*Perils of Relativity: Decoy effect:*🙏Ramu🙏21/9/2022

*Darwin: Everyone is RELATIVE.*
*Einstein: Everything is RELATIVE.*

We all should be aware of the most important 2 human behavior:

(1) *Humans rarely choose things in ABSOLUTE terms.*

(2) *Humans mostly choose the PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE.*

Marketing wizards and designers of Ponzhi schemes capitalize the above two human behaviour and we become easy preys for their smartness or for their *TRAPS* rather .

*We don’t have internal value meter that tells how much things are worth. Rather, we focus on the relative advantage of one thing over another and estimate value accordingly.*

For example, if one tends to buy the certain stocks / shares, finding its absolute value involves lots of efforts and skills. So, we choose the least resistance path of comparing its present market price with its price of 52 week high / low or comparing its price with its competitors share price and arrive decisions whether that particular share is either cheap to buy or expensive to ignore.

Similarly, if we are to purchase real estate such as land or flats, we don’t tend to find its value in absolute terms. We compare its present price with neighborhoods, or compare its price with other land prices of similar towns or with the price of our native place and conclude whether it’s worth BUY or NOT.

We always compare jobs with jobs, vacations with vacations, lovers with lovers and wines with wines.

*We are always looking at the things around us in RELATION to others.*

This 👆human behavior is exploited by most of the marketing wizards to push their products and that’s how we have landed up house full of unused articles.

*Real life examples:*

*Bread baker / toaster:* When Williams- Sonama first introduced a home bread baker machines for $275, most consumers were not interested.

Because people thought, “What was a home bread machine anyway?” Was it good or bad? Did one really need home baked bread? Why not just buy a coffee – maker instead?

Flustered by poor sales, the manufacturer of the bread machine brought in a marketing research firm.

*Marketing experts concluded the following:*

(1) People are confused between 2 absolute products and it’s prices.

(2) To make them act, they have to be guided to the least resistance path of decision making.

Marketing experts’ FIX:👇

*Introduction of Decoy / Relativity*

*SOLUTION:*

*Introduce an additional model of a bread maker, one that should be not only of LARGER but also prized about 50% higher than the initial machine.*

*NOW SALES BEGAN TO RISE, THOUGH IT WAS NOT THE LARGER ONE THAT WAS BEING SOLD.*

*LESSONS TO BE LEARNT:*

(1) Simply because consumers now had 2 models of bread makers to compare and choose from.

(2) Since one was clearly larger and much more expensive than the other, people didn’t have to make their decision in a vacuum.

(3) People would have said : *”Yes. I don’t know much about bread makers, but I do know that if I were to buy one, I’d rather have the smaller one for less money.”*

(4) Here, larger bread making machine acted as a “DECOY” between smaller bread maker and coffee maker.

*Relatively yours,*
🙏Ramu🙏

*Brief understanding about Behavioural Economics (BE):*🙏Ramu🙏20/9/2022

BE is relatively a new field that draws on aspects of both Psychology and Economics.

It’s the new field in the sense, that it was not taught even in premier Indian business schools till I passed out during 2005.

Before it becomes the subject, before Daniel Kaheman had been awarded Nobel prize during 2002, Warren Buffet and Charlie Mungar had become experts at this subject and made billions and billions by capitalizing humans’ fallibles.

The famous saying goes, *”What the wise do in the beginning, (we) fool do in the end.*”

Conventional economic theories, predictions and recommendations has been founded on the basic premise that …

*”human beings are rational”*.

*It means, most economists hold about human nature that we are capable of making the right decisions for ourselves.*

In Conventional economics, the assumption that we are all rational implies that, in everyday life, we compute the value of all options and then follow the best path of action.

*What if we make a mistake and do something irrational?*

*Conventional economists’ answer : “Market forces” swiftly set us back on the path of righteousness and rationality.*

When Warren Buffet was asked, what he had learnt from history, his famous reply was….

*”We have learnt from history that people have never learnt from history and so, they repeat the mistakes again and again.”*

👆 *This is the basis for “Behavioural Economics.”*

*Behavioural economists have learnt that human beings are not only IRRATIONAL (frequently), but also PREDICTABLY IRRATIONAL.*

👆This means that *our irrationality happens the same way, AGAIN and AGAIN.*

*Whether we are acting as consumers, business people, or understanding how we are predictably irrational provides a starting point for improving our decision making and changing the way we live for the better.*

Let’s see few examples of IRRATIONALITY in our day to day decision making in the next part.

