A SPECIAL DOUBLE ISSUE EDITTON! A MONTH'S WORTH OF ESSAYS TO READ A DAY AT A TIME.

WELOOM= TO YO[-JR
30 DAYWORK OI-J-I
k the view of the moiority olwoys right? (on o belief in lhe supernoturol be TheArh mnnot chonge lhe world,
susloined in our modern world? butfiey moke it more beouliful.
Disruss-

"/

Should poorer counkies develop their The pen is mightierthon the sword.
lourisi industry when lhe bosir needs o[ (on wriflen longuoge reolly be
fieir own people ore nol beinq met? so powerful?

There h no surh fiing os luck. Tfiere is no such lhing os lu*. Do lhe post ond present
People delermine fieir own lives. People determine lheir own lives. offer ony guidonre forthe future?
Do you ogree? (hr. l) Do you ogree? (Ver. 2) (\,er l)

AN DAY KEEPS
=SSAYA
D(AM ELU=S AWAY
{(owr)$lfjudy ff0r0fttDLypqm{rcphr[lk[cdw(onnoir
 BNOADER PERSPI(IIVIS IS PUBUSHED BY SCHOOI OF IIIOUGHI
420 orfi Bridge Rood #06-27, orfi Bridge(enlre,
Singopore 188721 wr,vv.srhoolof thought.rom.sg
hl:*65 6334 87/3. fox:*65 633/ 2434

suBt(RtPTto naTEt lot 2008

542 ll2 issues,lonuorylo odobet
forsubsriplionenquiriei0nd b0rkissues,emoil:
brooderpersp*tives@srhool-of'thought.rom

llow for should o $ote hove o righ to Mos produdion inevitobly meons How imporlont is o sense ol hi$ory in
monitorthe odions 0f people within ils o loss of aoftsmonship ond quol y. shoping the future ol Singoporet mciety?
borders? hlhishue in your society?

I}o the pod ond present Tlre only worthwhile lorm ol The onlyworthwhile form of
offerony guidonce for the future? discipline is selfdisdpline. Discus. discipline is selliisripline. Disrus.
{\ter. 2) (ver. l) (t/er. 2)

THI BROADEN PTRSPEC'IVIS TIAIII

tdii0r-in.$ief Elirobelh (on, liz@srhool-ofrhouohr.om
Cre0live Dir0d0r Shi0cYin (uik, yin@rdool-of$ought.(om
501".s & Sub5(riplions M0n0ger Yee Tong, yee@rthool-of'thought-rom
Conlribuling lrl/rihrs J0s0lin B0u, Chi0 H0ng (e01, L0rmine Leo,lh0ng Ruihe, Xu Xiuuen, SohWeiiie
YopWoon Keot, Mor(usI0n, (he,,vYil/vei, Amellio Rozok, Eloine tow,lluho Yumn Eilyoos
lntern Amelli0 Rozok Prinhr lobez hinting House
Sole Dislribuior nighleous lntemolionol 5ubs(rhlion Servi(er
7l l.,bi(renenl #05{9 singopore 4085/1, hl:d5 63231833.
f 0r *65 63231838, em0il: mi(hoel-rhung@righhous.tom.sg
 Is the view of the majority always right?

! -r\ '
t
.{

1f,

contemplatrng the question

n contemplating questron of
ot what is nght and wrong, it
rs right rt
is not merely a question of facts that are thrown around to
-I substantiate one's case. This discussion would inevitably
I
I concern the philosophical study of ethics (morality) that
I- deals with the good and the bad, the just and the unjust, the
question of right and wrong, and the sociological take on public opinion.

while the questions of "right" and "truth"
have lons been interminsled with relision, it
is nor dacdy pcrtincni to discuss rhe religiorls
vicws on this loni., sinm thc Weslcm b'adirion
of philosophy has souaht to senarale cthics
from Cod since Plato in fourth-century B,C.
Greece. This ethical quesiion on norality e'ill be
addressed indepeDdently of assunptions on tlic
cxisicncc of a highcr bcing and wbat ihis cniity
decrees- Thus, onc could possibly affroach it from
rh" .so ar,s-". .\F rldio ,J I p.. .1 a .ncip.j I.
ethically right", a d the lopular opinion is al$aJ!
PHOTO CREDIT/ Ifyou agrecd with John Stuart Mill, you would
prollaDly rhink rhc Iirst statcmcnt ro llc
correct. X'lill asserted that the actions oDe orght to
pedorm in a giveD sihation rre those that prcnote
"thc greatest good for tlie greatest Dunber". In a
pcff.ctly dernocratic socicty i{hoc thc lcadc$ act as
ir,tr'r.rp,ld.l,grr '. m a.r ,I rl.Ir.f, a , \,i,\cir
constituents, sociel!-' sould Iale little reasor for
conflict {ith thejr leadeB, fostedng peace dnd stabilib,.
In this Darrowsense- it wouki seem thrt such auc$'
holds trne. Holrclcr. ihe truth is thai nost
B^\.nn,.rt.Jr'i aa .-,. . ,ir-. ,dh)J..rlir ol
of a fe$' ket.' figLrrcs that more often t|an not are
inte.ested in adlancinit lheir own selfish agendas
rnder the p.et€nce ol promoting lhe publjc 8ood.
From many of the pork ba.rel riders that
comc aitached to legislatioD bills to be ntified to senc
thcntcrcstsofthcArnericmpublicintheU tedStatcs,

02 Bl0ADtl PtRSPtOlVtl rhp.sqar/ 6srr

forcxample, one caD be sure that they are not enft ely
1.r'ngt,- l.i'rbl,j.Lr.t b'r,-fi.. \^h.npNpr iq
concenh ated in a certain group of indiv uals. one
cannol besLrreifthe dc.rands ofthe ptrblic rrc always
fulll n€t, elen when thcsc iDdividrals were
saDctioDed by the general public.
One is also ewident ofthe ftilures that have
stemmcd from "the majority's choice" or
endorsenent of ccrtain ideas or people. The
election of on€ ol the least ilhlshious presidents of
the United States, Warren Hardirg, could noihavc
been morc alt an exarnple. As xlalcol Gladwell
delineated in his book Elink, Wa.reD llarding wns
ot pa.ticularly intclligcDt, was a skirt-cluser, a
dinker and toved poker. Despitc his scncral) hnited
i ellecttr:l capicities. he was elecied as thc Presidert
of the United states sinply because he looked like
|or{ a frcsident ouglit to look lilie. The convention
d€legates and sirnilarl], thc voteN, thought llarding
who "radiated connron sensc and digDitl" r!2s the
pefe.t candidate. Wan€n Hading did not coDtribute
arything substaDtial to the lresidenc), and dicd two
years into office from an unerpected snoke.
Hislodans agrccd that he was "ore of the lrors!
presid€rts in Arnerican history"- Lok can certainl)-
n. dr, ri\ ins dF\p lF tot'u-ir aprl- . ,d 1 n .- 'l
Besides, whar happens when adheringto thc
majolity opinion means that the minority
mayhave lo desetrhcir ghts of"life,liberty
ud prEsuit of happiness"? The cas. of the Tanil
minorityleNus the SiDhalese maiorily in Sri LaDka
has starkcd naDy civil tensions nnd conllicts as thc
itolernmentis dccisions leaDed Dlore and more
towads the Snrhalcsc majoi\'. Are the Tanil Tigers
wrong th€n, to fight for cqual treatneDt bl the
so\erDneDt? ShoukL they be dubbed tcrrorists at dl?
Wlilc thc so\rDlmeDt ald the Sinhalese people would
cetainly cxfound oD the Tamil Tigers'acts ofchaos
.nd Lroh1.F,1lr.1.d nI so, i-b. sr,.'nnol ror .prla'r
agree totally $i th then as thcy too riolated tlie li{mart
rights oftheir lello$' coDnirlmcn. Ii becomes nere
tyraDDv wlien these rights are denicd, eyen if
somehow ihe ru]e ofutility lbr socielv is achicvcd.
03 BR0AD'R
In viesing the question from anorher arale,
ir is cven easier to see how the majoriry
aryumcni fails ro hold. Ifthjs rvere to Lre lrue, $e
would still be.lieve that thc constellations $.ere Gods
aDd Cloddesses riding on thcir chariots across the sky
(according to ancient E$,rptian cosmolosr) or that
ihc Earth r{as tlie ceDter ofthe univerce. Aftcr all.
such belicfs and opinions woukl have been tme (by
popular consensus of our forefathers) siDce the Greeks
came op \ith democracy; therel\'ould have been no
need to chalLenge AristotcliaD thcoies or even
Descartei fotrndntionalism. \\4ry, t{c should snnply
Fnrhr,.. r|c i.le,s onr .n.estors believed in and
uphold thesc thcoics as the uDiv€rsal lnws oflife
But tlrc fact that we know now - widr empiric:
evidence - that the sta.s a.e massive. lminous
bals ofplasma, and that the Earth is achally
the "rhird rock from the srn" is due to the
fact rhar opinions change in the face of
compelling new knowledse. ofteD, such
kDo$ledge about oLrr world docs not come f.om a
De$'najoity of people who agree on thcm but a
, e, I drqdua nr.nLJl.ru u ul in,lirC ril.. I'J1qr
"
brought us thc concept ofDatuml s€lection, Gregor
Mendel the theory ofinh€itablc iraits in orgxnisns
and Albert Itinsiein rhe law of rclatirity that
chrlleDged Isaac Ne$ton s law of uriversal
gmvitation. ID the face ofne$ knoi{ledge brorght
aboui bv nc$ tcchnolosies ardpeoplewlo darcdto
challense longstaDdiDs coDcepts, it js often the
majority thnl is nrade io rc cyalute their opinions,
and not the otherway around.
\\ iril l t\ l), "lll.rl il r',\ ' I "
' r\ l\
l', ttl'l.rrr,l 'rlt;rl r i-l,t r: : ,t',
al\vlrvs l)e l)ol-liiliLi' tjris rlrioie
r'.-.l'-..'ll
i l)l,, ll\1,,-l,.rrlll l
SucCjllCtll'. \\'hile risht and wrons may seem
princi cs
subject to circnnNtance, tlier€ are cefain
in the world \fiose tNth or falsehood is not
determined bt-'$hat th. najorjg decrees. tsl that,
rve can be sure that it is not always, if ever, that the
rnajority is risht. (t
PIRSPIOIVIS r/lc.ssot/ isslc
 WEEI(OOIDAYOO2

Can a belief in the supernatural be

sustained in our modern world?
/'t\ \'r,rll, ,,

elief, in the modern

world, is derived
from the pillars
of the age of
Enlightenment-
logic and empiricism. Science and
technology have convinced us
into believing in scepticism and
sternly disputing anything
that cannot be explained rationally.
Hence, in order lor lhe belief in
the supernatural to exist in the
modern world, let alone be
sustained, it must be understood
from a scientilic outlook. Yel, this
may undermine the meaning ofthe supernatural as it is after all beyond
the understanding ofthe natural sciences.

Thc supernatural lras once considemd sinply as a Rarely is there tine to dwell on questions aboot the
s)stenr of rituals or an accepted cunosi\. thai hapFned afierlife due to tlie hectic nature and concerns ofthe
ro LrF i r ,l I:rlpln u hl- r'"r'l qr ri. HosFv"_. ii noden globalised worid. Compared to the sheltercd,
the mode.n rvorid, it is a causc of mysterl or .ri,liriurJl.orln,r,ri,.wi,h o.alJ"dp "bl,rl rr
controversy. ModerDitr djsDcls the suDernatural in the pst, therc arc many and fal greater $odes nr ihe
maDy obvious rrays, slowly edgins out it ofsocjal life moderD world. This is due to the sreater scope for
human $ime. There are tlieves, nurdercrls, rapjsts,
a.d ihe future. I-hc tloclcrn rvor'ltl's
pedophiles, terrorism aDd $'arfare to replace
main fbi ce ol ciiscorn'agiug bclicl the incorporeal as modern sources ofterror. arnny
in ilre supernatuial is sin:plv, Gctles Us,,l is a ps]'cholosical drriller that exemplifies
how movies today find plenty of fear to n 1e from
moclcln iilestrle. modern situations. The supematural is a thing ofthe
old and ihe afterlife too vague ' there is no iime to
IM CECREDIT/ Man's technologicaly advded world and fast,
wory about it antway. The nodeD world will only
paced lifestyle does not allow room for
be concerned about the strpernatural if it is
sustaining the belief in rhe supernatur{I.
detrimental to the progress ofthelivins.

04 0R0A0[R PtRsPtflVts tie esidy 6sre

 TUITljRIWATIII

3 RTTOMMINDID TV SHOlivS

What is more, educarion eradicates any haviDs a belief in Cod does notnean one willbe able AI{D BOOl{S tIIITRID O|l

possiblc belief in the supernatrual. It teaches to explaiD away every strange haptcniDg as a matter IhISUPIRIIATURAI

child.en to quicldy recognise the fake cosiumes ard
nakerp shosts rvear in movies, and has bccome a
r,:jur .paro dr.h'liP. P'r''normdl rcr.\'l) r'
cr?lained away \ith logic no natter how challengnrg
ihc ose. An appadtion is a fi$nent ofihe imagination
and lossession, a reactjon possibly caused by
dementia. Shdies in psycholosy and the humaD
brain rationalise the more dillicult paranormal
activities e\peicnccd by people. llducation prclides
? puJlu red.o1.ro'\.l.ir {i):n.on\i ral.rP. rn
olsupernatural phenornera. One tries to use reason
to find an e\taDation and blanes Cod oniy when he
caDnot llnd any. u41cD this li.rppens. the supcnutural
renains a nys(e ous Dhcnonena and nol a tari of
the natuml world order. ODe does not quite Ino$'
hhrr rn h,l,.\, ,l i.nor1sce1Jna.-hcbel:efin
thesun siDg the net morning it is simply a natter
of acceptance wiihout uDderstanding. Pcrhaps the
I EUFfYTHIVA PIRI StAYfR
only people who honcstb believein the supematual
lhe be9!n lh. ol
are those $ho study parapsycliology and such. relevi5lon shows 'rcnd
tuor!r (J

ihe rational rvorld. Exposure to formal educaiion he!rifui eodins vomen, h p

has caused our instincts to rnistrust the incredibie Thc supern{tural it secms, has an inverse repo'res ord p ol3 oboundrig

relarionship wirh time and modemity. ,{s the wlrr Ne tro wm!]rcs, wlllt
stories ive hear.It is casiel to lccel]t wse{o lsj Mdpodoi!ro k .
ilorld progresses, it leaves behind seerninsly illosical
.rtiralrlitl|'Iit r\l,c l.rlr" Tllrill beliefs. Elen if therc aerc technolo&v allowing us to
\!oroobe5lks cnafined o d
!kph€ric filcyu'5 lll///iglrl
itlrriiorr,rlertrnIi,,tt' -lt, lr,1.. lr i' l. shrdy souLs instead of hrman bodies or detemrine if 0€ mrr rhtr srord d(jne
there $'as life after death, this $'oukl take years or 'o
feiu'. and r'Ic loticisl raLiicr as evcD decades to accomplish. Itscems inpossibleto
rcrl lrciurl o(cllffenccs. iurd the deternrinc the existeDce .)1 lhe supcrDatuml. Could

science real\'ansi{er the fanous qLtestion of $'hether

IIt,,r1r'II \,Irtl(l t- \\' lIc{ll!|lrl,' ai Ill
there is life alier deaih? The answer,I an surc, will siCI
fir:riing lreilns lot tiLith cause ficsh controversy in tl,l llert if
n ti,tu.".
2. THI
11svcr
HARRY POTIIR

hoi ll drlldref s {idior

. lrl!,tt,r:tr, t\. T1r".nndFl, \ur d .at"8uar,l. erier qenefthd 50 mur
the scDsibilities and progress ofhlnan life in this the cxislelicc of Ure slrpernatnlal onrrolerly lrd 50 n(r robld
offDrlion. k DumbhdoBeoly
is lrloycl, it loirici bc lr:nanied goy? l! ilwrori! h pliDr ml

the
arld Ieciitssilicrr' its silille olhcl mosi(o hunr{rn! os borirlg md

The supernatural is instead shoved into prclud(ol) tuf llds 1e lrhe

entertainment $'orld. The nedia plays lith our ('rlrtl)|t,,II, {i - tr-rlllirl cl'lll d fferen(e? \1o5 (ifq'5 tro$ o

doubt ofthe supernatural by portrai'ing it as licLion. Then we can easily asscrl, there is no such ihirg eprerfl rrrrion of Heolen? tukc

as the supernatu.al it is simply another scientific 0r vord lorlt Dm'r iunwoid

Sutcrnatural occurences are pla]'ed out in stories, rhe nrovier. Reod tE srsmd
tales or movies - $'ith exaffiemtion to inciie fear and occu encc in ioday's modernworld. at
diiover fre dor! rvrish md
anticipation. Films such as the ltorcisn o/E rily r!ns $ljr ordde I ( Rowirs o
Rose highlight this by shoNitrg trv.r opposing vie$s
torva.ds the supernatural. The audience may fret
over the conpelLing explanatioDs for the exorcism
but davs later, after having bccD thrown into lhe
bustle and monotony ofdaily life. thcy will elentudLy
forget aDd disniss it as r oment of fcar or
irrationalitv. Tic step iDto a world wherc the
3.TfltXrtrs
supematu.al can possibly exist is sirnply a so of
Ulherher il w6 thr iolol 0errr
conrcident hit and tniss occrrrence: one does not torlirs*d enrrcd on olis
linserlons eDougli in it to believc- ((jNptoriej m lk rcmoili(
rerxior belven the lvo 5e(r€1

Perhaps the only way a belief in rhe oqerr !'olosoniii {$c be ievei

supematural can be sust{ined in modcm life J'1! der ond rhe {{prk ku ly),
Xlllervlisodovrri\lfiiory
is tlmush religion. Abclief in(fudandthealie ife
o!o (urdsjkmysond ro
is ablc to lea.l to a belief in thc $pematural. Howeler, 5ror lrok m iermr of tuhurol

05 8R0A0[R P[RSP[OII/[! ffie c.$dv,.ssrc

 rffii,i rlr;l . }!irill!i

The Arts cannot change the world,

but they make it more beautiful.
Discuss. /, ir,,. s, .

rtists fight an uphill battle, trying to convince the rest

of modern society that there ls a point to their work.
Compared with financial wizards, lawyers, activists,
teachers and politicians, artists seem almost deluded
and arrogant about their ability to reshape the world.

