Ideas

Thanks Nini Marini for the picture, and hospitality.

Yesterday, I was at a studio as a guest judge to shoot for a TV show, where people pitch their ideas to get (partial) funding for them to make it happen. Their project must be in view of for the betterment of Malaysia, or  society. Besides that, the standard measurement were whether that idea was scalable and sustainable. I self-questioned the notion 2 months ago when I first received this TV invitation with a post, read here.

It’s been something on my head for a while as (if you’ve been following this blog), you’d notice how I’ve always highlighted Ory Okolloh’s quick story (watch here, at 12 minutes 40 seconds) about the people she was supporting back home. At the same time, some of the best ideas we are witnessing and living today, look around you, have no element or vision of its scale or sustenance upon its inception or early days.

Sure, that is not to say there’s should be an open ended subjective way to decide upon support, within or beyond funding, for any idea that. Beyond the context of just Sejuta Impian show, there indeed can be perimeters to decide. Just don’t forget that most great living ideas, were often beyond the grasp of comprehension.

Watch the video. Because sometimes, the idea is not the thought but the person.

- http://zainhd.com/2011/04/forecasting-depth/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf2z38u2djA

For some reason, I took to great liking Ory Okolloh’s talk from TED Africa. Probably because it had a lot to do with perception, an issue I’ve always taken to discussion, debate and argument, more so since I started working in communications. But I just saw a video (above), that relates to another point Ory made, which is scalability. (See her talk here)

This hit me a little bit stronger because I’ve been recently asked to be a guest judge on national television for a show where people propose their own ideas (in view of something indirectly bigger) and then money is granted to the winners. And along with the cliche word sustainability, scalability is one of the first few requisites that popped in my head when the invitation was extended to me should the show go through.

Scalability is often something that is tangible and measurable, in respect to what is being done. Relation to it, is often required to be direct, and somewhat immediate. However, somethings require a great more foresight for you to visualize how far can it actually go and I believe this is a view that many not neglect, but fail.