*Predictably yours,*
🙏Ramu🙏

*Leading 3 Types of Lifestyles: (1) Happy Life (2) Successful Life (3) Meaningful Life:*
🙏Ramu🙏19/9/2022

*Disclaimer:*
(1) None of the Lifestyle is superior to another.
(2) My idea may have full of flaws as usual😛, request others to promote discussion to understand it clearly for bettering ourselves.

#1: *Leading a Happy Lifestyle:*

The guys who are aspiring this Lifestyle, used to give utmost importance for family relationships including their own family and their extended family such as cousins, in-laws, parents, etc.. over MFP (M – Money, F – Fame P – Power).

These guys generally prefer landing up in most secured government jobs or corporate jobs such as 9 to 5 jobs.

*They may not show much interest in upgrading their skills and knowledge etc away from their job’s desperate requirements.*

They derive happiness from taking their spouses to temples regularly, helping their spouses in house chores regularly, participating in all relatives’ functions, serving them in all possible ways physically, etc..

#2 : *Leading successful Lifestyle:*

These guys’ primary drivers are M or F or P or a combination of MFP though making Money taking precedence over the other 2 in most cases. Simply speaking career and money oriented.

To achieve their target M, they don’t hesitate to part from their family for short period of time such as traveling abroad or any exotic locations for upgrading their skills, knowledge, qualifications, etc…

*They do give importance to relationships but not on family relationships; but on NETWORKING relationship.*

Though they always think of retirement, they never retire till they exhaust their money making potential even after having kept on upgrading their money making abilities every now and then.

*These are the guys find emptiness in life even after having achieved so much and lived in 90+ percentiles category.*

*(For better understanding, Super Star Rajinikanth Fits the bill exactly.)*

Very few may call it a day and focus on other aspects of life, however those are very tiny in numbers.

#3: *Leading Meaningful Life:*

These guys, used to understand very well about the *”What is the exact role for Money in life?”*

They used to have crystal clear idea about Money since from early 20s that *Money is nothing but a byproduct and not the prime product itself.*

Thus their focus from beginning of their career itself have been giving preference to primary product over by-product as they’re always sure, if they focus on main product, by-product will follow naturally.

So, they keep on experimenting their life in 3 areas viz
(1) To identify their passion,
(2) To identify what they’re bestowed with naturally.
(3) Keep on working to marry the above 2.

They keep on reinvesting all their earnings into their passion and building in to bigger and bigger.

They always live their life fully without any regrets at later part of life – be it successful or failure.

If that marriage (passion + bestowed talent) has been successful, they would be poured with enormous wealth and again they reinvest that wealth in building a better society in such a way which can impact other people’s lives, causing transformation in the society, etc.

( *For better understanding, examples can be of Warren Buffet, Narayan Murthy, Nandan Nilkeni, to certain extent actor Kamalahassan, Suriya, Amitab Bachan etc…*)

*Once again request you to read the disclaimer carefully please….*

*Meaningfully yours,*
🙏Ramu🙏

Dear Mr. Rahul Gandhi,

I have been shocked to hear you are on “Patha yatra” from Kanniyakumai to Kashmir.

Wow!!! I am damn sure, it’s going to be a mammoth “game changer” for the entire country, if you could complete it successfully.

I am not sure whether it’ll create any edge for you in 2024 elections, and hopefully I am of the opinion that “You’re a PLAIN SIMPLE MAN who don’t execute hidden agenda in sideways like the other shrewd politicians do.

However, if you complete it, you’ll not be in the list of Nehru, Indira, Rajeev but *you would join the list of “Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King Jr….”.*

The exact Similarities between you and Gandhi, Teresa, Martin are viz…

(1) those too had been believed as they hadn’t possessed any leadership qualities like the way you have been considered by many

(2) and all of them too had been striving for achieving “PEACE AND HARMONY” and you too have articulated the same purpose.

You’re the one since beginning, keep on emphasizing Love over Hatred and you have never deviated from your core principle of “promoting love and hatred of polarization” over a decade.

And you have perfectly articulated the purpose of this “patha yatra” as *promoting love and unifying the mass* from the fringe elements who have been into 24×7 dividing the people of this country in the name of religion and thus your “STEPS” are the most “need of the hour.”

If you complete this 5 month yatra, you are no more the “PRIME MINISTERIAL CANDIDATE for 2024” and you would be REVERED much, much more than that and equivalents of Gandhi, Martin and Theresa.

I wish you great success like Gandhi’d Dandi yatra did.

Best of luck.

Awesomely yours,
🙏Ramu🙏
10/09/2022

*GARGI MOVIE:* – REVIEW
(NOT JUST A TAMIL MOVIE, PAN WORLD MOVIE)
🙏Ramu🙏17/7/2022

*VERDICT:* MUST, MUST, MUST…MUST WATCH WITH FAMILY ALONG WITH CHILDREN OF ANY AGE.

