Perhaps you could get away with this if you are already well known and trusted, but if you are new and still in "the trust me phase," verbally disrespecting your rivals is a red flag for those evaluating your potential as a partner.

A dose of humility goes a long way. Only the ignoble (and foolish) man would disrespect an opponent, let alone publicly disrespect one's rival or competitor. If one bad mouths a competitor in Japan they shame not only themselves but the group to which they belong. One who speaks poorly of others is not to be trusted. Speaking ill of a competitor, especially a smaller one who may not (yet) be at your level, shows a lack of humility. A wise man (or woman) knows that "ten thousand things become my teacher."

We can learn from anyone or anything if our eyes are not clouded by pride, arrogance, or fear. Once we think we have arrived, the old saying goes, we have already begun our descent to failure. Humility keeps us aware and grounded in the real world. Tenets of humility include respect, politeness, compassion, self-discipline, etc. When one remembers that there is no end to mastery — that one can and must be better the next day and the day after that (and the day after that) — then it is foolish indeed to ever look down one's nose to anyone, especially our rivals.

Ultimately, the real rival is within us anyway.


"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good." Dr. Samuel Johnson