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How Has SAIL Changed Me?

Insights Regarding OCIP

1) Reality of OCIP

To truly benefit the overseas communities receiving your help, it is important for you to have a long-term structured plan for them. Many OCIP teams are unable to make this kind of commitment. As such, instead of embarking on individual, short term trips, they should work with existing NGOs already present on the ground, whose visions are in line with the goals of the OCIP teams. Though you play a minor role, you are part of a much larger plan which will be more beneficial to the targeted community.

2) Importance of Communication with NGOs

Living in a world that is entirely different from the communities you are trying to help, it is difficult for us to relate and understand the need of the community. Being in a well-developed country like Singapore, we are able to relate to the problems of hygiene. As such, my team set aside a bulk of our budget to build toilets. However, when I spoke with the locals of the village, they spoke to me about the importance of cows. They are considered an appreciating asset as the cows are able to give birth to more calves. The milk and manure that they produce can be sold for profit or used as sustenance and farming respectively. Moreover, the cows can be used to plough the fields when required. As such, they are a major source of income for the villagers. Of course toilets and hygiene is important for the village, but if we had talked and listened to the NGOs/locals earlier who are more on-the-ground, the money would have better benefited the locals.

3) Reality of Your Help

After this trip, I am quite convinced that your trip down to the communities benefit you more than it benefits the communities. I am to believe that unless you have specialised skills, your presence would be less of a help than burden. It is sufficient to provide the money to the NGOs and let them settle the rest. Many OCIP teams has a mindset that the communities need our help (a sense superiority). However, in actual fact, our presence merely catalyses and speed up the progress the village wishes to achieve. The village would still progress with or without your help. As such, humble yourself and immerse in the different environment. Who knows, perhaps you might learn a thing or two from the locals?

Insights Regarding Cambodia

1) Cambodians

Perhaps due to the government or culture, many locals have accepted the fact that they cannot rely on their government to solve problems. This causes them to be more Independent and less reliant on help from others. Many inspired individuals use bottom-up approaches to try to solve problems from the social and political arena. When public roads are dysfunctional, the nearby communities would collate money to pay for the fixing of the roads. I had the privilege to talk to one of the tuktuk drivers for 2 hours, where I could sense his strong desire for improvement and change for his nation. The spirit is really hard to find in Singapore.

2) History impedes progress

Having stayed in Cambodia for 3 weeks, I had a vibe that many locals are still stuck in the past. 40 years ago, a terrible genocide occurred where 3 million Cambodians had been massacred by the regime. Indeed it is a horrifying episode of Cambodian history. However after 40 years, it remains as a taboo topic. We were warned against talking about it, and though I prompted them slightly to do so, many touched the topic slightly before changing it. Past events are able to influence the mindset of its people. However, it is important to learn from them and move on. With its resources and numerous inspired individuals, Cambodia has massive potential. Being too cooped in the past will otherwise impede and deter the progress that the country could have achieved.

General Insights

1) Stagnancy Breeds Complacency

When one stays in a certain environment for too long, his world view becomes fixed and he would think that he knows all. This breeds complacency and may result in a fixed inflexible mindset. I had the privilege to talk to one of the Grade 6 teacher from the village school. When I explained the advantage of learning more languages in order to access more markets thus having more job opportunities, he dismissed my views and told me about his son who learnt additional languages when still earned meagerly in the village. It was indeed difficult for me to convince him of my point, unless he was able to see the opportunities available in the business districts for himself.

2) Importance of Structure/Infrastructure

a) Education

Education is not prioritised in the villagers. Though education is free, families are required to buy and pay for books, uniforms and other stationery which many are unable to afford. At the age of 14, Cambodians are able to work in the capitals as construction workers and receive a pay of approximately USD6 per day. Thus, there is a high opportunity cost for them to attend school. Many families hence discourage their children to go to school and to work to ease the financial burden of their family. Many NGOs, like LOVE Cambodia, tries to introduce schemes to encourage meritocracy by giving incentives to top few students of the class.

b) Roads

I recall my first time in Cambodia where I was required to travel 3 hours on bumpy sandy paths to reach the village. It is heartening to see drastic improvements in the infrastructure of Cambodia, with aid from giant NGOs like ADB and intergovernmental aid from Australia and Japan. These greater connectivity allows for increased access and mobility of resources, which is crucial for development.

Japan - Strolling Into Mediocrity

Japan was a strong country in the past, even being able to almost conquer the whole of China during World War 2, though the fact that China was a separated chaotic country then attributed to it as well. However, the once glorious nation has now slowly shifting towards being a “client state” instead, where it has to give into the demands of dominant nations such as China.

Social Problems

The most pressing problem that Japan is currently facing is its ageing population. This is mainly due to 2 reasons:

1) Changing Mindsets of Women VS Unchanging Culture of Workplaces

The role of women in the Japanese society has evolved through recent years from a domestic, child-bearing, family-friendly image to a career-oriented, passionate and ambitious worker. Many Japanese women are actually pushing for economic independence, not unlike the situation in Singapore. As such, in pursuit of their careers/interests, many are putting away child-bearing or even giving it up in totality. This changing attitudes are juxtaposed with the unchanged policies within many companies in Japan, where in some companies, pregnant workers would be downgraded to be a temporary orker instead.

2) Insistence on Homogeneity of Society

The attitude of Japanese towards foreigners has been rather hostile where many prefers to keep Japan as a homogeneous society, disregarding the possible change in the policy of immigration. The government has tried to integrate small numbers of foreigners into the society, but to no avail.

