Marie Digby and Powershift Thursday, Jan 10 2008

Although I’ve read Alvin Toffler’s Powershift about 3 times already, I think I have to read it again and check which among his predictions and assumptions came true and are currently happening.  The last time I read this book was way back in 2001 at the height of the Quiz shows craze (The Weakest Link, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Game Ka Na Ba.  I have joined in all of these quiz shows) that hit the country.  A sociologist friend said that these quiz shows reflects the economic condition of the country and that the masses would turn to quiz shows to bring them out of poverty.  I added  that it is also a manifestation of one of Alvin Toffler’s assumption that TV entertainment of the future will be highly interactive wherein viewers want to be a part of the show and not just mere spectators.

In Powershift, Alvin Toffler discussed about how knowledge and technology became tools for building wealth and at the same time, instruments in wielding power.   In one of his examples; 50 years ago, it is the manufacturers who dictates to the supermarket which products will be sold and how much supermarket space will be allocated to which products because they are the ones who control information (via advertisements and their sales force).   All of these changed when the bar code system was introduced that enabled the retailers to gather information about the products being sold and the consumers who buy them.  It is the retailers who now control the knowledge of the market.  Now, it is the manufacturers who beg for supermarket space.   The invention of the barcode enabled a “powershift” from the manufacturers to the retailers.   (For a lengthier discourse on how this happened, read the book) 

A few years ago, I’ve read that  singers/artists or their managers are at the mercy of radio stations and have to pay them to promote their albums.    Power is in the hands of radiostations and/or tv stations.  With the advent of Youtube, artist can now upload their videos and promote themselves in the Internet for free.   Thereby, shifting power to the artists themselves.  A case in point is the Irish-Japanese artist, Marie Digby whose videos in Youtube are being viewed by millions of surfers around the world.   As of this writing, her rendition of Rihanna’s Umbrella has 4.2 million hits and still counting.  In her blog, she said that she posted her music videos in her own desperate move to counter the lack of promotion of her album.  Now,  her music can be heard by millions of people who doesn’t need to tune into radio to listen to her songs.   You can call that powershift. 

I am posting two of her videos that I really like, her rendition of Maroon 5’s Makes Me Wonder (who by the way are coming to Manila on March 5 and I will definitely watch it) and Natalie Imbruglia’s Torn(one of my all time favorites).  Now this has nothing to do with my conviction that its the Irish and not the Brazilians who are the most gorgeous race in the planet. 

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Training for Godot Thursday, Jan 10 2008

The play Waiting for Godot by Samuel Becket is one of the most perplexing plays written in the last Century.   In this play, two old men, Vladimir and Estragon, are waiting for a character named Godot who they claim is an acquaintance, but they will not recognize him if they see him.  In the two days that Valdimir and Estragon are waiting for Godot, they while away their time by talking, arguing, eating, play games and even contemplating suicide just to occupy themselves and prevent silence from creeping in.  The play ended with Godot not arriving and the two characters agreeing to commit suicide the following day if the person they are waiting for still didn’t arrive.   

Almost every school of thought have their own interpretation of the play.  There’s a political, a Freudian, a Jungian, Biblical, Existential and even a homo-erotic interperation. But I use the title simply whenever I am waiting for someone or something that I am not sure will come.   

This January 26, there’s suppose to be a muay thai competition and I am training hard for it for almost 2 months.  But up until now, there’s no assurance that it will push thru or if it does,  I will have an opponent.   It’s always been a problem with muay thai here in the Philippines.   Because the sport, even though already a medal sport in SEA Games, Asian Indoor Games and other international-regional meet, is still in its infancy in the Philippines and there’s a dearth of competitions.  And if ever there will be a tournament, it will be postponed several times.  Like last year, the July competition was originally slated for April while the November tournament was originally scheduled in August.   In the November fight, I wasn’t able to compete because I have no match in my weight division. 

 It’s a frustration also shared by members of the Philippine muay thai team.   They would train twice a day but they are not sure when will their next competition be or if they will be competing at all.   Like in the Asian Indoor Games last October and in the World Amateur Championship last November, they all trained hard in the hopes of competing.  Although they are not sure who will be given the opportunity to leave for the said competition because of the limited funds.  

Even in local competitions.  MAP doesn’t have the resources to hold as many tournaments it wants to.  Regional chapters would sometimes organize tournaments but oftentimes, it is postponed at the last minute.   A bemedalled RP team member once said that you can only be sure if the competition will push thru on the day itself. 

But despite everything, the RP team keeps on training.  To them, it is much better to be prepared even though the tournament will not push thru rather than a fight pushing thru but they are not prepared for it.  I share the same principle even if it means we’re training for Godot.

By the way, Makisig Channel, a local cable channel interviewed several members of the RP muay thai team and the President of MAP, Kru Robert Valdez last night.    Please do watch out for this. 

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