Sometimes, I wish I was more like the stereotypically stoic, unreadable Asian. Anyone can read me like a book - which is why I don't play poker. =)
I didn't even realise it, but the recent late nights at work+ being in some situations where I really wanna strangle some people have ended up written all over my face.
Be stronger.
--------------------------
I heard an interesting insight into the male-female psyche last night. Men like being asked "how" questions, while women much prefer the "what", "why" and "who". Apparently we guys like our egos stoked while the sheer number of "w"-questions reassures women that we're interested in the relationship.
Quite true.
--------------------------
I was reminded this week at work that teaching is sometimes the best way to learn. One of the big things that attracted me back to where I work is the culture of mentorship. L*ee Meng, M*elvin, SS, and now the team I work with are never hesitant to share their opinion on what works/doesn't work.
More than that, they try to make sure that you understand a task and the bigger picture, and take the time to do so. Perhaps I've been guilty of not doing the same with the interns. So I'll try to make a conscious effort starting from next week.
Showing posts with label musings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label musings. Show all posts
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
The decisive moment
I have a friend named Sam. He takes pictures for a living. He takes pictures for the newspaper. A couple of weeks ago, he took a picture of a lady with both her feet off the ground.
It's a cool picture, and it also has the added bonus of being a reference - or homage - to a famous photographer's classic image:
Now, the reason why I'm citing the work of one of photography's greats is not because I've gone and bought myself a DSLR. I've just been thinking about the simply-titled image: The Decisive Moment.
I'm not really in that moment right now, but my workload certainly is. I'm certainly not drowning in work, but it does have a habit of hitting you like a muddy puddle when you least expect it.
So I'll live in the moment and clean my shoes when the shit hits the fan.
----------------------
In non-cryptic news, I went to watch Fanboys the other night with the guys. Let's just say it was a really, really bad idea to watch it at 11:45pm. I won't even go into how bad the movie sucked, haha. Nonetheless, it was nice to do so (and in Daniel's case, catch some shut-eye) with the same bunch I saw so many movies with during primary (it's true!) and secondary school.
----------------------
Met up with the CS folks last Friday at Water & Wine, a place which sells...well... water and wine, and is run by one of us. Tucked in the bowels of the Biopolis, the place was really quiet and a great place to catch up with friends over a bottle of wine.
Prices for wines start at about $40++ per bottle, and finger food's priced same as comparable wine-chill-out places like Denise and Bottles&Bottles.
It struck me that a good percentage of my friends are unhappy at work. Some are desperately upset with expectations that have not been met. Others are losing steam doing what they thought they wanted. And still others are hanging on because of the bad job market now.
In a way, I admire their resolve in not settling for second-best. Why should you? After all, you spend more than half your waking hours at work. Yet, there is always that nagging fear, isn't there, that there will never be that perfect job, with the perfect pay and the perfect job satisfaction.
It really is kinda like finding a life partner, heh. Cheesy as it sounds, you have to admit that the parallels are striking. Do you believe in THE ONE?
How will you know when you've found the perfect guy/girl/job? What guarantee will you have that the perfect guy/girl/job won't ever change, or that you won't lose your feelings for each other?
You won't.
But then that's what makes it imperative to have faith/trust in yourself, the people around you (i.e. humanity) and a God above. So have faith, people.
It's a cool picture, and it also has the added bonus of being a reference - or homage - to a famous photographer's classic image:
Now, the reason why I'm citing the work of one of photography's greats is not because I've gone and bought myself a DSLR. I've just been thinking about the simply-titled image: The Decisive Moment.I'm not really in that moment right now, but my workload certainly is. I'm certainly not drowning in work, but it does have a habit of hitting you like a muddy puddle when you least expect it.
So I'll live in the moment and clean my shoes when the shit hits the fan.
----------------------
In non-cryptic news, I went to watch Fanboys the other night with the guys. Let's just say it was a really, really bad idea to watch it at 11:45pm. I won't even go into how bad the movie sucked, haha. Nonetheless, it was nice to do so (and in Daniel's case, catch some shut-eye) with the same bunch I saw so many movies with during primary (it's true!) and secondary school.
----------------------
Met up with the CS folks last Friday at Water & Wine, a place which sells...well... water and wine, and is run by one of us. Tucked in the bowels of the Biopolis, the place was really quiet and a great place to catch up with friends over a bottle of wine.
Prices for wines start at about $40++ per bottle, and finger food's priced same as comparable wine-chill-out places like Denise and Bottles&Bottles.
It struck me that a good percentage of my friends are unhappy at work. Some are desperately upset with expectations that have not been met. Others are losing steam doing what they thought they wanted. And still others are hanging on because of the bad job market now.
In a way, I admire their resolve in not settling for second-best. Why should you? After all, you spend more than half your waking hours at work. Yet, there is always that nagging fear, isn't there, that there will never be that perfect job, with the perfect pay and the perfect job satisfaction.
It really is kinda like finding a life partner, heh. Cheesy as it sounds, you have to admit that the parallels are striking. Do you believe in THE ONE?
