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Filed Under: Mark Twain

Mark Twain on India: The Indian Crow

Following the Equator

 

Continuing this series with an excerpt from Mark Twain’s Following the Equator. This humorous passage looks at the under-celebrated and under-demonized Indian crow. Judging by this account, the crow hasn’t changed much in the last 100 years.

This passage picks up after Twain recounts a tumultuous night’s sleep only to be awoken by the crows.

[Taken from The Complete Works of Mark Twain: Following the Equator, Volume 2, Harper and Brothers: New York, 1925.]

 

“…it all broke loose again. And who re-started it? The Bird of Birds the Indian crow. [Read more…]

Filed Under: #TimeIsEternal, Mark Twain

Mark Twain on Why Hindus don’t accept foreign gods

Mark Twain India Following the Equator

Click here for all of the Mark Twain Selections on India.

 

“India is, the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great grand mother of tradition. Our most valuable and most instructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only.” Mark Twain

 

As I researched India, I would occasionally come across nice quotes like this one from Mark Twain. I love reading Twain, but could not figure out in which book he gave all these quotes.

I finally discovered “Following the Equator”, which is his journal from a speaking tour he did around the world in 1897.

This week, I’ll post a few excerpts from his book that I particularly liked. Later, I’ll give a full review for anyone interested.

The first excerpt is a story told to Twain on a boat by a missionary to India about some of the challenges he faced. While the missionary’s context is a religious one, I think anyone can find a good application.  

I hope you enjoy it! NM

 

[Taken from The Complete Works of Mark Twain: Following the Equator, Volume 2, Harper and Brothers: New York, 1925.]

 

“At home, people wonder why Christianity does not make faster progress in India. They hear that the Indians believe easily, and that they have a natural trust in miracles and give them a hospitable reception. Then they argue like this: since the Indian believes easily, place Christianity before them and they must believe; confirm its truths by the biblical miracles, and they will no longer doubt. The natural deduction is, that as Christianity makes but indifferent progress in India, the fault is with us: we are not fortunate in presenting the doctrines and the miracles.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: #PowerPlays, #ThinSkinned, Communication

3 More Ways to Expand Your Comfort Zone

What else sigsegv

This post continues with finding ways to rid your vocabulary of “What else was I supposed to say?” when it comes to communication.

 

Scenario 4:

You work at a small, specialized tech consulting company and are meeting with a big name client with whom you have a contract. Your services are unique, and you know that no one else in India offers the same kind of quality service you do. The client calls you in for an important meeting and wants you to advance the dates of your deliverables by two weeks. How do you approach the meeting?
[Read more…]

Filed Under: #PowerPlays, #ThinSkinned, Communication

Stop Using This Obsolete Excuse for Your Communication Breakdowns

What else was I supposed to do sutha kamal

It’s the easy, cop-out answer. In a communication breakdown, some people ask the question, “What else was I supposed to do/say?”

  • He really demoralized our team; how else was I supposed to respond to that email?
  • They haven’t kept a promise for our entire relationship; what else was I supposed to do when she said “definitely”?
  • He was acting like a complete jerk; what else was I supposed to do when he called me out in the meeting?

The question “what else was I supposed to do?” reveals two things about you. One is that you justify your actions based on the context and not the relationship. Two is that you have a very narrow Communication Comfort Zone.

As the international business world expands and becomes less western-dominated, the question “What else was I supposed to do?” will not be accepted as a valid justification for your actions. People with very wide Comfort Zones know there is always another option. They see multiple avenues when others have blinders on and only see their usual practices.

To help you expand your Communication Comfort Zone and keep you from becoming an obsolete communicator, here are three scenarios (all set in India, but can be easily transferred elsewhere) where you can test your ability to come up with an approach that avoids the narrow “What else was I supposed to do?” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Communication

Your Comfort Zone is Affecting Your Communication

Can you identify with this story?

Heather leads a team of Indians, and everything seems to be off to a great start. She meets with the whole team, sets out clear responsibilities, and makes sure everyone is clear on the common task. She schedules regular meetings to assess the progress so far, address issues, and praise good work. The project is going well, and everyone seems to be happy.