How can a iwo dimeDsioral piece olpainted canvas
or a nere song overcom€ ou. biggest p.obleDs? To
Joe Average, untotrched br art theoies and uDmovcd
br academic .hetodc, rrt is mere adornrncDt to bc
hung on a pristine galierv \.all and norhiDg else.
of coursc, many examples of artistic
expression stem from nothing more
complicated than ar artist's desire to capturc
and immortalise u instance of beauty.
lir \ .l ,
t' \" t.r 1111'
, ,l 1...,1 r l,,,rli,. ilr: r,, -rir,, r,
iiliirel tluur ii pl:r'1-icuilir nrollil
rli i,,' (\{t{, 1r t,l ii , itl(1,l/ler}iiti._1.
IIrLq.C[ CRIDI T'l
Aut $'hile thel do Dot overtlln ou. wo ds, thcsc worts
ol. .rlg ln. .r '_l \.r 'J- .en,p. Jr'C .p_al\ Fr nt
r"
or hcariDg thcn gives us an lncanny sense of
satisfaction and happiness. Piet llondrian s deceivinglJ
simple ca.lases ol clean black lires rnd blocks of
primar-' colours capture the cool berurr- oforder and
slstems. Claude Nlonet s inpressionistic dcpictions
of sun-daprled churchcs, rratcr Uly ponds and rilell]
rcmiDd us to celebrate the beauly ollight on [arth.
Chopnls noctuDesa iculatesweet ess ir melmcholy,
\,lozart ushers in elega ce and vilakli recreates the
r iL,
joy ot 1or r seasons withni the confines of ou lirmlt.st
livhg .oons. ID brinsila momenrs of simplc
sensor) pleasure inio orr lives, ir is even
possiblc to arsuc that this kind ofart changes
ourworld in a million tinv ways.

06 ER0ADIR PfRsPfOlVfS ,r. lssrr

^\,.
 tt{RliTll5:
t0! l,10L]iRl.] rilTil.]D
Bnt bcyond thc cclebntion ofbeaut), {rtists not unlilte moden wrr phoioiiraphs $lich glaphieLlv 50llt ll0i{l{ rlRr P t{t5
hase madc thc captu nA of Truth thc raison r'.1'J.. { l,.'r lr,, . l r\'.,j.\1..J',r1,
.l'et c ol artasrlcll. ADd in the reverling of TNllr btloding aDti Nar anthcm.,lrr.ri.an 1-tir $'as so dlrk P0PMr(re505)

in thelr wo ,s. some adisls hale c|ossed lhe line t|11 il was.asiigal.d b! thc Bush admnrisiration,
La . , , ir..r .'r' ,l F ,l lu'ai,.l '. i, iUlV and rranr, A.re cnns Her Drusic!id.o drifNd
thc Deed to preseft such beautr. or fight against the Nith sarcasti( l]rics thrt atLacLed lhe av€rnge
uglin.ss in thc $r)rld thrt thrertcDs to oreni'heln it. lDtrican s idea of a sood lite rErirst an outrageo!s \€991
B\ doing so. t|.ir works inadlcft.ntll cross ovcr bact.lrof ofAsian and lliddlc Eastern war victims,
lro.r .r,rli.it passile obsenaiions ollhe lvorld t. bnhins soldicrs and jorirl Alr.ricND fxshidristrs. tontLr. 5i!! {0
ibtigalj!E acLi\.e rhange jn the No.ld. l his is hesL
seen in tire worlts ol nrlists $ho set ouL Lo creale I)elinilely, lhe A.ts has iis fair sharc of
mNstcryiecesforreligiousor!oliticalpurposes.The irresponsible, untalented or simply
dcs'rc tc tmicst agairsi pcrccivcd socn!|olirical uninterested prrctitioners. lt is thev who
pmblcnrs .nd ,dvocrt. good lilnrg.rc.tcd. ivhol. rmdcrminc thc lalu. of art. rroducins works of
genr€ ol tuusic l{ror!. as prulesl so.gs. Bobl\'lr. s !nil.nJn nrediocdq t|rt n.itho clrangc norbcartifi
t] ..ri ,1, ,,it.1 l\1. \i.'U r rr/,i. tl, J,J LheirsL, oundirgs. Somelinx's rrlists arc Dlotilai.d
aln , JohD LeDnon s "1rr?g;re 'rnd Kanle Wen's b\ p.olit ralher Lhan tu.!ose a.d c.eale lvorks l|ri 0mrr r{l6lr
''Dnrrmndsr!,,.sierrd aeonr" combine music{l wouLd ple{serD undisre.n ins aud ie ce as (l!icllr .rs
.fistn and Dr.annrgiLl l)ics with ! call for lcoDl. tossiblc. Such thoughtless $orlts do not eDdure tlie YOUNG 8R I5H ARTI5TS

lo slrnd uf ior thc toildl.ss. Fonnd sla\'. tladc. t.stoftnD.. Thcl maystill invokc niNsome knlci of {1ee0s mv)

JoIn NeNlotr s rvell lored .t,krzir./ Cr(cc- is a.
eteDul Fmiraler to allto rclorowledge oDe s blindness
n) one s onD $'(mg.ioirg.
In a bidto chaDgc mindscts aDd rcshapc thc
rvorkl, somc arrists crcatc hold picccs ofwork
that ue deliberatell unpleasanl, consciously
senlimenl or tleasant enough s.nsort'bnzz, bnt thcl
Dever nrake r rerl denl in ,Nr co.sciodsness. lD thc
198os. the Sto(k/Ailetr/WaLe. ar p.odu(lion l,ran)
i{ere flnous lirr creatiDg monster nn$|, lrils lbr por)
siDgcrs \Vr caDnot frnlt pof songs for beirg {hrt
th.y arc throivlr'at , inf.ctio$, tuiloldLs trnes i{e
nll lole todanceto but \!. c.n bc ccfain ihrt iD tlre 0rnior Hirr s

obnoxious and even doMrisht usly. Byjar iij
us oxi ol our tleasrnt relrrie. art can force us to
j.ttison our tr.coDccncd hrpp! Doti{ns lbout the
,vey lhings ar. in thc i{orldtoda_v xnd shock ns
confroDtins horiblc' realit!.
g.and scheue olLhirus. Bananaranra s llrrus rnd
Kiie s "loconoiion" \!ill rrrobrbl) .erer be mnl,e.l
lnurgthe most bexutjful nor life chargxrg works ol
nrto lrt ni thc $uld. Sjmilarl\'. muy lists will not usher
y'"*
to th. No d rcxl chaDgc or b.Nult for thc'ir crc'atiorls
nreeitherprer\'but bhDd (r h Thonus Kink!.tc) or
p.o\ ocaLn € but u ltimat€l) ,nean ingless ( a h tisiic' Donir liirsr !
iDstallatiors of used bedsLeeLs a.d condorns).

Aft is too oftcn pigconhol.d rs being self certrel,

uDintclligiblc or too fiivolons i{r bc of nse to societr.
l1 ls eren more ofi shrm. t|rt maD].dtists fht np t llt T0Ti] 5l
to sLereot\'!es lrl creatiJrg rorks thai ar ina.ccssibl. ?0 Plr0Tt5Ti0[c5TH

orf].inl) nrdio.rc on all lioDts. l,|llllRlD I0 I ll r,'i0RtD

l.blo Picasso s
darlt nusteJ?iece CreDi.d is an anli Nar s)nrbol..
Drorumert thlt pa\s lribule to tli€ s!lleri.g 01
".r . 'J r'r,.,1t l.l.-Ll " ti1 r.r.'
nrflidcd b! Nlzi (lcrmtrny dufi1s tlie Sprnish civil
\,". 1. g./, I.I, Irr\.d,.,i.r,..r,
grie\ ing ricli s and prnjckirs aDi'n.ls, .11 bizad ch
l^: ,.rl^rr,r-l,Pi u -r ,t,
that itselfwouid certai lr,.rale lhe
Dnr.h moE bcartiful flacc.'
_
$o d a
S'
vwv.sprnne'.ft
l3/?0 prolesr'ion$ ihor'
n/200/0/

norreredno.20/

0/ Bl0A0tR PtlsPiO|/tS r/ , .n ! ,.s

 WTEI{OOIDAYOO4

How far should a state have a right to

monitor the actions of people within
its borders? , \,
very state, regardless of how developed it is, monitors
its people's actions. Be it in the form ofonline application
forms, marriage cedificates, or even the paper.work for
buying a house, demographics and private information
are filtered and collected by our respective governments.

The sratejustiffes such a.tion by claimins it a
national security measuq and ir certainly is.
wc hale seen cases in Singapore how monito rs by
the lntemal Secu ry Depariment (rSD) has stopped
several t€rrorist activities_ Security experts say that
the actions ofthe terroists on 9/u could have been
prevented ifthe moritoing of suc| suspects had becn
stepped up. However, this act has served as a cabtyst
to nnprove slobal security. post 9/r1, inteltisence
from numerous "state spying' programnes have
helped to tip o{f state security, promptiDg counter
te.ro sm units in deter ng terrodsm in ourmidsr.
l hough the idca ofthe stare monitoring the lives of
its good tax-paying citizens seems preposterous, it
could be beDeficial aDd more s€cure nr the loDs run.
PrivacT is one ofthe key issues in the proresr
against state monitoring - but in today's day
and aae, privacy may be a moot point.
Adveftisers mine data fron all channets, Lhether
from the Luclt, Drai! coupon you vejNi filied nr, o.
the warant, card for your new apptiance. It is Dearty
irnpo-ibl",o ti! il rodr) s so.:Fb wirhu, Icavinr
aboul our p vate lives is not revealed to the media
or enemal parties- In all practicaiiB., any govemment
would be adverse to havnis such infomation reveated,
as itwould make citizens feel that their rishts were
being viotated by rhe sane people who swore to protect
them. Also, the alerage person would have ljttlc or
no secrets that are damagiDg ro the golernment,
unless it cones in the forn ofa potiticai scandal such
as the Eliot Spitzer prostiturion scandat which 1las
exposed by a federal agenc'. Such a scandalwould
taiDt ihe repDiation of rhe government, and the
government has a righi to ensure such mishaps do
not happen. However, l.lOt cvt t.vone le:rdS
such ser rsa Lion:rl livcs. Onil'thc
criurinal rvould fcar srrclr
surleillnnce.
Some amonasr us may fear the possibility of
infomation euBeni.s. mucn like rhedysropian
scenario in "Futurama,'. pulp fictioD warns ofa
ooss Llr hr. u re sn-re hugc databa.r" ot irtorn,ltion

an infonnation trail or an electronic fbotprint. We
lose our privacy 1iom the nomenr we step out of our
houses and start to intemcr with the wortd.
State modtorinA involves rime and moncy
aDd high-level clearan(e ftom ttte legislarors
PHOTO CREDIT/
of a country. The everyday Joe xould have tjttle to
wony aboui just SovemneDt mo roring. Every state
has a rcspoDsibnib' to eDsure that
infbrmation coltateil
that can bc used to classify aDd categodse peopte into
sroups, forcibiy assignins peoplc jobs based oD
statktics. all in the name of optimal usage of
rFsuu'.eq. Fear nor. for as tong as countries
allow universal sufftage and debate in rhe
lesislation oflaws, there wiU not be acrions
as perverse or draconian as the
abovementioned. People stilt shape the,{orld of
ioday and will conrinue to shape it for the years to

08 BR0ADIR PIRSPIITIVFS rhe essdr,, i55re

 tUTIURIWAICll

RHr0n0|l {2007)
Bojed or rhs lru{ nory ol
(holid t Mo5rl who vos
doporlod 10 trio ond lorl!rod
!odulhe mji0ollon of fie tlA,
lhl inovie u(o€r!lome olrhe
bo5l( ronJrore'sler h€hind
Amerko! p.o rllre ol exrro

Ho! {or 5hould the nore be

ollowed ro prcrerl ir! o\,/n
riltrenry? Do rhe mo!r rsnoble
Even predoninantly conservatjve Malaysia had a However, ihc responsibility to protect our ol meoff tLrnily the iob ed of
scrics of citizen protests agaiDst the government s country does not lie solely with the
spling aciions, whcrc a Dumber of corples found goverrment. Just as the governncnt has a
behaling intnnately$€re fincd and chastened by the responsjbilirr_ to ensure national securiry, the
Foplc
D D YOU (I{OllV?
governnent for behavins inappropdatcl-v in public also liave to reciprocrte. The .ight to privacl nnNt
spaces. Moderate Malaysians s€re quick io protcst cone njih the rcspoDsibilitt to help saleguard societt .
TXTRAORDIllIARY RI|lDIIION
agaimt the abuse of surveillance or the part ofihe Wc musi also realise that the state does not hare the
sq rern u$d to de5a be the
govcmnent. The goverDment mat onlyclanp doM resources or manfoncr to monitor eadl nldiv ual. rrrest ond trunslerol o p*son
on iis citizens as far as the majo.it] will dllorv orjudge Instead, we should be visilant and aware of our lhit
{rom one note lo ororhe'

neishbors and report nny abnormal or suspicioDs r usurlly done to ollow

activities. h singrpore, vi(leos are aired oD t|e Mass tuspe.red refforirs h Le
rroirlerredJerrclt r,ponrsr
That we can sit happily today d€bating thc Rapid T.ansit cariages showing hc,w to.espond to
rountde: vhrch olow honher
issues ofthe world is because our governmcnt { n,i.rnu ...rvi.iF.. il},{ rur-.' I:frhelIinj lflerogririoI elhod! h be
has done "rhe dirty work" to ensure our safety alTected by a biolosical r{eapon. such victeos ensure u5ed.Ane,iru hos bed (0?d
and sccurity. So beforc lee throw the baby out with th
'rnor''o-i,
go't r.r.t'la *ri"tjuslU" lun'Jir, ofp'o(ti.ifg $(h 'lo !re by
th€ bathwarerwhilst d€cr,ving this iDvasion into otrr ofgovernnrenL age cies alone. prory'if irs bid ro iq(slrfu
! vacy, it is inportant tbr us to rcflcct on the
disastturs possibilities of a terrodst attack on our In coDclusion, the state has many obligations. and
slAt( SlTtS me soel delenrior
couir,a. WheD we weigh the zealous safesuadins of natioDal securitv ranks ve,r- liighly on Lhe list or {entrej or iorerl prisor5
the details of our lives with the possibilily ofsavins prio;tics. while a life of pnvas- js ideal, :r vast anou l r!ptoedlr operckd by the
l,\". h.i")1, lu dpr.r..,l.";i|rprhFldlrFr in ofresources and elTort rnust still be spent to eDsure Aneri.o r tlA n orjundioi
favor ol the fo.ner. Pcrhaps we reould be able to that nothing illegal or dehnnental io society can be r rh Irlefdly [!iopeo] o'
Midd e toner {o!nlr €s
sleep sounder at niitht withoui ihe thoughts ofthe canied ort. Does the state hnve therightto monitor
state watching tour every move, but the pice for ihis her people's moveneDts? Absolu tely. War s today are
shortlived peace of mind is lalid until a tenoist Dot fought on open battleg.ounds with troops

attack. Tlirg lhe alnts o1 r'lrtt standing in straight liDes, but byhidden smaLi grcups
causnrs fear in socicg. We, as citize$, must be willing
naliorr:ri secrrrih'agcrlcJ is ni)t the to give up our privacy to ensllrc thc i{ellbeing of
snraflcst rvav at cletellirg vlr'.u'
nrr:nries-

09 BR0AD[ll PtlSPtOlVtS dtr..vrv b5!f

 Mass production inevitably means
aloss of craftsmanship and quality.
Is this true in your society?
he Industrial Revolution did notjust rnark the dawn
of a new era offast production and modern efficiency,
it also marked the seeming death of an older world
of artisans and craftsmen, made obsolete by the
hulking mechanisations that grew from the ground
of every newly industrialising state.