How will you know when you've found the perfect guy/girl/job? What guarantee will you have that the perfect guy/girl/job won't ever change, or that you won't lose your feelings for each other?
You won't.
But then that's what makes it imperative to have faith/trust in yourself, the people around you (i.e. humanity) and a God above. So have faith, people.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Book review: Outliers by Malcom Gladwell
Ever since the Missus got the Borders preferred card, we've been buying books like there's no tomorrow (unless tomorrow got further discount).
A friend once calculated that since the card costs $20 bucks per year and entitles you to a 10% discount, you'd have to spend more than $200 a year on books to "earn" back the cost of the card.
Well, I think I've hit it in the first two months of 2009.
Among the many books I've picked up at half price is a really interesting one from Malcom Gladwell. If you find his name somewhat familiar, it's because he also wrote "The Tipping Point" and "Blink", both best sellers on the NYT list (the only book list I reference).
Here's what it looks like:
If you liked books such as The Tipping Point, Freakonomics, The Undercover Economist, etc. You'll definitely find Outliers fascinating. I love how these authors put on their psuedo social-scientist hats and explain social phenomena.
That's the common thread among all these books: they see that something's different (phenomena), that it happens fairly frequently (trend), and they ask why?
We don't ask why enough.
Before I get too deep into that, here's a quick look at the book:
What I learnt from the book:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England_national_under-21_football_team
Let's break the first team's birth dates down:
Number born in first half: 7/19
pffffffffffft.
On a whim, I also checked out Singapore's football team.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_national_football_team
Number born in first half: 13/22
So, either Singapore's scouts are doing such an excellent job that they're snapping up talent once they hit the age-groups and grooming them for national glory...
or the theory's slightly wonky. (Granted, it's probably not representative, but still...)
Having a solid 5 - 7 years of digital PR experience in a couple of year's time is gonna make some people very rich.
That means we need to spend at least 5 plus years in the industry - any industry with regular office hours - to even come close to being an "expert". That's not even discounting the days where you kinda zone out through the day. Damn.
Well, either that or spend way more time per day cramming those extra hours, haha.
A friend once calculated that since the card costs $20 bucks per year and entitles you to a 10% discount, you'd have to spend more than $200 a year on books to "earn" back the cost of the card.
Well, I think I've hit it in the first two months of 2009.
Among the many books I've picked up at half price is a really interesting one from Malcom Gladwell. If you find his name somewhat familiar, it's because he also wrote "The Tipping Point" and "Blink", both best sellers on the NYT list (the only book list I reference).
Here's what it looks like:
If you liked books such as The Tipping Point, Freakonomics, The Undercover Economist, etc. You'll definitely find Outliers fascinating. I love how these authors put on their psuedo social-scientist hats and explain social phenomena.
That's the common thread among all these books: they see that something's different (phenomena), that it happens fairly frequently (trend), and they ask why?
We don't ask why enough.
Before I get too deep into that, here's a quick look at the book:
What I learnt from the book:
- The system is not a fair deck - e.g. In professional sports, where players get spotted when they're really young, the odds are stacked against you if you're born in the later half of the year. Reason given by Gladwell is that physical difference is magnified at that young age.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England_national_under-21_football_team
Let's break the first team's birth dates down:
Number born in first half: 7/19
pffffffffffft.
On a whim, I also checked out Singapore's football team.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_national_football_team
Number born in first half: 13/22
So, either Singapore's scouts are doing such an excellent job that they're snapping up talent once they hit the age-groups and grooming them for national glory...
or the theory's slightly wonky. (Granted, it's probably not representative, but still...)
- Your lot in life has been cast before (or more accurately, when) you were born. Being exceptionally talented means nothing if you are in a roomfull of exceptionally talented people. Take for example someone like Bill Gates in 1980 vs. the same dude in 2009 - he'd have to be waaaaay smarter to have the kind of success he did. Essentially, he was an expert when the revolution was just beginning.
Having a solid 5 - 7 years of digital PR experience in a couple of year's time is gonna make some people very rich.
- 10,000 hours to master a skill/area of expertise. No way around it, he's just saying what we knew all along: the champions are those who wanted it more.
That means we need to spend at least 5 plus years in the industry - any industry with regular office hours - to even come close to being an "expert". That's not even discounting the days where you kinda zone out through the day. Damn.
Well, either that or spend way more time per day cramming those extra hours, haha.
- You only need to be smart enough. That's right. Gladwell points out that smarts/talents/aptitude/any other term for God-given gifts basically qualify you to be put in the elite brackets; having the highest IQ points does not make you the most successful or sought-after person around...though you could be, if you also had the good fortune of being born at the right time and the passion to spend 10,000 hours at it.
----
Obviously, I enjoyed the book tremendously. So let me know if you'd like to borrow it, I'll be happy to loan it to you. :)
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Warning: Steep learning curve ahead
Apart from the boisterous (woah, how often do you get to use that? +10points!) colleagues and overall environment that make work fun, ever so often, you realise that you are in a damn good place to learn how to be an effective consultant.
