Bula Vinaka, Talofa, Malo ni, and welcome to Cultural Fit!

Things are heating up in the global business world as Musk cements his hold on the social media platform Twitter, while economists are still trying to interpret whether the volatile financial market is coming or going.

We will go into the warpath that Musk has taken since his takeover of Twitter and what it could mean for pasifika. I've also added an article from Big Think on the value of having more books than you can read. If you have an hour to browse on YouTube then I've included a link to a talk from the great Daniel Kahneman on why we think the way the we do. It is phenomenal to say the least. I hope that you will find this edition informational as well as entertaining!

But first, an excerpt from A History of the Pacific Islands where author L.C. Campbell eloquently describes the pasifika culture. Our culture.

Their cultures are not only pragmatic systems of survival, but were also rich in imaginative power and beauty, representing achievements of the human mind, tongue and hand as inspiring as any others in the world.

"...as inspiring as any other in the world". A profound truth that we oftentimes forget or may not even realize! Our cultures and traditions. Our imagination and beauty. Our achievements in philosophy, literature, and art are comparable to any other culture in this world and we need to be reminded of that. It does not matter what field you find yourself in, you belong! Whether you're into sports, STEM, or agriculture, you BELONG.

Remember that!

The Importance of Feedback

Have you ever thought about why giving feedback is so hard for us Pasifika? Why do we fear the idea of providing critique when it is an essential part of growth? Well I share my thoughts on feedback as well as provide links to a couple of great articles I thought you would like.

Now here are the highs, the lows, and the interesting in business.

Twitter Takeover. The Rise OR Fall of free speech?

Elon's once reluctant takeover has turned aggressive since taking his first steps in Twitter headquarters two weeks ago. Musk took no time in clearing the C-Suite and establishing himself as the new sheriff in town. Gizmodo did a great job with creating a slideshow on Elon's journey thus far.

Apparently comedy has been banned on Twitter with Musk going so far as to ban critics that utilized the now-purchasable blue check to send out tweets in his good name. As the saying made famous by Stanley from Sione's Wedding - or maybe I just related better to when he said it - "People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones". You can't be a free-speech absolutist and state that "comedy is now legal" then turn around and start restricting the accounts of people who don't see eye to eye with you.

What does all this mean for pasifika?

Being a relative newcomer to Twitter, I am desperately hoping that Elon's big vision of the platform only improves the community-type vibe that's going on. The pasifika online community on Twitter is way ahead of any other social media platforms out there. I've entered "Spaces" (chatrooms of sorts), and read tweets where pasifika from around the world hold discussions on relevant topics from national politics to the phenomenal World Cup run of the Toa Samoa. Minority communities that are globally dispersed - such as the pasifika diaspora that have communities in Aus, NZ, and the US, as well as the communities back on the home islands - find Twitter to have the space that allows for global discussions to take place.

If Elon fails and Twitter dies then we lose a collaborative space that has given the pasifika community - and other minority communities - the ability to "e"-meet. We aren't the only ones facing this predicament. Black Twitter - an online community on the platform that focuses on topics that are relevant to African-Americans - is the prime example of Twitter's importance in creating cultural solidarity and pride within disenfranchised communities. Black Twitter may be the biggest minority community out there and even they have reservations about the direction that Musk is taking Twitter. This piece by NPR labeled What happens to Black Twitter under Musk? provides invaluable insight into what we can expect.

Recommendations of the Week

1. The value of owning more books than you can read

Tsundoku - To acquire reading materials but letting them pile up in one's home without reading them. It is also used to refer to books ready for reading later when they are on a bookshelf. This article by Big Think discusses the benefits of practicing tsundoku - or what famous statistician Nassim Taleb calls an antilibrary. A benefit that I thought was interesting is that the antilibrary forces you to come to terms with the fact that you do not know as much as you think you do. It doesn't matter how many books you read or skills you pick up, you cannot possibly accumulate all the knowledge in the world...and that's okay! You must remain humble and open to learning new things, in order to become a better version of yourself.

Click here to read more.

2. Thinking Fast and Slow - An Explanation on why you think the way you do.

This hour-long video is on Nobel Prize laureate and hero psychologist Daniel Kahneman as he discusses his life's work in a talk he had at Google headquarters. Thinking Fast and Slow is a culmination of Kahneman's research with fellow psychologist, the late Amos Tversky, on why humans think and make decisions the way they do.

If you have an hour to spare then this video will definitely change your life! Ever since reading Thinking Fast and Slow, I have become more aware of how I make decisions and I've been able to distinguish between my system 1 and system 2 processes. Having an understanding of why you think the way you do, allows you to identify your biases and heuristics, which in turn will help you make better decisions within your personal and professional life.

Click here to watch.

As you may have noticed, I've switched up the format for the newsletter and I have been contemplating whether to publish it weekly instead of bi-weekly? I would love your feedback on whether you'd prefer these changes!

At the end of the day I'm doing this for you.