If anyone has an urge to do something useful to the society, go and watch the movie along with CHILDREN / KIDS / ADOLESCENTS.

I feel my Sunday has been WELL SPENT.

THEME : What would a woman take a stand if she’s forceda to delicate situation such as

*WOMANHOOD Vs FATHERHOOD*.

SAI PALLAVI : She’s just portrayed herself as a normal middle class woman without any makeup not even without lipstick with her bare acne face. (Recalling “Balu Mahendra movie – VEEDU – Archana)

*What a natural actor she is!!* Amazing. My salute to her.

*Director Gautham :* Through his Incredible screen play, keep the audience at the edge of the seat and spellbound not only till the end but beyond and beyond so.

*CLIMAX:*
My understanding is (by being a student of Psychology), .

*….why the director has ENDED the movie with a very happy note – tells me that…*

*Human beings may be restless, unhappy, disturbed perturbed, etc only till then (as long as) they believe or preceive something UNFAIR thing had happened to them and the whole world is colluding against their belief.*

*Once they realized, their understanding was wrong, their belief was wrong, their perception was wrong, then they derive enormous strength and courage….*

*…ready to bear and aceept ALL Undesirables by standing on the side of FAIRNESS / TRUTH and keep “MOVING ON” towards normalcy.*

(As I don’t want to reveal any spoilers, the above may not be understood till you watch the movie.)

*Phenomenally yours,*
🙏Ramu🙏

Role model Dad to all the Dads who have daughters:
🙏Ramu🙏13/7/2022

I am not sure, how many of you have come across the name “Khalid Hosseini”.

Brief introduction: He’s an Afgan immigrant to USA, who had had a highly successful career as a Dcotor, then turned as an author – full time novel writer.

I have read 2 (of 3) of his nerve-wracking novels
(1) Kite Runner
(2) Thousand splendid sun’s

.. which talks about the plight and ordeals of Afgan women have to undergo under Taliban regime.

Even stones and animals would shed tears if it could read his novels. That doesn’t mean his novels are of “melancholy” in nature, but full and full of human emotions.

Who so ever read his novels can have no other way but to start loving and exploring about Khalid Hosseini.

After his debut novel “Kite Runner” was a phenomenal success, he had quit his medical profession and turned full time writer, created a big corpus and surrendered himeself to the bigger cause of serving and REDEEMING the Afgan kids by providing education.

Though I have read so many novels, I have never been drawn into any authors like the way I got yielded towards Khalid Hosseini.

When I got to read the following headlines (just 2 lines) in NDTV, tears trickled down as …

“Why is it happening for such a noblest person on the earth?”

NDTV: Author Khalid Hosseini’s daughter comes out as a TRANSGENDER.

By wiping my tears, I had opened to read the full news. Tears have been continuously oozing out and my mind was battling with the same question,

“Why for him?”

After having read his “Twitter reply – enclosed”, the same author had taken a “Viswaroop” in my mind and made me utter as ,

” What a father you are!!

You are the role model Dad for all the Dads of daughters.!!

and I have felt proud of myself that I’m the fan of such a wonderful noble person.

Recently, one of my young friends had rushed to his native place as his cousin sister had run away with his lover and sent an audio message to his dad to accept them. But her dad categorically uttered a rhetoric dialogue as all fathers do “Don’t come in front of me. I washed you. Hereafter you’re not my daughter and I am not your dad. Get last once for all.”

Amidst the so many Dads we have seen who had never been hesitated to the extent of “Honour Killing” their own daughters, …

…this Dad Author Khalid Hosseini is a rare dad and his daughter Haris is having blessed to have such an understanding and supporting Dad.

Blessedly yours,
🙏Ramu🙏

*Few interesting anecdotes from Warren Buffett’s Biography:* Part – 2
🙏Ramu🙏8/7/2022

It’s an amazing feeling one can get when he DISSECTS WB’s TEAM BUILDING skills.

It seems he primarily focuses on (1) Integrity (2) Passion for doing business (3) Bootstrap founder who knows ins and outs of the business.

Once he finds such a person, then he would go out of way to cajole him, bringing into his team, having full faith in him and offering full freedom as if he’s the owner of the business.

In 1966, Buffett decided to buy the retail business – *Associated Cotton Shop – Textile Chain stores.*

When he inquired about Associated, he’s amazed to see ROSNER, 63 with his grasp of retailing knowledge.

However Buffett had understood the business only through the key hole of finance.