Remember how our (or at least my) GP tutors used to hand our essays back with more red ink than blue? That's how some of my work has returned, but the key is in reacting positively.
Of course, this is easier said than done, especially when there was genuine effort that went into drafting (you see, should've expected changes to begin with!) the original version.
On hindsight, so many of the comments and changes passed by the more experienced members of the team were so obvious I felt like kicking myself.
Simple things like "Refrain from using jargon" and "So what does this mean?" are basic rules that effective communicators need to constantly remind themselves of.
So here's a list of 7 things to keep in mind when you're drafting anything as a comms person:
1. Keep it simple: Don't use jargon and don't tolerate the use of jargon. Jargon is evil.
2. Why am I reading this?: Pictures are cool and uncomplicated. Words are boring and need a reason for reading.
3. Is this really, absolutely necessary?: Less is more. Berevity wins almost all the time - especially when you don't have a lot of it to begin with. Don't include the "usuals" just to make something look professional; if you choose to, make sure to go through it to see if it makes sense to the person reading it for the first time.
4. And......then?: Take things through to their logical conclusion (and if that's what you don't want to communicate, fantastic - reposition the potential issue); show the reader that you have thought it through.
5. Context, context, context: Add value to whatever you are communicating by providing the reader with a benchmark, comparison or at the very least, a sense of the severity/impact of the information you have just shared. Best used together with rule 1.
6. Don't waffle: Nobody likes wafflers; not journalists, not PRs, not the man in the street - well, unless the ice cream man didn't show ;). Just say what you came to say and do it quickly and clearly. See rule 3.
7. (Specifically for PRs) Spokesperson vs. Answerperson: Every interaction with the media is an opportunity to deliver your key messages. Every interview is so carefully prepared by people like us precisely because it is not a chit chat session; it is an opportunity to ensure that your organisation's message is heard clearly.
So there you have it... I must say though, that this list looks awfully familiar to me. Seems like something Duffy would've covered during one of his lectures.
It's that familiar feeling isn't it? You know, the one you get when someone tells you "I told you so".
Yeap. Should've listened harder during his classes.
Remember how our (or at least my) GP tutors used to hand our essays back with more red ink than blue? That's how some of my work has returned, but the key is in reacting positively.
Of course, this is easier said than done, especially when there was genuine effort that went into drafting (you see, should've expected changes to begin with!) the original version.
On hindsight, so many of the comments and changes passed by the more experienced members of the team were so obvious I felt like kicking myself.
Simple things like "Refrain from using jargon" and "So what does this mean?" are basic rules that effective communicators need to constantly remind themselves of.
So here's a list of 7 things to keep in mind when you're drafting anything as a comms person:
1. Keep it simple: Don't use jargon and don't tolerate the use of jargon. Jargon is evil.
2. Why am I reading this?: Pictures are cool and uncomplicated. Words are boring and need a reason for reading.
3. Is this really, absolutely necessary?: Less is more. Berevity wins almost all the time - especially when you don't have a lot of it to begin with. Don't include the "usuals" just to make something look professional; if you choose to, make sure to go through it to see if it makes sense to the person reading it for the first time.
4. And......then?: Take things through to their logical conclusion (and if that's what you don't want to communicate, fantastic - reposition the potential issue); show the reader that you have thought it through.
5. Context, context, context: Add value to whatever you are communicating by providing the reader with a benchmark, comparison or at the very least, a sense of the severity/impact of the information you have just shared. Best used together with rule 1.
6. Don't waffle: Nobody likes wafflers; not journalists, not PRs, not the man in the street - well, unless the ice cream man didn't show ;). Just say what you came to say and do it quickly and clearly. See rule 3.
7. (Specifically for PRs) Spokesperson vs. Answerperson: Every interaction with the media is an opportunity to deliver your key messages. Every interview is so carefully prepared by people like us precisely because it is not a chit chat session; it is an opportunity to ensure that your organisation's message is heard clearly.
So there you have it... I must say though, that this list looks awfully familiar to me. Seems like something Duffy would've covered during one of his lectures.
It's that familiar feeling isn't it? You know, the one you get when someone tells you "I told you so".
Yeap. Should've listened harder during his classes.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Two oh-oh Eight in review
It shouldn't be fair that 365 days could yield so much - how on earth are we ever gonna live up to 2008?
Among the many milestones that happened this year, here are the few that truly stand out (in chronological order):
1. FYP - The sweat and frustration of spending so much time and effort on a year-long project was matched only by the incredibly satisfying feeling of doing work you can be proud of. The process also taught me a lot about myself; both good and bad, and I have absolutely no regrets embarking on that crazy crazy journey with the three of you.
2. South America - What sounded like a crazy idea over kopi with the guys turned out to be an incredible adventure. Van, I still remember both Zheng and I having to meet your mom to convince her that you weren't crazy and we were going to keep you safe from amorous Brazilian men.
28 days in a place where we as Asians stand out completely; where you speak only human; where we touched the sky. The people we met that opened their homes, lives and hearts to us, even for that brief interlude, made it the perfect grad trip.
