Humans are by nature social beings. Therefore how we think and how we view the world are more or less dictated by the current paradigms existing within the society. These paradigms are closely related to culture, as culture by nature is a particular social stage or civilization within a society. Like anything that is related to human beings and his or her belief, religion is inexorably related to the culture in which humans live in. Therefore it is obvious that culture would have a huge influence in the growth and evolution of religion throughout the ages. However the reverse is also true as religion, being one of the most influential entity in human society, would also influence the growth of culture within our society.
Since the early 16th century, the human civilization has entered a new phase which we all now know as modernization. This revolution in human culture history is still going on today, with new scientific breakthroughs and most importantly the re-evaluation of previously founded values that are happening every day. This re-evaluation of previously founded values is also happening in the areas of religion, ad Christianity as one of the world’s dominant religion is no exception. For centuries, this revolution in the Christian values has been the root cause of the separation of Christianity into the many different branches that it has today. The most obvious example of the effect of the modernization of human culture to Christianity is the emergence of liberal Christianity.
Modernity embraces the values of change and dynamism. It always tries to re-evaluate traditions and continually challenges itself to redefine everything that is around us. This is why science has always been the front runner in defining what modernism really is. Science daily creates new discoveries about the world around us, and seeks to explain everything from an objective and unbiased lens. It dares itself to create experimentation which pushes the boundaries of our technology and sometimes even our moral values. Furthermore it rejects any kind of supernatural explanations believing that reason and logic will always be able to explain everything.
Liberal Christianity embraces these ideals and puts it into effect especially in the study of Biblical scriptures. Broadly speaking liberal Christianity is an undogmatic method of trying to understand God through the use of scripture by applying the same modern hermeneutics used to understand any other ancient writing. This means that liberal Christianity, unlike conservative Christianity, does not treat the Bible as a collection of factual statements but rather as an anthology that documents the author’s feelings and perception towards God and their relationship with God. Liberal Christianity sees the Bible as a collection of writings that explain, or symbolize the essence and significance of Christian understanding. This is why liberal Christianity to put less emphasis or miracle stories done by Jesus within the Bible than on His teachings, as true to the spirit of science of modernization they do not put emphasis on the supernatural but rather on the explanations to why those things happened, what does it mean, and what are we suppose to learn from the event described by creating links to contextually relevant set of data or references. However this does not mean that liberal Christianity rejects the possibility of those miracles actually happening it’s just that they put less emphasis on it and most of the time treat is as a form of metaphor or symbolism used to showcase the power of God itself or as teachings on how we should view God as an almighty being for whom all things are possible.
We have seen how the emergence of modernism in human global culture have also had a direct influence on the growth of Christianity as a religion resulting in the emergence of Liberal Christianity. However we must also realize that there are still conservative branches of Christianity, as well as the church of the Holy Roman Catholic, whose values and traditions have withstood the passage of time as well as the revolution of the human thought processes brought about by modernism.
Religion in itself is a very influential and strong social entity and can also affect the growth of culture in certain ways. The most obvious way in which Christianity has affected the growth of the modern culture is within the field of science. Religion such as Christianity continually keeps in check the morality of experimentations that are being done in scientific research facilities all over the world. They continually challenge the scientific community on the moral implications of their experiments, which helped the scientific community to grow without losing track of morality and fundamental values, such as the value of the human life, in the process. In this way, religion have also helped to control the growth of modernism and help to propagate traditional moral values which prevents the human society from accepting immoral behaviours and falling into anarchy.
Therefore Christianity as a form of religion is inexorably related to human culture, as the human culture controls the paradigms existing as well as the lens through which we view the world around us. This inexorable linked is evident through the example of the rise of Liberal Christianity which is caused by the rise of modernism in human global culture. However, religion such as Christianity are in itself a very influential entity which have helped to shape the growth of the human culture, as we have seen in the example within the field of science, especially in the areas of experimentations and scientific breakthroughs. In conclusion the relationship between Christianity and culture is an interlinked one whereby one undeniably will affect the other.
Showing posts with label Thinking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thinking. Show all posts
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Saturday, May 14, 2011
[Close] Friend
Friend
/frɛnd/ –noun
1.A person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.
2.A person who gives assistance; patron; supporter: friends ofthe Boston Symphony.
3.A person who is on good terms with another; a person who is not hostile: Who goes there? Friend or foe?
“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art.... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.”
C.S. Lewis
I was inspired to write this post due to some certain happenings and realizations that had occurred to me during the past 2 weeks. Basically it revolves around the problems that I am having with one my group of friends, my so called “clique”. The group consists of 5 of us and we have been a clique for almost 2 years now.
We were 5 different people going to 4 different Junior Colleges in Singapore, but somehow or the other we ended up going out together, all 5 of us, and found that we make a pretty good group together. During those early times when we first became a clique, every minute that we spent together as a group was pure unadulterated fun and joy. Conversations flowed so easily between us, there’s no need to think up of a topic, everything just flowed naturally. And every time we had an opinion about something or someone, we are free to express it within the group as knowing that we will not be judged by others within that group.
Here’s a bit of how we described ourselves at that point in time.
“A constellation of far-from-ordinary beings,
whose responsiveness is unmatched by any thermocouple,
whose craziness is unrivalled by any mental patient,
whose originality is unparalleled by any PW group,
with a never-ending passion to live life to the fullest.”
But now, sadly to say, things are quite different. We all grew apart over the past 2 years and now, conversations no longer flows so easily between us, and the veil of awkward silence is appearing more and more often every time we got together as a group. There are a lot of unspoken things going on between the five of us and what makes it so difficult is that, we are not completely transparent towards each other regarding how we feel about each other and as a group. I am still very good friends with some others in the group and chatted with them on a daily basis, and I feel that all of them are always completely honest with me. It’s just that they are not completely honest with each other and this is why it’s very difficult for us to connect as a group right now.
The questions that I kept asking myself and also others within the group are, what happened to us as a group of close friends? How could we drift apart over the 2 years?
This whole thing with my clique finally got me asking a very important question to myself.
What in actual fact are close friends?
To me close friends are those people who you know are always there for you. Who will stick with together with you through all your ups and downs. Your sanctuary, where silence is just as comfortable as any other conversation, where you can be yourself without being judged, where you can express your feelings, opinions, worries, regrets, hopes and dreams without any form of censorship. Who you know will always be honest with you and will tell you the things that are the most difficult to tell. Who will never think of the possibility of not being friends with you . Who can grow separately from you without growing apart. The ones whom you’ll keep close throughout the years of your life.
Seeing what I’ve just written I do realize that it’s a really tall order for someone in order to be considered as one of my close friends, but I believe that’s actually the beauty of it. They are those very rare and difficult to find gems, but whose value will outshine any other and make you richer beyond your imagination. I myself have had the fortune of stumbling upon some of those gems. Friends whom after years of separation I can still connect with and accept me for who I’ve become after the years of separation.
This made me realised that my clique was never really a group of close friends at all. I mean I am close friends with some members within the clique itself, but as a group we are never really that close, we were just ‘compatible’ with each other at that point in time.
It was circumstances and similar thought processes that brought us together. Not the fact that we are close to each other. Conversations flowed so easily back then because we still think the same way, having the same opinions about things and therefore are free to express it without being judged as the rest would certainly feel the same way towards whatever that you are talking about. But as time goes by, we all change, albeit a little. Bit by bit we all grew a part, our opinions start to differ, our character starts to mould itself into different shapes from what it was when it all began. This difference was the thing that finally caused us to not be able to maintain that “closeness” that we had at the beginning.
Well right now, the group is still a pretty fun group to hang out with. I still look forward towards meeting them all together as a group, as whatever it is, we still make a pretty good group albeit not having that closeness that we use to have. I mean we all can still talk and joke together and at times I do get to see glimpses of the times before we grew apart.
This whole experience made me realize a thing or two about the nature of close friends, and how I shouldn’t mistake close friends with compatible friends, where the closeness and comfort we feel are all in a very superficial basis menial conversations we had and the fun of hanging out together.
In life we meet different kinds of people, some will stay by our side and be our friends some will just be another person in our life, never leaving a deep imprint in the sands of our life. I do agree with C.S. Lewis that friends are the ones who help us give meaning in our lives. Sure some are close friends and some are not, but I feel that we should treasure each and every one of them no matter what. Like my friends in my clique, even though as a group we were never that close, but they have given me so many fun and memorable memories that I continue to treasure until now. Seeing how things have become, I never regretted ever meeting them and forming a clique with them, it’s just that life meant for us to go on our separate ways. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t still have fun together and that they have made me richer in a way that they have never imagined.
/frɛnd/ –noun
1.A person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.
2.A person who gives assistance; patron; supporter: friends ofthe Boston Symphony.
3.A person who is on good terms with another; a person who is not hostile: Who goes there? Friend or foe?
“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art.... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.”
