Graciousness

Hi all,

Just came back from helping out @ ANGLES HCI 2010. I was helping out as an usher and one of the elocution coaches.

This year's impromptu topics were, frankly speaking, very challenging - I probably wouldn't do very well for the topics if I am a finalist.

Back to the crux - there was this one topic regarding graciousness in Singapore.



There were many interesting viewpoints (which I unfortunately forgot).

And I was suddenly rudely reminded of the lack of graciousness that many Singaporeans now unfortunately possess.

One very appalling yet strong evidence:


from STOMP: 'How can this man continue to sit on the seat when two elderly people are standing in front of him?'

Yet another picture

Again taken from Stomp: 'This mother was seen throwing a piece of tissue paper onto the floor at this MRT station. When she realised a STOMPer had seen her, she tried to hide it under her dress.'

Why is this so?

Is it our culture to be ungracious? I don't believe so.

We must, first and foremost, evaluate the reasons for this trend, before we can even rectify it.

I think that ultimately, the fast-paced, rapidly globalizing environment of Singapore, has impacted the society and imbued our citizens with individualistic ideals. Not exclusively to those in the workforce, but to the other members of the dependent population as well. And secondly, there are too many laws, fines and punishments, and some citizens are probably getting tired of them. That's human nature - the more you enforce certain regulations, the more obstinate they would become.

And this has subsequently led to the graduallly diminishing of core social, civic, and moral values. Just like in 'Animal Farm' the absence of these values will in turn bring in societal declination.

And the government is taking serious, desperate measures to keep these values intact, one most noticeable move being the use of Phua Chu Kang, an icon itself in the domestic media realm:



The improvement since the campaign's start isn't very large, though.

I personally believe that we should focus on our NEXT generation, which would have the highest chances of absorbing these values, since they are still youthful. These shouldn't be taught as part of a 'syllabus', but should, instead, be included as a school value, or etc. etc.

Graciousness isn't something that you can clearly evaluate or define. It originates from core values of the heart. Teachers or educators should thus note that these values, not specific acts of graciousness, should be taught to the students

I suppose that's all.

Cheers,
Zhu Cheng

Coping

Hi all,

Here is my first REAL post of the year.

To the evaluators of this blog - this post is of a more personal scope.

The year's just begun, and I'm already trapped in chronic lethargy.


The effects:

1) For the first time in my entire life, I feel sleepy in class (I'm not exaggerating)

2)Somehow, my sleep time is diminished to insignificance.

3)Most dismally, I'm so fraught with workaholism that I would be satisfied with just THIRTY MINUTES of 'ME' time a week.

I am staying back in school till late in the evenings every day, except Sunday, which is no oasis either.

So I decided that I needed a more positive outlook to life (even my sister commented that I looked as if I wanted to murder someone, though I'm not) Because what's the point of living a life of eternal misery and distress? It won't do you any good, less you think that you look handsome with wrinkles or sunken eyes or a droopy mouth, which obviously will not occur to anyone in his or her right mind.

And I found my answer. I decided to formulate a way, or at least a psychological state of mind which would miraculously make me enjoy whatever I am doing. This idea came from a book I came across titled 'The Power of Positive Thinking' by Norman Vincent Peale. It came from my father at a time when the malicious distresses I was troubled with had most unfortunately peaked.

Miracles do happen.

I tried to pry for insignificant minute moments of my everday life when I really can enjoy myself. For example, I enjoy sleeping on the school bus trip to school. And I enjoy the brief table tennis matches played with my my juniors during recess. And I enjoy my PE lessons and sometimes NPCC. And I enjoy my important, though brief, daily sleeping times.

Hence discovered one important principle of life - to cherish life's simplest pleasures. There was one survey held globally in 2009 to find out the source of the world's happiest people. Paradoxically, these individuals came from the poorest regions existent in the world. Why?

I think that schools should have such psychological lessons for their students, given the 'state-of-the-art', superbly advanced and rapidly advancing education system
of today. Many students still do not know how to handle stress, but they are certainly not unable.

This still does not give us an reason to spoon-feed them.

While trying to prepare them for their future career lives, we should still teach our students to enjoy their childhoods, or rather, their school lives as much as possible.

Start enjoying life NOW!!!!!

Cheers,
Zhu Cheng

Inaugural post

Hi all!

This is my first blog post on my first blog of the year!!!

2010 is an exhausting year, at least for January. The workload is crazy. But I think it's what's eventually gained from all this that ultimately matters.

Anyway, being my first post of the year, I would make it short and comprehendable, so that you won't be tired out too quickly - believe me , you would be sick of this blog by term 3.

Bye for now!

Cheers,
Zhu Cheng

HOPE: CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN