1 minute read

I just landed in South Korea. It’s clean, efficient, well-planned — and emotionally rigid.

Coming from Pakistan, I instantly noticed something deeper than the language or food. The system here works. But you’re not allowed to question it. People follow rules, stay in line, and know their place. Even in airport service roles, the tone is sharp — not out of disrespect, but compression. You can feel the emotional tightness in the air.

At first glance, that looks like progress. But if you zoom out as a builder, something flips:

In Pakistan, nothing works perfectly — but that’s what trains you.

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Systems that don’t function create people who do.

We grow up: • Improvising around broken systems • Solving for uncertainty, not just efficiency • Navigating power gaps with persuasion, not credentials

You learn to bend rules because there’s no other choice. You don’t wait for access. You make space.

That’s not a bug. That’s a feature — especially if you’re building new products.

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In high-order societies: • Systems are rigid. • Pedigree is destiny. • The service class rarely crosses into the creative class.

Even startups operate under invisible ceilings: hierarchy, family name, school attended. People are rewarded for optimizing existing systems — not breaking or remaking them.

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In messy societies: • Chaos leaks access. • Credibility is earned in motion. • You learn to ship — without permission.

Yes, it’s exhausting. But that exhaustion teaches you something powerful: nothing is sacred. Everything is re-writable.

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So if you’re from Pakistan, Nigeria, India, Brazil — and you feel late to the global game:

You’re not late. You’re early. You’ve already been trained in the hardest skill of all: agency without permission.

That’s what founders do. That’s what systems fear.

Use it.

[Written by GPT-4o]