Peoplc$'|o grenup iD ih. old $.orld,.lislocaled and
rloi{jobless lound thcnsches cryins foul rnd Ji,ught
valia.tly to kccf our lvorld from frogressjrg inro
sonretlilg that, to then, seem.d i{rcng. tfwc'could
not make thiDgs r!ilh ou orqr bare hards then it jNr
lid not sccDr horth mldDg.Yct, ourownbarch.nds
i r.. ,, id r, ,, , - ..rt,t . .o\ i,
,
popxl.tio. and iDcr.asjng global deDuDd tbrgoods
and seNices of all kjnds. lnrreasingly lnregrated
ma.kets exaccrbaled this siiration, requiriDg us to
sirDph rclcnt and gne wayto t|e nec€ssa* clils ol
niass irroduction. Llut as $'c $'.lch lresentli..nd ol
co $c nr rclrospect, has rn.ss prududidr firb nreanr
a loss ol qualitv and .raitsuanshit in lrhar we
lhe li'ss of qualit) i"d .rafi\mxn\hil) i\
perhaps most apparelt when we tuvcl and
ilevitably encountcr countries thar have
compromised the uniqueness ofthcir local
h.a1a trice tag tli{t coDr.s Nith Drost harh unique
rnrl-\ol ,'r.. 1I, rr,r..t u lr..,, r r.
'r."r ir r1
Singapore, and dre rest ofthe \o d for rhat natt.r,
is theEjn mostiv ineyitable as mass prr&rction almosr
alwrys b Dgs costs doi{n, rDd t|er€Lre stals wirli.
reach ofdre rrficaltouisi |ocker.
Qulity does not hovcver, always fall once we
\larl lo nrrs\-Iro(lu.F Suods. \1 ..1u l'. ,I
is recessrn ftr alDost all btrsinesses thesc davs.
especixlly i{ilh the need to.\pand busin.sses,
fraDchiscs oretend th. salc ol goods to intcDarional
m kck. with this cxfansion coDres thc need to
produce rnore ofth. same good for dishiburion- but
lvilh it al$ comcs an onus for thcse compaDies to
t,r "l I, r.,,d. ^ rr.. ,.,, .1.,.. {,, t. It.\.B.ro
profit motivrled, it
is iDe\itabl. that rcnpanicswould
ensur. qnnlitr control clcD rs Lhey nass froduce.
Takc oxr local chanr of food naoulichuiDg, Okl Chals
K, .'^ Lt.'rr.- ft, r. .. ., n,oh. . .ru,.,.. i, I

arts and craft by condoniDg and sometimes
.\en encuur:'sitrB lhe
"rb.production
of rcir
native art so that this can bore ndeqratclv
meet thc demandine consumption
souvcnirs by the world's tourists. This is lrue
'..r
^l\,r ..,|, i.si,rr,n|\..,
but also Lhe fire artisan cratt produccd nr \,Vestern
F.uro!e. SiDgaporc is no differdrt and il roo is guilB,
ol the srmc frncLice. As an aflordable kccpsatc
howevcr, the sou\enir is understaDdabtl nr.rss
produccd, and ilonld naturall! also not caDr, Lhe
of lbodstuffs iras lept consistent .tuality rncl has
eaued a solid rep!tation of bcinil a succcssful
lianchis$ iI the region as Ncll as Sirgrtorcs mosi
ol- pr)misnrg brand. It is nrevitable that $rccessfili
companies wjll e\eDtually nrass prodncc, but this does
Dot equate to aD inevilable loss ol qrrliti.
'I hisfactis also true dueto thc halure ofnuw
products that we produce
freqrcnrlyin lhis age ()f irnb.matid). The sale
of k.o$'ledse, ideas aDd opinioDs has recenttv

l0 ER0ADtR PTRSPICTVtl //]r rs\,, Bs,r

 ttrlRN lHlS:
r,lftLRt5Pt(IID fi0DtRl.]
ol the l ler.el as a Drerns of
boomed with the rise snrgaforcans rrho hck hdivnlual opi|ions and th. ERAIIOSII{DTl]I R

c\torting these goods efficienlh ard chenplt. daring to bc tmlv iunvatii€ or eDt.epreneurial. Our i\iltTt0i.tD PR0DUtT5

SiDgrlorcans halc positioDed theD$elves wellat the wor'l(lbrce c.n still bc said to possess exceptioDal
Iorelront of this groi{ing industr! rs con Lltants, qualiLy lo. norv. but nr a $'o d that iDcreasiDgly APPII
ffi
bl
publishers.rnd research.r's. Yct, d.spjtc the huge defiDes quality b) sland.rds of nr!ovation, our
speed and rolune ol how ouriltbmration is lroduccd educ{tion systern needs 1r, produce mor. Lmi{tucli
aDd dist.ibuted unolgst all corners olthe $o d,t|c cr!ftc.t nrdiriduals through a systen tiral is used to
1L \l' r'n, .r' J.l' '.','.'.rhirlu,
qualiq does not dip in bcing copied, ernailed or bu.nl
r'.'riu,i' Droducnrg qualitl r.Dlicas.
'rilryF /g
orl{r ddles globally.lvlassfrod ction mrcly DieaDs Mar's nascenl gro$-th in biocnainee ng also
l{]Kf

M
a loss oJqualilr'or crattsmanship in the digital age, seems to foreshadov d isturbins rrcnds that d,irlopp!rei
rlthough it c.tn unibrlunalely lead to a loss of could bring ne$ implications to mass
prodrctidr. NIan s coDtiNjng quest lo better

tn te.estingly cnorgh, even quality

craflsftanship caD bc prcscned dcspite a
I ","1',/.io,r,l ril .1,,.[r'i-r .]b'
a!d th€re is constant dcbatc ovcr the possible
eDgnlee.jng .,1hu.rars desfite cuncnt bans on aD)
'urip
g--
!_ !"

releDtless mass production of Aoods. IIost

shoplnrg malls througho!1 lhe lvo d rre becoming
iDcrcasirslr homoseneous, $,jth tanriliar brands
such reserrcli. The ensunrg,trulils brought about bI
ihc achal success ofNch ersnreering olhLrmrns $ill
b. asiotrndnrg aDd is rerson enough to believe Lhat
*""-ffi
t0NVrR5r

oNning up flagship stores iD these conpleres. Yet, t]ris debatcnill notstop atjNtthe ethicaL boundart
this does .ot trevdrt ihc modcrn coDsumer fron e4rere it cu e.lly siards. Singaforc for rll
its
indjrgptuducLs Lhal arehigh qraliq. Applc comprtc'. pmgnutisDl will lilely engage in such rcscarch as
]!1ARK5&9|!fi;
rn{de x Dame foriLsellas beins r uniqrc and starkly serD by its alrerdy pioneering research in humaD
thcrapeutic cloDiDg. Should {e ;rdeed lentur. ilto
diflercrtixted prcduct des!ite t he prcdu.t iiself bcing
lrass ptlduced. Gucci rDd Prada still sell lneir soods thc rnass froductjdr of the world's mosl uniqLre liil:,,.,ffi
at prcmiun p ccs d.spitc' seveml thousands ol the
sa re product bei.g mass pro.llrced in ubiquitous
eniil!, the |uman,I bclicve
.' rr.'.i, l, o'. i4 ,, r I
we rvill nldeed experience
rt n\, r ', , l , p' r'-i\'
I o -"---- E
cnin. -.,,roi- srg,,^r",r .l.r . ir,d
triDciple weLl, rnd hrs likervise suptortcd local
t1,i.. to be a better.tualily huntan.
,9"4 i:
phtcchDics aDd designers in nr.rkinp,lheir mark on Ilass productidr js not necessarily a bad thing. ODr
the dcsign sccnc. These dnrs, it is the unquely c.alled per.civcdloss ofcmfLsmanship ud quaLity is pe.haps
prodrd that is ironicaliy ud inevitably nass o\erstaled and thc samc old argunents frorL
unemployedcraflsnran and tjsrnsmayneedtobe
rccoDside.ed. certainlt- lbe old wo d cha.m of x
Unfortulately, this algument can ooly crtcnd snrglcbakcr oler his stove, ora blacksdilh clanging
so far as re are still uttimately d iscussi ng rhc on his aDvil is lurdl} r sight we wjil see loda!.
nass prodrctioD of goods. We have let to discuss ln repla.crncnt wc havc a Der\' \rorkl \rhirh is lrot
Lhemass troductioD of ourseNices ardworklorce. necessarilir b.ttcr, but for that mrtter, aLso not
ndtrcation isan al€|i nrdrich challcDges cortnNa ) Decessa! ilv rlo.se snrce t|c nccd for mass prcduction
arise. The success ol lhis secLor is obriouslr cNcial ofgoods at least sigrjiies incr.is.d wcalth anDng
io thc coDtinued production oi a brillirDt .nd mosi teople of the earth, $ith a continncd
innolativc ilo.kforce. The p.oduction ol sLLrdenls .ommitmcnt to keep as much qualil!.rnd
throush rctc lca.Dirg aDd constant drilliDg ol the cratismanshif $ much as we can. lt is o ly when
sane exad lechni.lucs froduccd a $orldorce suitrble rrethods ol mass production arc usrd to p.ocluce
for the labou. intensivc, trimarv prcductio. hunLans. the most unique.rcation thus irr, that nass
industLies in ourearlv economv, bxi failcd to produc. production can nldeed beconrc.!il. I for one
r'l lr.' Ji.Iir;,.'| ,F'.l" ,, ^d.'
xo ld Devcr wish to $,itness that in mr'countl-a, or
nuch mor.comFtitite nurket. Mrss lroducLion ol
a trodJorce r.sultcd n a loss of niqLreness anrooitsL

ll SR0ADtR PtRSPf(TlVt5 ll. rs.v,, iss,.

Howimportant is a sense of
history in shaping the future of
Singapore's society?
ince the start of
civilisation, Man
has always been
fascinated with his
own origins and
beginnings. The
practice of rituals, customs and
traditions all enact a necessary
remembrance of a culture's past
and serve to commemorate a
significant event in time and space
that needs resurrection for as long
:rs the comrnunity survives. These
acts of historical recollection are
necessary for history is intimately
tied to one's sense of identity and
one's cultural placement in the
scheme ofthings.

Ascnsc of historl is consquentlyextrenel) irnpoftaDt igloralce ol o.€\ nalionaL hislor\ rveaken! oDe s
not jrst for thc ituliridu!l but rnl nltion such as se.se ol ciLizenship. ,\ nation js a coNru.it) slia.ed
Sinsrrorc for as }Iachi.lclli oDcc said, l\'lnrcvcr LJr.prl.i,!' .l/ 11 \:nL !'r r. l.' ! -l
s ishes to lores€e the lirl!re .rlsl .onsult iI. t.st.'
'.rf la + ..{,,J1.,,\. i",..p.'r ,lr .

the lLrture ol aDv state, its €(ono.)ic success or lndi.. ard thc llalaI P.DnNulN alrcadr iDdi..tcs.l
otheNise, is then.lependent on its lnroilledge of lhe jrolenrial Jbr liagmentrtioD xnd dnision. lo oeate I
i rf ilJ, r-"ih r "S g't ', r "
and to subseq!enlly prog.ess inlo lhe lilure Dot {s
Pcrhaps thc nosr impofiaDt rcason $'hy diterse ethnic coin ru.ilies bul asonepeople. asense
poss.s\inB a \cn\c ol histor] r.mairs ol.onrnr.n hisnr\ is.e.essr,1
imperali\ e for Singnl)ore \ fulure I'ro8rc\\ i\
the need to establish a sense of national
idcntitt. llistoN {Dd citizenship are ifteNoren

l2 BR0,tDIR PtRSPtO]VtS lhr rssdv issr?

 It can be arArcd however that national
identity need not be built on the past but solely
on the present. 'l'he plescnt rcaliiies of rapid
ecoDoDric gro\th, lechrological advancement and
modcrn lifcst\']e defi!€ the Singapore now and the
Sjnsaporcto come. Yet aswe progrcss. the necd to
define a Singaporean identity in an age of
slobalisation becomcs more prcssing. r'he
govermnent has ahvays recognis.d this and as such
cmphasised nNlticulturalism as a distinctive feature
of Singaporc's histo.ical naffatiYes. Ir has alwats laid
enphasis onthe experience ofSingaporeans as oDc
leolle in its birth as a nation ard in the lrials and
tribuhtions ol nation building. HistoicaL accounts
of wartime €xperienc€s also Dndoscore the sutreings
. l' ,Tunp'uplFi,C nol a'd\"r'"".r1r,..
evcncnces. -^s such, Snigaporei socio cultural tuture
as a nation of multicultu.aL peoples coexisting
hnrlnoniouslyfor the bettermert of sociely mn<r
be brilt upon a sharcd kno$'ledge of the pasl.
In ihe quest for modernitv and effrciency,
many Singaporems have come to bclicve thar
hotdina onto the past is impracrical ard
inhibitive of lc.hnolosi.al a'rd economic
gowth. We prefer to dcfiDc ourselves in terms of
whcrc we are going, not wherc wc cone fron.
Hotlcvcr, such ! !ie$ i\ \elf defeali'rs for
ther€ can be no progess without rehospect:
the past bcstows crrcial irsight into innatc
weaknesses and nascent strengths thar wc
may need 1o survivc an unkrowable,
cvcrchanging future. Singaporc enphasises
knor{ledgc of a state prescribed hisiory. She
recognises thc importance of lulure gencrations
learnjng fr'on thc erors ofits preceding ones. onc
l utrhFrno.t.or r n ri \.nU,jiI\iIE po Fs'\erod,
of nation bu ildins is thc racial riois of 1964 arld lhe
Maria Hertogh .iots of r965. Thc resnltaDt social
unresi and violence consequent of racjal tensions
letween diffcrcnt ethnic groups led the ruhns
governmentioiakc measures to ensure lhe avoidancc
ofsuch incidentsin thc futurc. The aforemenlioned
actire promoLion of muliiculturalisrn n d the
contintred practice ofmeritocracy are sorne o1 the
outcomes of le{rling lionr past enors.
l3
Anorher reason why a sensc of hisrory rs
necessary is the fact that history docs not
me.ely tcll N about the pasl but aciively
shapes the valres ald ideologies of a
comnunity. A shared scnsc ofhistory c.eales shar€d
vrlue systems necessal.r for thc creatioD ofa Dational
idcDtiv aDd the.einlorce ent of citizcnship. Findhs
a set ofvalues, pafticularly in lhe ag. of cultural
honogenisation, bccones a necessa.y qualityfor a
n.tlion looking to locate itself i! a gLobal co lture. Thc
call for a ret(n n to -dsiaD values 'by Minister S{entor
tf,e KuaD Y€w and lheemplusis or Cortucian vnlLres,
such as filial piety, hurnaneness, aDd respect for self
and othcrs, as ethical guidelines {or SinsaporeaDs,
-:ll
ha'e becon€ high on the national rsen.La.
I,l|nl,'1\ ,,1 jr l" I lrr .ir',r:rri l:' .'
\'lirpr'{r -\ trl' it ,' ,ll:
1i|1-1r 111.1111rr. .:" ., ',,, 'i,
l ti 'A i
r r, l i t l]1 ;t lrr:r :ll .1,i. "
r
' '
tlariitior Nnd i)eiicl. it i: oirl', iiieit
tlrrl lhc soul ol lr r;rtiort cal i;,-'
ibmrccl.
I.orSingapore. or any nation to prog.ess and succ€ed
in the future. a sense ofhistory, oDe that is shared
by its people, is imperativc. Histott' foryes a nauon
aith a connunal sense ofideniitv. Hjsiory alLows a
natioD to comprehend its beginnings in otder to a\oid
corntnitting the in lhc futurc and
consequenilv cnsenders a natio. with so l.
As American author David Mccullough declares,
"History is who we .rc and $'hy $'e are the $ay
ER0ADtR PtRsPtfilVtS //,. '
ssdr/ is{rr
 \trttli 001 SAY 001

Should poorer countries develop

their tourist industry when the
basic needs of their own people
are notbeing met? /rr, !, 1

I
t could
have been a scene out of any Lonely Planet travel
documentary. The fire crackled in the cold night air as our
guide and his helpers deftly prepared the sardines, the bread,
the mint tea, while the three of us young tourists huddled
PHOTO CREDTT/
together, savouring the experience of camping out in the
Sahara. M orocco - my first experience oftourism in a developing world.