3. Graduation - I think that in retrospect, convocation was unnecessary. Unnecessary in the sense that while it does give a definitive "end" to your formal education, it's been all about the journey, not the destination. Cliched as it might sound, the four years in Uni have been the best years of learning in my life. More than the friendships forged, the satisfaction of doing well; the best thing about going to university is the perspective it affords you. Sure, much of it is up to you to read, question and make sense of, but there is probably nowhere else where you are given four years to derive your personal worldview. Brilliant.
4. Got a real job - So many things came together - a confluence of factors - for me to begin work at B*M this July. The invaluable ten-week stint at the BT newsroom, quiet conversations with colleagues (before they were my colleagues) on career advice, countless career assessments/tests/talks. In the end, what really swung it for me was the working environment. When the average age of your employees is 30, you know that work is gonna be one helluva ride. So far, the choice has been vindicated. I've learnt so much in the short space of 5 months and am really settling in. The boss commented last week at my desk that I seem to be more "moved-in" than she has, judging from the amount of stuff on my table, haha.
2. South America - What sounded like a crazy idea over kopi with the guys turned out to be an incredible adventure. Van, I still remember both Zheng and I having to meet your mom to convince her that you weren't crazy and we were going to keep you safe from amorous Brazilian men.
28 days in a place where we as Asians stand out completely; where you speak only human; where we touched the sky. The people we met that opened their homes, lives and hearts to us, even for that brief interlude, made it the perfect grad trip.
3. Graduation - I think that in retrospect, convocation was unnecessary. Unnecessary in the sense that while it does give a definitive "end" to your formal education, it's been all about the journey, not the destination. Cliched as it might sound, the four years in Uni have been the best years of learning in my life. More than the friendships forged, the satisfaction of doing well; the best thing about going to university is the perspective it affords you. Sure, much of it is up to you to read, question and make sense of, but there is probably nowhere else where you are given four years to derive your personal worldview. Brilliant.
4. Got a real job - So many things came together - a confluence of factors - for me to begin work at B*M this July. The invaluable ten-week stint at the BT newsroom, quiet conversations with colleagues (before they were my colleagues) on career advice, countless career assessments/tests/talks. In the end, what really swung it for me was the working environment. When the average age of your employees is 30, you know that work is gonna be one helluva ride. So far, the choice has been vindicated. I've learnt so much in the short space of 5 months and am really settling in. The boss commented last week at my desk that I seem to be more "moved-in" than she has, judging from the amount of stuff on my table, haha.
---
2009
This year's shaping up to be a big year. I just know it. I've got my new year's resolutions all mapped out:
1. Get fit
1.1 Complete a full marathon
1.2 Pick up a sport that I can play on a weekly basis
1.3 Pass the year's IPPT
2. Get financially savvy
2.1 Read the biz section of the papers more
2.2 Research and start a savings/investment plan
2.3 Advance to the next stage in my career
3. Get ready for goal 2010
Yep, so like I said, 2009 is shaping up to be an eventful one.
Happy Niu Year everyone!
This year's shaping up to be a big year. I just know it. I've got my new year's resolutions all mapped out:
1. Get fit
1.1 Complete a full marathon
1.2 Pick up a sport that I can play on a weekly basis
1.3 Pass the year's IPPT
2. Get financially savvy
2.1 Read the biz section of the papers more
2.2 Research and start a savings/investment plan
2.3 Advance to the next stage in my career
3. Get ready for goal 2010
Yep, so like I said, 2009 is shaping up to be an eventful one.
Happy Niu Year everyone!
Friday, August 29, 2008
Agonizing August; Sibeh Siong September
You know how I was saying that the hours are better in PR?
--> me
*eats words*
Ok lah, in all fairness, it was an unlikely confluence of factors that made the past week One To remember...
I think I am becoming a borders/book nut. Haven't finish reading the three books I got from the borders warehose sale and I just bought another two books tonight. The joys of payday.
The past week, though siong, has reminded me why I took this job. Because although at times it can be supremely frustrating (how to answer queries when you donch know anything?) it is also intensely rewarding when you know that you've done your little bit to make a difference.
In the past week, we helped to tell stories that wouldn't otherwise be told. We inspired hope and maybe even set some people on their way towards forgiving those in their lives they've determined aren't worth the time.
I was particularly blown away by the 84-year-old volunteer who has been doing what he has for more than 50 years.
50 years! You can go through the Singapore education system 4 times!
He just sat there, happy to be part of the interview yet you get the sense that he would've been equally content if we never asked him a question. He spoke less than 20 sentences throughout the 1.5hr interview - even the brief sentences he uttered were terse and abrupt.
"It gives me great joy," he said, explainnig why he has come faithfully, week after week, for the past 50 odd years.
Perhaps simple words such as "great" and "joy", are adequate adjetives for this man who has clearly led a simple life and has no need for hyperbole.
And now his story will be told - simply. Just the way he likes it.
--> me
*eats words*
Ok lah, in all fairness, it was an unlikely confluence of factors that made the past week One To remember...