C.S. Lewis
I was inspired to write this post due to some certain happenings and realizations that had occurred to me during the past 2 weeks. Basically it revolves around the problems that I am having with one my group of friends, my so called “clique”. The group consists of 5 of us and we have been a clique for almost 2 years now.
We were 5 different people going to 4 different Junior Colleges in Singapore, but somehow or the other we ended up going out together, all 5 of us, and found that we make a pretty good group together. During those early times when we first became a clique, every minute that we spent together as a group was pure unadulterated fun and joy. Conversations flowed so easily between us, there’s no need to think up of a topic, everything just flowed naturally. And every time we had an opinion about something or someone, we are free to express it within the group as knowing that we will not be judged by others within that group.
Here’s a bit of how we described ourselves at that point in time.
“A constellation of far-from-ordinary beings,
whose responsiveness is unmatched by any thermocouple,
whose craziness is unrivalled by any mental patient,
whose originality is unparalleled by any PW group,
with a never-ending passion to live life to the fullest.”
But now, sadly to say, things are quite different. We all grew apart over the past 2 years and now, conversations no longer flows so easily between us, and the veil of awkward silence is appearing more and more often every time we got together as a group. There are a lot of unspoken things going on between the five of us and what makes it so difficult is that, we are not completely transparent towards each other regarding how we feel about each other and as a group. I am still very good friends with some others in the group and chatted with them on a daily basis, and I feel that all of them are always completely honest with me. It’s just that they are not completely honest with each other and this is why it’s very difficult for us to connect as a group right now.
The questions that I kept asking myself and also others within the group are, what happened to us as a group of close friends? How could we drift apart over the 2 years?
This whole thing with my clique finally got me asking a very important question to myself.
What in actual fact are close friends?
To me close friends are those people who you know are always there for you. Who will stick with together with you through all your ups and downs. Your sanctuary, where silence is just as comfortable as any other conversation, where you can be yourself without being judged, where you can express your feelings, opinions, worries, regrets, hopes and dreams without any form of censorship. Who you know will always be honest with you and will tell you the things that are the most difficult to tell. Who will never think of the possibility of not being friends with you . Who can grow separately from you without growing apart. The ones whom you’ll keep close throughout the years of your life.
Seeing what I’ve just written I do realize that it’s a really tall order for someone in order to be considered as one of my close friends, but I believe that’s actually the beauty of it. They are those very rare and difficult to find gems, but whose value will outshine any other and make you richer beyond your imagination. I myself have had the fortune of stumbling upon some of those gems. Friends whom after years of separation I can still connect with and accept me for who I’ve become after the years of separation.
This made me realised that my clique was never really a group of close friends at all. I mean I am close friends with some members within the clique itself, but as a group we are never really that close, we were just ‘compatible’ with each other at that point in time.
It was circumstances and similar thought processes that brought us together. Not the fact that we are close to each other. Conversations flowed so easily back then because we still think the same way, having the same opinions about things and therefore are free to express it without being judged as the rest would certainly feel the same way towards whatever that you are talking about. But as time goes by, we all change, albeit a little. Bit by bit we all grew a part, our opinions start to differ, our character starts to mould itself into different shapes from what it was when it all began. This difference was the thing that finally caused us to not be able to maintain that “closeness” that we had at the beginning.
Well right now, the group is still a pretty fun group to hang out with. I still look forward towards meeting them all together as a group, as whatever it is, we still make a pretty good group albeit not having that closeness that we use to have. I mean we all can still talk and joke together and at times I do get to see glimpses of the times before we grew apart.
This whole experience made me realize a thing or two about the nature of close friends, and how I shouldn’t mistake close friends with compatible friends, where the closeness and comfort we feel are all in a very superficial basis menial conversations we had and the fun of hanging out together.
In life we meet different kinds of people, some will stay by our side and be our friends some will just be another person in our life, never leaving a deep imprint in the sands of our life. I do agree with C.S. Lewis that friends are the ones who help us give meaning in our lives. Sure some are close friends and some are not, but I feel that we should treasure each and every one of them no matter what. Like my friends in my clique, even though as a group we were never that close, but they have given me so many fun and memorable memories that I continue to treasure until now. Seeing how things have become, I never regretted ever meeting them and forming a clique with them, it’s just that life meant for us to go on our separate ways. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t still have fun together and that they have made me richer in a way that they have never imagined.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Outcast
out•cast
/ˈaʊtˌkæst, -ˌkɑst/ –noun
1.A person who is rejected or cast out, as from home orsociety: In the beginning the area was settled by outcasts,adventurers, and felons.
2.A homeless wanderer; vagabond.
3.Rejected matter; refuse.
Around a month or so ago, I was chatting to my friend and somehow or the other (it always starts like this), the topic turned to our old days in Junior High School, the things that we did together, the things we experienced, teachers we like, teachers we hate and the likes. Thinking about my Junior High School experience I can’t help but remember a few of those ‘misfits’ in our batch. There was this girl in our batch, whom everyone tried to avoid at all cost. There were nasty rumours about her temper and also about her personality. No one would befriend her, there were mean jokes made about her, and even exaggeration of things that she did to further tarnish her image. I was never close to her and never had any class with her, so I never really knew whether or not all those nasty things that I hear about her were even true at all.
Remembering this, I asked my friend, whether or not she can imagine if she were to be in the position of that particular girl. I always find it kind of interesting, trying to put on other people’s shoes and try to see from their point of view. Even if we have different mindsets and different thought processes, but at least you can try to imagine the experiences that the other person went through. To be honest, I can’t really imagine myself in that girl’s position. No friends, disliked by the whole batch, having people concocting lies about you to further destroy your chances of connecting with other people, it’s just too much.
In every school, or any community even, there are always some people who are deemed as the outcasts. They are what most call as the misfits, those who can’t or won’t fit in with the rest of the community. I guess one of the reasons for this is the fact that everybody’s different and of course within a community there are certain people who can connect with a lot of other people and there are those whose personality or character had a smaller acceptance group within the community. The outcasts are the extreme of the latter group, they are sometimes just so different that very few people can connect with them.
The question that I’ve been asking is whose fault is it? Is it the society’s fault for not being accepting enough to other people who are just born different? Or is it the person’s fault for not trying hard enough to fit in? I feel that outcasts are social conundrums. At times you really want to help them and reach out to them, but sometimes you yourself just can’t “click” with them or understand them at all. And if we try to ask them to change, to be able to accepted, is it wrong? Are we asking them to change who they are? Are we not respecting them as individuals, as a unique person?
It is wrong for the society to completely reject a few people and deem them as outcast just because they are different than the majority. However this does not mean that everyone can just do as they like within society, demanding the society to accept them as who they are, no matter how they are in terms character and personality. The key thing to achieve this ideal of concept of acceptance for everyone is tolerance.
These days, sometimes the society is a bit too prejudiced and filled with judgements based on inaccurate observations and assumptions. These prejudices and judgements are sometimes so strong that the society would refuse to look beyond that of the prejudice to see who the person really is. As a society we all should try and practice tolerance, be less judging and more accepting towards other people. Try to understand where they came from, and try to accept them as unique individuals.
However we can’t put the entire burden on the society as tolerance must also be practiced by the individual. Just asking other people to accept who you are without making any effort means you are just being selfish and not being tolerant towards other people around you. When we live in a society we are bound by certain rules and certain norms which are accepted within that society. Therefore we all must adjust ourselves to fit into that particular society. Just an example, maybe your favourite thing to talk about is dirt (not mocking any dirt-loving people here just giving an example), but not everyone can understand it, so make the effort to find something else to talk about, rather than expecting everyone to understand that you love dirt, and therefore must always talk about dirt with you. Tolerance goes both ways, if everyone were to be so selfish and didn’t try to fit in anarchy and chaos would ensue, and the concept of society would just be a thing of the past.
This just goes to show that being an outcast is not a permanent state, that we all have the power to change it. The general population can help by trying to be more accepting and understanding towards the different people, but the individuals must also try and help themselves to change a bit and fit in with the general population. Trying to fit in does not mean changing who you are, your personality or your character. It's being tolerant with the rest of the community, it’s controlling yourself in order to be able to connect with larger groups of people, and try to accept that the there are certain norms within the society that should be followed to be able to connect with the general population. It is perfectly possible trying to fit in while at the same time keeping true to the essence of who you are as a person.
/ˈaʊtˌkæst, -ˌkɑst/ –noun
1.A person who is rejected or cast out, as from home orsociety: In the beginning the area was settled by outcasts,adventurers, and felons.
2.A homeless wanderer; vagabond.
3.Rejected matter; refuse.
Around a month or so ago, I was chatting to my friend and somehow or the other (it always starts like this), the topic turned to our old days in Junior High School, the things that we did together, the things we experienced, teachers we like, teachers we hate and the likes. Thinking about my Junior High School experience I can’t help but remember a few of those ‘misfits’ in our batch. There was this girl in our batch, whom everyone tried to avoid at all cost. There were nasty rumours about her temper and also about her personality. No one would befriend her, there were mean jokes made about her, and even exaggeration of things that she did to further tarnish her image. I was never close to her and never had any class with her, so I never really knew whether or not all those nasty things that I hear about her were even true at all.
Remembering this, I asked my friend, whether or not she can imagine if she were to be in the position of that particular girl. I always find it kind of interesting, trying to put on other people’s shoes and try to see from their point of view. Even if we have different mindsets and different thought processes, but at least you can try to imagine the experiences that the other person went through. To be honest, I can’t really imagine myself in that girl’s position. No friends, disliked by the whole batch, having people concocting lies about you to further destroy your chances of connecting with other people, it’s just too much.
In every school, or any community even, there are always some people who are deemed as the outcasts. They are what most call as the misfits, those who can’t or won’t fit in with the rest of the community. I guess one of the reasons for this is the fact that everybody’s different and of course within a community there are certain people who can connect with a lot of other people and there are those whose personality or character had a smaller acceptance group within the community. The outcasts are the extreme of the latter group, they are sometimes just so different that very few people can connect with them.
The question that I’ve been asking is whose fault is it? Is it the society’s fault for not being accepting enough to other people who are just born different? Or is it the person’s fault for not trying hard enough to fit in? I feel that outcasts are social conundrums. At times you really want to help them and reach out to them, but sometimes you yourself just can’t “click” with them or understand them at all. And if we try to ask them to change, to be able to accepted, is it wrong? Are we asking them to change who they are? Are we not respecting them as individuals, as a unique person?
It is wrong for the society to completely reject a few people and deem them as outcast just because they are different than the majority. However this does not mean that everyone can just do as they like within society, demanding the society to accept them as who they are, no matter how they are in terms character and personality. The key thing to achieve this ideal of concept of acceptance for everyone is tolerance.
These days, sometimes the society is a bit too prejudiced and filled with judgements based on inaccurate observations and assumptions. These prejudices and judgements are sometimes so strong that the society would refuse to look beyond that of the prejudice to see who the person really is. As a society we all should try and practice tolerance, be less judging and more accepting towards other people. Try to understand where they came from, and try to accept them as unique individuals.
However we can’t put the entire burden on the society as tolerance must also be practiced by the individual. Just asking other people to accept who you are without making any effort means you are just being selfish and not being tolerant towards other people around you. When we live in a society we are bound by certain rules and certain norms which are accepted within that society. Therefore we all must adjust ourselves to fit into that particular society. Just an example, maybe your favourite thing to talk about is dirt (not mocking any dirt-loving people here just giving an example), but not everyone can understand it, so make the effort to find something else to talk about, rather than expecting everyone to understand that you love dirt, and therefore must always talk about dirt with you. Tolerance goes both ways, if everyone were to be so selfish and didn’t try to fit in anarchy and chaos would ensue, and the concept of society would just be a thing of the past.
This just goes to show that being an outcast is not a permanent state, that we all have the power to change it. The general population can help by trying to be more accepting and understanding towards the different people, but the individuals must also try and help themselves to change a bit and fit in with the general population. Trying to fit in does not mean changing who you are, your personality or your character. It's being tolerant with the rest of the community, it’s controlling yourself in order to be able to connect with larger groups of people, and try to accept that the there are certain norms within the society that should be followed to be able to connect with the general population. It is perfectly possible trying to fit in while at the same time keeping true to the essence of who you are as a person.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Acceptance
ac•cept•ance
/ækˈsɛp təns/ –noun
1.the act of taking or receiving something offered.
2.favorable reception; approval; favor.
3.the act of assenting or believing: acceptance of a theory.
“But can we all just stop lying about that there aren’t things that we wouldn’t change about ourselves? . . . I’m just keeping it real. . . . All I’m saying is that if you look in the mirror and you don’t like what you see, you should change it.”
Santana Lopez– Glee “Born This Way”
When you look at yourself in the mirror, are there things that you wish you could change? Are there things about yourself, inside and out, that you wish you never had?
The newest Glee episode revolves around the topic of people accepting themselves for who they really are, no matter what you look like, no matter what race you came from. For me, the most impactful moment of the show was the internal conflict within Quinn Fabray. So far in Glee, she has been depicted as your typical High School “It” girl, long flowing blonde hair, a facial bone structure which are to die for, basically the prettiest girl in school. Here in this episode it was revealed that before she came to High School, she was not pretty at all. She was fat, had pimples all over her face and had brown hair (not that there’s anything wrong with brown hair). She even did a nose job to achieve the look that she has right now. This is what she has to say about her experience being that sad little girl.
“I hated the way I look. I had zits, I was chubby, felt terrible about myself. I didn’t have friends, nobody would talk to me. I was the only kid at school who had to dissect their own frogs because nobody would be my lab partner. [Describing the changes she made]. . . I love myself and that’s why I did all those things. I’ve been that girl, and I’m never going back."
Quinn Fabray – Glee “Born This Way”
I believe that this is a topic that really resonates deep inside all of us because, as Santana has so crudely put, there must be things about ourselves that we always want to change. Maybe you want to lose a few more pounds, to have higher cheek bones, wishing to God that you don’t have an entire Amazon of zits on your face or even wishing that you came from another race. And we all know how hard life can be when you don’t look like as good as other people, when you don’t click with other people, when you’re different.
Personally I can really relate to Quinn Fabray, in terms of how she used to hate the way she looked. I didn’t have it as bad as she was (I never wish to have any cosmetic surgeries), but I have to admit that I was fat when I was younger, and I wasn’t remotely athletic at all. I totally suck at sports, and in an environment where most people view that boys should be good at sports it was something that I was really ashamed off. And all these things that I see of myself are the reasons why I strive towards perfection (insecurity post). It is because I was so insecure about myself and the way I look that I tried so hard in order to be that perfect image. Just like how Quinn Fabray tried so hard to change and hide her past so she can be what she is today. I believe that when you see someone who is almost perfect it’s either they are just lucky enough to have it all naturally or they are just extremely insecure that they try so hard to be perfect to satisfy their insecurity and to be able to accept themselves.
When talking about the topic of acceptance I am always a bit confused as sometimes trying to change who you are, like what Santana said, can be a good thing. For me, I tried to lose weight and I picked up certain sports like tennis and swimming and all of those worked for me. Nowadays I can feel much better about myself compared to when I was still in Primary and Junior High School. In the words of Quinn Fabray, I didn’t try to be perfect and change myself solely because of the insecurity and because I hate myself, it is because I love myself that I want to change, that I want to be better.
I believe that acceptance is crucial. You should always try and accept who you are, especially all the things that you can’t change inside or out. But like how you must control your insecurities I believe you should also control your sense of acceptance too, as we all should look at ourselves and try to see the things that we can change to make ourselves into a better person. An example, I was obese last time, If I were to completely accept myself with no other regards, I would have continued being obese and unhealthy for the rest of my life, with risks of heart disease and diabetes haunting me every step of the way. All I’m saying is do not let your sense of acceptance of who you are prevent you from trying to improve yourself as a person.
Acceptance does not only mean towards oneself but also towards others. As we can see from Quinn Fabray’s account, her life was miserable not because she didn’t accept herself, it is because the other kids in school refuses to accept her for who she was and what she looked like, which caused her to hate herself for it. Accepting yourself for who you are is one step, but we should never forget to try and accept other people for who they really are as well. People are born different and who are we to judge them based on their looks and what they have? We all have things that we wish to change about ourselves and so does the people around us, and it will do everyone good if we could try and accept other people for who they are and not give them a miserable time in school or anywhere else just because they are different. We all have certain kinds of people that we prefer to hang out with and that’s perfectly fine. But that shouldn’t stop us from trying to be nice and accepting to everyone, even the people that we can’t really “click” with.
Finally, in the words of Lady Gaga
I'm beautiful in my way
'Cause God makes no mistakes
I'm on the right track baby
I was born this way
Don't hide yourself in regret
Just love yourself and you're set
I'm on the right track baby
I was born this way
/ækˈsɛp təns/ –noun
1.the act of taking or receiving something offered.
2.favorable reception; approval; favor.
3.the act of assenting or believing: acceptance of a theory.
“But can we all just stop lying about that there aren’t things that we wouldn’t change about ourselves? . . . I’m just keeping it real. . . . All I’m saying is that if you look in the mirror and you don’t like what you see, you should change it.”
Santana Lopez– Glee “Born This Way”
When you look at yourself in the mirror, are there things that you wish you could change? Are there things about yourself, inside and out, that you wish you never had?
The newest Glee episode revolves around the topic of people accepting themselves for who they really are, no matter what you look like, no matter what race you came from. For me, the most impactful moment of the show was the internal conflict within Quinn Fabray. So far in Glee, she has been depicted as your typical High School “It” girl, long flowing blonde hair, a facial bone structure which are to die for, basically the prettiest girl in school. Here in this episode it was revealed that before she came to High School, she was not pretty at all. She was fat, had pimples all over her face and had brown hair (not that there’s anything wrong with brown hair). She even did a nose job to achieve the look that she has right now. This is what she has to say about her experience being that sad little girl.