Then Heather gets her 360-degree feedback report:

  • “She can be very rude and overbearing”
  • “She gives too much importance to negative things, and doesn’t talk about the positive things we are doing”
  • “She is very direct in speaking to us”
  • “She does not agree with our suggestions”
  • “I am afraid to bring up things in meetings when she is there”

 

Yikes! Less culturally sensitive people might say, “That’s the price you pay for results” or “People need to grow up and learn the way the business world works.”

But not you. (Or Heather.)

Getting a report like this would really bother you, and would keep you up at night. You think, “What could I have missed? Why didn’t I see this coming?” You would replay all the conversations and meetings in your head and struggle to find a reasonable answer.

If you resonate with this scenario, fear not. There might be an easy explanation.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: #IndiasNotIndia, #See1See100, Book Reviews, On the Job

Book Review: Speaking of India

Speaking of India, by Craig Storti, 2007.

speaking_of_india

Speaking of India remains one of the better guides out there for people in the business world interacting with India. Craig Storti has given us some great paradigms and concepts to help cultures work together better. This book is quick to read and should be on your shelf if you regularly interact with India.

Personally, Storti’s writings provided my foundation for understanding concepts like indirect and direct speech and how communication styles can differ across cultures. I owe a lot of my understanding to his ability to clearly talk about the issues at place and some strategies for solving them.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: #ChaosBeatsLogic, Transportation

How to Never Get Lost in India

lost in india giving directions

Getting places in the digital age should be easy no matter what country you are in, right?

Let’s say you want to go visit a new western pizza place that just opened in your city. You check out the website and find the address:

32 Krishna Street, 100 Foot Road, Koramangala, Bangalore

You look it up on Google Maps, just to get a rough idea of where it is. Then, to be smart, you write out the name of the pizza place, along with “32 Krishna Street, 100 Foot Road”.  You head out to your nearest auto driver, give him the address, sit back, and enjoy the ride.

Not likely. You have set yourself up for a stressful trip that is not likely to end with pizza.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: #ChaosBeatsLogic, #GreyIsWhite, Transportation

The Unwritten Rules of Driving in India

I recently spoke with the Inspector of Traffic Police for Chennai and asked him what advice he would give foreigners who want to drive in India.

He said, “Don’t do it.”

Still, there will be some of us sick souls who insist on our freedom and are willing to put our lives and sanity at risk.

But before you get into the wrong side of the car, realize you are in the passenger’s seat, get out, and get behind the driving wheel, you must acknowledge these three things:

  1. Driving in India will definitely increase the frequency of culture attacks you will experience
  2. Driving in India will increase the likelihood that you will kill someone or something (intentionally or unintentionally)
  3. You must completely forget everything you know about driving.

Driving in India is a lesson in anarchy. But if anarchy is like Indian roads, then it is not so bad once you get used to it.

Lucky for you, I found a great *old Indian driving manual at the RTO. I’ve posted some excerpts you might find helpful.

 

General Driving Guidelines:

When driving, you should assume at all times that everyone around you is suffering from a severe mental disease that makes them either suicidal or homicidal. 

For example, when you are driving down a road in very fast traffic and notice a car waiting to merge, it is best to assume this deranged driver will plan on pulling out in front of you, slowing to a stop, and then making an illegal U-turn. Once this assumption becomes common for you, you will find driving much more pleasurable.

As a driver, your only obligation is to concern yourself with what is ahead of you. Do not refer to the side nor rearview mirrors. Keep moving forward at all costs, and do not stop for any reason whatsoever.

 

Regarding Right of Way:

In every conceivable traffic situation, you always have the right of way. If you decide to ever relinquish this God-given right, these are the acceptable parties you can give it to:

-Vehicles larger than you
-City buses and water tankers whose drivers enjoy immunity in all situations
-Cows

If there is a conflict on who has the right of way, the party with the least to lose will be granted the right of way (i.e. those with no concern for human life, those who are only hired drivers, those who already have scratches on their car, those who are very late for something very important).

[Read more…]

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© Neil A. Miller, LearningIndia.in, and Madras Media Marketing LLC 2013-2015. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given.