Sunday, May 31, 2009 - 4:55 AM
If many people believe or think something is true, is it true?
I am going to begin this blogpost using my friend Aolun's favourite style of starting off a blogpost and see how it goes with my style of writing. Here goes:Ok guys.
Another question. If people believe or think something is true, is it true?
When I first came upon this question, the first thing that came to me was what I had been convinced to think for the past five months. It maybe true and it maybe false. It is always a two-sided issue. Then I thought back to a book I had read a few days before in the library. The significant quote that popped up was: There are no facts, only interpretations.
Another word for 'facts' is 'truth'. So, the question is basically asking- Are what others think the truth. If I go by the quote above, the answer is no.
I must admit that the quote makes great sense. There are no true facts, only different views, each true for those who hold them. No one knows the definite truth of any matter as the truth is often distorted due to our emotions at the time we witness it and as this contorted truth spreads to other people, they are inclined to believe all that they hear. Like this, a misunderstanding spawns a lie, with the process repeating over and over again. For all we know, Albert Einstein may not have discovered the theory of relativity but took credit for someone else. Touchwood. No offence sir.
Secondly, everyone has their own opinions. What other people think may differ from what you think. If you simply believe what others think, then it would be like wasting away your own space for thought. Never, ever restrain yourself by merely believing what others say without thinking anything through for yourself. You definitely have your own personal view on the matter in question.
Nothing is set in stone. Everyone has their own opinions. Stick to them.
Thursday, May 28, 2009 - 5:03 AM
The June holidays
After five o' clock tomorrow, I will finally be able to enjoy my first june holiday in high school. After five o' clock tomorrow, I will be free from worksheets and tiring lessons. After five o' clock tomorrow, School's out.The june holidays are here once again. Oh, how long and how much have I endured to arrive on this marvellous day! I have got new resolutions aplenty and I just cannot wait to begin. So many things to do this June holidays. Projects, a drama performance, movies, a few assignments, blogging and not to mention, food! I have been meaning to seek out some of the best Japanese restaurants in Singapore to sink my tastebuds, but unfortunately, time was not on my side and I was unable to satisfy my desire. Now, I have got no more restaints to hold me back. I am absolutely going to eat as much curry chicken rice as I can this holiday.(It was part of my resolutions in January, remember?)
It would be a perfect holiday, if it were not for the numerous appointments I had scheduled. First if all, I have to meet up with CaiJie, Joshua, ZhanRong and Sean to discuss about our "epic" drama production. A little bit of preparation has been made and we expect an smooth flowing period when we start rehearsing in the holidays. Of course, it will not let you all down. Let me give you some spoilers-There will be a hugging scene, a scene where one of our members is going to break our bawling and of course, death, marked with ketchup. Secondly, I will also need to return in the June Holidays to prepare for the approaching Project's Day Semi-Finals. I foresee a tough obstacle ahead of us but for the ACE points, we will do our best! The third appointment is not really an "appointment", but rather a transition point. I will be attending the Judo camp and I geniunely hope that the secondary one batch will enter the camp as weaklings and exit new and improved. I have heard many varied rumuors from my seniors, some grumbling that it wiould test our limits, while others claim that it would be a piece of cake. I guess the only way to be sure is to expereince it myself! It is also my sincere hope that some of my friends change their attitudes, though. It will reslly be a relief is Nigel Ng learns to be more compassionate during this camp, as his usual unsensitive behaviour is seriously ticking me off.
Ah, June. The most enjoyable month in the year.
Hey, what am I saying? What about December?
Tuesday, May 26, 2009 - 2:28 AM
My first semester
Once again the semester has come to a steady end. I am delighted to find myself new and improved since the start of the year. Grades aside, I have come to understand my friends better and accept who they are.First things first, I guess my grades have improved, judging from the few test results I have received. I will not jump to conclusions, though, since I will be receiving my Term 2 results this Friday. However, it seems to my attitude towards homework has somewhat slackened. Got to do something about this. Well, no point talking about it now. The term has already ended. ACE and OP? What can I say? I can't expect too much. Joshua would probably snigger and give me a "Who ask you not to do ACE?" remark.
I am glad that I am not that particular about everyone's behaviour anymore. Maybe it is the six months of adaption that makes me immune to their usual cheeky behaviour. For one thing, the class' most mischievious boy, notorious for his violence and thickness, does not annoy me that much. Okay, I must admit that sometimes he still enjoys staging a big show in front of the teachers, but then again, that is who he is, and I have come to accept him. Of course tuning down that burning temper of his would do us all good. Oh yes, how could I forget Mr Sarcasm? Well, he may be very sarcarstic, criticizing almost everything not of favour to him, however, he has proven to be a capable person. He thinks before talking, not like many people in the class. He has a clever mind and is able to make good use of it. Good brains and a sharp tongue. Good Combinataion. Like a teenage Ms Soh.