As such, this may lead to a shrinking economy in the near future. The increase in proportion in the number of elderly in the country may cause a drastic decrease in domestic consumption due to spending attitudes of elderly. With the economy and most of the tax revenue channelled towards catering to an aging society, there would be a decrease in the opportunities available for the younger generation. Moreover, the economy would likely be less dynamic in the long run as well. The stagnating economy coupled with a heavier burden on the younger generation may lead to talents leaving the country in the far future.

This is important as nowadays, countries do not engage in physical wars as it will damage the economy and destroy infrastructure. Instead, countries engage in competitions in the technological and and military arenas, where countries would show their prowess and capabilities to the other countries. This brain drain would possibly cause Japan to lose out in the near future.

Inevitably, Japan will have to address this pressing issue, but at the current moment, the government has been skirting around the issue and not opening up their options such as the influx of foreigners. Instead, they have been trying to improve companies policies to encourage fertility rates which is not the root of the problem.

Political Problems

The dominance of China has posed many difficulties for Japan. Having a much smaller military force and economy, Japan had been giving in to requests from China whenever conflicts arise. Consequently, Japan has been trying to form a strong alliance with the US instead for their support in these matters. However, even the strong expansion of China’s economy, it would be advantageous for Japan to increase their trade relations with China in order to ride on their success.

However, in light of the increasing dominance from China and the presence of North Korea, there may be a need for Japan to develop nuclear weapons for self-preservation.

US - Troubled But Still On Top

After taking over Europe as the world’s leading country, the US has been a more benign power as compared to the more aggressive Chinese counterpart. However, even at the international level, the US has to negotiate and give in to some of the demands put up by China. The constant struggle between US and China is more apparent as China is slowly, but surely, gaining greater influence, both economically and politically.

Political Characteristics

1) US Role as the Mediator

US has been the stabilising/peace-keeping factor to balance China for countries in Asia.Without the presence of US in the Asian region, many smaller countries who have national interests that are against that of China would have to give in to their many requests. However, it is getting harder to exert influence on the West Pacific due to China’s increasing military and economic prowess.Many countries are dependent on China’s investments and the access of China’s huge domestic market; the reliance allows China to have an economic upperhand over many countries.

However, the power shift from China to US would not be happening in the near future due to the lack of better technology in China. Nevertheless, the US has to make changes in their policies in the region to suit the changing contexts of the West Pacific. Many smaller nations in this region may also welcome the presence of US soldiers in the region so as to counterbalance the greater dominance of China.

2) The Type of Government

Many has attributed China’s vast success in their economy to their autocratic government. The presence of little or no opposition allows hte government to be more forward-looking in their policies thus being more beneficial for the country in the long run.

This is compared to the presence of a stronger opposition in the US government where bills take a longer time to be passed, creating greater inefficiency in the government. Moreover, there were many times where the government proposes short-term solutions for national problems in order to win the next election. These policies may do more harm than good as they may be politically difficult to remove in the long run.

Economic Characteristic

1) Debt

The increasing debt is posing a problem to the US, where most of it is being bought off by the public and other governments such as China. The obvious economic implications that the rising debt will bring would not only affect US alone, but also almost all countries in the world, as US is playing a huge role in the global economy.

Moreover, countries who buy off such debt would also have a form of political influence within the country as well. The ability of holders of the debt (China, Japan, Brazil, etc) to sell off their holding would allow these countries to have leverage over political and economic issues between these countries.

2) Dynamism and Attractiveness of Economy

The presence of vast opportunities in US has attracted a lot of talent from around the world to the US, thus resulting in the diversity in the societies in US. With more talented individual attracted, more opportunities would be created. This is important as in today’s age where military contests are less relevant, countries compete in economic and technological contests instead; this is where talent is key.

As compared to the Chinese economy, the English language is easier to learn than Chinese. The lower barriers of entry into the economy allows more people to enter the economy.

3) People

The people in US are generally more optimistic about their future, thus they are more willing to spend, leading to higher domestic consumption for growth. Being a big country, the US is able to move from export-driven economy to a domestically driven one. This allows the country to be less reliant on the demand from other countries and be less volatile to global affairs.

One Man’s View of the World - Europe

Europe - Decline and Discord

Europe, especially the UK, was a superpower in the past, leading the world and having the biggest say in international affairs. Countries within Europe had tried to spread their influence throughout the world, colonising many other countries. However, implementation of certain policies and the rise of the US economy caused Europe to take a backseat in the political arena at the international level. Rising countries with big economies such as China and US took its place.

Economic Problems

1) Monetary Union

Currently, there are a total of 19 countries who wishes to adopt a single euro currency. Of course, there are benefits of having a single market such as eliminating the need for exchange rate, thus making transactions easier, providing price stability, and prevention against shocks by large amount of internal trade within the eurozone.

However, it is quite impossible to have monetary integration without any fiscal integration.

a) Currently, though the countries have the same currency, there are multiple agencies controlling the fiscal expenditure of each country. This causes each country to act in accordance to their own interest or to preserve their sovereignty, leading to a very volatile currency. Countries have to understand that joining the eurozone causes one to give up many monetary options such as quantitative easing; and instead of acting on the interest of the country, they have to act in accordance to the interests of the collective whole.

b) Within the eurozone, there are diverse economies ranging from Germany to Greece. Moreover, there is a strong need for coordination and cooperation as well because of the high number of participating countries.

The euro will continue to be volatile and the currency would probably be less beneficial to the leading countries within the eurozone. As such, there are 3 ways that the eurozone would end up in:

a) Countries may choose to accept fiscal integration, where there is a common federal reserve and a common treasury. This allows for greater coordination of the fiscal policies for a collective good as they would then ensure the greatest net benefit of all countries within the eurozone. However, countries would have to hand over significant budgetary powers over to a central authority. Decisions such as taxing and expenditure would come under this authority. Countries may not choose to do so as the monetary policy may act against their country’s interests or against their country’s sovereignty.

b) As the eurozone is unsustainable in the long run, the eurozone may break up into the individual currencies. However, there are some problems that may arise. Firstly, countries that owe money to other countries may have to pay back their debt. However, with an undetermined exchange rate, it may pose administrative problems. Moreover, the presence of a new currency may shake the investor’s confidence as there is uncertainty in the stability of the new currency. There may be a decrease in growth in the short run, but would return to normal once the dust is settled.

c) Countries can also opt for a partial breakup into a few tiers according tot heir economic competitiveness.Countries with strong economies such as Germany can be grouped into a tier, and so on. This allows stronger economies not to be dragged down by poorer economies and allowing each tier to grow at their own pace.

From this, we can see that there are tremendous benefits to be reaped if the countries choose to integrate. With a greater combined economy (which would be bigger in the US), Europe would thus have a larger voice on the international platform as well. However it has been proven that it would be difficult to integrate as each country is historically rich, where it is their interest to preserve their sovereignty.

2) Lack of Dynamic Economy

Though many Scandinavian countries do have welfare benefits as well, this is more applicable to the UK. After World World 2, the UK has decided to introduce the cradle-to-death benefits for all citizens for their hardwork and sacrifice they made for the country. Everything was covered under the healthcare system, where all patients would not require to pay a single cent for their healthcare. This was made possible when the country still had huge amounts of revenue and surplus for the system to work.

However, as the world has grown more globalised, many jobs, especially the lower end ones are outsourced to countries that have comparative advantage over them, such as India and China. Even when the UK tries to compete by producing higher-end products, they would still need to compete with countries such as Singapore and US as well. Naturally, export revenues fall and the welfare begins to become unsustainable.

It is politically hard to remove; politicians are trying to cut down costs of healthcare expenditure by privatising certain areas of healthcare but the it is deemed as a politically unpopular move. There is also a lack of incentive to work as unemployment benefits are given to the unemployed; the monetary incentive given are as high as three-quarters of their minimum wage, further discouraging active seeking of employment.

Moreover with the presence of rigid labour laws where companies are penalised when people are retrench, it breeds inefficiency as companies are discouraged to improve productivity of their country.

Scandinavian Countries VS Other European Countries

Even though Scandinavian countries do have similar policies such as the welfare benefits that UK has, they are considered a lot more successful in implementing such policies. This is because of 2 reasons:

1) Population Size

The population size of Scandinavian countries is a lot smaller than that of the neighbouring European countries. Thus such policies are more sustainable as a smaller actual cost is required.

2) Type of Population

In Scandinavian countries, there is generally a more homogeneous population where almost all its people are locals and of the same race. This gives rise to greater internal cohesion where people are more willing to give taxes and work together to achieve a greater good. People are less likely to abuse the system. This is juxtaposed with the less homogeneous population of the rest of the neighbouring countries where there is an influx of foreigners. Locals are thus less willing to give and sacrifice for others of a different race due to decreased internal cohesion. There is hence a need for better integration of foreigners within the countries, especially in the UK. (This is why Singapore usually sends students to the UK instead of US; they are more likely to return to Singapore as fewer jobs would be offered to them due to poor integration of foreigners in the UK)

One Man’s View of the World - North Korea

North Korea - A Grand Hoax

The current system in North Korea is predicated on the idea that the Kim family is a semi-deity. It operates on fear and reverence towards that family. The one major problem that the Kim family face is the sheer disgust and rebellion against the Kim family when its citizens find out that they have been living in a giant hoax. As such, opening up North Korea is a very delicate and difficult situation for the North Korean government.

Political Problems

1) There are 2 ways in which North and South Korea will act if one of them disregards ceteris paribus. However, both steps have their cons and thus there is no incentive for both governments to act on it:

a) Reunification

North Korea’s economy is a lot worse that that of South Korea. Reunification would cause South Korea to be severely disadvantaged as economic growth would be slowed down drastically in order to assist the economy of North Korea.

China would not want a reunification as the unified Korea would then be at the Chinese-Korean border at Yalu River, which is disadvantageous for China in the military aspect.

North Korea would not risk losing the fear/reverence/support that it currently has from its people and give up its power as the whole system would collapse if its people knew that they have been swindled.

North Korea had done many deeds such as assassination of political figures in South Korea, blowing up of passenger planes, etc. To reunify the 2 Koreas would led to the government being held accountable for these crimes.

b) War

North Korea has a weak industrial production capabilities and economic foundation. As such, the government knows that even though they have the military power now, they would not be able to sustain in a war.

South Korea’s economy had burgeoned and is now currently one of the biggest economies in the world. To engage in a war would lose investor’s confidence in the country; not to mention the destruction in infrastructure as well.

If it is a war on ideology, the US would step in like they did for the previous Korean war. However, the US had just extracted from 2 costly wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. It would be costly and politically disadvantageous to rage war in support of South Korea.

The trust between China and North Korea has decreased as China has requested investments and technology from South Korea and has in turn invested heavily in their economy in order to attain stronger economic growth. As such, it is dubious on whether China would support North Korea if a war is impending.

2) North Korea VS China

As it is not China’s interest for North Korea to be taken over by South Korea as the unified Korea would be right at the Chinese-Korean border at Yalu River, it is not in China’s interest to see North Korea fail. As such, North Korea has the upperhand in the situation and may ignore China’s demands from the country.

3) Nuclear Tests and Rogue government

North Korea has repeatedly taunted his neighbours with their nuclear tests and killing of other citizens to showcase their capabilities and prowess. This causes other governments to become more weary and establish stronger military capabilities to counteract with those of North Korea.

Economic Problems

Having a closed economy, its citizens have almost negligent purchasing power. Their human rights have been reduced to next to none. The North Korean government is still unwilling to open up its economy even after leaders from North Korea had flown to China to convince them that they can still hold their political power and attain economic growth by showing them around Shanghai and Guangzhou.

South Korea

Political Problems

There is a need for greater consensus within the government to determine the country’s direction, such as on the roles giant conglomerates and oligopolies play in the political arena. The constant debates and quarrels between the parties are often a wastage of resources.

Military Problems

In order of self-preservation, there may be a need for South Korea to develop nuclear weapons as a deterrent against North Korea. The fact that these nuclear weapons would result in Mutually Assured Destruction would deter North Korea.

Social Problems

The low fertility rates of South Korea may lead to a heavier burden for the younger generation in the future and may cause the economy to shrink in the long run.

One Man’s View of the World - India

India - In The Grip Of Caste

Because of its sheer land size and the huge population it has, many has compared India to China in different areas. However, behinds the fact that India operates on democracy and China from a strong centre core, one main difference between the 2 nations are their languages. Even though China has diverse dialects and accents, most of the Chinese are able to speak a common language, Mandarin. As such, there is greater cohesiveness within the country and efficiency when doing businesses and trade as well. This is a contrast to India, where the people within India are so diverse they do not have a common language that unites them. Coupled with the caste system within the society, it is proving to be difficult for the country to be united to reach its fullest potential.

Social Problems

1) Lack of Common Language

There is a lack of a common language, which may impede growth as potential markets are harder to be reached even within the country. Moreover, as not many Indians speak or understand English, an important international language that many around the world communicate in, it is more difficult for the economy to expand to its fullest potential.

2) Caste System

An unequal platform is formed as the caste system gives certain groups of people more opportunities and stature just because of the circumstances they were born in. Even though this caste system is weakening, there is still a culture prevalent in the country where the Brahmin class are treated better because of their class. In fear of being downclass, many Indians are afraid to intermarry outside of their caste system. This system impedes growth as people with potential are hindered as they are given fewer opportunities due to their social classes.

Economic Problems

Similar to China, India has the potential to be one of the biggest economies in the world due to its sheer size. However, with the lack of infrastructure and opportunities available in the country, many thus have little purchasing power, leading to reduced domestic consumption.

1) Lack of Opportunities

Many well-read Indians choose to leave the country due to the lack of opportunities available in the country. This brain drain is detrimental for the economy. Instead of staying in the country to develop technologies and businesses which may be beneficial for the country, these people flock to other nations instead for a better future.

2) Lack of Infrastructure.

As India has a large number of people, there naturally is a huge untapped market that investors are willing to reach out to. However, the lack of infrastructure to link cities or counties together will severely dampen the confidence of these investors.

Political Problems

Though both India and China have large populations, China has a larger political say in the international arena due to its more successful economy. The ability to deny other countries to tap on the economy allows China to take a bigger seat in international discussions. Smaller countries who wishes to ride on the success of China may to be a “client state” and submit to the requests of the more dominant China. India has the ability to have a bigger political say as well, if the economy is more developed. In the meantime, India has to develop a strong diplomatic tie with the US to counterweight the presence of China.

1) Lack of Direction

India now requires stronger leaders to step up and lead the country. With a huge diversity of people within the country, its leaders need a clearer common direction for the country to work towards. Its diverse people can also be seen as a strength as well, if its government is able to utilise the manpower more effectively.

Others

Comparing China and India, it is apparent that democracy does not solve problems for the people. China would not have gotten to where it is currently if it had been run as a democratic country. With a more forward looking, uncorrupted government, India may be able to catch up to their Chinese counterpart.

It is also evident that countries with long histories do not change easily. Looking at China, they have always held this belief that a strong core will lead to greater peace and prosperity. It has definitely worked for them. However for India, having held the belief of the caste system for a long time, it has impeded the growth of India to its fullest potential.

One Man’s View of the World

When I started this tumblr, one of my intentions was that I would post takeaways from the the books that I have read. Authors have accumulated their vast experiences, living in multiple unique contexts. These contexts in turn shape how they see the world. Whether or not these lessons resonate with the current beliefs that you are holding, it is an incredible experience to step into their shoes and see their world.

More often than not, I find myself forgetting about the important lessons that I have learnt from these books. Thus over the years, I have tried to discipline myself to jot down interesting conclusions from the books.

Enjoy.

Why It Is Increasingly Difficult To Produce Content

Let’s face it. This is the main problem every media content producer is trying to tackle: entertainment is increasingly hard to satisfy because of the increasingly exposed audiences.

What used to be scary (eg. Frankenstein) isn’t anymore. We have movies such as the Human Centipede, which crosses moral boundaries, but is one of the scariest movies of time.

The reality of the media industry is that it is driven by profits, which stems mainly from subscriptions of channels and the advertising dollars. However to have either of these, attraction of viewers is imperative. This goes back to the main problem: entertainment is increasingly hard to satisfy because of the increasingly exposed audiences.

As such, media content producers have to juggle between satisfying this entertainment need by venturing into new uncharted territories.

