Experiencing The Thrilling Game, Serbian-Style
Finally, I am back in Belgrade. It has not been three months since my last visit but it is great to be back for two weeks of meetings, media, visits to a film set and, of course, to catch up with friends. This weekend’s BlogOpen conference in Novi Sad should allow me to meet up with the creators of the blogs I follow regularly and to share some thoughts and experiences.
My visit started as I mean it to go on – if I can keep up with the pace, that is. Within hours of arriving, my friend Ivan Agbaba was whisking me around Belgrade bars, before we headed out of town to Pink International’s film studios for a massive party with the musically diverse combination of Željko Joksimović and DJ Bob Sinclar performing. Outside of the region, Željko is best known for presenting Eurovision, although here he is obviously well established as a singer and all-round celebrity.
Stand Up Jack… Your Days Are Numbered
One subject is sure to divide the opinion of consultants. In at least one area, they are likely to offer advice on what is best, based on their own experience and life choices: whether it is better to be a specialist or a generalist.
While many believe that these harsh trading times call for consultants to be generalists, able to undertake a wide range of projects for a broad base of clients, others say that nowadays more than any other, business demands specialists. They proclaim that these conditions are best for people who are knowledgeable and focussed in one key area of proficiency, people who know their subject inside out and can write, speak and advise with credibility and expertise. They argue in support of the adage that proclaims a generalist as a jack of all trades, and a master of none.
Wi-Fi Can Set You Free : Belgrade Knows This Well
Belgrade surpasses London in at least one enviable respect: it provides free wi-fi readily available in so many places across the city. As a foreigner who often uses Google Maps to get out of a jam or to satisfy my craving, my dependence on email and Twitter, this can be invaluable.
In Belgrade, I have found that almost every café, restaurant and hotel bar provides wi-fi, often accessible free by use of a generously available password. It is not just Belgrade: even regional towns like Novi Sad and Banja Luka have more free wi-fi than most larger EU cities. This is not how it is in London, where free wireless in public places is still quite limited and, usually, must be bought via mobile phone subscription or a one-off fee. So while I am quick to make the most of the full online options of my iPhone, I prefer not to pay extra to link up my my phone to my laptop.
Learn to Climb the Tree of Knowledge
Everyone seems to be an expert nowadays. At least, that is the impression that the Wikipedia generation would like to project. They equate the transient power of having information at their fingertips with the far more rarefied state of acquiring and retaining actual knowledge. It is much easier to live in a state of blissful ignorance, knowing that all the information is out there if needed, rather than to put in the graft and actually learn something.
Undoubtedly, the capacity to access almost any fact at any time is one of the benefits of the internet. It is the gift that keeps on giving. As long as the minefield of errors can be navigated and truth can be sieved from rumour, then the internet is an excellent resource. In part, it is also responsible for the reduced inclination for learning among young people.
