What is the difference between Intelligence and Common sense?

I will analyse it using an unfolding story!

Yahoo (and Lycos, Alta Vista..) made a search engine much before Google did. That’s first-mover intelligence.

All of them failed to see Google’s inherent strength when they could have smashed it - that’s lack of common sense and wisdom. And very bad luck.

Google decided to plod on, and build on it. That’s tenacity coupled with intelligence.

Some early investors made a killing. That’s foresight, intelligence and luck combined.

Yahoo still did not see any value in it. That’s a total lack of common sense.

Google kept building on its success. And then launched social media tools (Wave? Buzz?). That’s ambition, and tenacity. But with little wisdom.

Facebook romped home with a much better strategy and product. That’s intelligence.

Google continued fighting. Continues to. With G+.

Facebook trampled it. That’s tenacity coupled with intelligence.

Whatsapp emerged. That’s super-intelligence. Yahoo - the employer - misses again.

Yahoo got hammered in the long run.

What do intelligent people do with their phones?

• They do not allow the phone to become the master. It remains a slave, serving a purpose & not becoming the purpose.
• Sleep is very essential for all. The phone too gets adequate rest each night.
• Literally, Deus ex machina? Nah.
• The phone is taught manners early on. It keeps quiet largely.
• The phone helps relationships by staying out of sight on crucial moments.

Long live the well-mannered phone!

A comprehensive, topic-wise and useful collection of my various posts and answers can be found here. Enjoy.
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Can Rahul Gandhi upstage Modi?

Since the Congress Party is pitching Rahul Gandhi firmly against Narendra Modi, it is assumed that in the next general elections (2019), he will be the prime ministerial candidate from INC. So a natural question often asked is if he can upstage Modi.

What? This is what they give me for winning the second world war for them? Atrocious. 

Clement Attlee won against Winston Churchill who had just won the second World War for Britain. Strangest things can happen in politics, just when the incumbent thinks it's all settled. The collective consciousness of the voters is a notoriously fickle animal, loyal to no one.

Rahul Gandhi too can beat Mr. Modi politically. Here's how I think it can happen-

• Don't denigrate him, Upgrade yourself - Instead of finding faults with Modi and the BJP, Rahul's primary strategy now must be to upgrade his own positive communication. He has never run a Ministry or a Department in executive capacity. It’s easy to criticise others when you haven’t been in those shoes. He should accept this cardinal truth. And then, don the mantle of a serious CEO for some party project (as of now), to have the seed of positivity develop within. India can do well with more positive and dynamic leaders.
• Take responsibility beyond tokenism - Not letting final responsibility for any failure land at the Gandhis' doorstep has become Congress's trademark strategy. But it cannot go on for ever. As we can see after every state elections, it is turning out to be a very bad idea. Leadership is not a pick-and-choose job; you get atop the horse into the battle all guns blazing. If it's death, so be it. Congress is losing a lot of voter base due to this. Rahul should take the lead in puncturing the protective shield. When defeated, he must come out (not smiling but with a sad face) and say he’ll try much harder the next time.
• Stop patronising Indians - Modi treats his audience with tremendous respect. Yes, he plays to the gallery often, but in style. Rahul probably assumes they have no handle on world affairs. Even in elite colleges, the communication is beyond belief - it feels his speech-writers assume it’s still 1991 or 1981. In this age and time, he must reinvent. He'll gain immediate respect. He really needs to work on communication skills (beyond fluent Hindi and English), by becoming truly focused on what the youth want to hear. Technically correct stuff.
• Study a lot - Rahul needs depth. No Prashant Kishore, Jyotiraditya or Digvijay Singh can do it for him (all of them tremendously talented). In politics today, standards have risen very fast (at least at the national level). Educated people who may be opinion leaders in media will give him traction if he improves. He should learn from Modi, who despite lacking the urban finesse in English, cracks it everytime.
• Lead from the front - If you really want people to take you seriously, do what you say. Avoid the drama, get your hands dirty. Avoid bootlickers, get real taskmasters. Avoid the past, talk of the future. Rahul has the huge disadvantage of an elite pedigree. He needs to work double-hard. When you pull Modi down saying jobs haven’t been created, do tell us how you would have done it practically.

The BJP assumed it would be a cake-walk in 2004 when the Shining India campaign did them in. Nothing is permanent, at least not in the shifting sands of Indian politics. If Rahul truly harbours the dream of becoming India’s PM one day, and if he really does become the PM after 2019 or 2024, he will desperately need the above skills. The image below is from 2014, before the results came in.

I have not written on the standard line of argument - allegations of corruption etc. - because every single Party in India has its share of Netas for whom corruption is not anathema. That will change with time.
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Learnings from Life

Someone asked a great question on Quora about "What are some things you realise as you grow older?" I wrote an answer that was loved by many. Sharing it here!

What are some things you realise as you grow older?

• The only thing that finally matters is 'being at peace with oneself'
• Real friends can be counted on fingers. Of one hand.
• Only crises can make a man out of you. Rest is routine.
• Leaders are 1%. Great managers are 10%. Rest are workers.
• It takes barely 5 min in an interview to judge a person truly
• No one works for any corporation. People only work for themselves.
• Happiness can be eternal if you choose it to be that way
• 'Sharp at academics' is not equivalent to 'happy in life'
• Daily brisk walking routine is the best medicine for entire body
• Laughing out loud is the best stress-buster
• You don't need lots of money to be happy
• Kids who love you are the greatest source of constant joy
• Brands are in the mind. Life can go on merrily without them.
• Fast food is the fast way to destroy your body
• Atheism is easy fashion. Rationalism is hard fashion. Spiritualism is tough fashion.
• Run hard from anyone promising salvation - it lies within
• No matter what you do, you die. All legacies are temporary

  

  The colours of life

• Violence never solves any problem permanently - only love does
• Everything gets recycled, including our bodies
• Everything changes with time - the harder you resist, the more they change
• No one is absolutely right ever - everyone is right in bits and pieces
• Perceptions are as good as reality - in fact, there is no genuine reality
• Mother Nature is the biggest badass around, unstoppable & unaffected
• The Universe is a very mysterious place with tonnes of secrets
• And finally - Teenagers know everything, Communists want an equal world, Capitalists believe in trickle-down, & Governments work for citizens!

Original answer here!

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