“I hated the way I look. I had zits, I was chubby, felt terrible about myself. I didn’t have friends, nobody would talk to me. I was the only kid at school who had to dissect their own frogs because nobody would be my lab partner. [Describing the changes she made]. . . I love myself and that’s why I did all those things. I’ve been that girl, and I’m never going back."
Quinn Fabray – Glee “Born This Way”
I believe that this is a topic that really resonates deep inside all of us because, as Santana has so crudely put, there must be things about ourselves that we always want to change. Maybe you want to lose a few more pounds, to have higher cheek bones, wishing to God that you don’t have an entire Amazon of zits on your face or even wishing that you came from another race. And we all know how hard life can be when you don’t look like as good as other people, when you don’t click with other people, when you’re different.
Personally I can really relate to Quinn Fabray, in terms of how she used to hate the way she looked. I didn’t have it as bad as she was (I never wish to have any cosmetic surgeries), but I have to admit that I was fat when I was younger, and I wasn’t remotely athletic at all. I totally suck at sports, and in an environment where most people view that boys should be good at sports it was something that I was really ashamed off. And all these things that I see of myself are the reasons why I strive towards perfection (insecurity post). It is because I was so insecure about myself and the way I look that I tried so hard in order to be that perfect image. Just like how Quinn Fabray tried so hard to change and hide her past so she can be what she is today. I believe that when you see someone who is almost perfect it’s either they are just lucky enough to have it all naturally or they are just extremely insecure that they try so hard to be perfect to satisfy their insecurity and to be able to accept themselves.
When talking about the topic of acceptance I am always a bit confused as sometimes trying to change who you are, like what Santana said, can be a good thing. For me, I tried to lose weight and I picked up certain sports like tennis and swimming and all of those worked for me. Nowadays I can feel much better about myself compared to when I was still in Primary and Junior High School. In the words of Quinn Fabray, I didn’t try to be perfect and change myself solely because of the insecurity and because I hate myself, it is because I love myself that I want to change, that I want to be better.
I believe that acceptance is crucial. You should always try and accept who you are, especially all the things that you can’t change inside or out. But like how you must control your insecurities I believe you should also control your sense of acceptance too, as we all should look at ourselves and try to see the things that we can change to make ourselves into a better person. An example, I was obese last time, If I were to completely accept myself with no other regards, I would have continued being obese and unhealthy for the rest of my life, with risks of heart disease and diabetes haunting me every step of the way. All I’m saying is do not let your sense of acceptance of who you are prevent you from trying to improve yourself as a person.
Acceptance does not only mean towards oneself but also towards others. As we can see from Quinn Fabray’s account, her life was miserable not because she didn’t accept herself, it is because the other kids in school refuses to accept her for who she was and what she looked like, which caused her to hate herself for it. Accepting yourself for who you are is one step, but we should never forget to try and accept other people for who they really are as well. People are born different and who are we to judge them based on their looks and what they have? We all have things that we wish to change about ourselves and so does the people around us, and it will do everyone good if we could try and accept other people for who they are and not give them a miserable time in school or anywhere else just because they are different. We all have certain kinds of people that we prefer to hang out with and that’s perfectly fine. But that shouldn’t stop us from trying to be nice and accepting to everyone, even the people that we can’t really “click” with.
Finally, in the words of Lady Gaga
I'm beautiful in my way
'Cause God makes no mistakes
I'm on the right track baby
I was born this way
Don't hide yourself in regret
Just love yourself and you're set
I'm on the right track baby
I was born this way
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Close Encounters of the [Popular] Kind
pop•u•lar•i•ty
/ˌpɒp yəˈlær ɪ ti/ –noun
1.The quality or fact of being popular.
2.The favor of the general public or of a particular group of people: His popularity with television audiences is unrivaled.
On my last post regarding this topic I was writing the basic ‘theories’ of popularity. How to achieve it, Who can achieve it, and even the types of popularity that you can achieve. After going through all the technical stuff I have decided to write something a little bit more personal in this post.
I for one have always been obsessed with popularity. I can’t really remember where this realization came from, but I believe that this obsession started in the first year of Junior High School. Ever since primary school I have always been elected to become class presidents and such, so for me holding important positions within the students population is something that I have gotten used to. I still remember when I first graduated from Primary School and went to my Junior High School, I aspired to be the president of the students’ council, in true fashion of what I have been doing in primary school. And apparently as lady luck would have it, I was elected as the president of the Students’ Council, in my first year in Junior High. This alone was enough to propel my so-called social status up there with all the “it” groups. In a sense for most of my school life I have achieved popularity and in way this made me dependent on it.
This all changed when I went to Singapore after I received my ASEAN Scholarship. Thrown into a new country away from my family and everything that I hold near and dear, it was my worst nightmare. I had the worst ever case of homesickness which basically incapacitated me socially. I become very introvert and only spend time with the friends that I’ve known beforehand, and it was a very small circle of friends. I really thought that It will end my popularity streak, but in the middle of the first year I was elected as a part of the Hostel Committee. This helps a lot, as I get to know more people and it reminded me of the days in my Junior High School, organizing events and such. Ever since I became the hostel committee I was able to open up more to other people, get to know lots more people and finally gaining influence within the society. This will repeat again in my years as a Junior College student in Singapore, I was member of the school choir, elected member of the Students’ Council in my school and I became the president of the Students’ Council in my Hostel. To be honest those two years were the best two years of my life so far!
Ok, enough with the reminiscing, my point is that, being always in the place of advantage in terms of popularity made me understand it more as well as allow me to understand the society better. I guess in my years in primary school and junior high, I achieved the second kind of popularity, the ones that we get by virtue of our position and nothing else. I managed to keep close friends over the years from that stage of my life, but I don’t hold any significance influence towards others who were in my batch. But my years in Singapore I believe it has taught me much more, as those experiences has allowed me to develop my character and to a certain extent achieve the first kind of popularity, the ones that you actually make a real connection with the people around you, enriching yourself and others in the process.
Over the years I have also met people with ambitions such as mine who are not as lucky as me. A lot of my friends are so called social climbers and had what I would call as popularity complex (I myself have this same problem). And I suppose it’s not wrong to want to be popular, it’s not wrong to want to be influential and be more than just a face in the crowd. However what’s wrong is when this obsession becomes you ultimate goal which you will do almost anything just to achieve it. I think the biggest crime that you can do to yourself is to change yourself just so that you can gain the attention of the public just to achieve a superficial popularity.
Popularity is important and does help you to create memorable memories in school or in your community, but superficial popularity is not worth it when you have to change yourself and lose potential good friends who are willing to accept you for who you are. I mean sure you can say that life is unfair as not everyone is gifted with the charm, personality or charisma that will allow you to attain the first type of popularity. But that’s life, and I believe that having a few close friends are much more important than achieving any kinds of popularity. From my experience whenever I am in my most difficult moments, only your best friends are there to support you and walk you through those though times. Without my friends, I don’t think that I could make it through those four years in Singapore. So yeah, popularity is great to have, and it’s OK to pursue, but don’t let that cloud your eyes and judgement from what’s really important in life. True friends.
/ˌpɒp yəˈlær ɪ ti/ –noun
1.The quality or fact of being popular.
2.The favor of the general public or of a particular group of people: His popularity with television audiences is unrivaled.
On my last post regarding this topic I was writing the basic ‘theories’ of popularity. How to achieve it, Who can achieve it, and even the types of popularity that you can achieve. After going through all the technical stuff I have decided to write something a little bit more personal in this post.
I for one have always been obsessed with popularity. I can’t really remember where this realization came from, but I believe that this obsession started in the first year of Junior High School. Ever since primary school I have always been elected to become class presidents and such, so for me holding important positions within the students population is something that I have gotten used to. I still remember when I first graduated from Primary School and went to my Junior High School, I aspired to be the president of the students’ council, in true fashion of what I have been doing in primary school. And apparently as lady luck would have it, I was elected as the president of the Students’ Council, in my first year in Junior High. This alone was enough to propel my so-called social status up there with all the “it” groups. In a sense for most of my school life I have achieved popularity and in way this made me dependent on it.
This all changed when I went to Singapore after I received my ASEAN Scholarship. Thrown into a new country away from my family and everything that I hold near and dear, it was my worst nightmare. I had the worst ever case of homesickness which basically incapacitated me socially. I become very introvert and only spend time with the friends that I’ve known beforehand, and it was a very small circle of friends. I really thought that It will end my popularity streak, but in the middle of the first year I was elected as a part of the Hostel Committee. This helps a lot, as I get to know more people and it reminded me of the days in my Junior High School, organizing events and such. Ever since I became the hostel committee I was able to open up more to other people, get to know lots more people and finally gaining influence within the society. This will repeat again in my years as a Junior College student in Singapore, I was member of the school choir, elected member of the Students’ Council in my school and I became the president of the Students’ Council in my Hostel. To be honest those two years were the best two years of my life so far!