It is horrifying and interesting at the same time to notice the direction of content produced in countries where the media is uncensored. The need to attract more viewership sometimes overides our sense of community and purity. This is evident in different media platforms.

TV Shows

On a Dutch TV variety show called Proefkonijnen, which translates as Test Rabbits, the hosts had a surgeon surgically remove a portion of their flesh from their buttocks and stomach just to know what human flesh taste like. (According to them, human flesh tastes like “plain meat”.) In this case, the area of cannibalism adds on to the “shock value”, which in turn attracts viewership.

Mass market media also tends to play to the lowest common denominator, which mean they usually cater to the stupid. Take shows like the Jerry Springer show for example, a TV series which has been on air since 1991. The show usually introduces guests who will eventually end up in a fight on camera. More often than not, the host, Jerry Springer, stands aside to allows guests to continue with their alterations, which may last for a long period of time. Viewers often derive satisfaction from the fights, cursing and nudity that occur on air.

Newspapers

At times, producers often publish provocative and offensive content in hope of invoking feelings which contributes to the virality of the content. Take French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo which regularly publish comics of this nature for instance.

“This controversial Charlie Hebdo cover from 2013 reads, “The Koran is shit – It does not stop bullets.” Some religious groups found the comic so offensive that French Islamists actually sued the magazine for blasphemy."

*Credits to all-that-is-interesting.com

“ In support of same-sex marriage, Charlie Hebdo published this cover depicting the Father, Son and Holy Spirit getting it on. Released in 2013, this cover is just one of many that criticizes Christianity."

*Credits to all-that-is-interesting.com

Putting aside the shooting incident that occurred earlier this year, content like that aforementioned often causes friction between the communities within the society. While many celebrate and argue for freedom of speech, to what extent should we allow publications such as this to circulate and cause so much hatred?

Movies

The genre of movies that best reflect this phenomenon of crossing boundaries and overiding our sense of purity is horror. Take the human centipede series for example. The first movie is about a crazed surgeon having an idea of multiple individuals sharing a single digestive tract. As such, he kidnapped and sewed 3 victims mouth-to-anus.

The second movie moves on with a man who watched the first movie of the Human Centipede and made his 12-man centipede. The rest of the movie shows his sexual exploits with them.

The third movie (not released yet) will be about how a prison warden creates his 500-man centipede with the prisoners.

It is indeed extremely appalling to know that such content has been produced and are available on multiple platforms right now. But what is most worrying is the direction in which these content are heading towards.

1) Such content is grotesque/offensive! How can there is more sequels?

Individuals drive demand. As the industry is profit-driven, us consumers leads the direction of the content. Because there is demand, there is supply. Though the box office earnings are little, movies such as Human Centipede are funded by companies. If you watch the movies (not recommended), you would notice many product placements interspersed within scenes in the movie.

2) Why are the authorities not doing more?

The presence of internet make distribution a lot easier and censorship a lot harder. Human Centipede 2 was banned in many countries, but the news of this censorship give the film more publicity instead.

3) If we cannot ban the consumption of the content, why not ban the production of it?

Poorer nations that are more willing to compromise on standards for the sake of profit capitalise on globalisation and allow production of such content.

There are, of course, brilliant content produced such as documentaries, investigative journalism, talk shows (Last Week Tonight with John Oliver), movies and TV shows which celebrates the culture of intelligence, etc. It fundamentally boils down to the individual. As us consumers drive the demand, we have the power to determine that.

Media is, after all, human-centric.

thepowerofcontext.tumblr.com

From a lecture by Mr Tong Yee in 2012.

#production #Content #movies #newspaper #tvshows #jerryspringer #humancentipede #charliehebdo #testrabbits #tongyee #media #frankenstein

Science and Technology - The Relationship Between Science and Technology in the Modern World

Have you seen one of the latest phone technology/development, Project Ara yet? It is incredible, even the high level of customisation to meet the needs of the individual users and a rather low cost for it.

Science and Technology has always been making lives easier and more efficient. Science is knowledge. It is the discovery of a world that already exist. Technology is the application of this knowledge, the creation of a world that doesn’t.

What is interesting is that science, being merely the discovery of the world that already exists, is often not controversial. It is, rather, the application of these scientific knowledge (ie technology) which often goes against our initial beliefs, resulting in a controversy,

In my previous post, I mentioned about how our lenses shape our view/opinion on issues. Likewise, our beliefs are shaped by our lenses as well. When presented with new facts that we have never came across which are against from our initial beliefs, a internal controversy occurs. There are 2 ways in which you can respond to them: (1) Ignore/Resist (2) Change your Beliefs.

For example, being a devout Christian, you are one who place huge emphasis on the “community” lens. When new technology like genetic engineering is possible, it challenges your initial belief of whether us, as humans, should even tamper with genes and DNA. This causes an internal controversy within you. You have 2 options: Continue to place great emphasis on your “community” lens and resist the technology or to concede the importance of genetic engineering (medical treatment, etc) and alter your belief.

There is no right or wrong answers and we have to respect how we, as individuals who have their own experiences, values, etc, are able to make that judgement on our own and not impose our own beliefs on others.

Moving on, we need to understand that technology is human-centric; it takes the shape of the creator. It mirrors, augment or magnifies human life/activities. The science behind each technological application is neutral. It is mere knowledge of the world that has already exist. However, the intention of the people who uses this knowledge for whatever application differs, resulting in technological applications which may be useful or harmful.