PHOTOCREDT'ry We did not realise it then, but nt' friends and I \€re
in faci taking part in an industry that is at the centre
of fierce debates among economists aDd politicians.
The questioD, ifwe had seen it, was $'hether poorer
' oun,nc. \hou dq.l.orn" n'r-i.lslkFL! rlolr1er-
1id\la.a rean' olcol rbul rI o^\"-rl-..o,,nmi,
development, or ifthey should concentnte on first
mFrlrnr rhF bas:. nFFd. of rhFir pFo.,lp bpforp mxl-nB
ambitious plds for the ecoDony on the macro level.
It is difficult qucstion, rlartly becausc it Doses
a
a false dilemmar eitl'er develop the tourisr
industry, or provide for the basic needs ofthe
ordindy people. This fails to corlsicter the possibility
that developing the totrrist tudustry might be a means
by which thcsc basic nceds - food, hons s, hcalthcare
can be meL Once this possibiliB' is raised, it bccomes
"\1rFnt Ll dL
Fl\ Food l,.dcr.hrL'.
caretui! anning
and a strong enough will, tourism can actually
contribute signjficantly to a couniry's €conomy,

14 BR0ADn PFRsPlOlVts rhp pssnl iss t!


rnd tire res ting benefits caD be distibnted so as
bcncntordinaf-locals.
OfcouNc, thcre is no auaranree *ratrourism
rvill improve the lot ofthe common peopte.
One of the most common objectiors to tourisDl
developDrent in poorcr countries is that the p.ofits
gelcratcd cithcr do not stay iD thcsc countrics, or
end u! benefiting only t|e co+orationsihat run ihe
lourisn industry. ln Ghana, lbr example. l]re fees
collected bycastles and othe. locrl attrnclions nroitlt
accrue to the certril governmert instead ofthe l.rcals
in dre area. Kerya, one oftlie lnican courlties rvhich
has bccn fairl] succcsstul in dcvcloping itstouism
jndusi.y, faces the sane p.oblern. Despite iourisrn
b€trrgils largest source ol ibreiBn erchange releoue,
most ofthe profits gene.ated bl its rlildlife .esen es
goes to the luxury lodges, foreign tour opentors and
traDsport costs. The tourism industry is too
delcndcnr on seasonal demand, and may
ther€fore be unsuirable as the sole income'
generating activity for poor households.
lnotherproblen is that the indtrstry is particularl)'
depeDdent oD market forces and e\te.n{l demand.
In thc clcDt of crisis sii ati{rns such as severc
economic doMtunrs, or glol)al hcalth scarcslikcthc
SARS outbreak in 20o3, counldes tlat are over
reliaDt on tourisn nay find tlienNelves h trouble
.n)\i r orhins ro lall '.rcl Irj ;ir' -,)
"r.
. ii.:i.,: :. ,t-. i, -1.'l |,jt.
ric r.silca:ia,!j-\ ', rLllclii)lr
Lhe, 1-'rLrl
to olioiLliticir :r:rLJ irlss r\-itil n ih,.l
triil brrrl iotutsi.r irrririsir', . suppoft, the
Itmay seem as ifthese issues are enough to
Fove th€ c6e against tourism development,
bui to deciile to Aet d ofthe tourist industry
altosethcr wonld bc to throw rhe baby our
with the bathwarer. The problem, reallt-', is noi
rvith the tourism i dustry ilsell, bul wiLh poor
planlnrs, weak adninistrntion, and a failure lo
consider the Deedsoftlieloc.l population. All ofthese
problcDs would probably stjll be preseDt in one forDl
0r anoiher, rdratclcr thc indushy, unless a concerted
efiorL is made ai all levels to overcome thcn,.
l.urthemo.e, plices lilie Kerala ir India and Tudan
in Xiniians face little other alternntive. Asriculture
i5 ER0ADtR
DO TH I,
PIAll TO I.5 TA
to aDd prima.y industries can only take a country so DI!/iIi]P Nlj IOL]NTltY
far. And ifthcy arc not rcsource-rich or agriculturrlll a u stt r0!/T rfY ri[I
lp1la.t-ral,F.r\\").lpr.ur ngd.\".1.r r. .'r,. n
Dromotingtheir|eritase and sellnrg thcir"dilTcrcncc"
lo the rest of the world.
There is eviderce thrt, with the right
conditions in place, tourism can provide {
slrona, sustainabl. hasr for economic l,]OIA
development that will bencfit local
populations. Morocco, forinstance, nashad a lons
and successful liistory jn this area. l addition to
promotiDg the tsual tourist hotspots like its beach
rcsofts aDd ancicnt imferial cities, the Moroccan
governmentis nowfocusing on Nraltouftm in thc
hope oibeneliLing more locals nr these nnal arcas.
l]nterprising Mo.occnns who capilalise on the
opporturities presented by the tourism industry hare
a fighting clunce at strccess - tlie protusion ofcraft
. hnl' . .J1... Jnd n.l Fr
"i .llb,E r .."-" n .l ' rlrrur
rouri.r dF t,r0tr^.. 1rr rl eI .unnurdl g.-" . PHNt]]\1PINH tAIVS(]D]r]
rerinrunr .o.hs. to |l an q rrpt'o1i.g irdust-e.
and services also pft,vjde iobs to mant locals it
rvoukt be vert difficult for bus driyers, taxi d.iverc,
tour grides and rcstarmrt staff if the tourist iDdustry
wcrc not as dclclopcd as itis.
\ nJr:snFFLpdlorlor.ri.mroIulli- l tror"r.'i- .
iur ;u\rrrm-nl. " ,d plJnn:nL dI]Fn, . o I' I 'n
place enployment opporlunities ftrr the poo. and
iD\ollcthen iD theplaDnjrg process by fiDding out
and acting on thcir conccrDs. Anoiher usc'flrl sirates
XINJiAIIO, iHINA
is to prolide hainilg oppoftrnities for potcDtial
wo.ke.s. With good planning and golernnrent
tou st industry can be exactly whal the
Doornccdto gct a shot at a bettcr life. Et
ta5aEtANta, r10R0cco
PtR5PtcllVtS r/r r'sn4 ,.sr'
 \ruEilrti0tDAY0CIfi
The pen is mightier than the sword.
Can written language reallybe
so powerful!',,,,,n,',,,,,*,u
The pages of History are littered with attempls
ro use force to provc ouNeives "miglrtier" tban
one other. Great revolutions in the histo.I ol
nrankind have, niost .r{ the tine. becn caried out
t|rough rampage, aDd bloodshed.It sccms that the
merc dralving ofthe sword pushes wars to ne$'lcvels.
ur J , ". rl Jt . 11 xt mJn. nuu'F. o L, rF\, . Du ig
rn.ient iimes. it secmcd cl.arto X{atr that the answo
PHOTO CRtrDIT/ to questioDs of peace and delclopmeDt was the Sword.
ForgcttiDg Christ s appeal ibr uniiy in the Chtrrch,
rnost ofchisiian Errope was ernbroilcd nr cNsades
re]isious militarv canipaijans i{aged agaiDst e\temal
nnd inlernal opfoDents- The french RelolDiion that
gale bidh to the rcspcctable principles olnationalisn,
citizeDsliip and inalienablcishts,wd forged in riolent
turmoil as well. How did world war II end
''peacctullv"? Witli alarge sword thc Aionic Botlb.
16 8[0ADIR PIRSPIOIVIS t/re essou
fone had flipped through
the pages of a History
textbook, one would find,
above anything else,
conflict and war. The pen
and the sword are two
very different methods by which
we come into, and deal with,
conflict. In this light. it seems that
lo say Lhat the pen is mightier than
the sword would be the equivalent
of heresy - words cannot huft your
flesh, they can only harm your
mind, whilst a sword can literally
pierce through your heaft.
The cmployment of words and the written
lanAuaAe to mitigatc or dissolve conflicts
tbercfore seems pointless. It may seen overly
idealistic to cveD tlink that the pen can ovct?ower
the swod in any way- The Munich Agreemcnt t{as a
w.itten documeni meant to btr)'peace priortoWorld
war ll. But il onlylastcd for a few months befbre$ar
broke out again. Historysecms to have targht us thal
if w. irnsi t}e Pen. oxr faith Nould be invested in
passiritv and hactivii). This iajth would wastc away
inlo l^.t l'ol1" i. oIr.'s.umroId lalFq a.l nr' hnr^r.
ne do. as long as ary other person chooses to harncss
the power ofthe S\oId, that is to us€ the power of
action against mere words. It seenN impossible tbr
ustobelieve that the Pen canbc morepowedtrlthan
the Swor d because $ords silhout aciion sinply canrot
triumth ovcr the sheer fo.ce ofaction.
'ssze
 D D YoU n10!!?
N Vt 800{5TUAI

ftc "Slvord is a modification ofthc spear head, to charge the status quo forever. some ofour ftAIIGIDTHI WI]RTD

which was. after all, created lor darnase ard most sifted wrilers havc also been our nost sifted
orators. By adding the compclline power of micdoinmml.linsoi iie o !k/
speech and pchonalcharisma on toF of $eir
ro^ r_oid drrqroirmn/bo

Nererthelcss. the lamificarions of mere word's
is essentially how much we make out of it. Tbe
fact that words caD sometimes inflici a $ound deeper
.h r1e-.hord.a I non PF 'rirhr r-n'lrr
rh"
' r powe.fullhan sheerforce.In OrlPlo, the
thernnore
frmous lin. 'it is not wolds that shake me thus"
breatned by othelo before he finally falls into a h aDcc
reek ofirony.lt the mind games and tlie ivordplay
is
oflago that makes the play a lragedy. This only goes
to slroi{ how words car not just hurt
emotionally I'ut if used well enoueh, can even
bdng about physical damaae.
we should note though, that ihe P€n car only
bc mightier ttran ihe s\vord if the p€I is an
educated one. As Man becomes increashgly
t knowledsable and learned, he also becones rnore
:l .'Dl".o rlo. ,llepusFrol \pwlil-nhud L'rirrg
the holes of Bul$cr-Lt lton, Shakespcre aDd r honras
t Jcfferson to lite. Modern man chooses io educate his
r swod. Some dcient
childreD through the l)cn, Dot the
wdtten words, tne pen's ability to neuhalise
the ssord can be multiplied manifold. Martin
LutherKingJr.'s nost niemorable speech"l lialc d
Dredm" inspi.ed sencrations of \rhitc and black
Anredcans to lay aside centuies ofracial aninosity.
WilLiam wilbefo.ce s lre aris. " on the Abolition of
,{osm(o,1o l1?l5l
rhe Slaue peined in 1789 was arguably the
"rdde"
main .eason Nhy ree no longer accept the sight of
rnen inchains as a norn. nUberlorcc's and King Jr''s
convictions and beliefs about fightins for peace and
iustice wcre thenselves influenced by ihc sPoken
words of Jcsus Ch.ist, s'rittcn and passed down
faithftrlly by earb Christian apostlcs. Ftlm the ancicDt
,leNish books ofJoel, xlicah and Isaiah, bolh meD
found aDd lbught for the pronised day ahen "swords
would be beaten into ploashares and "spears into
pruning hooks", ivhere "nation $'ill not take uf ssord
against nation, no. \ill they imin for war anynorc "
(Isaiah 2:4)
0n$eAholiionotlhe5 ovelmdc
(lTsglbrlYili.mWlb! 0cin
The pel epitomises patience and virtue while Porlirmml. lmn!diott pmbd r

civilisations prioriUsed nilitary superioritr-' ove. the sword is synonlmous with rashness and
I
"bookish" cducation and pe shed without learing a$lression. The latter is unabashedly human, dn€ct

v real legacies behind. Accordinit to,Iarcd Dianond s sJr\.[wl' .th' urnrr:n'p t hur.n:ryrorna I

Guns, Ge'ns dnd.Sieel, the main rcason \ehl, !he what is good and is thus able to deliver rnessases
nisht-v Inca empire was defeated b) a rnucli snialler with eqtral, if not more, fe.vour, dcpth and lons
Spanish arny ol corquistddo?r and reduced to a Perhal)s NIall
lastinit imtact than the other.
merefootDote in historyis because the Spanish drew 1844 l055llrl,1(h@ rorodoy

upon thepowerofw tten infonnation denved froD
lI the sreat libra.ics of nurope. Thc Incas had n.t
d.\.lop-J L,\'. I r. dc\ ,'r rF.o,dl.nrrs rrhair
civilisation the trTittcn word was not yct perceived
..a ..t,r 'r, hnolosl n |,, ir ,,,1 ,rp. 1..\.rx;irrj
shorild rise tirc Pen to restrain itild
lolod spe{i(010i fo'AdMgh j
guide lhc p:lssiorl 0f the S\\'oid.
Let u,ords be lhe stceling rvhccl of
our- r,elticle that is lirellccl bv folcc

ffiE
.ld
on e\tensjve \Titten recrrd,s of successful past nilitary nnd actior us r'r e dlive tou'ards lhe
stmtagems and documentatioD of foreign tleapons
technology (ic. the use ol stecl to forge lii4hter
lirhu'e.
iie(irsJonsBlel16lll
wcafons and armour), tlie Spanish thus smashed tlli mlyidoleord 5a olor
ny Afterall, sword" and "words" arc realb jusl the same
lhrcugh tens oflholsands of Inca waniors rvhose
tilc alphrbets that have iheir positioDs junbled !,
comparatively clumsy i{caPons and arnour coukl
noi hold up to the onslaught.

tfltinrately, $hen powertul words e'rshrininB

our most powcrfirl ideals emerse from the Iherrrroliol1623)
pens of passionate and dedicaied individuals,
whote mies of ordinary people can bc raised

17 BR0ADIR PIRSPIOIVIS rlte essau rssur

 Advertisements are often
entertaining but they rarely
affect consumer choice.
Is this your experience? 1,,, .. : \.
,,r<

:.
€:
l
f

dvertisements usually set out to

convince the consumer of his lackand
tacitly entice him into buying the
respective prod uct or service. ',,',.,,,
n.
is an crcrcis. oftuflueDce and co optio alLe. all AdyerLisers uLilis€
.nicftannDcDt to their advmtage nore aDd rnore these da!s: b) conllating
lhe t!vo. th. ad\crtiscDrcDt ctrcctiv.lv becones umssailable and !e.suasi!e.
While Lhere arc nranl consuDos i{lro conscn)usly or unconsciously buv
into thc allure ofadveftisiug, the.e exists also lr sjzal)l€ group able to rcsist its iDvisiblc aDd subtlc forcc tlho
can$ithoutmuch difficullt vicw advertisenents as rothing but pu.e. unadulleraled entertainm.nt. Whilewe
PltOTOCRUDIT/
nra!'' ljke lo bclnrvc that consumcrs arc smartcr and more discerning 1odaI, $e should be circumsp€ct nr
disdissing enti.ely thc v.lu. ofadvcftscmcnts iD iDformnig and hflueDcing consumer choice.

l8 &R0ADiR PtRSPIOIVIs t/rr.\srr is,.