Ok, enough with the reminiscing, my point is that, being always in the place of advantage in terms of popularity made me understand it more as well as allow me to understand the society better. I guess in my years in primary school and junior high, I achieved the second kind of popularity, the ones that we get by virtue of our position and nothing else. I managed to keep close friends over the years from that stage of my life, but I don’t hold any significance influence towards others who were in my batch. But my years in Singapore I believe it has taught me much more, as those experiences has allowed me to develop my character and to a certain extent achieve the first kind of popularity, the ones that you actually make a real connection with the people around you, enriching yourself and others in the process.
Over the years I have also met people with ambitions such as mine who are not as lucky as me. A lot of my friends are so called social climbers and had what I would call as popularity complex (I myself have this same problem). And I suppose it’s not wrong to want to be popular, it’s not wrong to want to be influential and be more than just a face in the crowd. However what’s wrong is when this obsession becomes you ultimate goal which you will do almost anything just to achieve it. I think the biggest crime that you can do to yourself is to change yourself just so that you can gain the attention of the public just to achieve a superficial popularity.
Popularity is important and does help you to create memorable memories in school or in your community, but superficial popularity is not worth it when you have to change yourself and lose potential good friends who are willing to accept you for who you are. I mean sure you can say that life is unfair as not everyone is gifted with the charm, personality or charisma that will allow you to attain the first type of popularity. But that’s life, and I believe that having a few close friends are much more important than achieving any kinds of popularity. From my experience whenever I am in my most difficult moments, only your best friends are there to support you and walk you through those though times. Without my friends, I don’t think that I could make it through those four years in Singapore. So yeah, popularity is great to have, and it’s OK to pursue, but don’t let that cloud your eyes and judgement from what’s really important in life. True friends.
My 15 minute Essay in all its Entirety
This is my answer to a question for the SMU Law Admission Test.It was done in around 15 minutes and am proud to have finished the essay with only that short period of time. I didn't anything even though there are a few grammar mistakes and typos (OMG!! Shit! hopefully they can still understand my points) inside since I did it in such a rush. I am presenting it in its entirety.
*Disclaimer's Notice* : I have no idea whether or not I can post this thing online, as it is a document that was sent to me, and there was no privacy policy that was attached with the document. If by any way I am violating some rules of privacy by SMU,I apologize and I did not do so intentionally and will immediately take down this post.
The question was : “In the struggle between the will of the majority and the right of the individual, the law necessarily leans in favour of the former.” Comment.
I believe that the statement “in the struggle between the will of the majority and the right of the individual, the law necessarily leans in favour of the former” is not completely true. This due to the fact that the law is first created within the society in order to create order and to manage the society itself as a social entity.
Here we must distinguish between the will of the majority with the greater good. Many people would have agreed upon that statement using the logic derived from utilitarianistic principle whereby we always try to take the course of actions that will result in the maximum amount of happiness, or in other words the actions that will promote the greater good rather than the good of the Individuals. Here its is different, as the greater good would mean that it is something that has been established to be good for everyone in the society. For example the policy of underage drinking and putting 18 years old as the lowest age in which someone could actually purchase an alcoholic drink. In a fictional country whereby a lot of the people there are alcoholics and the culture itself tends towards alcoholism whereby the parents does allow their children to take alcohol, the will of the majority might be to make alcohol available to everyone of any age. However as the government of the country they should realize that this will although is the will f the majority and is derived from the tradition of its people is not advantageous for the society as a whole and may even cause a regress in societal development. Therefore here the law must step in restrict the amount of alcohol consumed for the greater good of the society. Hence here we can see a case whereby laws does not always tend towards the will of the majority but rather towards the greater good of the society which is two completely different things.
Individual rights is also important inside a society and therefore will not and should not be neglected by the law. In a society there are constant interactions between individuals and their rights and occasions whereby the rights of the people intersects. The law is built upon creating this balance of individual rights as well as common rights. Without the presence of individual rights the society could work and develop as the people will be extremely tied down and are not respected as individuals. This in turn might cause unhappiness between the people and may cause an uprising within the society, an example is the fall of the USSR. Therefore we can see how even though law works towards promoting the greater good, individual rights must still be respected and preserved, as it is ultimately individuals who built and ensure the sustainability of our society. It is only when an individual is using his or her individual rights to do harm to the society can the law step in to protect the society as a whole, as according to the greater good principle the well being of the society as a whole is more important that the well being of an individual.
In conclusion, the law does not tend towards favoring the will of the majority, but rather the greater good of the society which must be distinguished. Individual rights are also important within a society as individuals are ultimately the back bone of the society and protecting their rights will ensure the presence of a social stability and promote the greater good for the society. Hence, the law is not favouring both individual rights of the will of the majority but rather the greater good for the society itself.
*Disclaimer's Notice* : I have no idea whether or not I can post this thing online, as it is a document that was sent to me, and there was no privacy policy that was attached with the document. If by any way I am violating some rules of privacy by SMU,I apologize and I did not do so intentionally and will immediately take down this post.
The question was : “In the struggle between the will of the majority and the right of the individual, the law necessarily leans in favour of the former.” Comment.
I believe that the statement “in the struggle between the will of the majority and the right of the individual, the law necessarily leans in favour of the former” is not completely true. This due to the fact that the law is first created within the society in order to create order and to manage the society itself as a social entity.
Here we must distinguish between the will of the majority with the greater good. Many people would have agreed upon that statement using the logic derived from utilitarianistic principle whereby we always try to take the course of actions that will result in the maximum amount of happiness, or in other words the actions that will promote the greater good rather than the good of the Individuals. Here its is different, as the greater good would mean that it is something that has been established to be good for everyone in the society. For example the policy of underage drinking and putting 18 years old as the lowest age in which someone could actually purchase an alcoholic drink. In a fictional country whereby a lot of the people there are alcoholics and the culture itself tends towards alcoholism whereby the parents does allow their children to take alcohol, the will of the majority might be to make alcohol available to everyone of any age. However as the government of the country they should realize that this will although is the will f the majority and is derived from the tradition of its people is not advantageous for the society as a whole and may even cause a regress in societal development. Therefore here the law must step in restrict the amount of alcohol consumed for the greater good of the society. Hence here we can see a case whereby laws does not always tend towards the will of the majority but rather towards the greater good of the society which is two completely different things.
Individual rights is also important inside a society and therefore will not and should not be neglected by the law. In a society there are constant interactions between individuals and their rights and occasions whereby the rights of the people intersects. The law is built upon creating this balance of individual rights as well as common rights. Without the presence of individual rights the society could work and develop as the people will be extremely tied down and are not respected as individuals. This in turn might cause unhappiness between the people and may cause an uprising within the society, an example is the fall of the USSR. Therefore we can see how even though law works towards promoting the greater good, individual rights must still be respected and preserved, as it is ultimately individuals who built and ensure the sustainability of our society. It is only when an individual is using his or her individual rights to do harm to the society can the law step in to protect the society as a whole, as according to the greater good principle the well being of the society as a whole is more important that the well being of an individual.
In conclusion, the law does not tend towards favoring the will of the majority, but rather the greater good of the society which must be distinguished. Individual rights are also important within a society as individuals are ultimately the back bone of the society and protecting their rights will ensure the presence of a social stability and promote the greater good for the society. Hence, the law is not favouring both individual rights of the will of the majority but rather the greater good for the society itself.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Insecurity
in•se•cu•ri•ty
/ˌɪn sɪˈkyʊər ɪ ti/
–noun, plural -ties.
1.lack of confidence or assurance; self-doubt: He is plagued by insecurity.
2.the quality or state of being insecure; instability: the insecurity of her financial position
3.something insecure: the many insecurities of life.
You know how sometimes you see other people and you wish that you could be just like them? To just want to have what they have or achieve what they achieve. It’s like by looking at that person you started to see yourself in the mirror and reflect. Seeing your flaws and seeing what you have yet to achieve so far in your short life. I don’t know about others but for me it causes stirs of undercurrents deep within me. Every time I see someone whom I think is better than me at something, a monster wakes up and feeds from my self-esteem.
I know that I might sound shallow but for me, physical appearance matters a lot and it is actually one of my deepest underlying insecurities. I’m not completely vain or anything it’s just that it’s very hard for me to actually feel confident about the way I look. I know that I’m not the best looking one in the lot, and I suppose I never really felt satisfied with the way I look and all. This whole spark of insecurities came up when I saw some actor and kind of wished that I could have had his life. Silly, I know, and yet don’t we all feel that way sometimes?
Some of my friends know that I have this obsession to be absolutely perfect in every way possible. This is the reason why I take up a lot of stuff, from piano, painting, tennis, to student leadership. I can’t really remember when this whole obsession started but since I was small I already have this need to achieve and excel in everything that I do. Call me over-ambitious but that’s just me. Looking at it from my point of view right now, it’s like I am stuck in an infinite loop. My insecurities caused me to have this ambition towards perfection and my ambition continues to fuel these insecurities as one knows that there is no way for a person to be perfect in every way, there will always be a way to improve and to better yourself.