This is Mr Tong’s famous “Function + Context = Value”

Many argue how technology has brought us new problems of bigger scale, such as how invention of weapons (bioweapons, cyberwarfare, etc) had led to more harm than good. How genetic engineering/(stem cells, cloning, etc) is a move in a wrong direction. But if you take a step back and see these issues in totality, You would realise that technology actually just amplifies existing human issues. The reason behind all the bioweapons, cyber attacks, weapons, etc is due to conflict, which is a human issue. Invention of methods for genetic engineering is a technological response to our fundamental desire to survive and, well, be better than others (survival of the fittest).

Technological impacts are just manifestations of existing human issues.

As such, we have to answer 3 broad issues behind Science and Technology:

1) Does S&T serve?

As aforementioned, the scientific knowledge is essentially neutral as it is the discovery of what already exist. However, the application (technology) is not as it is created on the basis of these scientific knowledge by humans, who have intentions.

Bringing back the formula:Function + Context = Value, we are able to apply this to real-world incidents. Of course under the hands of well-intentioned individuals, science and technology seek to improve the efficiency and convenience of others. Problems occur when ill-intentioned ones misuse them, leading to more harm than good.

An example would include how genetic engineering can be a medical treatment for fatal diseases such as Cystic Fibrosis, which may not have a cure. However, in the wrong hands, people like Josef Mengele aka “Angel of Death” may misuse the knowledge for their own ill-intentions.

Josef Mengele is a concentration camp officer/physician in Auschwitz concentration camp during World War 2. Some of his grotesque experiments include: “attempts to change eye color by injecting chemicals into the eyes of living subjects and killing people with heterochromatic eyes so that the eyes could be removed and sent to Berlin for study.”, “sought[ing] out pregnant women, on whom he would perform experiments before sending them to the gas chambers and conjoining of twins.

Because of unregulated, ill-intentions of individuals who may not use science and technology for good, more harm than good will occur.

Secondly, like most items that you see around you, S&T is usually driven by market forces. Meaning this:

There are, of course, tremendous merit in allowing S&T to be driven by market forces. With demand, comes supply by the companies, thus there will be science and technological advancements. The money serves as an incentive for producers to produce, in this case, science and technology which is all beneficial in the long run as it makes society more efficient and comfortable.

The problem comes when there is no incentive to produce necessary products such as medical treatments because the groups demanding these products simply have no ability to pay.

One example is the Guinea-worm disease:

According to WHO:

“The adult female, which carries about 3 million embryos, can measure 600 to 800 mm in length and 2 mm in diameter. The parasite migrates through the victim's subcutaneous tissues causing severe pain especially when it occurs in the joints. The worm eventually emerges (from the feet in most of the cases), causing an intensely painful oedema, a blister and an ulcer accompanied by fever, nausea and vomiting. Infected persons try to relieve the burning sensation by immersing the infected part of their body in local water sources, usually ponds water. This also induces a contraction of the female worm at the base of the ulcer causing the sudden expulsion of hundreds of thousands of first stage larvae into the water.

No drug is available to prevent or heal this parasitic disease – exclusively associated with drinking contaminated water. Dracunculiasis is, however, relatively easy to eliminate and eventually eradicate.

Temporary disability can leave many patients unable to leave their beds for a month during and after the emergence of the worm. This usually occurs during the peak agricultural activities and when labour is in a great demand.”

It is rather outrageous is know that there is indeed a simple solution: clean water. However, because these rural areas do not have the necessary purchasing power to buy “clean water”, it is not produced for them.

On the other end of the spectrum, we have numerous examples of how so much money is invested in improving treatments for seemingly trivial issues, such as laser hair removal, which is a $1.8 billion dollar industry in the US.

The rich basically steers where the scientific advancements are headed to because it is lucrative for companies to do so. Due to the same reason, products required for the poorer areas are not provided, unless government intervenes and provides for them.

As such, because S&T is mainly driven by market forces, it is inequitable and is thus biased against those who are unable to pay.

2) Should it redefine humans/society?

As mentioned through the brain diagrams, there are 2 ways in which you can respond towards new facts/information: Ignore/resist or accept. Over the years, you may have realised that the general consensus is getting more and more receptive towards it.

a) Usage of Media to Change Perception

Our reception towards S&T has been improving over the years. More controversial topics such as genetically engineering have been more accepted by the public for its success, which are widely broadcasted through the media. As mentioned, most of the S&T development are driven by market forces. As such, to obtain more consumer funding, companies usually tap on the media to alter and improve the perception of the public.

Take Ligers for example: it is a new species created via genetic engineering between a lion and a tiger. Our current perception of a liger is a rather positive one; it being the “biggest cat in the world” has surreptitiously influenced our subconscious into thinking and accepting the fact that genetic engineering can be safe and cause an improvement, a creation of something better and stronger.

In 2008, the first “American Glow In the Dark” cat was introduced on American television. Do take some time to watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyKt7Rr5Y88

It is interesting to know that the nature of the whole video is light-hearted and fun, with the introduction being “Meow meow meow meow” and laughter at the background. This somehow lightens the mood of an otherwise rather controversial topic such as genetic engineering. It is a glow in the dark cat. GLOW IN THE DARK CAT. Its genes had been tampered with just so that the cat can GLOW. Of course everyone has their own opinions, but I am one who thinks that the whole portrayal of a much needed debate regarding such an important topic is wrong altogether.

But from the companies’ point of view, it is indeed necessary for them to be more receptive towards genetic engineering, because ultimately, consumer funding is important.

b) Amish and Neo-Luddites

On the other hand, there are people who are resistant to S&T altogether. The Amish is a group of people who resists technology for religious reasons. They believe in living the natural way and living outside would have a morally polluting effect on them.