Thc elcct.ic age has spawned a culrure of
fragmenlatior ard illusion that makes us
more \ulDerable to thc suggestive powers of
ndve isins. Wc lilc in , world $here time and
space rre coloDised and re shape.l bl technology,
rvherc ihc bolDdaries ar.l frortiers of rcalit\ and
aftificiaiitv are engineered and rc coDtextualised.
Advenising is of course Dot sfared 1rc this $.rve
olllxctu ng anddcmolishins onc€ lar liarborders.
$IheD ile fiew aD ad'e{isen)e t toda\', rve sould bc
apt to look at it as an adrertisement mthcr ihan a
t.ansmiitcr of inlormation. Onc' could well walch
Da\id Bectham and other socc.r gr..ts kicking a
ballin a constructed tlucc dinrensional plane witli
r self-gratifi iDg f lcasue without achrally feeling thc
needto buv a fair ofAdidas soccer boots. Bccause
of ccl.brity presence and the !ie$.r's sudden
transpo.tation to another planc of reality, the
unconscious needforprcimill $ith one s lavouite
+ soccer pkyer is qrickl) fulfilled. What trkes
pre(edencc is thus the advertisenent itselfand not
frofil naking notive. Entcftainment o.
I
its dcsircd
fic cool" taclor alone satiatesthe coDsurner. Ila rshall
Mcluhan s rer famous dictun of the medion is the
I:t nessaile" therefore revc$crat.s through llie $'alls
of !.,stDoderD socicty.
Inrhc hands o{ skiltul trdvertisins asencies,
i laDguage and images arc Dowerful.
manipulative weapons io bc reckoned with.
Advertisenents arc llrll ofsubte\L which r.e able to
; Otu' iruugcr'
subtl) enter and ilhabil Lhe mind ofthe c{ptiyatcd
E .on. m r..\() l0ll,iel- ala) il{l!el l liel :
just sell us a protlrrct, tircr. scduce
us into it br,scliing us an intplicit
lilestlie antl tribal iclentity. You
bu1- an iPod to belolg to tlte cool
stllish cult of Nlac lor.ers. r.oaoy,
I'lanchest€r Urited exists both as a foolballchb an.t
a popular spofts buDd. Bccause o{lhe populatv of
soccerin our socictl' todar'. Minchester Unitedhas
nanagcd to scll its merchandise to a nassivc
dndicncc.In addilion. brands likeAdidas and Nile
\nd iadrinontr'i,. "r ,^ r.I, itFrs i-d
F\
players. David Beckham is Don synooymous $'ith
Adidas and WayDc Rooncv with Xkny socccr
^_ilie.
19 ER0ADiR PTRSPICTIVIS
\L]RITHS
faDs, greatly iDfluenced b) these ad\eftisements, don
Beckhan or Roonevjersers ir $'hat is a ubiquitous
sight loday. Advedisements iD this casc seNe ar once
as enterlninrnent rnd profit'chumcrs.
But ryhile somc consumers are apt to spend
rvithout discrcrion. there are those who
remai. unsusceptible to rhe intoxicaring |{]WI,IDEUSTIRS ORC
allure of some :rdveftisements. ln an econorr\
1llled with goods ab ndaDt, substitutes and better
ones at that - will alrlavs be rcadilt, available. Most
iloukl rcaiisc thatiD t|e sports nlarket, brardslikc
R -hnlr. \'- c ir'd AJi,..: t. qu ,tlr h,,\, rl rr
prodlcls endorsed by maDy a popular sforts celeb b .
in contrast, braDds like,\sics orSauconr, do m,t ieed
to adve.tise thensclvcs as agi<ressivel) as the
abovenentioncdbmnds. Consumers ir the lorow will
be able to idcntify a good runDtug shoe from a
Dcdiocrc one. Despite halins frncily desisDcd shoes
aDd nunrerous spif! adrertisemcDts, the sales ol
Nitie ruDrhg shoes do not do as rrell as lhat ot,{sics.
NIany consumcrs arc contenl with natching Nike
ruDnirg connncrcials as entertainDlent but xill not
L J r . I'rnCr. i, ) o ' .,."r i...t,r,, i.\ irl..
't '
conparison to other rnore reliablc thorgh less
The fundamcntals ol consumer behrviour has
-rnirn'd rreel! ,, , l' .n;-. h- , n^l hl
rncaniDg and lLrn iD the thiDgs that wc bot.'.
lilI cnicf '!r;i-rn1t'rlt hiis
criendecl the boundalics ol ir ]ilt
an :rch,t|liser.nent lr'..rlv Drcans ;r
lrt'Onl]<. oT it riF jt llit . \\ t, t
rrilIit-r';rrll L, li, tli'i ,'.1lr:'ri' r1'l-
pnrchase. li is noi hliltl to sr:c rr,ii-r
nnJ: consLLrner'\\ {lnki be pelsuaci'-.d
I(l l)ll\ lll, B Ia\Fi.iam"..,. pr, iu,r,.r'su r "r
hrl'l'nq dosr lof' .:. 1.1\ o-J,r , hr h.rdg"r is
linrited. No amotrnt of irit aDd gloss can.on\.ince
sonreone with a shre.l ofseDseto$'aste mone! on a
rvolthless product rn. ny I imes over. a t
r/)..ssdr is\u.
 Is it possible to protect the
environment when many countries
require increasing amounts of energt
to progress? , . ,. ,,

.eg;* e

hen the United Nations embarked on a decade-

long education programme to spread tl.re word
of sustainable development and environmental
conserva liorr. tlrey had no :idea th at
it r,rould be suclr a major success. It is now a
well-knov,n and accepted fact that rising carbon emissions contribute
significantly to climate change.

As this ircnd.ontinues, so does the increasjDg
affluence ol developjng counties like B.azil,ID.lia or
China which !.omise to be ecoDomic giants. Hoi{.\cr.
lhese inprovenents cone $'ith li.a!- tricc tags,
including the need to froccss and consDnr. large
aniouDts of eDergt, tossibl. .nvironmenlal
degradation, and rnan) unseen socirl costs. The
qucstion ofrih.l \de ca (lo ard whai we should do
langs lilie a srord above our lieads in thc flcc of
dwindljrg resources. Neverthclcss,I bclicvc r|ai a1l
countries ultimatell ilill comc rouDd to prot.ctiDg
the environment in thc long.un.
PHOTO CREDIT/
Thc commo. assumption lhat en\ircnmeDtal
l)rotcction costs far outruD profitability has
long been a pfimarT target by criti.s. Hosr!.r,
iiis a f{lhcv to pr.sunr. that thc addilional costs
incurrcd$'|il. f rotecting lhe e.riro nrent Nould lead
to a deficil in econ nic g.owth. ChiDa has conk to
th. sanre rcalisilion becaLrse decades of idrg D.glcci
a.d pouu(ing of the envjroDneDt is staftjng to
eDlangerfutue econonjc gro$'th. 1\ s clr. C|nra hrs
jrcoryoratc'd sustainablc dcvclopn.Dt ideas inlo the
its policl making nr a rcc.rlt(l.n€ralAss€.rblr.lt has
.lso hrrned to lhe de!elopnrent of cleaD corl
lec}nology. lhis use oiclean (ombustjoD trchDolog/
has seerClfira's cNP nrcrerse \fliile thc'cmissioD of
polhtants remairs at stahrs q o. Chinr's cxanrfle
shows us that i{e can p(rtc.t o r trccious rcsources
and enlironmcrt i{hilsi r.hi.ving .cononr ic g.o{lh.
Connhjcs.an and s|ould p.olect tIe environmeDt
despile g.o$jng ereryv coDsumptjon.

?0 SR()AlllR PIRSPIOIVIs r/ r.s{,, i$,.

 U]AI'H THIS

Alternatively, clean forms of energy roday
have created r niche market for counhies.
Nuclear ebersy is cleaner, safer ald morc
cost efficient rhan ever. Past nuclcar incidenls at
Chemob]'l and Threc Nlile Island have bcen studied
and nuclear technolos/ and saftey greatly improved
have resulted in the gradual recovery of ozone jn ou.
In recent years, the cause of"saving Morher
Earth" has gained traction across the globe.
NoD-governmenial agencies such as GreenPeace or TiD iONfIRIN(I OTBATIS

'rpon lnd'J , n'eJpd rn r\r rL .Fir indu.Jrl lor Friends ofthe Earth ouanise activities to helP lessen AEOUTTllTPRO5PEOS OI
A GRfII{IR fUTIJRE
decades and China wiil undoubtcdb be ioining in ihe environmeDtal damage and also rcach out to others
tact iD order to po$'er its growing industry' Some ignoranl of thc bad state of the eDvircnment. Fomer IID.t0M/11DtX PlIP/4l]tJ'16/
may worry about cnvironnental risk but nuclear presidential candidateAl Gore tose to new heights A-GRIII{IR_IUTURI.I1TI.1L
lallouts are incidences that can be prcvented and l't . ,rmpiorirp .h" Cr.. n Cau'" M.h ororo. dr'v"
aloided. Nuclear eners/ is increasingly viewed as the docuDeDraries such as Inconuenient Tr-uth as lhe env rormmtoldebore hos

countics can "fie

well as rccieving the plestjsious UNEP Chanpions lonq bsei demled u o (loih
answe. to our grorving energ]'needs.
belvear e{oforiii Proqn$ ond
enjoy eneryy efficiency, continue to protect the (,lr,l):rl lcrl(Lri: illSL)
r-", h "wird pftservorion of rhe torth. TID
enlironnent and crcate more jobs in a new industry ^rr,,F
p!r5 logeiher o id of re5po(red

il they look to altemative sourccs of energy. recognise the siguifitance of beiul; rpcokeri wlm insn $ol it i1

a Greenie or'Gleen poiitical palll

Besides finding viable alrernarives to
traditional sources of cnergy, there perhaps ttr.-llrbet. lrr't jll-l lrr !lritt Lit,'tr tti, ftAiURID SPlIl(IRS:
at00Rt
treeds to be geater activity in pmmoting the points fi'on tlte public, br-rL also itr 0RMAI{ f0sitR
use ofless enersy consumina machinery or t/J tlll[4 l,ltD0ll0UGlI
even tess enerAy wastage. lt is not surP sing
consoliclate Lhcir piace in the lrtte t.0.wtrsofl

f.j I'illi,,,rr ul et:ct :r i. to be the tnost ertvit ontrtetl Lillh' ]VA]ORAiARTIR

"un.ida,,rs
a t1vauci:tl . r"oa"." *e more th' se. pressurcd
l\'asted rnnuall)' bl corntlies all
to bc environmenially active. Perhaps, intime, even
lr t Ut r ttci I ltr' \\ or'l(1.
l,pvelol, ns uunrri" the mighty United Staies Nould notbc able to shy
also hale a pari to play in adding to the fiSure. away ftom sisDing the Kyoto Protocol for fea. of
ErrironmcDtal protection should be entbrccd on internarional idicde and public pressure
countries ro mininize wastage iD the world The
coDstant need for eDergy cannot be appeased if T\" ror"nqronrl-n.dl! NlrildL.,rh {:.. raqu t.
fibht
coultries continue to ivaste rcsou.ces wilfully. counties to have foresight and ingcDui\ intacklins
Taxation on wastage aDd implementation of the problem. However, judsing frorn the va.ious
.on."^i.iuj' .. npmp. wll ts"., , ng *a! .n c bJring efbris that are currently in notion, it would not be
gL€at€r sustaiDability. nnpossible on any accoLrnt. Dcveloping or develoPed
countries alikc $'il find themselves i n the sameboat
It is undersrandable that one questions if ir where the environnient is concerned and
is fa to lorcc de\cloPing coutries to prolect uDdoubtedly, both would find ihemselves .esponsiblc
ihc en\ ironmcnt shen socio-cconomic in Inaintaining the sustajnability of thc Earth. (,
\tabilib is'nore imltod rl. ItFr"l^p,8 oLrl.ie:
cannot alTord to cut do$n or carbon emissions aDd
al '.\ ', onon c rFr: i' ':onr^ he. l- oiddh"t 18
sv r. n r.n"Lrotral r!5trLtion' Y.'..1'. r.nda-d. n
most agreemenis such as the Nlontrcal Protocol ha\c
i\. J. ;i'.n grp."p l" {r\lor'hv'l.I'Ib"ulnr'Fs
Th€ Montreal Protocol has been deemcd one of"lhe
L\. single most successfll agrcenents to date" aDdthe
p. rr.
i d ic',.'1, I.ouIlr.-".,.n d. Bnlr\ u
^^1"
xnil B!utrn. Th. concerted efforts ofsuch natioDs

7l flR0ANR PIRIPICTIVB ./r essar irsle

 WEIK OO2 DAY OII

Should research into expensive

medical treatments be allowed when
only a few can afford them? ,,.,,,,i7,bdhKon

quick scan of the rapidly advancing world of science

and technology reveals a ber'y of clever and innovative
medical tools that may help researchers solve medical
conundrums and add to man's lifespan and wellbeing.
Biotechnoiogy has spauered new drugs and made old
ones more effective. Genomics and nanotechnology also offer new ways
to cure disease, by tampering either with genes or individual molecules.
Technological advances mean that machines used to diagnose and
operate on patients have become more power{ul and precise'

Tlierein lies the dilenma of nodern medicnre: the
hopes of such medical developnents are such ihat we
may in ou.lifetimes find the cures to diseases that
have plasued and decimated malkn1d for decades,
but these potcntial rvonder drugs and treatments
come ivith prohibitjvely e\p€nsive pricc tass. This
dolble edged sword means that the nrosi nced-v and
deseniDg n1at not havc access t.r such tfeatments
simfly because they cannoi afford them. This thcn
begs thc question then of whcther strch resea""h
should be allowed to so ahead just to berefit a few
PHO'IO CREDIT/ pivileged ones. Our instircti\€ response ma-v be "no'-
but tliis answer mavbe ihe sronq one for thc tuture.
Granted, pdcing poor llcople and Datiols out
of polcnlixll) life-savinB lrealmenls i\
discriminatory and unfair. surely \c isnore all
ri"ril i npF.dt'rps \ I ., s- Lppri.e ppopl' o' rri,g-
edge treatmenl iust because they cannot afford ii.
Such channel g ol research cffoft aDd money inlo
rlfdrm.nl lnrl bFnalta r"n^-i \ nlll ' pup'.l.,riun
also takes away much needed focus fiom the poor.
Prdrn 1ce, , .J , .or ,lu.r in roirr1,ir
'1,pJni".
research for chroDic coD(titions like Ieart discase
and caDcer aflectinscitizensfi om developed nations,
because theyb.ing in the rnost prcfit.

?2 ER0ADIR PtRsPtfll/t5 ri..ssov issn!

 In th€ r99os, out of thc billioDs spent on health
researd! oDly $roo million perltarwas devoted to
malaria reserrch. Less than 5% olall druss produccd
intheworld are ained at cornbating ropic diseascs.
P o tising such potential medicaL breakthrooghs
nreans that the ills ofthe poor will continue to be
But th€ relationship between trigh lcvel
rescarch into new and emerging medical
treatmcnis and technologies, and deprivina
the poor of ncccssary health care is not a
nutually exclusive onc. Rcalistically, it is the
middle class that may be priced out of such
rrcahncDts. Most of the poor cannot al1brd standard
treatments aD!'ho$" no matter how cheaply they cost.
Itv€n {her thc.c arcdrngs that can help the poor,
patents nlean inpossible surs for most poor natioDs.
Therefore, the real issLre is getiing ihc poor nore
access to cheap dngs and making improvcmcnts to
then |ealth carc systems, not arguing over slopping
rclea|ch into ne$-langled trcalrents that do not aftecl
Ea"erinentil
th€ir general well benrs on a daily basis.
e
heafttreatments do not halc as nuch relevance to
J the poor as vacches and basic medical checkups.
Therc is also rhe worry that such expensive
d research is a wastc of rime drd effort. Billions
of dolla.s may be spent on rcscarch but a.guable
s for llte 1loot. e tvurl.l Bank stud), concludcd
benefits Duy only irise fronr such iDitially aliuins
i.
froniises. Few such expensivel!- researchcd Drcdical
proccducs and t.eatnents today can elen claim ro
d
holdbacklifc ihrcateniDs diseases at ba)', much less
provide an outig|icurc. ExpcDsilc treatneDts ma)
become nor€ con]mon ihan thcy should be, for
lurloses of prolit and prestige raihcr thaD for
mcdically val reasons. Some American hospitals
is areracing to build prcton centres for expednrenral
cancer therapy. But these parlicie accelerators hale
'Ll
not really prc\,ed conclusivclyto iis citics that thel
it. nave a real advantage over cheapo radiation
Howevcr, there are long term beneiirs to
,ir
opening up cr?erimental rnedical trcatmenrs
for the rich. l nno\"tions arc costly and having rich
patienr, firnd such research provides addcd inccntjve
lor fdvate companies to continue developing
medicincs aDd iDveDtirg nei! niedicil procedures.
23 8&0AD[R PIRSPIOIVIS
Biotechnolosv and mcdical rcsearch firms can spend
up to hundreds ol millions of dollaN niitially and
p'u\ iurrr ll.' n, {: h h"!o\'bili1n'a.nutrnts$-i
iDvestmeDt keeps the wheels of medicai progress
The trickle-doM cffecr oftechnologt should
also never be discounted and rvill seNe rhe
sreater public good in the lona !un. of con$e,
thc rich beDefits froni being able to afford thc first
and bcst that science and technolc,gy offer. Buiihis
'inedical divide" is Dot al$'als trnb dseable and the
poor not alrlays leftbehind. lhe djftusion of medical
technology over the past decad€s sho$s how the poo.
arc bcDeficial recipients ofearlier experinents with
rnedical trcatnetrts: drugs and vaccines are now
easier to dclivcr and aDtibiotics efto.tlessly mass
produced and rnadc more soplisricated. NGOS and
doctorswill ah'ays be able to use cheaperand more
refiDed lersions of redical procedums to treat and
.' ll(r OI
",re ior la I'oor I l-c l:r|lrl
lechnological jnrror,rrliort iix'lrts
that tlrer'$ ili ali\irr's. p,ilcn elorigh
L .'. lrccnt,t, tit' ir ) rttr'rillt lr'r'
go\\'lll lre:l|' i li :r
:'-
orgarisatiors to sul--sitlisl oI i;',r.,'
that technicalprogrcss wasthe single biggest cause
of reductions in rnorialitt jn developnig nations.
At the end of the day, we should ne\€r block prosress.
esrecially iD thc field of nedical science. Medical
knowhowand proccdu.es will always be usefuland
even applications for which they niay not hale been
originally inlended can bc fouDd. The potenlial ol
Senetic t.eatments, cancer iircrapy, personalised
mcdicine and, a]$'ai's optimislicnlly. curc for diseases
is too grcai, aDd courlt too DnLch to stop the lincs of
inqui.! and rescarch. If naD's \eieldirg olscience
and technologl is going to make real impact 1br both
rich and poo., we nrust continue to encourage
'n,u\JriL1 on,l -rpF. , ", rrrioi. rii\" rn-,li..nF
smaftcr aDd keep extending medicnrc tufther tuto
regiorN that need iiihc most. (t
rlt. essdu 6s!c
 Iiiil:Ei{ i,ll irAli 4l!