I think I am becoming a borders/book nut. Haven't finish reading the three books I got from the borders warehose sale and I just bought another two books tonight. The joys of payday.
The past week, though siong, has reminded me why I took this job. Because although at times it can be supremely frustrating (how to answer queries when you donch know anything?) it is also intensely rewarding when you know that you've done your little bit to make a difference.
In the past week, we helped to tell stories that wouldn't otherwise be told. We inspired hope and maybe even set some people on their way towards forgiving those in their lives they've determined aren't worth the time.
I was particularly blown away by the 84-year-old volunteer who has been doing what he has for more than 50 years.
50 years! You can go through the Singapore education system 4 times!
He just sat there, happy to be part of the interview yet you get the sense that he would've been equally content if we never asked him a question. He spoke less than 20 sentences throughout the 1.5hr interview - even the brief sentences he uttered were terse and abrupt.
"It gives me great joy," he said, explainnig why he has come faithfully, week after week, for the past 50 odd years.
Perhaps simple words such as "great" and "joy", are adequate adjetives for this man who has clearly led a simple life and has no need for hyperbole.
And now his story will be told - simply. Just the way he likes it.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
The town of life
From a distance the dusty road sign seems like any other, white paint crackling on an aged pine board. It is only when you come closer that you see that this is a sign like no other - it is a sign in a town called life.
And every now and then in our journey we call life, we encounter these dusty old signs and we are made to choose.
The old man who had lived much of life wheezed his old-man wheeze, and paused to ponder the consequences of his choice.
"But if I go one way I cannot go the other way," the old man pondered, brows furrowed like deep tracks in the earth.
And as the old man thought out loud, a young boy came to his side. The youth took a quick glance and beaming with joy turned eastwards and began to run.
"You know not what lies ahead, dear boy!" the old man shouted in warning, steadfastly holding his ground.
"Oh yes, oh yes, I do. I choose life, the town of life," he replied, to the old man who had not moved an inch.
And the old man sat and pondered.
And every now and then in our journey we call life, we encounter these dusty old signs and we are made to choose.
The old man who had lived much of life wheezed his old-man wheeze, and paused to ponder the consequences of his choice.
"But if I go one way I cannot go the other way," the old man pondered, brows furrowed like deep tracks in the earth.
And as the old man thought out loud, a young boy came to his side. The youth took a quick glance and beaming with joy turned eastwards and began to run.
"You know not what lies ahead, dear boy!" the old man shouted in warning, steadfastly holding his ground.
"Oh yes, oh yes, I do. I choose life, the town of life," he replied, to the old man who had not moved an inch.
And the old man sat and pondered.
###
With the FYP more or less done, many of us fourth years have already begun the search for gainful employment. Some of the successful applicants so far have snagged jobs as government people (MFA, EDB), copywriters, pr professionals, journalists, academics, SIA stewards, unknown overseas jobs, etc. And the list grows every day.
It's all a bit bewildering and definitely surreal. This is what four years of work has yielded. Do I feel like I could've done better? Perhaps. I'll always wonder what would've happened if I didn't get those straight C's in year one. Aiyah, don't worry about it lah, it's almost over.
Ending depressing thought: I'm 25, what do I have to show for it?
It's all a bit bewildering and definitely surreal. This is what four years of work has yielded. Do I feel like I could've done better? Perhaps. I'll always wonder what would've happened if I didn't get those straight C's in year one. Aiyah, don't worry about it lah, it's almost over.
Ending depressing thought: I'm 25, what do I have to show for it?
Thursday, November 08, 2007
So, what's it gonna be?
"Why don't you want to be a journalist?" he wrote.
It wasn't so much the chiding tone of my tutor's comment on my assignment which bothered me, it was the genuine disappointment and frustration I sensed as he penned the personal note.
Perhaps this is my ego speaking; maybe he says that to all his students who express an interest in jumping to the dark side that is PR. Maybe he just enjoys throwing graduating students a conundrum or two.
Here, have a dilemma.
Given the spirited debate we've been having about jobs and graduation, this comment could not have come at a better time. It's a time where we are forced to defend our stand that we are dreamers; that we are people who are literally living the dream. A time where we decide, then stick with our choices.
Yet why is this bugging me so much? That my choice could be wrong.
Can I trust a boyhood ambition to be a journalist? Have I sold myself short, or was it never really my dream - my real, impassioned dream - to be one in the first place? All of a sudden, I don't know. And if my confidence in my decision wavers so easily, does it suggest that I somehow subconsciously don't believe it to be true?
I guess the only relief is that a decision does not have to be made right now. We shall see.
It wasn't so much the chiding tone of my tutor's comment on my assignment which bothered me, it was the genuine disappointment and frustration I sensed as he penned the personal note.
Perhaps this is my ego speaking; maybe he says that to all his students who express an interest in jumping to the dark side that is PR. Maybe he just enjoys throwing graduating students a conundrum or two.
Here, have a dilemma.