Luddites were people who disliked the spread of machinery during the Industrial Revolution to accomplish tasks which were formerly performed by people. They held marches, destroyed factories, and engaged in other types of activism in an attempt to prevent further technological development.

Since 1970s, some people revived the concept, calling themselves the "New Luddites," and the Neo-Luddite movement was born. They share a similar distrust or wariness of technology, especially the role of corporate profit, rather than human need, in propelling technological change. Some Neo-Luddites are also opponents of globalization for the same reasons.Most people would not argue with the Neo-Luddite idea that technology is changing human society, and sometimes even shifting what it means to be human. Stopping to think about the effect of technology on society is the main goal of many Neo-Luddites, some of whom freely admit that some technology can be very beneficial. - Credits to Wisegeek.com

3) Who should be responsible for regulating these technological changes?

Being an issue of a rather big scale, many naturally look at governments to intervene this market. However, there are of course limitations and considerations that the government must account for.

a) Preemptive, Flexible Legislation

Given the evolving nature of the market, there is a need for preemptive legislation. By foreseeing the future problems that may arise, laws should be created to curb and set the parameters of what is legal and what is not. In 2012, the US tried to implement the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), but failed when it received hundreds of thousands of emails and signatures in online petitions, reflecting the ineffectiveness of late implementation of measure. Moreover, there is also a need for frequent reassessment of the laws so that they can be changed according to fit the context of the intended outcome, even the constant changes in the field.

b) Tension of Market Forces

Countries can also be seen operating like a firm. The amount of revenue can be affected by many factors, one of which is state restrictions. A more relaxed state law regarding a field of science research may lead to an inflow of investments and attraction of foreign talent. Countries who have restrictions tend to lose out, thus reducing their own countries’ economic growth. There is, hence, competition among countries to compete for these investments. However, there is, of course, the moral struggle that comes with relaxation of state laws for controversial scientific research. Take Singapore for example. Singapore is the most liberal country in Asia in terms of embryonic stem cell research. Government had encouraged influx of investments and foreign talent in these fields when most countries have banned these research on moral grounds. Singapore has invested in equipment and facilities such as the Biopolis to cater for such needs. In 2004, Singapore had allowed stem cell research while other countries such as Australia and US banned them on moral grounds. However, countries started to follow suit and lift bans regarding these research, despite their politicians raising ethical concerns (Australia in 2006, US in 2009). We need to realise that S&T is a gigantic market that promises great revenue. Investors in these field would simply invest somewhere else, where state legislations are more relaxed, escaping the restrictions of government regulation. Hence, countries have to prioritise and weigh and pros and cons of it, taking account for the competition among the countries and also the ethical concerns that may arise as well.

Taking a big step back, we need to understand that scientists now do not exist as an individual. In fact, they exist as a corporation; there is always a profit margin. As such, these corporations will produce what consumers want. Consumers are the ones who drive the market forces. While independent watchdogs, government legislative bodies and international regulatory bodies should play their role in ensuring that the concerns of leaving S&T to the free market are being met, the most powerful influence on the market is ultimately us, the consumers.

Because after all, technology is human-centric.

#science #technology #stem cells #guinea worm #hair removal #amish #luddites #genetic engineering

How We View The World

Amos Yee.

For those who doesn’t know who he is, he is just a person who randomly spewed his thoughts in his youtube channel, which in turn garnered responses from furious viewers. This subsequently led him to be charged.

I have only decided to review this “topic” now after the whole matter has died down because emotions do get in the way of peoples’ judgement. To obtain a more objective view of how people see the whole (in particular, how Amos sees Mr LKY), I have to do so.

Before I delve into the content of this Lens Theory (that what I would like to call it), I would like to clarify that this materials did not originate from me. It came from one of the lectures from Mr Tong Yee on why we see the same issues differently.

Different people view the same issue differently because of the varying contexts each of us is raised in.

We have different perception of a certain issue due to the fact that we are simply brought up in different environments. These environments of differing contexts shape our “lenses” and hence in turn shapes how we see certain issues.

For example: Honor/Shame Society in Countries like India VS Countries that promotes individualism like US.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-30125116

Police in the Indian capital, Delhi, have arrested the parents of a woman who they say was killed for marrying a man against her family's wishes. Bhawna Yadav was allegedly strangled and later cremated without her family informing the police.

The woman's parents are yet to comment, but police say they have confessed.

The case has shocked many because even though "honour crimes" are common in India, they rarely involve middle-class educated families in big cities.

It is indeed grotesque and disturbing to know that there are cases in the world where parents kill their own children because they are “ashamed” of them. What even terrified me more was this quote:“ "honour crimes" are common in India, they rarely involve middle-class educated families in big cities.“.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/05/28/in-pakistan-honor-killings-claim-1000-womens-lives-annually-why-is-this-still-happening/

“I killed my daughter as she had insulted all of our family by marrying a man without our consent, and I have no regret over it,” her father told police, adding that it had been an “honor killing.”

Don’t you feel thoroughly disturbed to find out that having a daughter that had ”insulted all of our family by marrying a man without our consent” is a legitimate personal reason to deny his own daughter the right to live?

Taking a step back to see the bigger picture, we have to realise that the context that one lives in shapes his view of the world. How particular groups of people in India views honor killing as “common” and largely “acceptable”. but how it is completely appalling and outright revolting in more liberal groups like, for instance, UK.

Bringing back into Singapore context, within the same society, you can even see how different groups respond differently to the same issue of Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s death: how the elders from the older stratus of Singapore see Mr Lee as a reverent leader, crying during his funeral while some people from the younger generations simply take his death less seriously.

