La transformación no depende de las instituciones, sino del individuo.

A los sistemas políticos contemporáneos les queda poco tiempo de vida. 

Han fallado en su misión esencial: manejar la cosa pública. La democracia, como filosofía, nos pareció adecuada, pero en la práctica, el concepto quedó largo. Inventamos la democracia representativa, y sus instituciones básicas: los partidos políticos... que contrario a los científicos políticos, considero son la peor invención de la democracia moderna.

Los partidos, de naturaleza eminentemente privada, con intereses privados, pero bajo la pseudo-filosofía de tener orientación pública, han actuado como tal. Han actuado como empresas privadas con fines de lucro, pero solo para su membresía; una membresía que cambia tan volátilmente como su dirigencia.

Pero este fenómeno de transformación no es exclusivo de los sistemas políticos; también lo es de todas las instituciones tradicionales clásicas: la Iglesia, la familia y la empresa privada.

Todas están siendo forzadas a cambiar, porque dejaron de jugar su rol social: la Iglesia con sus violaciones y pederastia; la familia sin mamá, o papá, o sin ambos, o con ambos estando - pero sin estar; la empresa privada, con su neo-explotación laboral a través del pago paupérrimo de horas extras, y el empleado 24/7, que debe trabajar por objetivo, pero le pagan por hora.

En fin, como diría un amigo, "a fucked-up system". Pero este sistema no vino escrito en piedra por un Dios omnipotente. Ha sido creado y mantenido por personas ordinarias y sobre todo, pensantes, que un día decidieron que esa era la manera en que debían hacerse. No son infalibles.

Para la Iglesia, la manera de relacionarse con Dios es a través de ritos automáticos y de la psicología del pecado y del temor del Dios creador. Para la familia, la manera de crecer sano es vivir con un papá y una mamá perfectos, sin errores, sin virtudes-realidades humanas. Para la empresa privada, el mejor empleado es el que descuida el balance en su vida y en su familia por incrementar el precio de las acciones de la compañía.

Este "fucked-up system" lo hemos creado nosotros, lo hemos apoyado nosotros, y lo hacemos realidad nosotros, en nuestro día a día. Por vía de consecuencia, los sistemas políticos también nos pertenecen a nosotros, y son nuestra realidad convertida en infierno.

No somos perfectos, como seres individuales, por lo que nuestras asociaciones e instituciones colectivas no pueden ser perfectas tampoco. Seguir remendando cuando la tela está tan desgastada, sé que no es lo correcto. 

Todas estas instituciones han fallado, y por eso debemos repensar su función y nuestra relación con ellas: desarrollar nuestra espiritualidad y divinidad sin estancarnos en los medios, que son las religiones y los ritos; incentivar papás responsables que reconozcan a sus hijos, y les provean aunque se divorcien de nuestras mamás, y mamás con más conciencia de quién será el papá de sus hijos, para garantizar estabilidad familiar sin que sea a base de acallar la violencia contra ellas; y finalmente, empresas que promuevan la individuación del ser humano, balanceando producción y bienestar económicos con bienestar físico, mental y espiritual, donde la empresa no sea el fin, sino, de nuevo, un medio.

Sobre los sistemas políticos no abundo más, porque desaparecerán pronto. Son una insostenible simulación de democracia. Debemos crear - y no solo reflexionar sobre -  el próximo sistema, que funcione para todos, y no solo para las élites. Pero debemos crearlo (con énfasis). 

Como dijo Buckminster Fuller: "No puedes cambiar las cosas luchando contra la realidad existente. Para cambiar algo, construye un nuevo modelo que convierta el modelo existente en obsoleto."

En fin, el ser humano no puede estar atado a sus medios. Debe liberarse de ellos para transformarse.

Despierta República Dominicana, pero primero, despierta por dentro.

The Internet of Matter presented on Google's Solve for X!

Talking about innovation and disruption to address the world's greatest challenges, take a look at Matternet. Matternet will do for the transportation of goods what the internet did for the sharing of information, creating a new paradigm for transportation, by using the first network of UAVs. 