The word failure should never be

used in education. Discuss. ,, ,n ..,,,,

iven that the education system has for a long time been
based on a system of passing and failing in order to
establish academic standards and act as a gatekeeper in
society, it makes sense that the word "failure" can have
quite controversial connotations. Yet with the new push
towards innovation and enterprise alor.rg with the pre-requisite tenacig
to embrace failure in order to succeed, it seems like education needs to
change in order to nurture students who will not fear failure or think
negatively.

New studics on the impact ofbefig labcl.d taiiLr.es To redrce the strona culture of"frilurc" in
halc sho$r that the psrchologic aDd ernotional sca$ education. an increased comideration for rhe
ihat olten result can contiDu. to sbafe and plague r ernorioDs and developmeDt ofthc student is
person aftcrhchas lelL school.,\s such, Lll e 1le..r: nccdrd.\.J, or. ..iJ-\.,rlri.,tr^rs.',,r,.n. t,ir;
slrca iriJl and labelins accordins io tlie number of
er r.irlt,r I , t,..i, \ t\ t,r i:, ''successes'aDd "failur.s in lhe v.rrjous subjccts can

i;ositir'': s lIo].inq l;rri trfirirlatioit take u cmotional toll an(t create a phobia offeilu.€
L' {'rs,.1 , rL, L,, -rr,. | ,o, r,l\ 'l ,.,.i "
t'utirei Llr:rrr lr; itirtrisi-r or irighligltt ratcs oftceD suicides in dei€lopcd socicties ! ith high
\ \'{l:l illc:l llas . The trrin p.essures of ihe econo, r} I'r.s , -. , J :,n I -'. n,r, ,r.,. ' | .. ti,
aDd ne$'.ducaiional theo.ies sugsest that the r{od progln.rmes like JrpaD aDd Sonth Korea a.e a surc
PHO'I'O CREDIT/ sign of hon higtr thc stakcs ar e eorotiomllv for studcnts
"failuc'should never be used iD cducation lhough
thclig|t olthe larger goals
this s|ould be evahrated nr these da\s andho\rnDhealth), tire pres r.tosucceed

ofeducalion ofequjppiDs st denLs lb. $orli andlife.

24 8R0A0[R PtRsPttTVlS tic cssov tssr.

 Whilc sone of tliese sui(icles are causecL b\ leer the$ord.lIowe\er. tiilu,€ shouklbe,sedsprringl!
ucssurc ov.r lu)ks orfrjlc.i rclatxDships, suic es in educalion and poruared losili\el! as pa,t ol .r
Lhat .oincidc rvith thc rclcNsc of cxrmiDattun o, proccss oflearDnrg and grox.th so dudents (an lie
eJrlmr.. rsnks ar. a chrion call lbr rcducing th. trctier cquipp.d for lcl cconomic actirities ofthe
penrlLl o1 l.rjluk br crealing mor. av.nn$ tol idca (1fi.D and coDstlDtl] chrnging world n at.
.1. '.r' ll
b\'teachers aDd pareDts to shulentr --lrotions ratlter tteyond lraining sludents ibr thcir carccrs,
th r focusirs on tlicir srddts i{ill also be cNcial in education should preparc them for life and
J.itigatiDgthcfalloxtoffdilucnschools.$']lilcthis this means not pretendirg that fidlure does
loes.{rl nc.D pr.tcndiDg thcy did not fril lnd r,,t c\i\l. r l,rr,.
xIoiiljns th. \vord altogcthcr, it docs Drcan r.. ":r..,r ' .l-, rrir
^^l]
ronsidering the stude.Ls well bejng ubore srL.h pr11i.rLlir sforts or rriisti. odcrvours crnnot
$cietal standrrds rDd hehiru, thenr co e to L€r.'s .rl F .- i ,,j ,-,r,t.i.rrr''.
"'
to ercelrnd mcceel. R.rlher tlan irever usin!,1h.
No 'f{ilure', its use shoukL narrcN as the concepL
\eeing t)a\l lhe irnnrcdiicy of lhilurc\ il of su.ccss bro{d.ns to inclLrdc other taleDts and
examinations or in AaininA cntry into lcvcls .lilitics t|at Dra! Dot b. casilv lr.asurrble but ar
ofhighe. education also.ellects the view lhal r.leMnt t.r r.rl litc sitLrations. This Nould nr.lkl.
rdr'.rli'," i\ lile-lons erplurrlior. ., 'u . soci.rl €Jroljonal lea, ninu rnd slills in rclating to
whcr. constant psrxdins of skills aDd otheN, crerLirE opuo urities lor sl!denls lo s,r.cnl
'rorld
-,.i'3 r' ,{l dg. 1.:'1. lr.,ir cv.n i! infomal situ{tions rnd basic irneractio,rs.
hrs 1o hsle.,r lo\0lirlerrrring ind th. fcrsistcncc Edu.atnn i{ill not bc lblc to do ai{al $,itli ftLilLre
lo ( rrr! .n l l)ese 1\!o .hrri.terisli.s Drav bc .oDrflctcl!. but caD ivork to\lakls a nnrrr holinic
danlered or eren Lilled bt i o\.ere.rtfusis on .1, r^tr, j ,,, 1....r'';l .l,. r,'- r
succcss and ililure $t1ich suggcsLs lirality a.d Lhe ol success srr rslo.ral. Drorc oftonunitics f{rr
cnd ol.ndc!!ouoncc oDc'hrs gotten the ren t. lhis snrLl!icLories rr less e,,rthisis or hil1Lrc.
js e\iden.cd b] thc nnmbcr ofschool drcro ts even
hde\€hpedcounlries. lirllurc do.sDot|av.tob. SiaDdrrds h!v. to bc kcpt {D.t i{ords lile frss' ald
L rvrl pi'1".riil 11 8 'fail" signifl ivh!t is an acceptalle lerel of
'ur'.l.u
prssioD for contuurl learDirg iIr sLude,rls. achi{cd.nl iDd sc.l to mcrsuc lcrNing. The
soluLio. 1o Jr.obkrN ol low scll:.stcon, tiar ofliilu!
Ho$'cvcr, "Dare to fail ' is the motto in today's or tee! suicides c.r,ri,ol lre eu0ll.nrjs1i. word fla!
world rvhcrc innovation, entcrprise and aldie ni alonhiij the use ol ltiilure StL({e ls reed
cntrepreneurship arc toutcd. this strgg.sts a t.r knoi{ irlrcrc thct stand and exrnimtior grrdes
change schools is needed 8i\ei' lh.r1 dr..r .oDtinuc to bc a sctirl way for iDstitLrtidrs rn.L
duritioml systems enLthtsise tl,e o cepLoi lajl,,rc 1't:1.- r, \.'l.r ,",' l, .\Lrn ll.. , rI.
to div. studcnts to do better. This is seen ir lhe aspecls ol s.hoolidg lhll ovolrnrf|isisc lailnc nnd
disfr t! bctilccD thr nuDibeN of SnlgrporeaD rnd c.erle iiicapabilit\ in sl,d(!r1s D..i to bc.rr.h..tc.l.
rg Ame.icrn gridnat.s Nho cnd up rs not{ble
11 "11 -.l' lr
e\amiration nrerilo!.r(\ ir Si,tgiporc 0r.d!..d hNs
t.t s(tr.N b t fe$.er people willnrE to run rjslts a.(l
1g dcel rith thclagrlies lhrt stiliirg out orIour o\!r)
l.ailureltoes
rrr .ntrils. Thc] also shl r i(fis $'h.rc'repcxted fxilures
.ixist nr thi, wo .l and cducrti{nr should rot bt rbout
,re lil,clr, t.r.iaDrPl.. lrlcnting or rcsQrch. \Vith
nrrllr coddling slrd.nts .r tulling th. rlool otr
. i .r p,, I I rr,I.rL,^'r'
their eres b!1 equippjfs lbrnr !vllh lh. int.ll..iual.
adilities n}.ohnrg Drok sk.r.d likelihood olhihF,
,,r.r 'r,r Il- , r- noral lnd eututiolrl tools h .,eel NiLlr lliln ].dd
l Li .r. ' lL

rio*nrg lili d.l it is uDrealistic to erpe(l re\er use

25 ER0ADIR PIRSPI(Ivt5 t/L rssdv is\rc

 WEEl( 002 DAY 013

Is there still a place for charity

in today's world?

-,*t

harity is a notion met with much

derision and scepticism today.
What is charity ald thy its contenljons? Nlost would undersland cha l]
to be thc selfless givjng of one's time and resourccs to those who can ot
lielp themselves- This ofcourse sou.ts suitably ideal and altruisiic; )€t
a deeper investigation would.eveal to N just horv simplislic and clic|ed

ihis dcfiDition is. Charit! is a strange thing: it is subject to socio cultural

changes and caDDot exist witho t a sense of competiiion permeatiDg anl
giveD sociely. Histol-l' has changed the shape of chariry. With thc Industrial
Revolution and the rise ofcapitalisrn, the problem otsocial stratification
became verf real as socic\ sradually diridcd nno the rjch aDd tlie poor, the able and uDable Yet, even these
PttoTo cREDrr'/ pola ties are relativei sometimes it is cc,nsiderably difficL tto dctermine what exactlv charitv is ind l\'ho its
benefactors and beneficiaries are.

26 BR0nDtR PtRSPtfilVtS ffte essa! Nsue

 SLIRITH 5

That the world has never been egalitadan is Charity ran bc wiewed as a wayiowards the
not suryrising. ln today's capitalist world,
financial stability hN come to be arrepted as
betterment ofhumanity, which is even more
necessary in today's world. Our ofthe dust of
\<vn
a major indicator of success. ]'odav's iDdicaror selfish and brotal capitaiism, there exist heafts that t0aN5 THAI tH t6t VtS
olsuccess begiDs wi st.nrs. lhe
one s economic sincerell' ca.e for the lcss fortunate aDd do not bec
indilidual jnposscssionofthisisoncihoiscapable charity as aD act ofcondescensioD aDd obligation. Doi l bcliew ir (lr ry brir

of helpnrs hnnselt However, thcrc arealways thosc be eve in pioorollrg se I.

Rather. dralitl'gives t,oice to the
Pou,cr. ltelOngs to
Nho ar€ left behnrd.
rriiceless in socieLr,. Hou1vood Alisters for os Iov o5 U50S25,5rfir

those fortrinaLe erough loL to fall
through the cracks: these I'crv
iniiir,idu:rls worrld clo u,ell 1o
PllSllfe Ille SlllOOr ll Itlllllllt:Irl lllett
SOCiCty ty t'"lping rhe have-nots lesr society
suffers r void in human resolircc or worue- unrest
like Georsc Cloonet, Erad Piit and Angelina Jolic $evo d by prcvidirs nifio.
are examples ol those, who with good intentions,
tmvcltoAlrica
and Southcast Asin to alert thc aorkl
ofthe pandemic that is poverty. Their dctracrors
lvouid be qrdck to accuse then of posscssins rhe guilt
ofthe wealthy, but how many truly understand the
d"s.erdti,n , .1, r".i.,e,. ,lrr,1- il-l i< RTADTHIS

'I lL. 1n.. ppr,,el ,bl-.lL\In\ario,. In,r;l-t,. r,lu rys clet:rchetl. clistanl l;rcl
my sound far letched, it is a marrer that nodcm
societies nust deal aith.

Tlere is deiiDitcly a place for charit] in Singapore.

As a maturing society, Singapore bas established
chcap; cioing is. howevet', both
diflicuit anrl daring. 'lhis lattcr
action sclr.cs as a beracon of hope
KH
iDstitutions r!hich oversce the needs of its and lruth tbr locllr''s tilcd rntl fro*or.."-
underuivileged. OrgaDisations sucb ns the Singapore
.dssociation for tlie Visually Handicapped (SAVH)
,llrttrlru, tl rroll,l. t ' '
r11
1 '
; I- . i, ,; 1 i. .
and the School Pocket Money Fund oversee the ii rl lirr"il lu llrrlilr. I lrr- tli.r', g;rr', r
MU l1AI,I]\,IAO YI]11U5

BAI{KIR TO THI POOR

proyisioD of cverlday needs of sclccted individtrals,
aidnrfinding then enplotmcnt and cnre and even
this, or.rl r,r:r\. htLnriltitv rvill E IRIATIIiG AWORID

dktcnse a set allowatrce cach nronth. Cliaitv thcn ineVitabl) deilencIaie into WITHOUTPOVTRTY

falls in thehands ofvolunteers without encouraging lnol)stl'oLls crlltiiness. obel Peoie prlue wiorer ord
founder ol rhc mkro oor
welfarism. srch help allows the
molenerlM!hommod Ymuj
underpriviledged ro inlegate nrto society and hor inhrenifg Wtrped wt
Regardless ofmorive, charity is rhe si're qud
non of civilisation's coDrinued existente. on ho\f h he p the pom".sr
Whcther we be the self-prcscning rcalist or the cood
Atso,rvith globalisation, charity caDnor
Sa'na tan. charitl renains and s,ill .emain relcvant
renain an iNular endeavour; it mNt adopt
b- a transnational sensibility. Mercy Relicfand the
Red Cross arc cxamples olorganisations that spread rhe world llrd bosso6 dorl
the siDgs of charity beyond a Dationl borders.
Tnnsnationai charity is the poliiicall), correct and
ed
pngnalic step to takc in helping disaster-ravaged
or I overtl strickeD areas. ln order to safcguard
ny
inlernatioDal stabilitv nnd ecoDomic growrh,
ial
tmnsnatidral chariiy is essentjal. This is o[course
pandoxiolly a sell sen ing ertemrise bLrt nonetheless
an exhem€ll practical one for it €nsures the
containm€nt, perpctlration and rvell-being of borh

?/ ER0lDtR PtRSPftTIVtS r/rr: rssar xo,p

 \ldEEii CIO? DAY i]I4

A picture is always more powerful

than mere words. What is your view?

laywrights such as Samuel Beckett and Harold Pinter

are known for dramatic works which demonstrate
the limits oflinguistic expression by the relative omission
of dialogue. Their primarily visual mode of expression
accentuates the apparent superfluity oflanguage in the
process of constructing and conveying artistic meaning.