This beautiful, convenient word “Context” explains it all.

Whenever one sees an issue, their opinions and views are altered by lenses. These lenses are shaped (concaved, convexed, whatever floats your boat) according to the contexts and environments you were brought up in.

There are a few categories of lenses that I would like to discuss, mainly 6 of them:

1) Individual (Gender, Personality)

Despite what some extreme feminists say, the differences in genetic constitution between genders do bring about distinctions between the 2 genders, be it in terms of personality, etc.

2) Family (Family Values, State of Family)

The emphasis of different family values exist among families. This uniquely shapes the “family” lens of an individual.

3) Community (Different groups of communities within the same country has distinct values)

Within the same country, there are numerous communities: Christians, Islam, Interest Groups, Political Groups, etc. These shapes the “community” lens of an individual.

4) National (Rich VS Poor, East VS West, Young VS Old, Small VS Big, Religious VS Secular, Free/Controlled)

Rich countries behaves differently from poorer ones. (budget allocation, priorities of a country, values emphasis, etc)

Countries in West generally promotes greater individualism and liberty while countries in the East generally promotes community-based values (honor/Shame/Guilt-driven)

Older countries tend to treasure and place more emphasis on preserving history and heritage than younger ones.

Size of the country do affect how it operates (differences in opportunity costs)

Religious countries tend to consider values/character/beliefs in their policy-making, ie Sharia Law

Developed countries tend to be more politically-free than the less developed counterparts.

5) Global (Tech Advancement, Political Decentralisation, Economic Globalisation, Cultural Globalisation, Media Change)

The changes in the contexts at a global level changes one’s view as well, ie how tech advancement can make seemingly impossible things possible, how political decentralisation and the yearn for transparency makes us understand why events such as the Arab Spring/Snowden scandal happens, etc

6) Universal (Broad universal ideas such as honor virtue, Maximising of Happiness, Maximising of Liberty)

These are the universal values which many of us hold at a higher level. Some people are able to comprehend and empathise with the plight and actions of others from this “universal perspective”, ie reasons for pro-choice abortion, reasons for assisted suicide, etc.

Your experiences, values, personality cause you to place different emphasis on different lenses, which ultimately forms your opinion.

The whole idea of freedom of speech is not really about being able to say whatever you want whenever you want, but more about how your views/opinions should be respected because you should not demean and look down on others’ experiences, values and the environments that they have grown up in.

That being said, it does not mean that you are free from bearing the consequences of your actions/speech. If exercising your freedom of speech infringes the right of others to do so (demean their experiences, values, environments that are raised in), there will naturally be consequences you have to bear.

Sorry Amos.

#tongyee #freedomofspeech #LensTheory #firstpost #HowWeViewTheWorld #AmosYee

The Person Who Inspired It All

Firstly, I would like to begin that this is NOT a shrine for the below mentioned person. In fact, both of us had never even had a private conversation with each other before.

I could have been considered one of the more “apathetic” students; I couldn’t care less about the things that do not really matter to me. Issues such as policies, problems of the society, how the world operates, etc never came naturally to me.

These problems are too big for me to even make a difference at all. Although I know that problems such as war, inequality, poverty, etc exist and is harmful, who am I to even make a difference at all?

I am just a young Singaporean.

His name is Mr Tong Yee, director of The Thought Collective (The one on the extreme left in the picture). Though he is a director of his company, he is one of the most passionate, down-to-earth person I have ever known. His ability to see big ideas and how the world works is indeed remarkable and, simply, mind-blowing. Lecturing at School of Thought, he often draws his students to see his unique perspectives on certain topics. He had even boasted about how sometimes ministers had attended his lectures! According to him, he had even been invited to talk to a panel of ministers (including the prime minister), and TED as well!

Mr Tong knows what he is talking about, and has a special way of conveying his message across. His lectures are like a rollercoaster ride: there are times where his analogies and examples make you feel good and have some faith in the humankind, but there are also times where he talks about where the world is heading towards, which literally is able to break you down emotionally and terrify you. He illustrated to me the workings of the world, and how we, as youth of the country, are able to actually make a difference.

After each emotionally draining lecture, I feel inspired, hopeful and energised.

He increased my level of ownership towards a seemingly-large problem by making it more personal and relatable. I feel that I should not underestimate my youth; I am actually able to make a difference.

It was through these lectures that inspired me to spearhead many of my student-led initiatives and projects during my JC days. My aspiration to be able to think and see the world the way he does encouraged me to continue to attend his lectures even during my army days.

Part of the reason why I started this tumblr was to digitalise important bits of his lectures and world views. I hope I would be able to take you on the roller coaster ride through my writings, just like how he took me on mine then.

#tongyee #thepowerofcontext #whyistartedthistumblr

Why I Started This Tumblr

I do not have a flair for writing; I really don’t. But during this time while waiting for my medical school to begin on Sep 15, I realised that I am one who thinks quite a lot actually.

As I mature and start making sense of the world around me, I realise my increasing capability to see the big picture on the happenings of the world. My revelations are often documented on scraps of papers all around my house. Inspired my platforms such as waitbutwhy.com, this tumblr serves as a platform for me to digitalise my thoughts (If there is even such a word). The thought processes and ideas I had, takeaways from lectures and books, random ideas I develop in my head would be written as posts, mainly for myself.

In years to come, I hope these tumblr would not only refresh some of the interesting ideas I have seen, but also serve as a venue of introversion, where I can take respite and solace in my writing.

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