Geek Emeritus

Putt, Putt

geekemeritus — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 19:32:23 +0000

In the mid 70′s there was a series of articles published in Research & Development magazine by Archibald Putt titled “Putt’s Law: The Successful Technocrat”. I was just a young Science Geek at the time, had been doing research on blowing holes in stuff with lasers, but wanted to develop chops as a Business and Management Geek. This became my motivation to do so. Archibald Putt was a management genius, right there with Peter Drucker, Laurence Peter, Tom Peters and Sun Tsu. I copied all the articles from the magazine and still have them in my files.

Most people only know Putt’s law:

“Technology is dominated by two types of people: those who understand what they do not manage, and those who manage what they do not understand.”

But there are many laws and corollaries promulgated in each of the 10 articlesIn the 80s and 90s few people knew of Putt so when I quoted him in speeches and my own articles the concepts were fresh.

Putt’s Law
Three laws of crises
The law of failure
The S-curve law
Laws governing values
Three laws of advice
The consultant’s law
Laws of survival
Five laws of decision-making
Laws of reward and punishment

For thirty years no one knew who Archibald Putt really was, and then in 2006, when I suspect he realized how timeless the concepts were, he added content and republished the articles as a book. Buy it here

Putt’s Laws preceded Dilbert by 15 years, and I have no idea if Scott Adams had read Putts Law before creating the successful cartoon. However, some of the points of view are remarkably similar. Putt could be Dilbert’s smarter brother.

Teaching

geekemeritus — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 20:55:12 +0000

I am not a teacher–I don’t have the patience for it. But I really admire those who do. I know some great teachers. These are people who find real joy seeing the light come on in a student’s eyes when they finally “get it.”

We in the US are in the unfortunate position of dealing with many years of “dumbing down” of our education system. Efforts to standardize education–while noble in concept–have really just established a standard for conformity and only served to maximize mediocrity. A car race where everyone is required to drive 55 offers little motivation for those who can go 100.

Of course, the Really Big Problem is using education to further an agenda. I came across this a while back. (Sorry, but I don’t know how to attribute it.)

1. Teaching Math In 1950s

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit ?

2. Teaching Math In 1960s

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit?

3. Teaching Math In 1970s

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80. Did he make a profit?

4. Teaching Math In 1980s

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20. Your assignment: Underline the number 20.

5. Teaching Math In 1990s

A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the preservation of our woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit of $20. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes? (There are no wrong answers, and if you feel like crying, it’s ok. )

Geek, Nerd, Dork or Dweeb?

geekemeritus — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 01:32:03 +0000

In November, 2010 BBC Four aired a 6 part series titled “The Beauty of Diagrams”. In the series, beginning with the Vitruvian Man, mathematician Marcus du Sautoy explains how and why pictures really do serve a thousand or more words. It is currently available on BBC’s iPlayer, and certain internet repositories.

This is something for the truly intellectual geek. I, on the other hand tend to more mundane fare, as the following beautiful diagram illustrates.

Geek Etymology

geekemeritus — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:39:04 +0000

Why have you suffer’d me to be imprison’d,
Kept in a dark house, visited by the priest,
And made the most notorious geck and gull
That e’er invention play’d on? tell me why.

Shakespeare in Twelfth Night, V.i

Simply, geek is a variant of the Low German/Dutch word, geck, meaning a fool, simpleton, or dupe and I suspect it was originally intended as ridicule. As a society we have always tended to categorize people and apply short pejoratives to the category created. “Mods”, “rockers”, “hippies”, “boomers”, and so on. “Geek” is generally applied to those of us who tend to become completely captured by the details of some topic or discipline. Thirty or 40 years ago most geeks were technically oriented, but as time passes we have further defined our geekiness into sub-categories, like game geeks, word geeks, movie geeks… (I can’t explain why sports geeks are called “super fans”.)

In the mid-90s a geek geek, Robert Hayden created the “geek code”, a programming construct that allowed one to precisely define their geek-traits. Mine is located on the About page.

There is no question that we are inclined to unusual, “focused”, sometimes foolish behaviors! We probably have deserved some of the ridicule. But give us some credit: We have taken the ridicule and the term, redefined them in our image and made Geek (with a capital G) a core element of what we are.

Is it any wonder that the preponderance of entrepreneurs are Geeks of one type or another?

You are probably asking about now, “What are the differences between geeks, nerds, dorks and dweebs. The distinctions are clear and precise, and we will talk about them soon.

Presidential Geek

geekemeritus — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 23:18:50 +0000

No, it is not who you think! While it is evident our current president has certified geeks in his employ, he is really a poseur (“poser” for you millennial readers) when it comes to true presidential geekiness.

Before the word “geek” acquired its current meaning, the concept was most often applied to engineers. And in that context, the true presidential geek was Herbert Hoover, a mining engineer who proudly made his living in the profession. His defense of his work is classic:

“Engineering … it is a great profession. There is the fascination of watching a figment of the imagination emerge through the aid of science to a plan on paper. Then it moves to realization in stone or metal or energy. Then it brings jobs and homes to men. Then it elevates the standards of living and adds to the comforts of life. That is the engineer’s high privilege.

“The great liability of the engineer compared to men of other professions is that his works are out in the open where all can see them. His acts, step by step, are in hard substance. He cannot bury his mistakes in the grave like the doctors. He cannot argue them into thin air or blame the judge like the lawyers. He cannot, like the architects, cover his failures with trees and vines. He cannot, like the politicians, screen his shortcomings by blaming his opponents and hope the people will forget. The engineer simply cannot deny he did it. If his works do not work, he is damned….

“On the other hand, unlike the doctor his is not a life among the weak. Unlike the soldier, destruction is not his purpose. Unlike the lawyer, quarrels are not his daily bread. To the engineer falls the job of clothing the bare bones of science with life, comfort, and hope. No doubt as years go by the people forget which engineer did it, even if they ever knew. Or some politician will put his name on it. Or credit it to some promoter who used other people’s money … but the engineer himself looks back at the unending stream of goodness which flows from his successes with satisfactions that few professionals may know. And the verdict of his fellow professionals is all the accolade he wants.”