Given the spirited debate we've been having about jobs and graduation, this comment could not have come at a better time. It's a time where we are forced to defend our stand that we are dreamers; that we are people who are literally living the dream. A time where we decide, then stick with our choices.
Yet why is this bugging me so much? That my choice could be wrong.
Can I trust a boyhood ambition to be a journalist? Have I sold myself short, or was it never really my dream - my real, impassioned dream - to be one in the first place? All of a sudden, I don't know. And if my confidence in my decision wavers so easily, does it suggest that I somehow subconsciously don't believe it to be true?
I guess the only relief is that a decision does not have to be made right now. We shall see.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Last. Caution.
The headline of Cenite's tutorial handout today read: Last tutorial.
Is this really the final core class we will take? We will never again be housed - all 180 of us - under one lecture theater roof!
Mass lectures are okay, but I guess the thing I'm going to miss is interacting with people who aren't in Journ or PPC, whom I seem to see everyday anyway. Then again, this is probably the beginning of the end.
This is the last exam that counts towards my honours classification. Well, technically I have three papers, but you get the point.
I've really enjoyed school, and today's tutorial put it all in perspective. The question asked was essentially "Are you hopeful about your future?" - asked by Cenite in response to the overwhelming sentiment of resignation he sensed amongst our cohort.
Most people, he noticed, seemed to treat work like an obligation; something which treads on your morals, your self-belief, your feelings and aspirations.
I looked around the room, half-expecting loud protestations that we weren't a bunch of rudderless koyak kayaks.
Yet the room was eerily silent; some had their heads bowed, others smiled sagely, agreeing with his observation.
I spoke. I said that work cannot simply be a chore; that we must expect more of ourselves, our colleagues, our education, our potential, our ability to change the world - by making small differences.
All around me I sensed the suffocating patronizing of my classmates who surely were thinking "Okayyy, he's lost it". Some looked down, others continued smiling sagely.
I think that most of us in CS are dreamers. Or at least we were. Because who chooses to study communications when they know it pays peanuts, and you don't know how good you are before you actually study it? We're risk-takers. We're idealists. We come in believing.
And that's a good thing. Surely six months of internship cannot have tempered that desire? Yes, a decision is made.
Is this really the final core class we will take? We will never again be housed - all 180 of us - under one lecture theater roof!
Mass lectures are okay, but I guess the thing I'm going to miss is interacting with people who aren't in Journ or PPC, whom I seem to see everyday anyway. Then again, this is probably the beginning of the end.
This is the last exam that counts towards my honours classification. Well, technically I have three papers, but you get the point.
I've really enjoyed school, and today's tutorial put it all in perspective. The question asked was essentially "Are you hopeful about your future?" - asked by Cenite in response to the overwhelming sentiment of resignation he sensed amongst our cohort.
Most people, he noticed, seemed to treat work like an obligation; something which treads on your morals, your self-belief, your feelings and aspirations.
I looked around the room, half-expecting loud protestations that we weren't a bunch of rudderless koyak kayaks.
Yet the room was eerily silent; some had their heads bowed, others smiled sagely, agreeing with his observation.
I spoke. I said that work cannot simply be a chore; that we must expect more of ourselves, our colleagues, our education, our potential, our ability to change the world - by making small differences.
All around me I sensed the suffocating patronizing of my classmates who surely were thinking "Okayyy, he's lost it". Some looked down, others continued smiling sagely.
I think that most of us in CS are dreamers. Or at least we were. Because who chooses to study communications when they know it pays peanuts, and you don't know how good you are before you actually study it? We're risk-takers. We're idealists. We come in believing.
And that's a good thing. Surely six months of internship cannot have tempered that desire? Yes, a decision is made.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
A decision is made?
"Talk about your guiding principles at the workplace" was the topic for discussion in class yesterday.
It was good because I was made to vocalise my thoughts on the issue. It's always bugged me that PR is often seen as an industry where it is the norm to play fast and loose with ethical boundaries. As a Christian, is this the right industry for me?
I may not be world-wary enough to know better, but looking back at the six months at my internship company, I am hard-pressed to find any particular instance where I had to lie, cheat, deceive or engage in any other forms of unethical practices.
Personally, I have no issue with selling koyok. Let me explain. Telling someone that buying product A will make you the coolest cat at the pub is probably an untruth 99% of the time. Especially at an agency, where you really get all sorts of clients, you can never guarantee that the client you are working for truly is the consumer's best choice.
That is where we, the spin doctors, are supposed to come in. We weave the perception that product A is a great product, that it will improve your sex life, make you more friends, etc. Sometimes, this is true. Most times, it is not. Is this unethical?
Also common is the conscious decision to focus on the pluses and negate the negatives. An example is if your client is great at selling product A, which is part of its stable of products A-Z, and you convince your client to focus on selling that leadership position. Is this unethical?
In both cases, I do not feel the distinct prickling of my conscience. The line, however, is crossed when you engage in selling a product which harms someone.
At B*M, most of the clients are market leaders in their own right. Most make substantial claims which can be backed up. They are big players who probably represent the best decision a customer can make. Will I feel like I am selling koyok? I hope not.