When Rosner offered to show him a store, Buffett declined to see and merely wanted Rosner to read him the previous 5 years balance sheets over telephone.

The next day, Buffett called back Rosner with an offer. When Rosner acepted, Buffett and Munger had flown to New Yark to ink the deal.

Buffett realized “Associated” was potentially a Lemon. Rosner, it’s architect, was planning to retire.

Buffett demurely asked Rosner if he could stay for 6 months to help him get going.

*Privately, Buffett shrewdly told Munger, “That’s one problem we don’t have. This guy won’t be able to QUIT.*

The son of Austro-Hungarian immigrants, Rosner had started with a single dress shop, in Chicago in 1931. He was an archetypal bootstrapper, having taken $3200 to a business with $44 MN in annual sales.

Like other self-improvers, he’s slave to his work and dictator to his staff.

Rosner had once counted the sheets on a roll of toilet paper to avoid being cheated reminded Buffett his grandfather @ his grocery store.

He flattered Rosner profusely by staying out of Rosner’s vicinity and allowed him as if he’s still the owner of the firm.

*As Buffett had predicted, Rosner soon found that he’s not in any hurry to retire and stayed for 20 years.*

*Thus Buffett had begun to squeeze the proverbial LEMONADE from LEMONS.*

*Toward the end of his tenure, he told Buffett, “I’ll tell you how and why it worked….”*

*”YOU FORGOT THAT YOU BOUGHT THIS BUSINESS. AND I FORGOT I SOLD IT.”*

*What a deal!! What a partner bond both Buffett and Rosen had cemented!!!*

I patted myself, probably inspired from Buffett’s, *I too hardly visited not more than couple of times to few of my rental properties over these 2 decades.*

I too have forgotten that I’m the owner of those few properties and…
…. my tenants too have forgotten that they’re just staying there…

…. but feeling as if they were owners except sending digital rents 1st of every month to my account over these 2 decades.

*Pleasurably yours,*
🙏Ramu🙏

*Ilayaraja, the Emperor of Music has been demoted to MP:*
🙏Ramu🙏7/7/2022

Once when Abdul Kalam was the President of India, *Queen of Music Ms. SubbuLakshmi,* who was selected as the recipient of the most prestigious #1 award *Bharat Rantna,* who couldn’t receive the same in person as she’s ill.

The next month, somehow the President Abdul Kalam rescheduled his visit to Chennai and had literally RUN over to MS Subbulaksmi’s residence to handover the same in person.

When Ms Subbulakshmi, in her tearful moistened eyes embarrassed herself and told Kalam, *”What’s so hurry. I would have come and received it.”*

The epic reply from Kalam was, *”Madam! You are deserved to receive such awards year after year. However, till then I may not be The President of India and I may miss the GOLDEN opportunity of HONORING the musical Queen before ending my term as The President.*

*Such is the power and GLORY of not only MUSIC but all other ART forms and all other artists should realize it .*

Similarly, When Karunanidhi was TN CM, he had hugged his estranged longtime friend, The Poet Kannadasan with glistened eyes saying, *”I am the just (Chief) Minister (அமைச்சர்). But you’re just above the king of Poets, Emperor of poets (கவியரசு).*

Such is the Power and LEGACY that of all fine ARTISTS are deserved to carry MAJESTICALLY not only for their lifetime but the lifetime of this UNIVERSE.

Our pity Ilayaraja who is supposed to be more deserved and majestic than rest of the world, who had SURRENDERED all his GLORY, MAJESTIC, MUSIC, DIVINITY ,etc…

*….at the feet of very very ordinary power mongering, ephemeral politicians whose lifetime is just 5 years in that chair.*

It’s well-known fact that all ARTISTS in this universe are of entirely too INNOCENT and too NAIVE to comprehend the action behind the SMART, CUNNING politicians.

It’s politicians responsibility not to EXPLOIT their INNOCENCE and at least LEAVE alone freely.

These politicians should realize that they have not just arm twisted Ilayaraja a single man, ….

*…. but of the sentiments of Billions of Music lovers and by this way, they have not just been disrespectful towards Ilayaraja but of entire ARTISTS FRATERNITY.

If I were the advisor of Ilayaraja, I would have advised him to arm-twist the other end by demanding much bigger awards (don’t want to name it.).

My request to all politicians is, please leave alone all the ARTISTS even if not promoting the ARTS please…

*Sadenningly yours,*
🙏Ramu🙏

*Few interesting anecdotes from “Buffett – The making of American Capitalist”*
🙏Ramu🙏6/7/2022

I have just picked rather dusted up this book from my bookshelf for reading 2nd time after 5 years or so.