When we look at ourselves in the mirror we always know that there are always things that we could improve on, be it in terms of our physical appearances, characters or even our lives. And I know how hard it is to try and accept the things that you cannot change. Insecurities are always present in every human whether or not they admit it. It’s a part of what makes us human. The fact that none of us are perfect will always give us some room for improvement for ourselves, some things for us to covet, some things we wish to change.
When managed properly and controlled, insecurities can actually be good for us as sometimes insecurities will help you to reflect and see the things that you could do to improve yourself. However when insecurities get out of hand that’s when it becomes a monster that will start to devour you from within (I keep referring to bad things as monsters for lack of a better word). When left unchecked insecurities can grow like cancer, attacking your vital self esteem, crippling it and may cause you to completely lose confidence of yourself and what you can do.
None of us are perfect and we should accept that. Even in my case as much as I strive for perfection I do realize that this is a futile quest. The reason that I am still on it is because it allows me to push myself beyond boundaries, get me out of my comfort zone to expand my horizons, and hopefully allow me to be the best that I can be. I know that I can never be a handsome actor or model, and yet I don’t hate myself for it. I feel pangs of insecurities here and there, but I know that it will pass, so long as I still respect myself for who I am and be confident of myself (and how I look). Sometimes insecurities can seem like a big scary monster but we all have the choice and the power to control it. It is when you can finally come to terms with the things that you cannot change and respect yourself no matter what that you can control the monsters of insecurities.
/ˌɪn sɪˈkyʊər ɪ ti/
–noun, plural -ties.
1.lack of confidence or assurance; self-doubt: He is plagued by insecurity.
2.the quality or state of being insecure; instability: the insecurity of her financial position
3.something insecure: the many insecurities of life.
You know how sometimes you see other people and you wish that you could be just like them? To just want to have what they have or achieve what they achieve. It’s like by looking at that person you started to see yourself in the mirror and reflect. Seeing your flaws and seeing what you have yet to achieve so far in your short life. I don’t know about others but for me it causes stirs of undercurrents deep within me. Every time I see someone whom I think is better than me at something, a monster wakes up and feeds from my self-esteem.
I know that I might sound shallow but for me, physical appearance matters a lot and it is actually one of my deepest underlying insecurities. I’m not completely vain or anything it’s just that it’s very hard for me to actually feel confident about the way I look. I know that I’m not the best looking one in the lot, and I suppose I never really felt satisfied with the way I look and all. This whole spark of insecurities came up when I saw some actor and kind of wished that I could have had his life. Silly, I know, and yet don’t we all feel that way sometimes?
Some of my friends know that I have this obsession to be absolutely perfect in every way possible. This is the reason why I take up a lot of stuff, from piano, painting, tennis, to student leadership. I can’t really remember when this whole obsession started but since I was small I already have this need to achieve and excel in everything that I do. Call me over-ambitious but that’s just me. Looking at it from my point of view right now, it’s like I am stuck in an infinite loop. My insecurities caused me to have this ambition towards perfection and my ambition continues to fuel these insecurities as one knows that there is no way for a person to be perfect in every way, there will always be a way to improve and to better yourself.
When we look at ourselves in the mirror we always know that there are always things that we could improve on, be it in terms of our physical appearances, characters or even our lives. And I know how hard it is to try and accept the things that you cannot change. Insecurities are always present in every human whether or not they admit it. It’s a part of what makes us human. The fact that none of us are perfect will always give us some room for improvement for ourselves, some things for us to covet, some things we wish to change.
When managed properly and controlled, insecurities can actually be good for us as sometimes insecurities will help you to reflect and see the things that you could do to improve yourself. However when insecurities get out of hand that’s when it becomes a monster that will start to devour you from within (I keep referring to bad things as monsters for lack of a better word). When left unchecked insecurities can grow like cancer, attacking your vital self esteem, crippling it and may cause you to completely lose confidence of yourself and what you can do.
None of us are perfect and we should accept that. Even in my case as much as I strive for perfection I do realize that this is a futile quest. The reason that I am still on it is because it allows me to push myself beyond boundaries, get me out of my comfort zone to expand my horizons, and hopefully allow me to be the best that I can be. I know that I can never be a handsome actor or model, and yet I don’t hate myself for it. I feel pangs of insecurities here and there, but I know that it will pass, so long as I still respect myself for who I am and be confident of myself (and how I look). Sometimes insecurities can seem like a big scary monster but we all have the choice and the power to control it. It is when you can finally come to terms with the things that you cannot change and respect yourself no matter what that you can control the monsters of insecurities.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Popularity
pop•u•lar•i•ty
/ˌpɒp yəˈlær ɪ ti/ –noun
1.The quality or fact of being popular.
2.The favor of the general public or of a particular group ofpeople: His popularity with television audiences is unrivaled.
This is supposed to be the first post in what I believe will become a series of two (or more) posts. And in case you are wondering, yes I do have too much free time on my hand.
This whole train of thought started when my friend was complaining about her friend (she-who-must-not-be-named) and the way she acts and treats other people around her. According to her story, this girl acts as if she’s the biggest thing that has ever happened to her school. And it doesn’t stop there. This girl would mock other people around her whom she felt is less compared to her. She cheats to attain good grades and then mocks other students who aren’t doing as well as she is. Furthermore she also mocks other people who are not as well off as she is, judging people from their financial status (talk about materialism).
I guess hearing these stories about her being such a vexatious (yup, got this one from thesaurus under ‘annoying’) person got me thinking about why is she like that, what is she trying to achieve? There are countless of explanations towards why some people can behave like that. But from my point of view which is shaped by the stories that my friend told me I believe she is trying to achieve what most teenagers would be trying to achieve. Popularity.
This is what many believe to be the holy grail of teenage life. A lot of teenagers felt that being popular is be all and end all of the teenage life and many strived to achieve this so called popular status. I have to admit that being popular does give you a lot of advantages and privileges. Being popular makes it easier for you to make friends as well express your opinion because people have known you beforehand (or at least your name and who you are) and therefore regards you with some degree of respect as compared to some obscure school mate whom nobody remembers or takes seriously. Due to this fact popular kids tend to have far reaching influences on the student population, and this I believe is by far the biggest perk that you can get from being popular.
This subject have been immortalised in countless pop-culture references. One that I'm going to refer to is from the TV series Glee. Glee's depiction of high school life is a hyperbole and simplified depiction of the presence of social chaste inside a community. On one hand you have the jocks and the cheerleaders, the most powerful and influential (the so-called "it" group). While on the other hand you have the glee kids (the ones who are neither a cheerleader nor a jock) who are deemed as losers, the outcasts, and therefore are rejected by the rest of the school population. The big picture is mostly like that, but I believe that this subject on popularity is much more complex than what is depicted in Glee.
First of all there are two types of people who can achieve popularity. The first group of people are the lucky ones. They are somehow gifted with some special charm, charisma or just simply a great personality which will make them an instant hit in any community. These people can attain popularity just by being inside a particular community. While the second group of people are the ones that worked hard to achieve popularity, aka the social climbers. They are the group of people who will try anything, from befriending the popular people hoping the popularity can rub off to them, trying to achieve various positions within the student population (Cheerleaders, Students’ Council, Jocks), to even creating countless personas to suit the needs of the community and become more popular.
Honestly, I was having a hard time tackling this particular subject as I myself have never had any full understanding of what it really is. As you can see the dictionary definition does not help at all as the human social life is not as straightforward. After lots of pondering and chatting with my friends I kind of feel we were finally able to break it down. We concluded that, not only that there are two types of people that can attain popularity through different means, but there are also two types of popularity that resulted from the two different methods of achieving popularity.
For the first group of people, the ones who attain popularity naturally, by virtue of their charm, charisma and or personality, they will attain what I believe is true popularity. This true popularity is when you can relate to a lot of people and vice versa, allowing you to garner influence and have a huge social circle. People who obtained this kind of popularity will still be able to maintain their influence towards the different individuals even after school is over as they manage to build real connections with people through their personality. While for the second group of people (social climbers) will only attain superficial popularity. I mean sure everyone knows them and all and they may have quite an influence within the student population. But once you are out of school that’s the end of your influence towards the individual. Superficial popularity works by making you popular through the things you have or the positions that you hold. So the cheerleaders and the jocks in Glee, they have what I would think as superficial popularity, as they are only popular by virtue of their position within the students population and not by making real connections with the people around them.
A little disclaimer's notice, all of what's written here is pure guess work from the observations that my friends and I have made through our various encounters with different social groups, so its not like I've done research or anything.
/ˌpɒp yəˈlær ɪ ti/ –noun
1.The quality or fact of being popular.