For every ten Singapore Flyers, there is one Yellow Ribbon Project. And that is enough for me.
It was good because I was made to vocalise my thoughts on the issue. It's always bugged me that PR is often seen as an industry where it is the norm to play fast and loose with ethical boundaries. As a Christian, is this the right industry for me?
I may not be world-wary enough to know better, but looking back at the six months at my internship company, I am hard-pressed to find any particular instance where I had to lie, cheat, deceive or engage in any other forms of unethical practices.
Personally, I have no issue with selling koyok. Let me explain. Telling someone that buying product A will make you the coolest cat at the pub is probably an untruth 99% of the time. Especially at an agency, where you really get all sorts of clients, you can never guarantee that the client you are working for truly is the consumer's best choice.
That is where we, the spin doctors, are supposed to come in. We weave the perception that product A is a great product, that it will improve your sex life, make you more friends, etc. Sometimes, this is true. Most times, it is not. Is this unethical?
Also common is the conscious decision to focus on the pluses and negate the negatives. An example is if your client is great at selling product A, which is part of its stable of products A-Z, and you convince your client to focus on selling that leadership position. Is this unethical?
In both cases, I do not feel the distinct prickling of my conscience. The line, however, is crossed when you engage in selling a product which harms someone.
At B*M, most of the clients are market leaders in their own right. Most make substantial claims which can be backed up. They are big players who probably represent the best decision a customer can make. Will I feel like I am selling koyok? I hope not.
For every ten Singapore Flyers, there is one Yellow Ribbon Project. And that is enough for me.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Why I won't vote to repeal 377A
There's been so much talk swirling around about the celebrity-driven appeal to the government to repeal an archaic law criminalising sex between homosexuals - and I think we must talk about it.
Obviously, these are my personal views, which I do not seek to impose on you; I'm just thinking out loud.
There is a difference between repealing an existing law, and pursuing new legislation to criminalise something. Repealing an existing law says that what was wrong before is no longer wrong, and should no longer be considered detrimental to society.
New legislation to criminalise an act says that we want to persecute offenders for their behaviour which is perceived to cause harm to society; mostly because they have crossed the line between peaceful existence and behaviour which impinges on others.
I feel that gays in Singapore have not crossed that line. Yet, and I go back to the distinction I made earlier: we are talking about repealing an existing law, rather than petitioning for new legislation.
Agreeing to participate in the former essentially makes you an advocate for gay rights. Agreeing to the latter makes you a participant in a witch-hunt, neither of which I am keen on being part of.
Fortunately, by simply not signing the petition to repeal 377A, I am able to take the middle ground: to remain true to what my heart tells me is right/wrong, while not actively persecuting this group of people, who have the right - just as I do - to fight for what they believe in.
And that is why I will not join in the movement to repeal 377A.
Obviously, these are my personal views, which I do not seek to impose on you; I'm just thinking out loud.
There is a difference between repealing an existing law, and pursuing new legislation to criminalise something. Repealing an existing law says that what was wrong before is no longer wrong, and should no longer be considered detrimental to society.
New legislation to criminalise an act says that we want to persecute offenders for their behaviour which is perceived to cause harm to society; mostly because they have crossed the line between peaceful existence and behaviour which impinges on others.
I feel that gays in Singapore have not crossed that line. Yet, and I go back to the distinction I made earlier: we are talking about repealing an existing law, rather than petitioning for new legislation.
Agreeing to participate in the former essentially makes you an advocate for gay rights. Agreeing to the latter makes you a participant in a witch-hunt, neither of which I am keen on being part of.
Fortunately, by simply not signing the petition to repeal 377A, I am able to take the middle ground: to remain true to what my heart tells me is right/wrong, while not actively persecuting this group of people, who have the right - just as I do - to fight for what they believe in.
And that is why I will not join in the movement to repeal 377A.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Is apathy in our genes?
I've always wondered what motivates people to become activists. There is little tangible benefit, other than the feeling of belonging to a group of like-minded individuals, and perhaps feeling morally superior for the duration of your protest.
And then you see pictures like these. And your world shifts.
Yes, we're all busy people. We've got work, school, friends, family and a host of other commitments we should not feel guilty filling our lives with. But this deserves a place on that list.
I've never been one to go rah-rah over some cause. In fact, I think that I'm pretty cynical with most social causes. Mostly because it's too far removed from where I am, perhaps. Or maybe I'm just finding excuses to not get involved.
And why shouldn't we get involved? What is the point of debating the ethics of shooting a staged news photograph when we do not care about the subject of the photograph and its fate? Why bother building your castles in the air about morality when we cannot keep ourselves grounded in the world we live in?
I guess part of this post is a result of the ongoing discussion of ethics in our media law class. We're learning about various ethical frameworks, systems and pros/cons, etc. In a word: academia.
Being in Singapore, we've never had to deal with the hard stuff: education is provided for, very few people live hand to mouth, and housing is largely available for those who work. I'm thankful for all that I've been given; I know that I am fortunate to have the life I'm leading and the people that I've been blessed to have surround me.