The June holidays are approaching in a week and I got lots of plans for myself. Most of them require the computer, as the teachers are droning on and on about doing ACE and not to waste the abundance of time away. However, I am going to dedicate my spare time to photography. Maybe go touring aroung the streets and enjoy the nightlife. Capture Singapore down on film.
Well, I guess I should sign off now. I still have to prepare for tomorrow's "Nothing But The Truth" discussion.
Sunday, May 24, 2009 - 3:49 AM
If you could eliminate one emotion from the world, would you?
Well, the first thing that popped up in my mind was-Duh, of course. If I eliminate anger, then I would be able to escape scot-free from teachers when I forget to do my homework, which just so happens to occur a lot. Many people fear anger as it is unpredictable. I myself hate to seeing my parents' shadowing faces when I submit a report card full of red marks, only to be left quivering under their slit-like eyes. How happy this world will be if everyone will be able to brush off others' mistake without any trace of intolerance and anger? No more frowns. Only smiles all the way.Then, I thought about this.
No, my idea was wrong.
The human emotion is an umcomprehensible blob of thoughts that cling onto our hearts. As I said, it is difficult to understand, just like the sentence above. My intitial thoughts were wrong too. True, teachers are angry at us for not completing our work, but is it senseless fury that drives them? Heavens no. It is the care and concern that they develop for their students that make them seem like such a gorgon to us (At least for most teachers). But they have no choice. Who will listen to a softie? The only way to reach out to their students is through unleashing their 'dark side'.
Hence, by removing any emotion according to our whims and fancies, the link between teacher and student will be removed. It would be like removing the very core of the teacher, the very driving force that makes the teacher do what she/he does.
What would a world be without anger? There would be no petty quarrels, no outrageous fights, no catastrophic wars and what we all hope for- softie teachers. This sounds like a good deal, right? But just think about the flipside. What would a world be without anger? Many things would never have happened without anger, actually. Let me give you a brief personal recount.
There was this time when I was hooked on my studies. Okay, I may have sounded like a nerd but trust me, those who knows me now would totally disagree. So, back to the point. I did quite terribly for this single math test, scoring a unacceptable 63 out of 100 mark. That was definitely a big, fat F in my book and I was shaken. My friends had all zoomed sky high in this seeminigly simple test. I felt envious and really wanted them to just disappear. No, it was not envy I felt that time, it was anger. I was angry at myself for failing myself. 63 was not what I wanted. 63 was terrible.
But amongst all this anger and hatred, I found the strength to continue, the strength to improve. And it was thanks to this strength, or rather the emotion 'anger' that drived me to step forward into an unrelenting reality.
So, next time someone asks me whether I feel angry, I would certainly reply, "I'm angry, so what?"
Tuesday, May 19, 2009 - 2:07 AM
Is it your duty to donate to charity?
If you ask most people this question, they would probably give you a baffled look and disagree. Why on earth would it be their duty? Is it the law that decreed that they must donate? And even so, why would they want to donate?My stand on the matter? It is not our duty.
First of all, there is no such thing as "duty". When a teacher says something along the lines of 'Do your duty to the community. Do CIP!', they are encouraging you to do it but you can choose not to. "Duty" is merely just another stricter word used to encourage students to participate in events that some may not wish to take part in.
In my opinion, the usage of this word is quite redundant. It is just a wastage of ink on those flyers and posters talking about charity. Seriously, what is the use of that word? I don't think anybody will get inspired to volunteer themselves readily just by seeing it. If it really is true, then almost everybody will be fishing out large sums of cash to drop into the tin cans of those poor, tortured teenagers spending their weekends at MRT stations literally begging for money. But the point is, "duty" just really doesn't hit the people hard.
So, when you ask "Is it your duty to donate to charity?", the answer is no. Charity work, of course, is good for the soul, giving people the so-called 'feeling of accomplshment' when they see the good they have done in the end of te day. Donating to Charity is far simpler as the individual just needs to slot in a coin ot take part in donation drives. But what kind of people really donate or take part in charity work? It is not those who were forced into doing so through the intimidating yet effectless use of the word "duty", but the people who selflessly volunteer themselves for the good cause. Or in our case, they may just want to get CIP hours.
I am not saying that donation drives are useless and charity organizations are wasting their time, but this is the reality. No one owes them a living. It is nobodies' "duty" to donate.
Sunday, May 17, 2009 - 5:15 AM
An empty blog
A weeks ago my classmate Joshua started bugging me about my blog. As usual he was droning on and on about my tardiness in maintaining it, saying how I would miss out on a few credit points if I did nothing about it and stuff like that. I pointed out that I lacked free time but once again, I was rebutted with the sarcastic yet convincing replies Joshua gave me, coupled with the cocky rolling of eyes. For the first time this year, I listened to him.Well, okay. I admit it, I have not touched my blog for months. Normally, I would find an excuse for myself, but this time I will not. I think its pointless to excuse myself now, seeing that almost everyone had started filling up their blogs breathlessly while I sat back calmly.
I am not trying to sound like a model student and I am definitely not going to give you some cliche catch phrase, but I will say this-I'll start.
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