2.The favor of the general public or of a particular group ofpeople: His popularity with television audiences is unrivaled.
This is supposed to be the first post in what I believe will become a series of two (or more) posts. And in case you are wondering, yes I do have too much free time on my hand.
This whole train of thought started when my friend was complaining about her friend (she-who-must-not-be-named) and the way she acts and treats other people around her. According to her story, this girl acts as if she’s the biggest thing that has ever happened to her school. And it doesn’t stop there. This girl would mock other people around her whom she felt is less compared to her. She cheats to attain good grades and then mocks other students who aren’t doing as well as she is. Furthermore she also mocks other people who are not as well off as she is, judging people from their financial status (talk about materialism).
I guess hearing these stories about her being such a vexatious (yup, got this one from thesaurus under ‘annoying’) person got me thinking about why is she like that, what is she trying to achieve? There are countless of explanations towards why some people can behave like that. But from my point of view which is shaped by the stories that my friend told me I believe she is trying to achieve what most teenagers would be trying to achieve. Popularity.
This is what many believe to be the holy grail of teenage life. A lot of teenagers felt that being popular is be all and end all of the teenage life and many strived to achieve this so called popular status. I have to admit that being popular does give you a lot of advantages and privileges. Being popular makes it easier for you to make friends as well express your opinion because people have known you beforehand (or at least your name and who you are) and therefore regards you with some degree of respect as compared to some obscure school mate whom nobody remembers or takes seriously. Due to this fact popular kids tend to have far reaching influences on the student population, and this I believe is by far the biggest perk that you can get from being popular.
This subject have been immortalised in countless pop-culture references. One that I'm going to refer to is from the TV series Glee. Glee's depiction of high school life is a hyperbole and simplified depiction of the presence of social chaste inside a community. On one hand you have the jocks and the cheerleaders, the most powerful and influential (the so-called "it" group). While on the other hand you have the glee kids (the ones who are neither a cheerleader nor a jock) who are deemed as losers, the outcasts, and therefore are rejected by the rest of the school population. The big picture is mostly like that, but I believe that this subject on popularity is much more complex than what is depicted in Glee.
First of all there are two types of people who can achieve popularity. The first group of people are the lucky ones. They are somehow gifted with some special charm, charisma or just simply a great personality which will make them an instant hit in any community. These people can attain popularity just by being inside a particular community. While the second group of people are the ones that worked hard to achieve popularity, aka the social climbers. They are the group of people who will try anything, from befriending the popular people hoping the popularity can rub off to them, trying to achieve various positions within the student population (Cheerleaders, Students’ Council, Jocks), to even creating countless personas to suit the needs of the community and become more popular.
Honestly, I was having a hard time tackling this particular subject as I myself have never had any full understanding of what it really is. As you can see the dictionary definition does not help at all as the human social life is not as straightforward. After lots of pondering and chatting with my friends I kind of feel we were finally able to break it down. We concluded that, not only that there are two types of people that can attain popularity through different means, but there are also two types of popularity that resulted from the two different methods of achieving popularity.
For the first group of people, the ones who attain popularity naturally, by virtue of their charm, charisma and or personality, they will attain what I believe is true popularity. This true popularity is when you can relate to a lot of people and vice versa, allowing you to garner influence and have a huge social circle. People who obtained this kind of popularity will still be able to maintain their influence towards the different individuals even after school is over as they manage to build real connections with people through their personality. While for the second group of people (social climbers) will only attain superficial popularity. I mean sure everyone knows them and all and they may have quite an influence within the student population. But once you are out of school that’s the end of your influence towards the individual. Superficial popularity works by making you popular through the things you have or the positions that you hold. So the cheerleaders and the jocks in Glee, they have what I would think as superficial popularity, as they are only popular by virtue of their position within the students population and not by making real connections with the people around them.
A little disclaimer's notice, all of what's written here is pure guess work from the observations that my friends and I have made through our various encounters with different social groups, so its not like I've done research or anything.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Materialism
ma•te•ri•al•ism
noun \mə-ˈtir-ē-ə-ˌli-zəm\
1. Philosophy. (you can ignore this one). The theory that physical matter is the only reality and that everything, including thought, feeling, mind, and will, can be explained in terms of matter and physical phenomena.
2. The theory or attitude that physical well-being and worldly possessions constitute the greatest good and highest value in life.
3. A great or excessive regard for worldly concerns.
Today I went out with my 2 small cousins (age 7 and 9), alongside with their mother and auntie. They just came from central Java last Saturday and are staying at their grandparents’ place. It took us quite a while to find the house as apparently it’s located in quite a remote corner of the Karawaci area. On the way there, we entered this residential area with narrow roads and small houses. Their humble abode is a small one and sparsely decorated. I guess you can see from their home that they don’t really have that much. I mean I’m not one to judge a person by what they have but it’s just that I can’t help but notice these kind of things.
When we arrived they were already waiting for us in front of the house waving, smiling, and I suppose relieved that we finally found the place (we went round and round inside the Karawaci area for almost 45 minutes before finding the house). It was a very warm welcome that greeted us, the grandparents all came out and shook our hands firmly one by one, wearing a big smile on their face, evidently very delighted that we’ve visited their home. From this welcome alone, I can’t help but admire them. Like how proud they are of who they are and what they have even though it’s not much at all. They don't judge themselves and others based on materialistic values. I do respect them with all my heart but I can't help but feeling a little sense of pity towards them, the longing of wanting them to be able experience what I've experienced and to have what I have. And yet they deserve none of it. Their presence commands no pity whatsoever to be given to them, they are entirely satisfied, proud and happy with their lives, with what they have and what they and their children have achieved (I remember the grandmother saying with so much pride that one of her children now works in a department store as a salesgirl. That scene truly made me respect her and her family even more).
When I see people like my cousin’s grandparents I think to myself. How can they be satisfied with what they have now? Seeing other people who are doing so much better than them, how can they still be so proud of who they are, so happy, so satisfied with life? And then I realized that the question I’m supposed to be asking is How can I NOT be satisfied with what I have now? Seeing where I am, how can I NOT be proud of who I am, NOT satisfied, NOT happy with life? These days all I do is compare myself with other people and I guess letting out that little green monster every time I see a person who possess things that I long for, got into a better university than me, or achieved more in life than I already have. Why can’t I just be like my cousins’ grandparents?
Materialism is an obsession towards materialistic things, not only things associated with money but also power, and social status. It is a rampant monster here amidst of our society. In this day and age more and more people are obsessed with materialistic values and properties, and it is not uncommon for us to find people who judge other people based on materialistic values and properties.
I hate materialism and sometimes advise my friends against picking up materialistic values. But my experience with my cousins’ grandparents stopped me in my track and made me look into a mirror and see that I myself am not free of this monster called materialism. Not very grateful of what I have and noticing what people have and don’t haves, and even though I said I don’t judge people based on those things but I believe the fact that I notice these things about people means that to a certain extent it does affect how I view other people. Wanting things is not wrong. To want to achieve a better standard of living is perfectly fine. It’s just that when you start to get a little obsessed about it, start to take the things that you have for granted, start to look at people through this lens of materialistic values and forgetting other values. That’s materialism.
I do have a thing or two to learn from my cousins’ grandparents (the phrase “can you practice what you preach” from Black Eyed Peas song 'Where is the love' just took a whole new meaning for me) and I am utterly (and completely) humbled by them, we all should be. Tomorrow I am going out with my cousins again, and this time I’m really looking forward towards meeting their grandparents, being graced by their presence and visiting their humble abode.
noun \mə-ˈtir-ē-ə-ˌli-zəm\
1. Philosophy. (you can ignore this one). The theory that physical matter is the only reality and that everything, including thought, feeling, mind, and will, can be explained in terms of matter and physical phenomena.
2. The theory or attitude that physical well-being and worldly possessions constitute the greatest good and highest value in life.
3. A great or excessive regard for worldly concerns.
Today I went out with my 2 small cousins (age 7 and 9), alongside with their mother and auntie. They just came from central Java last Saturday and are staying at their grandparents’ place. It took us quite a while to find the house as apparently it’s located in quite a remote corner of the Karawaci area. On the way there, we entered this residential area with narrow roads and small houses. Their humble abode is a small one and sparsely decorated. I guess you can see from their home that they don’t really have that much. I mean I’m not one to judge a person by what they have but it’s just that I can’t help but notice these kind of things.
When we arrived they were already waiting for us in front of the house waving, smiling, and I suppose relieved that we finally found the place (we went round and round inside the Karawaci area for almost 45 minutes before finding the house). It was a very warm welcome that greeted us, the grandparents all came out and shook our hands firmly one by one, wearing a big smile on their face, evidently very delighted that we’ve visited their home. From this welcome alone, I can’t help but admire them. Like how proud they are of who they are and what they have even though it’s not much at all. They don't judge themselves and others based on materialistic values. I do respect them with all my heart but I can't help but feeling a little sense of pity towards them, the longing of wanting them to be able experience what I've experienced and to have what I have. And yet they deserve none of it. Their presence commands no pity whatsoever to be given to them, they are entirely satisfied, proud and happy with their lives, with what they have and what they and their children have achieved (I remember the grandmother saying with so much pride that one of her children now works in a department store as a salesgirl. That scene truly made me respect her and her family even more).
When I see people like my cousin’s grandparents I think to myself. How can they be satisfied with what they have now? Seeing other people who are doing so much better than them, how can they still be so proud of who they are, so happy, so satisfied with life? And then I realized that the question I’m supposed to be asking is How can I NOT be satisfied with what I have now? Seeing where I am, how can I NOT be proud of who I am, NOT satisfied, NOT happy with life? These days all I do is compare myself with other people and I guess letting out that little green monster every time I see a person who possess things that I long for, got into a better university than me, or achieved more in life than I already have. Why can’t I just be like my cousins’ grandparents?
Materialism is an obsession towards materialistic things, not only things associated with money but also power, and social status. It is a rampant monster here amidst of our society. In this day and age more and more people are obsessed with materialistic values and properties, and it is not uncommon for us to find people who judge other people based on materialistic values and properties.
I hate materialism and sometimes advise my friends against picking up materialistic values. But my experience with my cousins’ grandparents stopped me in my track and made me look into a mirror and see that I myself am not free of this monster called materialism. Not very grateful of what I have and noticing what people have and don’t haves, and even though I said I don’t judge people based on those things but I believe the fact that I notice these things about people means that to a certain extent it does affect how I view other people. Wanting things is not wrong. To want to achieve a better standard of living is perfectly fine. It’s just that when you start to get a little obsessed about it, start to take the things that you have for granted, start to look at people through this lens of materialistic values and forgetting other values. That’s materialism.
I do have a thing or two to learn from my cousins’ grandparents (the phrase “can you practice what you preach” from Black Eyed Peas song 'Where is the love' just took a whole new meaning for me) and I am utterly (and completely) humbled by them, we all should be. Tomorrow I am going out with my cousins again, and this time I’m really looking forward towards meeting their grandparents, being graced by their presence and visiting their humble abode.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Suffocation
Its 1 am in the morning and still I can't seem to go to bed. Thoughts are still racing in my head coaxing that little monster called insomnia out of the deep recesses of my mind.
My heart feels a little unsettled somehow. Like I'm scared of something, like there's some hidden undercurrents overflowing with emotions, bursting at its seams.
I guess all the talk about future plans with my friend started all of it. I mean here I am a 20 year old soon to be a freshman in some university and I haven't got a clue of what lies ahead. To know that you are going to face something new is very intimidating or at least it is for me. I mean treading above uncertain waters not knowing where you are going or where you might end up.
I guess it wouldn't be so complicated if my dreams aren't as big as it is. Well, now I'm gonna share my craziest dream for myself and what I dream to achieve. My dream is to win the nobel peace prize. Well yeah I know its far fetched and all haha and I guess that's why all this future talk really scares me. What if I'm delusional? What if the truth is there is no way I can achieve what I want to achieve. To have your own dreams taken away and to realize that it was never possible in the first place.
So I guess right know the best word to describe how I'm feeling right now would be, suffocated. Sometimes I really do feel crushed underneath my own expectations of myself, underneath the high hopes and dreams that I have put on top of my shoulder. To have that longing to be special. To be somebody, and the eternal thirst for bettering yourself. Its suffocating.
But if someone asks will I ever trade this sensation of suffocation with full freedom of breathing by lowering my dreams and expectations of myself ? Absolutely not. I believe it is important to think of dreams that are larger than yourself, larger than life itself. Because it is the one thing that will keep you pushing your own boundaries, conquering your own limitations and ultimately achieve things that other people thought was beyond your capabilities. I believe we all are meant to be special. I mean what would happen If the Wright brothers never dreamed of man flying in the sky? Or if Alva Edisson never dreamed that he could generate light through electricity? We all have our part to play in this ginormous and super complicated game of life. Or at least that's what I want to believe in. So yeah go ahead and dream your wildest dream yet. The sky is your limit. Heck, there is no limit. Because you really never know, someday it might just come true.
My heart feels a little unsettled somehow. Like I'm scared of something, like there's some hidden undercurrents overflowing with emotions, bursting at its seams.
I guess all the talk about future plans with my friend started all of it. I mean here I am a 20 year old soon to be a freshman in some university and I haven't got a clue of what lies ahead. To know that you are going to face something new is very intimidating or at least it is for me. I mean treading above uncertain waters not knowing where you are going or where you might end up.
I guess it wouldn't be so complicated if my dreams aren't as big as it is. Well, now I'm gonna share my craziest dream for myself and what I dream to achieve. My dream is to win the nobel peace prize. Well yeah I know its far fetched and all haha and I guess that's why all this future talk really scares me. What if I'm delusional? What if the truth is there is no way I can achieve what I want to achieve. To have your own dreams taken away and to realize that it was never possible in the first place.
So I guess right know the best word to describe how I'm feeling right now would be, suffocated. Sometimes I really do feel crushed underneath my own expectations of myself, underneath the high hopes and dreams that I have put on top of my shoulder. To have that longing to be special. To be somebody, and the eternal thirst for bettering yourself. Its suffocating.
But if someone asks will I ever trade this sensation of suffocation with full freedom of breathing by lowering my dreams and expectations of myself ? Absolutely not. I believe it is important to think of dreams that are larger than yourself, larger than life itself. Because it is the one thing that will keep you pushing your own boundaries, conquering your own limitations and ultimately achieve things that other people thought was beyond your capabilities. I believe we all are meant to be special. I mean what would happen If the Wright brothers never dreamed of man flying in the sky? Or if Alva Edisson never dreamed that he could generate light through electricity? We all have our part to play in this ginormous and super complicated game of life. Or at least that's what I want to believe in. So yeah go ahead and dream your wildest dream yet. The sky is your limit. Heck, there is no limit. Because you really never know, someday it might just come true.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Ideas
Yesterday, I went and picked up a TIME magazine which inspires me to restart my blogging passion which usually only last around one month maximum. Blogging itself has been a joy for that short period of time, but alas, due to the lack of time and lack of interest, most of this Blog's predecessors died before they even reach maturity.
To be very honest I think there's another reason why all those blogs died. It was just yesterday after reading the article in the TIME magazine by columnist Joel Stein which talks about our age as the age of individualism, then it struck me, all this time, I have never used a blog as an avenue to be myself and express myself as who I really am. I have tried to create countless personas and wrote countless posts which, looking back now, I really think are immature and nonsensical. Reading through my previous post I question myself, 'Did I really change so much from that time when I wrote these posts?'.
Well no more of that from now on, and hopefully with this new resolution of trying to be myself in a blog as much as possible, this blog will live longer and survive over the coming weeks, months or even years.
Don't you just have crazy ideas sometimes? Ideas that just comes to you out of nowhere and you yourself are awestruck by how strange and brilliant those spontaneous ideas are. And how many of those inspirations have gone down the drain, just because you decided to shelf it inside your mind and forgot to take it out where it is lost into the realm of 'the things I forgot'.
You may wonder why I just wrote that paragraph about brilliant ideas lost by ourselves,and to be frank you have as much of an answer to that question as me. It just seemed like a good idea at the moment and I decide to pen it down to save it from drowning in the the realm of 'the things I forget'. Who knows, i might look at that paragraph someday and be inspired to write something even more meaningful or at least something which have a better structure of ideas than this one.
This is a journey for me, a journey that I am going to try to take, and hopefully it can be your journey too.
To be very honest I think there's another reason why all those blogs died. It was just yesterday after reading the article in the TIME magazine by columnist Joel Stein which talks about our age as the age of individualism, then it struck me, all this time, I have never used a blog as an avenue to be myself and express myself as who I really am. I have tried to create countless personas and wrote countless posts which, looking back now, I really think are immature and nonsensical. Reading through my previous post I question myself, 'Did I really change so much from that time when I wrote these posts?'.
Well no more of that from now on, and hopefully with this new resolution of trying to be myself in a blog as much as possible, this blog will live longer and survive over the coming weeks, months or even years.
Don't you just have crazy ideas sometimes? Ideas that just comes to you out of nowhere and you yourself are awestruck by how strange and brilliant those spontaneous ideas are. And how many of those inspirations have gone down the drain, just because you decided to shelf it inside your mind and forgot to take it out where it is lost into the realm of 'the things I forgot'.
You may wonder why I just wrote that paragraph about brilliant ideas lost by ourselves,and to be frank you have as much of an answer to that question as me. It just seemed like a good idea at the moment and I decide to pen it down to save it from drowning in the the realm of 'the things I forget'. Who knows, i might look at that paragraph someday and be inspired to write something even more meaningful or at least something which have a better structure of ideas than this one.
This is a journey for me, a journey that I am going to try to take, and hopefully it can be your journey too.
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