The interesting thing about Legendaries’ biographies are giving us feelings that…

*”How simple it is!!”*

*”Hi!!! Here’s the guy who had done nothing great but made it!!!”*

*”Hi!!! This fellow is no different from me and he’s crazier than I used to be…”.*

*Excerpts from the book:*

Buffett used to calculate every penny not only for his own spending but very stringy in allowing his own family members too even after having possessed millions.

#1) His 3rd son Peter of about 8+ old, *”I remember I gave him birthday card once. He just opened it and closed it. I was waiting for some response. Nothing.”*

A bit later, When Peter was in a drugstore with his mother, he saw a book called *”The Father’s Handbook”* and told his mother flippantly, *”You should get that for Dad.”*

#2) His wife Susie was a virtuoso shopper. She dropped $15000 on a home refurnishing shop.

The next day, this poor Buffet, helplessly shared his qualms with his golfing pal Bob Billig, *”Do you know how much that is if you compound it over 20 years.”*

According to Bob, *”It’s (spending $15000 at furniture shop) just about killed Warren.”*

#3) In one summer, his family was touring San Siemon, the *William Randolph Hearst mansion* in California.

The guide was giving blow after blow account of how much Randolph Hearst had paid for every item – the drapes, carpets, antiques, and so on.

*Bored to tears, Buffett protested, “Don’t tell us how HE SPENT it. TELL US HOW HE MADE IT.”*

*Flippantly yours,*
🙏Ramu🙏

*Rocketry – Movie Review:*
🙏Ramu🙏3/7/2022

*CONCLUSION/ VERDICT:*

*This movie is very poignant, well made, and everyone should watch without fail.*

*My views about the backdrop of the movie:*

We should salute Madavan for his daring DEBUT attempt as a Director, despite the well known fact that it won’t be commercially hit.

Whatever had been happened to our proud scientist Padma Busham Nambi Narayan was very very unfortunate and through this movie, Madavan has just caressed in his wound with the help peacock 🪶 feathers.

Whatever happened to Nambi Narayan and his family is as equivalent and impactful as one having terminal illness, calamities like tsunami, earthquakes, flight crash, etc..

It’s an indigestible for anyone when imagine in the seat of Nambi as…

…When Nambi Narayan and APJ were colleagues and equally talented,…

but *one ended up as “The President of India” and the other termed as “Traitor” and ended up in prison.*

*What to do?*

*LIFE IS EXTREMELY UNFAIR AND IT HAS NO LOGIC IN PUNISHING OR REWARDING PEOPLE.*

*About the movie:*

Though the First half has been too much technical, I have enjoyed by pulling out my collar as if I was sitting in my graduation while hearing the terms such as, “stability margin, cryogenic, solid and liquid propulsion, orifice, etc”.

I really appreciate the dialogues, especially in 2 places.

#1) Scientists are not as adept at handling “man’s collapse” as the way they’re handling rocket collapse.

#2) If you want the dog to be thrashed by everyone, simply add the prefix “WILD – DOG. Similarly if you want a man and his family to be thrashed by everyone, simply add the prefix “Traitor or anti-national.”

*Touching and poignant moment:*

When UNNI came and met Nambi in prison and uttering a dialogue as,

“Though You are not in my good book, though I can call you as a back staber personally, But *I never accept with anyone calling you as a Traitor and involved in acting against our nation.”*

*Criticism:*

(1) No biopic can be made raw and natural. When 30 years have been compressed into 3 hours, certain dramatization and cinematic scenes can’t be avoided.

Whether Unni’s visit in prison is dramatization or exaggerated or real, not known.

(2) Why even APJ or any senior colleagues had not even paid courtesy visit to Nambi when he’s in prison?

(3) I can’t avoid noticing the scenes portraying NAMBI was far superior in knowledge and commanding respect received from Vikram Sarabhai compared to APJ, though APJ was much senior.

That could have been avoided as APJ was a successful president one can’t be belittle.

(3) What’s the role of politics / drama involved in making this movie is not known as I can’t avoid noticing PM MODI was shown in the end while REWARDING Padma Bushan to Nambi.

*Whatever may be, it’s a phenomenal biopic everyone must watch.*

Finally, I feel proud of sharing desks, sitting next to next, sharing exam papers, room stay, etc for continous 12 months with my dearest friends cum ISRO scientists Jagan and Manimaran during 96-97, who are of such humble personalities who have never ever boasted despite they have been involving in highest level science projects such as Liquid Propulsion projects.

*Reviewingly yours,*
🙏Ramu🙏