Monday, July 20, 2009 @ 7:21 AM
Recently, my friend and I had this short debate lasting 10 minutes, on the premises of "elite education".
You see, it was based on the fact that people reject others just because they have "a higher standard of education". Comparison of neighbourhood schools and reowned schools would be the main reason why the debate started.
First, I thought. What are the differences between the two categories of schools? I believe there are none, as the school in a way teaches the same syllabus if you were to compare. However, there is nothing stopping the comparison. Personally, I feel that there is a large gap between us and the other "elite" schools. Could it be the impact that the general public has imprinted on us?
My friend proceeded to clarify and showed me a short article, which showed the history of those schools. It seems that they have quite an amazing history as Singapore evolved - which is probably why there are many "aunties" who believe that these schools are better than all. However, this may not be the case. If you do not stand for the values of the school, there is no point at all in sending your child into that school. I'm pretty sure everyone wouldn't do that just to get a school name imprinted in your certificates.
However, this occured to me. Who decides who gets into what school? Every school started out the same way, but what makes it differ? If the aggregates of each school remained constant, what makes students who score better than the constant go into that school?
Elitism.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009 @ 4:11 AM
Sometimes I browse the net and I ponder.
Why do people behave like that? Is it their upbringing? Is it their pretence?
"Trolls", as what the netizens call them, are really, really irritating when you do encounter one. Sometimes you wonder who the person is behind the monitor screen.
As many say, would someone be daring enough to insult someone straight in the face without the veil of anonymity that the internet provides?
Not only across the internet, people in real life do that as well. So cocky, so vain, so proud of themselves. They feel that they are above all - all should listen to them, and they have the first rights to everything before anyone else does.
The presence of them irks me.
It's like, you don't want to know them or get close to them after all.
But, it's easier to make friends than enemies isn't it? You can't judge a book by it's cover.
But first impressions last. And they leave an etch in your mind, marking the very first time you have known or seen the person.
Sometimes people can change someone's first impression. I recall my first impression of this person, so charming and eye-catching - however, as the days fly past, I realise that the person is nothing but an empty shell. Someone wanted to be filled up - either with the rage of other people or by revelling in the attention they receive.
Is this the natural way humans should behave in? Destruction, war, hatred, envy, wrath, gluttony, greed?
Have we strayed far away on the things we were supposed to accomplish? Therefore, leading to the question again,
What is the meaning of life?
Saturday, May 30, 2009 @ 7:54 AM
Karma.
Do you believe in it?
I do. What is karma you may ask? It's none other than divine retribution - when you do good, you get good back. When you do bad, you get bad back. It's simple, yet confusing at the same time.
Lets say Person A hated Person B very much. After they finally end their war and stop conciliation with each other, Person A moves on to be friends with Person C. However, Person C does not seem to care much about Person A, and thus Person C hates Person A. This vicious cycle.. it never seems to intrigue me.
However, karma can work the other way round - doing good can give you good results. Easily you can tell that if you put in effort in your work, you get good results. Treating someone to the best you can gives you good karma.
Today, I met some of my friends for an outing. As I sat down on the stone chair waiting for the train to arrive, I looked around. Everyone seemed to be in their own business, and I wondered how it was like to be in their shoes. Why do we exist? Why are we here, at this very moment? What is the meaning of life?
These questions immediately popped up in my mind. I just.. couldn't find an answer. Even the smartest of minds I believe, cannot comprehend the meaning of their existence. What happens when you die? Where do you go? Is there reincarnation?
These questions can never be answered.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009 @ 3:45 AM
The staleness of this blog.
The scent reeks of dustiness.
And today, I feel... wrong.
Not in the right way. When I usually do feel.
The more I look, the more I find its flaws. It feels like.. a hunter watching its prey.
Where to attack, where you think it'll defend.
But like hunting, I, too have a somewhat weird attraction to it... I don't understand how this works at all.
It's bad to see everyone feeling sad about their results. I sympathise.
However, is it their fault that they'd score so badly? Maybe the subject isn't their forte.
This despair, maybe I haven't felt it before, thus I cant comment much about it. You just don't know how to understand, how to feel, experience what they are feeling. And your efforts to comfort them are futile.
These mixed feelings... It kills you on the inside. You feel that your heart is rotting and deteriorating.. slowly and painfully.
On the cheerful side, it's great to see people have done well for their subjects. They're proud of it, and they deserve to. It's the fruit of their labour.
I feel like shouting out, just shouting, very loudly.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009 @ 5:46 AM
This is unacceptable.
I haven't even started studying and yet I'm still here relaxing when many people are revising for the Mid-Year Exam.
Why do I seem so nonchalant about this exam?
It just makes no sense. I should be studying now, for anything. Physics, Social Studies, Mathematics, Chemistry, but I just cant brace myself for what's coming.
I take one exam and forget about it immediately. I never want to look back at what I've done because I'll always end up regretting my carelessness.
This should be the last post in a while, at least when the Mid-Year Exam ends. And due to my friend's enlightening speech, I should go study my Physics now.
I don't see how Social Studies can render so many people helpless. It's just mere remembering of the facts and truths, and as what Danial had mentioned in his personal message,
the truth always rhymes. If it does not make any sense, why write it down? One cause leads to another reason, one reason sparks another cause and this cycle never ends.
The Sri Lankan Tamils are a hapless bunch of people. The way the Sinhalese are treating them are simply outrageous. They are just driving them out of what they think is their country.
I'm blessed to be staying in Singapore. Among all these cultures and races, where everyone is unique and no fights break out for racial and religious indifference.
Till next time,
au revoir, amigo.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009 @ 6:38 AM
I've never felt so down before.
My folly caused this.
I just don't understand why.
Sometimes when someone stands up for you when you're in the wrong, you just want them to stop.
Because you know you're in the wrong.
It just goes against your conscience doesn't it?
You just want to get away from it, and when someone tries to get you away, you are reluctant to move.
Like a statue having to make way for a building. Should it end its life or become one with the building?
This isn't the way it's supposed to be. It wasn't clear enough.
Not crystal-clear. Not like water.
More like the Dead Sea. Which is what I've become now. Murky, emotionless.
If you're reading this, I'm
sorry.
Friday, April 24, 2009 @ 7:23 AM
Rage and Envy. Two of the things that make someone go crazy.
Angry that I had not done well.
Envious of other people who have a more matured mentality.
Sometimes, when I look back, I realise that all the mistakes I had made changed my pathway of life forever.
Had I studied well, I wouldn't have known all my great friends here.
Had I studied well, I still would get looked down at.
Envy.
You always are jealous of other people. Don't hide it, it's true. No one is perfect.
And then, you hate yourself for not having what they have. They too, think they are the same. They want to be you, vice versa.
What if one day, everyone had everything? Wouldn't it be chaotic?
Life is better the way it is now. Without these feelings, it wouldnt be life. It would be paradise.
Rage.
You're always angry that you can't perform well. Let's say you do badly in the physical aspect. You want to train up, but you never do.
You do badly in the intellectual aspect. You want to study, but you never do.
It's these empty promises that make us empty inside.
Empty. Like a ball. Kicked around, treated as objects of entertainment.
I can't say I dont hate myself. I can't say I'm not envious of other people. There are many other people who are also willing to admit that they are imperfect.
Thank you all for making me who I am. The happy me. The cheerful me. Not the introvert, self-centered me whom I used to be.