On Google's Solve for X first conference, Matternet presented its vision: to leapfrog road infrastructure in undeveloped countries, and enhance infrastructure in developed ones. The disruption comes with their UAVs capacity to fly 2kgs over 10kms for only US$ 0.24 cents per mission. 

This alternative method of transportation provides cost-efficiency, avoids endangering the people operating the aircrafts (because it's an unmanned system), and does not rely on traditional ground or air infrastructure for deployment.

Help us develop our vision of a roadless world, where lack of infrastructure stops being an obstacle to prevent the access of people to their local markets, timely medical attention, and primary items needed for day to day living.

Check out www.matternet.us and engage by contacting us at contact@matternet.us!!

Predictions on the European Union... by my fave technocrat these days.

In recent days, a very good friend of mine --and probably the most brilliant technocrat I've met in these days, even though he doesn't recognize his own abilities on this field -- shared with me some thoughts about Greece and its broken relationship with the Eurozone. And I have to admit that his predictions on the chaotic situation in Greece and the replication that other EU countries will suffer were right.

He told me that if Greece defaults or comes out of the Eurozone or the EU, the rest of the South will have to follow. And that is just happening. The Greek PM resignation a few days ago, and now, the resignation of the Italian PM proves the reasoning behind that theory. Certainly, the EU has been using Greece as a shield for the last 2 years to buy time and put the right structure in place to protect the rest of the south... but they've been too slow and they have totally exhausted the Greeks. He claims that no developed country, including Germany, US, France, UK, would do this to their own people. 

Second, he argues that the big issue here is whether Germany will choose to integrate further or not. He affirms that the european south is weaker than the north and that Germans have been enjoying this differential in the last couple of decades and used it to rebuild their economy after the fall of the Berlin Wall. And so did the French. In fact, many of you maybe don't know that most of the Greek debt is with French and German banks. And the reason is simple: they borrowed money to Greece so they could in turn contract big German and French companies to build all the big infrastructure leading to the Olympics. The new athens airport, thousands of kilometers of roads, new telephony systems, submarines, and the list goes on and on. These all were built by big German and French contractors involved in consortia with some Greek stakeholders in the nineties. 

Even worst, these German and French companies that have accused the Greek procurement system of being plagued with corruption, waste and abuse, were the ones using corruption to do business, and --yes-- they took advantage of this. Don't believe this? Check out one of the biggest FCPA's corruption scandal, starring Siemens, and involving billions of dollars on bribes. And let's not forget that Greece is arguably still owed $95 billion by Germany, who had stripped Greece's central bank assets in WWII. And the case is still open. 

So, this is just politics, he says. The media buzz is just for public consumption. For this technocrat, this is the same old story of balance of power, interweaved with short-term political play and long-term national strategies. 

The positive side it's the opportunity for rebalancing power.. and the whole world is in that state. Typically, the solution that will emerge will be the solution that suits the strongest and best-prepared best, he argues. Here, I would disagree with my favorite technocrat. I know we can do better, and it's up to the courageous people in each of our countries to demand policies that favor regional integration, without prejudicing domestic wealth and growth. 

And in his honor, I will wear today my large change-the-world smile, so we keep the hope and the fight :D

My dream is to empower people... What is Yours?

My dream is to begin where everything starts, in the individuals. To fully understand, and help others understand, that our institutions, organizations and systems are a reflection of us, and if we want to change them we have to start with ourselves. I want people to understand they have the ability to change their lives, their destiny, and their environments... That all the good we want to see in the world will happen when we personally decide to do good all the time, to all the people.

I want people to know they are the ones who decide how things are done, and to unlock that potential... to participate in all those decisions that impact their lives, yes, because people matter. Because any system we create should always be oriented to fulfill people's needs, ALL people's need, not only a 20% or the world population. Because a system that is only built by and for the few shows enormous lack of creativity and responsibility, and all of those who do not feel taken into account, represented and with possibility to engage in that system have the duty to create a new one that is better for them.

I dream that people can work for themselves and help their local communities at the time..  that local knowledge, culture and traditions converge to comprehend specific challenges, while global approaches contribute for the planning of the projects that will overcome these challenges, at a speed of light velocity.. that we don't need to see more people dying in hospitals and suffering all over the world to understand it is time to implement all these 1 zillion dollars ideas!