Such laconic ihcatical displays economically but
successfollv commruricate the point oftlre rclative
dispeNability ol langDagc througli the themrtic
sigDifications of ils Dlot. Hcreir lies an abstract
affinnatioD ofthe assertion that lnere words" laclr
the cxpressive force and lucidity of pictorial
representations, that words are aD inadequ.tte
instrument ofcomnN cation. Any clain to thc victory
of the pictorial over thc ve$ai, liowever, is far fronr
de'r,J.burhsordirndrlc1' .rr-r-s,rl:ul'Cerre
their coseDcy and incisivencss from each other.
Whcn well ernployed, picturcs can speak to
us on a lcvel more powerful than words caD.
PriDtings, for instance, are appreciated ashisiorical
aftefacts as they are contcmDoran, creations ofthc
pcriod iD Nliich thei. depiciions are set. Pictorial
reprcsentations ofspecilic culiuml laDdsc{pes can be
both intclligently and ernolive\' evocatile ofsoci:tl
and political perspe.tives which verbal accounts nat,
lack the nuancc to conmunicate. lhe portrayal of
FrcnchemperorNapolcon Bonaparte by painters such
asArtoine-Jean Gros and Piotr Michrlo$'ski vividly
exfrcsses, perhaps nrore than aDyhistory textbook
could, thc conception olhislory as a majestic hrnan
!lot w|osc conrse rvas delernrined by forceful
peruonalities. sepamtel)', the rendition of scriptur€
iD iDtricate paintings along the walls ol the sistine
ChapelfiVatican CiB invigorates episodes honr thc
PtlOTO CREDIT/
Old an.i New Teslament \rith a strikiDg visual
innncdiacv, $'hich nikes thebiblical storjes depicted
it once nrorc accessible and memorablc to ihe genenc
ub,FrF, In I .th 'n.l r! -" rha . 1 Lo',c p I li- | .-
ofthe pictLres are disccrDed sensually eren befo.c
thcy are apprehended intcllcctualy.It Dight pef|aps
bc said that such directness ofcDgrsenent could be
challcnging to attain {ilh textual accounts. which
rroLrld fuDdanertally dernard deliberate
conprehensioD and assimilation of ver.bal rncanms.
we should also howcver keep ir mind that
rhere are ce.tain +heres ofea.pe ence which
visual represertation r{ould find difiicult to
capture tus precisely and compclingly as words
can. Words can create space lbr a s'€alth of slbtle
detail. which the illustrator's canvas ma! no!be abl€
kr acconmodaiebe.ausc ofthe plusical hnits olhoN
i J.l - p.' lrF-. d.ti ..Tl',l l.','l tLr or', i u.
which good rvriting exacts makc $ords r suitablJ
articulate nedium lbr certain suliccts, for starcc,
Lh€ dcpiction of the private emotional and
pstcholosioi lives of human cha.acte, s in biografhical
atrd fictional i{ritins. Enslish rvriter Virginja lvoolf
$rote in he. notebools about phnibins "crves" behnnl
hcr chaucters. Such \ision is atpareDt in $rrks rch
as woues and Mrs. Dalloudy, \'hcrciD her
"ne expe.iments evoke thc iDsiabiliiy aDd
narrative
capiciousness ofthe wolknrgs ofhealts and minds.
Ceorile Eliot is sinilarlr lalorvn 1or the compassionate
iniaglnation shc cxhibits in novels strch.rs
Mi.l.llen.rrcn. She eloqucntl] deliDe{tes the iutr
worlds of cha.acters s'lo arc plag cd by the

?8 BR0A0[R PIRSPIO l/ts .i. cssn, isf,rc

 D D Y01l |{NOfi!
MOST POWIRfUL AIID

llNf0RGuftSLlMtGIs
IlII WORLD HI\S tVIR SIIN

l16l Il, d 1rum! 0u{ r srddi, !r

r 6li !o!1:ur ! eimm, iuri
,.-r I ] r ial ri hrrii trur.iri! rhe
rrrkp
^ rtor.r nmr5 ryr!0h51

u.nsv iDtc.r.tions bet\\.een the aspiratioDs of their Marchcstcr, a pcacetul pLrblic meetins ofrrorkins
trnat.li\es ard the public sph.r.. The tunnoil of mcn and \!o ell, caL]nrs for rclisious libe{t and
sellhood is erpresscd bv bolh ivriters rrith trnive.sal su11rage, $'as liolcDtlv disl)eNed bl anred
lrrcnLhtrking particuladtv. l he! d€rnonstratc ho$' dragoons, iearins a numb.r dead a d even morc
such closeDcss and honesly otobseNation caD tind se.iorsb iniurcd. Tlrc. iicnlrcspoDse to the Pete oo
onpeliiDg cxprcssion in the ireeD accluc) ofwods Massrcre camc in tIe tbml olsuch horificallynlid
thaD iD ti.lorjal .epreseDtations. $'|ich 11)aj ..1 r' ^ lF.c r l:" L,- I, r.n n r..,e|,r,r'g l.tLrr l1l, 5orllilirrmn
'1. ' Tio di.l $sL Fn thm rom $dr
nltinrate\'orly be ichly suggcstire rather thrn Tie P?r.r1oo itldsJacr.. aswcll as $! ittcn accou.ts rl0m! f r,ftnhj4arir0
ill itiratirgh prccis.. aDd indictNeDts of thc c!.nt i. la.ious local
neivspapers. Thc inckirncss ol both forms of nedia
One shoutd also not lbrget the trcnchancy of reaction thrc\.rcne\ded InorDentum into thc
specch as anorher instance ofthc pos'e. of r, , lr" r'^.ra-r a\'r,J. lti.i 3!r...\i
'
words. For €\aniple, i{liiic satilic.l .adoo s can attcmfts at srppressiorl. MagaziDcs suc| as
seN€.rs a lorni of pointcd politi.rl cari(atue, tliere Dis.o|crr/ ard Ndtionol ccoqrafiic froduce
is arelrti\e trssili1l.in t|e obserleis engagcmcnt thologruphs oftlie natural i{.rld accompaDied $,ith
{iththcii alDrcdiu.r,asoppose.ltoth.rccilno.al writteD connncntrd.s, br.athi.g life irto ri'iiat might 197 2 AIrn nL,ri I rrtrni roF
ft{d,,h !drc!rbonhdLrr!\r
h Attcntion b.t$'ee. ar effective spcakcr and his otherwise bc farchcd accourts of phFical frcts.
list.D.r, enublinij I morc imDrcdiate sense ol
Ls
' ri^' l-.or..r, 'l i '.rr,r, ,l, tp. - Ultinatclv, t|ough, it is necessrn to rccognisc hoi{
com,r'uuiration ofthc Doint beinA nale. l.anous a discussion of pichrres and \.ords .s nr!Lualll
speeches such rs thos. b) Sjr wi ston Churchill. exclL,si!e irDplicitl) makcs an a$ihar'! distirchon
XIArtin Luthcr KiIg and NelsoD X{al.lcla, and cv.n between theDi. Ccrtainly a piclu.e is never {lilars
tlc scrlron on the nrount ir the biblical book ol more po$'.rflrl than $,rrds, $hich ue arlthmg but i980 I lid ii ir0mdn oLour d,
l) '11 r.\_'l ih'\l, t'.. \'r1.,,'i ''niere" or slig|i. Each nredium leDds itsclf to ol hrq., !ii I m$iorrrr
more and s$t!!, b! establishing s}Drfat|y beLween particula,vcfeclive ernplolnent ir diff.rcntst|eres
t}e nral,e. and recipicDt of a poinl . r iltense '.rhrr i.l .n,r',,1i..'... ' o.B'r' ,f-1,.i
",o n l,r r. rh \ l ! , , i.l r'ur ' l- ll-r,! I B.con nebfullyponrts out, $ords arebut the i rages
for r picioriai Dicdiu.r to achieve. ol ratter: aDd thqv harc life ol r€ason and irveDtju,,
to frll in lolc with them is all one as to fall in k^e
ThatbcinA said, the verbal and thc piclorial '\ rl , r,r. u ,. \ tr^,,, - :r'. \, 1.ll . rL-" i98!.Arcsq mm n ii j im{l'
arc mo.e trequently complcmcnta.! rather evokins thc imase whj(h attends it and alTords i1 !(lleiir l!frrif0 p otr5ior

'--V r-*i.-
dran.ompetinS fuflrs ol Incdia. I DrcaDing,.r.d a licture na1$'.ll bc gu\id wilh lhe
ls. lo,ce of oDe can imp.l and elucidate the othcr. imtlicnlions ola thousrnd rvords and then sonre.
RetuNing to ihc c. ! ni.eteenth ceDtuN. lcrbal \\',-r.o.,- lii.. . rr ' I L,r-er rdlcor-lmL.n
(.,tr(
Fotcstation a.d risual art worked liaDd in hand in streDgths of both nr.dia. lhe dis(irlction beh{ccn
dcuoun.jns polit ical injustice in EDsland. On Algusl them bcgins to blu r. Combnled,the) achicvc an cYcn
16, i8r!, aL St. Peter's Ficld on dre outslirts of morc e\pressne force rn.t clalitj,. at
?tl)l h rqlprsHoli!it ir!

29 I R0,4DIR PIRSPIOIVIS /i..r.vruissrr

 li1i:Li{ ij[]? l:AY 0ir

Does modern technolog'r always

improve the quality of people's lives?

he pervasiveness and indispensability of technology

are the salient characteristics of the zoth and zrst
centuries. Scientific and technological knowledge have
enabled Man to comprehend, master and manipulate
the natural world for l.ris oltm benefit and improvement.

Since the IDdustrial Revolutio., NIanhasonli loolcd
foNard. Various forms oftechloloity such as ne.tia
technology, conrmunication technology, and
n i n., i, r r '. ,.^l' gl _J\. -'un.-in'le l\' n
bcttcriDg lives iD a verr pra.tial scnse. Yet the dicnrnr
thai icchnology :rh!.rrs inpll)!€s ihc qurlity ofpeople s
1iles is most certainly simplislic for it caD be easiLr
contested that tcchnology has simDltaDcously
deteiorated. in mani wa,vs, other aspects of life.
TcchnoloAy car resulr in greater productivity
and product output as it intreases the
elnciency of the worke!. ltchnological liardrvare,
such as computcrtechnolosr', along trith its sofhlare
PHOTO CRBDIT/ eDhances work efficicDcy as info.ntation can be
processed at a hsLer ratc. Tcdious naDual tasl<s such
as calcnlaiions or niartual Araphic desiADS can no$ be
donc $'ith great€r accuracy and at grelter speed.
14 u rirg q.r.r ,\ prud,., ^ult', rrdlr1''.I".
greate. sales and rcveD e which ilr turn lcad to thc
incrcased econornic $cI beiDs ofthe individnlsollo
In tLrD, one's econonric qlalitv of life should incrcase
bccarse there seenrs tobc grcater$'erltli ge erated.
Thc direct correlation bct$'ccn tcchnology and
econonric prodrctiiity is clear.
while this may sccm a satisfactory formula,
realit! suggests othcMise. Reser.ch in Lhe U.S.
on the busfiess olgrarhic dcsisDers hrs shown lhal
' r qt, . u rlr Er ''F- Ft..r.r.\ . ir'I,.n .r.or
tec|Dologl and an increase in thc munbcr ofiob
opporturities for the rverage desiilner, avcmgc pa1
has not increased sigDificantll.

30 ER0ADIR PIRSPIOIVS ihe dssdv issr.

 IURfTtl 5:

PAUI 8OUTI 5 TOP IO I5T

Thele is no Ieal ccotrolnir: Transportation technology has irreiutably
revolutio sed ihe eay Man moves. lt is also the
0f M05T I fF al]Altl]lNG

implovcrlcnt lbl the inclir,idual if spark that isniied ihe tlame of rapid hunaD pro$ ess
Tt(I]NOLOGII5 OVIR THI PAS]
5O YIAR5

ei'eryone emplovs tcchnoiogr' 1br as seen in the Industrial Revolution or- to look turther
back, t|e golden ages ofthe Enslish and ihe Frenc.h kh://www.{he(k2000.om
llor'li. The mvth that technolog_v /tjh (hofoint re(h.orp
I hos" m.rilimF - \pr.r is- re..rl,"d rn rh", \pdr.ion
automaticalll, ilnproves one's oftheir Empire. However, $ch an implovement 50monyre{led ooqie!hove
econor.nic tiualitl, of lifc is thus in the quality of living comes at a high prire. oppeored n the pon holl
EDlironncntal degradation, an urgent conceD of crrry thol itr mposbleh
nnlnrc. \i|nL. GrFpn t\4or"mpnl. an.l p"l'lILr'. al k, . N d ltllhem o L S! he5e l0 hiqh
dircct consequence of the exploitation of Earth's k(h breoklh.o!qhj ndrd our
Technology can be said to improvc rhe qualiF ovs lhe on 50 yeo6 be{0u5".
necessary resources for techDolosical development.
ofone's \o(ial life. r nr , n, n .ar,oi lF.nnolobl . rhry\e rewl!riooiled rhe voy
Globalwarmins aDd the sisDificant inoease in globil
trademark chamcteristic is its ability to traDsceDd
rpro-rdrurp.. J. q"ll a. rhe rp.anr druLrl-r r
space and time at hyperspeeds. The $orld has
'thrunk" due to our ability to communjcatc globally
aDd disreitard tim€ zores $'ith tcchDolosical works
such as netnork conmunications. mob;le
,\ustmlia and floods in Mlanmar, are ceftain sisns
nfJl.rl rs pldnpr. dL.Fd b) l\4i1ru\e-e!,,oitarior
of the environment for the sake of technological
toe
l0 0.qm rronrphib
.At
advancenent. Such a pknomenon cctainly tbreatens
corrnuDications and saicllite technology. This has
the individual's quaiitr oflife and one miBht say life
r. '.".o.ii. rer\.ur"ir.j
'p ''l po. ibi-
one's bo.dcrs and elen across the slobe. Social
hirr'irr
itsell , ***.o4lf
dril iiolirh liqef(e
rclaiions can be established and maintained onlirc
iDrcal time across continents. Ncw comnunicatioD It is unrvise to clair)r thirt
v progranmes sucli as the mobilc "{riend finder" alloi{s technologv alrvar.s inprovcs thc
it peopLe to siay in touch 24 hours a da!, 7 days a week. (llrillrIl' oT p(.o]]t. s rt\e(. tlte
The sa.t locatioD of friends on one s corta.t list cu
re
it.nprovement alrval.s crrmcs at :r
te
Yet because ofthe peNasiveness of such
Ili( c rrd llr" ra lrr. uI llri.
Lt.
communir{tion devices! some, such as the exchange lcquires Lhoughtful
Neo-Luddites. havc claimed that the
individual's privacy has been lost. one's qualir-
consideratiOn. r" the enal, thc question is nor
about technolo$/ but .ibout the quality of one life. s
,.r-,'rr€
oflifc is no$'subjecl to ihe incessantneedto alwa)s One mtrst recognise that there is always an
le contaclabie, nakhg the concept ofprivate space opportunity cost io the desire of inp.oving the qualib, 3. Di!ilo medr
anali€n one. considerho$'tcchnolos speeds up rot ofaDy aspect of life and we must decide if that cost
just work but the $'orkcr as \€ll. Etficiency breeds is!orth it.It
grerter efficicDct' and rapid economic growth can bc

red-
acnievcdif task and labour can be niaDipulated whilc
disrcsardins time and space. This ironicall"v is rhe 2 Gmelk 0iqifeerinq.

self same reason that oDe s quditv oflife is diminished

because the spaces of$ork and home aredissipated
with tne ease ofcomnunication technolosl, and the
ready atailabilit"v of those in contact.
U.S.
that
Onc can also claim that technoloAy has
jub resulted in aniflproved quali9 oflife in the
physicat aspect. Fonns of transportation
tav
'",1 uur.l,J.r n,, c-,aI ."l Fq ,:fm rt.,luri..tT
technolosy, and the lilte have all eased our wav
oI lifc and renroved tediuni froni conplcx tasks.

