SiMPL #003: Exploring Unconventional Paths: From Crime Compliance to Life Philosophy

Default Path vs. The Pathless Path: Exploring Paul Millerd’s Journey

Last week, as I scrolled through my X feed, I stumbled upon Paul Millerd announcing his new book! That’s when this week’s newsletter idea was born. I shelved my previous draft and started writing, and before I knew it, here we are.

In June, I was looking for something new to read, having just finished The Three-Body Problem series (highly recommended, by the way). I turned to trusty ol’ Google, and after some Reddit deep-diving and YouTube bingeing, I stumbled upon a recommendation by Ali Abdaal. His YouTube video mentioned The Pathless Path by Paul Millerd, and I instantly knew that was the book for me.

I opted for the audiobook, narrated by Paul himself, because why not? A couple of days later, I’d devoured the whole thing.

Paul’s book is a relatable, down-to-earth take on his journey through life, discovering the pathless path—a philosophy that diverges from the “default path” most of us follow: study, work, climb the corporate ladder, and hope for success. Instead, Paul takes you through how he became a nomad, helping others grow while learning valuable life lessons.

Now, this got me thinking about my own story…

My Story:

At one point, I found myself transitioning from entrepreneur back to a corporate job at a bank. On the surface, it didn’t make sense, but let me explain.

For years, I took care of my grandmother and her sister. It was a long journey—over 16 years—where I had to balance family responsibilities, business aspirations, and financial challenges. I had invested everything into a startup, but it didn’t pan out the way I hoped. Debt piled up, consulting jobs weren’t paying well, and eventually, I had to pivot. I met my wife, and life changed. Going back to a corporate job seemed like the best way to regain stability.

In hindsight, it was a great decision. I now have a job I enjoy, I’m working towards financial freedom, and life feels more balanced.

Wrapping It Up:

So there you have it—what I learned from The Pathless Path. If you’re curious about the book, I got the Audible version narrated by Paul, but choose whichever path works for you. And stay tuned—Paul’s new book drops on September 16th, and I’ve already preordered it. I’ll share my thoughts in a follow-up newsletter!

Introducing Guest Writer and Compliance Expert: Alfredo Pascal

This week, I’m thrilled to feature my school friend and legal compliance expert, Alfredo Pascal. He’s someone who never shies away from digging into complex topics, always with his trademark humor and unexpected takes. Alfredo is a master at connecting seemingly unrelated dots, and today he brings his unique perspective on Panama’s organized crime, viewed through a lens you probably haven’t considered—Indochina. So, prepare yourself for an engaging ride into the world of crime, law, and a bit of history, all spiced with Alfredo’s signature wit.

An Indochina approach to organized crime in Panama.

“What we have here is a sort of gouvernement crépusculaire- a twilight government” – said the French Colonel in charge of the Pacification Bureau in Hanoi. “In our own areas we control the cities and major roads from daybreak till nightfall. Thereafter the Vietminh has a country to itself to levy taxes, attack our posts and execute the “Vietnamese traitors” that is, the nationalists who still profess to believe in victory to our side”.

This is a quote from Bernard Fall, a French political scientist who was one of the first voices to proclaim the reality of the Indochina problem, to both the US and French public.

Mr. Fall understood that the insurgency challenge is military only in a secondary sense, and political, ideological and administrative in a primary sense. We seek thus, to take this approach and extrapolate it on a more modern issue, organized crime, that like in the Cold War, is now a major challenge Latin American States, such as Panama must now face.

Indeed, prima facie, Insurgency and organized crime are very different concepts, but their commonalities allow this approach to be utilized. Also, this article, seeks not to outright convince readers of the usefulness or validity of this approach, but instead to raise concerns that the combat of organized crime by primarily military and/or heavy-handed police approach, like the French and US efforts in Vietnam focused on major military offensives, a self-defeating model. 

The lack of a systematic study of criminal structures in Panama, in their economic and social sense, meaning, how they are integrated into society and how they gain legitimacy in a country such as Panama, requires further attention. Deniers may say that the concept of organized crime being integrated in Panamanian society is an insult to the image of the country, but instead, facts speak by themselves.

The current commitment against organized crime, which by itself is an overstretched concept, specifically speaking narcotraffickers has parallels with the French experience in Indochina. Meaning, the utilization of a single approach to end a problem that, in the best of cases, remains the same, and at worst, ends up usurping the existing State.

Narcotraffickers, like the Viet Minh, seek to subvert competitors, increase material strength and work in concert with other forces, including political ones, to undermine authority. The former for financial gain, the latter for political gain.

Both entities, rely on what Bernard Fall called, “parallel hierarchies”, in which the State is slowly replaced at different instances by criminal actors. Politicians and State Security often failed to identify the critical nodes that organized crime seeks to coerce and/or coopt, for example community leaders, low level government officials & liberal professions. The fact that these social entities lack a center of gravity that can be tackled by pure police force, meaning TV news-friendly massive raids and major seizures of prohibited substances. Yes, arrest may stop networks, but the incentives to continue criminal activities, endure.

 In short, the State is forced to respond, with a continual reduction of gains, instead of preventing and reducing the influence of criminal organizations. An ever larger and better armed police force has not translated on a perceptible reduction of criminal activity.

To better articulate this paradoxical approach, Bernard Fall states that insurgency is “the integration of political rationales, in the form of changing behavior through psychological warfare”.  We choose to apply this concept, to organized crime, and add the factor of financial incentives through criminal endeavor.

Then, a pure military/police response to this concept is limited. Undoubtedly, is the most visible one, but insufficient, for an issue such as an insurgency or a criminal organization, in which both do not seek to directly confront the State, but instead look to gain control in the administration of the State in specific areas for specific gains (e.g. shipment control or displacing local enemies).

Fall understood rightly that victory for an insurgency begins with political and social control, and we, based on this model, affirm that organized crime seeks to “win” shaping the political context to ensure financial gain.

Simply put, to stop the coalescence of psychological, political and financial factors, that allow a criminal organization, requires a broader look that simplified formulas of “more police, more intelligence”. Current predisposition to annul the needs of the people were organized crime moves and thrives, is detrimental to government legitimacy, since it reinforces the notion that whoever is stronger, prevails.

Political legitimacy in a democracy, relies on the organizational and administrative power of institutions, that prevail over pure military/enforcement power. Authentic legitimacy is not something that can be taken by the governing and will last for long. That is why, a failing criminal policy will rely in disinformation, negation of facts to protect cronies of the ruling class and short-sighted police/military actions. 

“When a country is being subverted, it is not being outfought, it is being out administered”.

Enjoyed Alfredo’s take on crime in Panama?

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