Yet whenever I hear about protests, I admit that I almost always tune out. I dismiss them as attention-seekers, or people who cannot live without having to agonize over someone else's problems.
I've read the rhetoric about people wanting to make a difference, and dismissed that, funnily enough, as rhetoric.
But something that happened today changed my view on activism completely.
It began innocuously enough; I was giving tuition to my tuition kid, who was a Sec 3 Indonesian girl. We were going through English, and we were going over a comprehension passage, which dealt with wars and explosives.
I then casually mentioned Myanmar as a reference to an example I was trying to draw, when her quizzical look stopped me. It turned out that she had no idea that there was anything even going on in Myanmar which was out of the ordinary.
It may seem like I'm expecting too much of her, a Secondary 3 student, to be aware of current affairs. But that wasn't really what struck me. I suddenly felt like I was in her place, being ignorant of the world around me; living my life in my little bubble.
Is this what realising your apathy feels like? Because I feel guilty and ashamed that I have been so blase to the problems of others.
But what then, can I do? I am just me. I can vote only once. I can only eat one and a half happy meals. I can only take up one seat in a cinema. I am just me.
A good friend once told me that making a difference in this world is not about changing the world. It is about changing one person's life. And perhaps that is what happened this evening at tuition, when I took 15 minutes to educate my kid about Myanmar's troubles.
I never believed in large scale protests, or demonstrations, or petitions. Perhaps I am simply averse to confrontation?
So this is what I will do, and this is what I encourage you to do, if you want to make a difference, but on your own terms - not someone else's. Tell someone who doesn't know, about Myanmar's troubles. Give the gift of information. Open their worldviews. Give them perspective. One person at a time.
To make this more fun, wear red if you promise to tell someone. It's a promise you make to yourself; nobody's going to judge you - but you.
And then you see pictures like these. And your world shifts.Yes, we're all busy people. We've got work, school, friends, family and a host of other commitments we should not feel guilty filling our lives with. But this deserves a place on that list.
I've never been one to go rah-rah over some cause. In fact, I think that I'm pretty cynical with most social causes. Mostly because it's too far removed from where I am, perhaps. Or maybe I'm just finding excuses to not get involved.
And why shouldn't we get involved? What is the point of debating the ethics of shooting a staged news photograph when we do not care about the subject of the photograph and its fate? Why bother building your castles in the air about morality when we cannot keep ourselves grounded in the world we live in?
I guess part of this post is a result of the ongoing discussion of ethics in our media law class. We're learning about various ethical frameworks, systems and pros/cons, etc. In a word: academia.
Being in Singapore, we've never had to deal with the hard stuff: education is provided for, very few people live hand to mouth, and housing is largely available for those who work. I'm thankful for all that I've been given; I know that I am fortunate to have the life I'm leading and the people that I've been blessed to have surround me.
Yet whenever I hear about protests, I admit that I almost always tune out. I dismiss them as attention-seekers, or people who cannot live without having to agonize over someone else's problems.
I've read the rhetoric about people wanting to make a difference, and dismissed that, funnily enough, as rhetoric.
But something that happened today changed my view on activism completely.
It began innocuously enough; I was giving tuition to my tuition kid, who was a Sec 3 Indonesian girl. We were going through English, and we were going over a comprehension passage, which dealt with wars and explosives.
I then casually mentioned Myanmar as a reference to an example I was trying to draw, when her quizzical look stopped me. It turned out that she had no idea that there was anything even going on in Myanmar which was out of the ordinary.
It may seem like I'm expecting too much of her, a Secondary 3 student, to be aware of current affairs. But that wasn't really what struck me. I suddenly felt like I was in her place, being ignorant of the world around me; living my life in my little bubble.
Is this what realising your apathy feels like? Because I feel guilty and ashamed that I have been so blase to the problems of others.
But what then, can I do? I am just me. I can vote only once. I can only eat one and a half happy meals. I can only take up one seat in a cinema. I am just me.
A good friend once told me that making a difference in this world is not about changing the world. It is about changing one person's life. And perhaps that is what happened this evening at tuition, when I took 15 minutes to educate my kid about Myanmar's troubles.
I never believed in large scale protests, or demonstrations, or petitions. Perhaps I am simply averse to confrontation?
So this is what I will do, and this is what I encourage you to do, if you want to make a difference, but on your own terms - not someone else's. Tell someone who doesn't know, about Myanmar's troubles. Give the gift of information. Open their worldviews. Give them perspective. One person at a time.
To make this more fun, wear red if you promise to tell someone. It's a promise you make to yourself; nobody's going to judge you - but you.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Selamat Pagi FYP
It's 2 freaking thirty in the morning and the ideas are flowing. I swear you get them in the weirdest places. Washing dishes, running (but only after the first hour), stoning during tuition, etc.
Just keep 'em coming
and please let's not stumble. We'll
grumble and mumble
Let's just be humble.
Just keep 'em coming
and please let's not stumble. We'll
grumble and mumble
Let's just be humble.