I want to work with people that know their dreams are bigger than their minds and personal capacities, but that are not afraid, because they also know we count on each other. I want to work with people that put their talents and passions to the service of those who have been deprived of everything... with people carrying a big heart, and willing to embrace the difficult task of giving back to the bottom billion the ability to dream.

And I dream that these bottom billion people, because of people like us, will have their heads in the sky and their feet on the ground, knowing that the lack of roads means nothing, because it's up to them to build their own paths and leave their traces... and we will help them do that.
 
I have many other dreams... a world where justice is replaced by peace..  a world of abundance, where my ideas and successes are the foundations for others to build their own... where innovation breaks traditional thinking and status quo in the developing world... but when it comes to think we can actually leapfrog transportation systems in undeveloped countries using the Matternet, NOW, that blows my mind!  I tell you that if we can do that, we can do anything.

Breaking traditional models for free public services..

Public services, by their own nature and the need for our societies to have access to them in conditions of equality, accurateness and quality, require to be in the top priority of any authority willing to manage a countries' government.

However, these services are not free on themselves (i.e., poor people could and should have prompt access to a hospital in case they need to, but that doesn't mean that the doctor doesn't charge for his/her services, that the tools don't need maintenance, and that the needles don't cost nothing at all).

That a service is "free" what means is that the government is taking the public funds (i.e., taxes, that come from your own pocket) and are allocating these funds to the health ministry, so it can then provide funds to the health sector and, at last, health sector can provide "free" or at least cheap services. More wealthy people contribute with more taxes to a system to which poor people can have access without paying for them, but they cost (to someone).


The problem I see with this traditional model (that has been successful in some countries) is that the money is not properly managed by the ministries, or simply that the money doesn't get to the health sector in a permanent basis, so this brings instability and poor quality on the service.

In conclusion, wealthy people give money to the government understanding that it will gather it and get good services for all the population, but this has not been the case. So, money is there, services are there (in more sophisticated ways than what the government can provide)... so what is lacking? A way to allow people to have access to these services without an "ineffective intermediate".

Instead of money flowing from People to Governments - (in the way of taxes) - then from Governments to Ministries (by appropriations of the national budget) - from Ministries to Health Sector (by making acquisition of goods & services so Governments can provide services in "public hospitals") - and finally from Health Sector back to the People - (so the citizens can feel they are getting a "free" and horrible service) 


VERSUS

Having a system in which the money (taxes) only get to the Governments to be redistributed directly to the people (taxes from rich -represent around 80% + taxes from poor - represent around 20%). In this scenario, you would have money flowing from People to Governments (taxes) - from Governments to all People (inverting the proportion, I mean: giving 80% to the poor and 20% to the rich.. until we achieve certain level of equality) - and then People being able to pay for the services which in reality are not free, but they do not depend on the Government taking care of a sector in which Governments have no expertise.

Why should the Government be running hospitals? Why should they be running schools? It is my belief that Governments should just govern, and make sure that the things they are handling are in order and correspond to an efficient management of people's aspirations.  Under this proposed model, Governments would manage the regulatory environment, advocating and guaranteeing a free market in which full and open competition drives the bests suppliers of these services to provide the best products and services at the very best prices. Suppliers that are non-competitive will simply go out of market. In Government Procurement, this is what we call "Best Value", and should be the final goal of any public procurement system.


And regarding the citizen, is now empowered to get these services: has the money on his/her pockets, has diverse offerors to provide them, and can have a timely access, without relying on an inconsistent and inefficient manager.

I know is not a perfect model, in fact, I think there are other ways to solve this. But the fact that services have been "free" for a long time has made us believe so, and forget that we can take all the money we give to Governments and manage this money in more efficient ways, because apparently they can't.

2045: The Year Man Becomes Immortal

The Singularity is Near.

In 6 days.. a Government Procurement Lawyer!

My passion is the Government.

My efforts are oriented towards creating the tools needed to keep them in a constant evolution, so we can make them better for our people.

My commitment is to be part of the socio-economic changes and progressive improvement of my country.