The Machine

As a LEAD student, I was invited to attend a seminar arranged by the splendid ALDAR properties @ Emirates Palace. The seminar featured Dr. Kjell Nordstrom, a Swedish economist, writer and a marvelous public speaker. Aside from the shaved shiny head, the number of rings on both of his hands and the European outfit/ glasses, the guy was simply genius. His main lecture revolved around Capitalism and how it separates the efficient from the inefficient. He called capitalism “The Machine”.

Why? Well what do machines do ? yep, they produce stuff, we drink, wear, drive, eat, smell...etc.

I wasn’t surprised about his observation that the number of births has decreased in some parts of Europe due to inflation and number of other reasons. He also spoke about the impact of freedom on the nations that were ruled by communism, socialism and other isms and how capitalism managed to prove that it was the best solution to date.

In his lecture, He mentioned that USA was not a nation, it was an idea. . . . for example, All the best models, the cyber wizards….etc. are pulled into the states. “If you are good enough, they will take you. In Japan however, you can only DREAM of getting the Japanese nationality no matter where you come from”. In Europe, Well, you need 3 or 4 generations to be called “French, Italian, Swiss…etc”.

Then came “The Art of Making Money” where he said you must have 4 elements “Female, Emotional, Simple, Personal” PooF! you got iPod. . . .He pointed out that successful products and services are classified in either “Sexy” or “Fit” and that mixing the two will have negative consequences. BMW was categorized as “SEXY”, it was interesting to know that BMW employed 16 females as smell executives I think, whose job was to see if the car’s interior smell was up to standards. That’s quality folks!

I could talk more and more about him, but I would spoil your curiosity like that, check out his book. You won’t regret it.