3l ER0ADIR PtRSPtfilVtS rhp.s""d, issrp

 ii,ift[ i]iim lilti ilk
National boundaries make little
geographical or economic sense
nowadavs.
./ Discuss. ,, r ,,r, ,, i \,.
GlobalisatioD has qu icklr'dimiDislr.d dose.t economies
and pushed each nition into co opcratirg witli one
anotbcr. Bcfore, econonic growth and emflolrnent
were lhe causc ofinterDational t.ade and in!€shncDi.
h tlis da] a.d agc, it is troblens such as the sleady
depletioD o{natural resourccs or niljta$,agenda lhit
has affected the econo.ry on a global scde. No country
isimfcnious to the ripple etfe.ts ofth. econontes
ofothcrs aDd erch countr carefullvconsidcN erte.nal
PHOTO CREDIT/ faclors shcn fomrtus policies. As suc|. national
boundaries arc r.all), fashbned frorn the afairs of
thestrte orpoLiiics. On. couldgoas farastosiy Lhat
r" 'r'l r.i.r" d pirl ''rl.li,dhr sborni',
32 BR0ADER PlRSPlOlVtS
citizen exists so far
as he is bound to
state law. He
identifies himself as part of a
national community and carries this
citizenship wherever he may go.
Geographical boundaries may
physically demarcate the country
whose law he is obligated to but in
actuality. have srnall part in
protecting his interests and security.
He is merely a factor in his nation's
tactical play for surwival, where the
nation's contender is the world and
its playing field - the economy.
mther thc staie ofgovernance he chooses to follow to
Natioral boundarics make litde seosr aphical
sense rowndays particutarly becaNe ofthe
mobility of people and information flow
throughout the globe. 1lr the past, colonial enrpires
not onlv facilitated trade th.ough South Alia bu( also
.pi lF,r rnl.F.J 1r'J riu.ib lurlh Frul ..ur.nriF.
'1
iD the region. Pcrhaps, they sped up the process of
globalisallon byrevealing all potcDtial plaFrs intire
cconomic plaring field. With the ercharge oi
knowledse ard the widenins oi the pool of ideas
tie.ssd!
^src
 txAM|ltlhls

betw€en the East and the west, the lrodd set into enforcing the cnmpetilivene$ of a countrts econon"v
notion advances in transportation and in the global are a. l'or elianple, the Libyan {/ulil'"
ommunicatiotr inftastruchre in oder to reduce tlie governnent promoted embargoes on oil exports as /,{I flN!\
distanccs from apotential investment or atreasure a challenge to the lvest in th€ past, in the hopes that Lt t$l
throve of unrcfined rcsourccs. This phcnom.non of oil priccs would ircrease. This neasu.e Dot only
bddgins expanse of distance has caused a sreater aided Libya in its political aseDda but also helped to iHOMAS fR IDMAN'S

ebbing in national borders. !inally, the adlent of rn.red\F.onlr4rLiver pss ir:r. ", o r^nr\ ft.I'nl i." IHi l^r0RtD tS f l (?00t
i]le lDternet oDly obliterated obst.tcles to iDformatio! and affairs ofth€ state in a counrrl possibly dras'
Whlh lr edmor hoB
f 'nbtcr\ oi.nml ur icJ.ior hu\ir ps. in
towmds
drd nl\ ed natioDrlborde.s in such a ivay.
hypedole, rhir dsir remoiB
a shorter rime. On lhc Illtcrllc[. a o munieod be{ouse ol how
n{riol from
Also, politics help ro distinauish ths ho{
widelyreod lt is ond
persolr no loi.rgel sitriltes hinrsell nation by o.chestrating unity in national mud inl!en{e ir hm hod of

I a-s pirr''. of a nltion buL as part of communities by enforcins a distinci identity rhe {oy people lhink obo!l
6loholisorlor 3.0
for its people. lt safeguards the nation s heritage
) lhc global nctrvolli. and cultures for its people and provides continuity
Sone qmnioB l[ol ore ml
e in thc couDtrf's history. Furthennore, the state does detoihd ln friedmdn's bool
The nation's econohy is ofcourse hebless to have po$'er io clain o$Dcrship of resources in its i ldel
a
this indifferent Mukinational land aDd thus. create lahs to resirict thc transfer of
s coryorations (x{NCs) and large ente.prises open goods and people across iLsborders. However, even I Wher +ould (ourlrier do
vhol beidih the slobol
factories and headquarters, barnaclelike in chrsteN tlis power is ultimately limited by international law
emomy, dnd whs should lhey
ofcouni cs. Thcybring iDto then iDvestmeDt and and oryanisatioDs snch as the Etrropean UDion.
look o!rforlhe roM iftreni?
v employment, helping in the groMh of national
incomes. The economy ol a nation fluctuates National boundarics lrla) a p.rl in 2. Whol wl I o f or vo'ld
v according to the flow and movement of these gianl distinguishing nation states. It provides room n i lo rhe trmld5 pom$l?
n iDvesto$. vet the bigger conce.n these days is the lor polir.rJ. slfl..l I" dnd r4 ou- es lb_ e o' olc
availablc store of natural resources essential for the
3. Wror iuiruro vo !6 ore
n adirily. Hose\e.,tlle'i l:'rlirPr'i ll il., ofrribulhg 10 ilE W6rt lo$
produ, t,or rrd rrd..lcr o good. . Tl c ri.-"a,. ir
o{ prcd!di!iry, ed!(olior, ord
oil prices all over the world has shaken the global little gerglephical sense r-r o ir':rr1ii\'-s
S
economt- Its effects sen€ as proof as to how national rs thcy ncit.bcr iiurit thc p,:op,1'.:
boundaies make little economic sense. The tuel 4 Hov wil furlhers oboLirol m

e priccs stoke inflation rates ir countries sucli as

i\ rlo ( lr{)c}<e Ir) lr,IflI' Ilr.l|/, r)' ef{ed (uh!nl diiindior? (lre
urv"!l
d I'lalaysia, \rhose cun ency dips lowcr as a response. inLeliclc in thc sL:rtc s poiiiicrs. uol we heodifq rowo{ls o

mehirq por?)
Singaporc too faces the nsk ofinflation due io in$ease
haye muth iniluence r,r its
in the prices of food and other primary goods 5 Whor wil o {dr vorld'
di.pJr.lpd -rorn ts n-iclb"rrr. t\4:l!)s.a..\dr ; ecollOlll\'. The nation is constaDily Nshed nlto meon efviron erlolly
+u.Fd b) lh, rise rl pe.rul .o.l-. \: su"l. lh. F L global attentjon, and its economy dctcmined by ponir!lmly forllu$ (ml er

hardly any diversencc in thc economies between decisions and polides of otlers. A countrf's national d ih verle of m {momir

countries, as one readily alTects ihe oiher. comn nib thus, can only be imagined and is a resuli
of an engineered identitt,. Therelbre. national
National boundades are also more likely to boundarics depend imneNely on tlie uDiV of such
al
beconscripted by politics rather than its connuritie dnd rrr"I .o,,, su\Md' tl.irrc\r.tivF
physical scoaraphies or economies. The siates It
incr€ase iI prices are due to a conflucnce of factors
over theJ€ars in various other couDbies such as the
decline ofpetroleun reseNes jn saudituabia, Middle
[!sttension, worries over peak oi] (where the rate
ol froductioD of petroleum faces a decline) and even
ine var between ihe Hizbollah and the Israeli miliiary
inLeL11o4. Po-iLicaldclrqrresamde.e-mh nr' rn

33 ER0ADIR PtRSPtt Vti t/re ersdr rssrre

Should crimes that were
committed many years ago
simply be forgotten?
o crime is easy to forget. Crimes committed against
innocent victims, against humanity or er.en against
ourselves all bring with them permanent scars that
are hard to erase fi'om our memory or consciousness.
Lady Macbeth was plagued by the blood on her hands,
and in vain she tried to erase that "damned spot",
ultimately having the futility of it all drive her to a tragic end.

Surel!1t. s|ould iI thatFslrect lea rlofntthcscars
of these,Jinr.s b.h'nd s and sirnpll lb.uel r\'hat $'.
have done. or ftrget $hat has been done to us. Surcly
iime wiLL heal all woxnds and crines that were
cornmitted rnanv !ears ago caD simply becon'e
somcthing ive c{n leam J.o.r and hopcfully forgel.
YeL, the bittcmess rnd ange. thnl is still dfc in this
\eorld sigral 1o us that forgireness does not cornc
.asilv and forgetling is p$haps even more ol an
impossibilit" given technologlrs limitless capacit! lo
r. , o I Fr', a .' ,L r,ar ,-\"1 i^',r',. r. ,. r'br ir'i
may ildccd Dot be so bad atle. all.
the judit.mcnt ofihe nritial Lrial sc!.ml ycars ago.
]'he bnitalil! ofcrimc crn be so rucb so thaicvcD
thc court 01 la\v ackno\'lcdges that thel \bould not
Situilarly, states shich \tcrc oncc hrge aDd
powertul cmpires underslandably waDt to
forget the c.imes ofthe past simply becausc
thcse cdmes are no lonacr rie\red as glorious
cxhibitiols of porvcr hrt rrther as gross
violatioDs ofhuman rights. IIodcm Gcmans
would rath$ b.' disassociated f.onr thcir Nazi past
l- l'.lr.r'f.,irlr , 'lr:rl ', F'."ln.-., i

on aI nrdividual lcvcl, it is uDderstandahlc lihc Zinbib$e. Jatan is still known to :rtte.Dl l.

why victims would ideally wanr to forget the idritci{ash tlieir{arnim. history'. nNch to the ire oi
cdnles committed againsl lhem. Individuils anl lhevictimsofJapaDs$uelandopfrcssiv.past.Lren
fanrilies w|o hav. faced !iolenl .rim.s often lhe Unitcd Siates has tried lo ovc ook $mc ofthe
e\pe.ie ce drarnatic changes in their livcs in the less honorable moments in lhei. .ngag.m.ni with
aftemath ol crimes. cvcn ifmuch iinie has rasscd. !i' h,
' lr Jll. - . lirsrl'F o,. F,. ' -\. r,,

lNccnrities, paranoja or n.$'bclicfs can eneli]e and car never be takcn lightlv aDd coDres iL a huge
.ob pcopl. of their lormer rclativclr carefree and .notionxl cosl lo drcsc lictins. This is a cost which
happ! lnes. Ii is psychologicallr imtrobable that maDylictims, Kore.tn comfotnomcn. olrhancd Jeils
recovering fron ihcse crnnes is a sirnplc case of or dcibmcd Vietnaniese $adl a.lDorvl.dgcm.nt of
forgetting. Iak. a rcccrlt coDtrole.s) rerc a mtist, Angrr rallics acrossthe world nslting tor rcluhiation
IoNorth Iloare, bought thc \viuing tlcket to a 7 and atbrmal apolog, still reverberale. an.l retr.s.ni
million pound lotter) wlilc oD probatjon, had his ljcti s who arc not prepared to torgeL these oinres
ro r,.-..L.'ppi
'l u l..rra.. ".1 I l|ur i\"
cornpensation. The civil cou.ts ackno$'ledged the
victiu\ clann that h.r life has irrevocablv changed
fortheworsea.dailo$rdthesuil locontimedespile

i4 iR0ANR PIRSPIO VtS ri.cssdr6sr.

 I,,IATIHTHI!

aS0|]lTHt t0rstis
Iv€n if we Nantedtoforgei the cdmes ofthe 'lve shorld notc howeve! that not all
prNtj the mcdia enter-tainncnt industry mi8ht memories of crimcs ha\e to reccssadlf be 0t M[I\0R] a 0 l1t
MORALIIY Of RTViNCt
not cvcn necessarilylct us do so. Cinies ol rhe sobering or morose. Some can indeed be
fast p.ovide tempriDg lodde. for an! lil or book. celebratoN or congratulatort. Con ternpomn vcrse
iftlic cdnes had g^incd notorietvfor rhcn.
cstecially to mark GLry l.a$'kes D.v asks us t{r "Rcmember.
sheer scalc of e!il or for tire depths of dctravirr. r.nrember tlic 5th ol Noyembcr". lhe au.tacr!,us
'lhese crnDcs add obrious d.aniraDd
su.mrrteethc Bunpoi{dcr plot attemptilg to dest:Lbilisc the newl),
massafpcal ecessan,to makeanyfilnr corxneRially lonned protestaDt governnert in Britain was
\iablc. Filnis oraritjnit recreating a narrativcbased sncccsshrlly thwaftcd on rh:1t !erl, Dig|r. ljren todav,
on se.ial killcrs like Jrck thc Riurer or rccnacrins B tainremem!.N thatda) as a celebration oflicrory
c .res aganNt humarjr]* s .h as nr S.lttrdlo..r 16r over evil intcnt a nd lialk it \ith
Lhetraditional. and MUrtNI0 (2000)
orllotelRLUnr.l( have made huge profits ar rhe bor lovcd, borrfire Disht. Similar ey.nts lik€ the lrltroo(omne5io.p!r 15lr
office, and sorDetimcs are ever awarded for thcir 'nuch e{e5m dNu r{rrooifqk!
uDcolcing olthe Wat.r€ate scaD.tal or cven rhe local
sensitniry in.lerhrg nt| the prnrflil su bject natto. thxrftjng oltheYishun MKI teuolist borrbirgs arc dues on lu boty ord |ee1rn
o qr(]vh! hoo( oltun ltr !o
forgelUng thes. hcinous crimcs wlll not be a sinrple all told a.d retold as worthwhilc men.r.ies of sood
lralLer, unlcss lve nake it a lFinr ro avoid clery'fitn
lrrIe ti rerr Iorqcl !hor
he hlld 5cr oulro do I !e€i
hall, \'ideo siore o. bookshoD in eistence. doik Jim,lk nnrio !rtl0c5
All people, sometibes even crimirals rlre d! o mdolprob Ai virlr
As thc concept ofhuman riglrts develop, thcrc thernsclves, sant to put tm unplcasant past nver!t lhol )I rre rflr
is however progrcss in thc fo.giveress tbar frseuftc ii oronplrlrsd
behind theDr. Wc |a!e seen ho$,this k sometirres
re rferL dim mr i loif enllh
1vc extend to crihinals who commit crihes nnpossible, brt more importaDtlywe hare aiso seen rlE rnre prop! rfey vere
that can indced be forAiver and in the loxa sometimcs Iow it is crcn nrore infortanr to vlei ri! m r ololferir iool
run, forgonen. hi th. interest of cxtcn d irg gracc remenbcr. hr Lhe n liole s.hene of thnrss, crjne{iu
th.t
to thcsc crin1iDals, rnany states have policjes
. t, -'".1,-.1Jr ro,/'.\. rirJt..r r'^\irg o sinal
exist and cnn remnrd us oltlan's fallibililr'.
l" t-i,r.r'' r r-.rr,.J.irp.\ r. .{.r.,\i4! snr,.s nnrlied byAdan's di$bcdience wrs perhnps
on lh€goodsid.ol Lhelai{foracommeDdableFriod t|e $o.ld's first crime".,\Dd religjon has Dcv.r ler
o1 tnne. Thcse p.,licies acknowledgc t|ar not rll L,s lbrget it, in lact the Bible. Korar aDd Torah a
crnnnrais nre Decessaril), a real thr.ar to societvbur docurncnt man's constari hilings. Ii rn.y sonehow
raih$ peoule who a.lel foolishlv in lhei.louth or seen nrearingless for Lis to keep rccords ofevery
\crc caught ni ntavo.able circumslaDGs. Elcn slricr nistalre. siD or criDe lbr the list jNt gr o{ s poirltlcssly
count.ies likc SiDgapore adlo.are rhe forsctrins of
lor3. tRARArl?00?l
oimes as a necessan st.p to help peitv .riminals D{llig wilh rhe emorillra
refonn, although it is noted that t|is should bc fo lo!r to Arnfliiol
nnplcrnented with carelll responsibilil\,. 'he
qaior de m l!rkey ir 1915,
Arotur look or lr riLrr 01

vlEdF' ioung{ gereftri!r

Yet, perhaps, thereisirdecd real valuc ir not
sroodlorq{ rhe iiM dorN
tbrgettilg.Then UNsc.crcrary general Kofi Annan. 10 lrn ll'mrdtore:rr! 5lmu d
wrole poignanllr at the monorial forthc Rwandan ',1: ! -
fd vidm r Jorsive ord lo.qer
r'r". /",o .,'\- -gp ll--..i.^r .rir ,i {lieri rheir olhdile vrill nl)r

'1": '
I

modch histo.y, most significant\' marked by the It is imponant to rcatise rhat

Holocaust aDdthe iollorvilg Bosnian an.l Sudanese sometim.s t.ue forgiv.ness olien rcqunes us to
genocnles all nrark IIaD s inccssnnr andunrcpeniant rcrnember to forgd. rt
propensitv ibr evil. Xluscxms across the ivorld
depi.ting act! olu.d and g.nocide.rcbuih lo rcmiDd
ftrhu! gcneratioDs of what MaD js cafable 01. tDstead
of forgelting. rrc slould continue lo use t|Gc
nmseums as c.nhes ol ecLucation and reforr solhar
our crimcs will oever bc forgotten and mo.e
im!ortaDtlv, ne\er be rcpcrled.

35 BR0ADIR PtRSPttTlVtS ih!.ssa! iss,r

 WFFI{ OO3 I]AY i];E

How far is your country prepared

for future crises? ll1,.l l(rl hr ( hrnfg

turn ofthe twenty-first centuly has seen our planet

he
besieged by myriad problems humankind has hardly
experienced before. From the insidious threat of
terrorism to the debilitating effects of environmental
degradation, the world has plunged into an abyss that
is increasingly difficult to climb out of.

ln addition, an imperdnrs slobaL lood sho{age has
sent the pdces ol fo.rd staples sliraockciins, $,hich is
furlher exacerbated by siratospheic oil pdces. With
all thesc pmblenN loomnrit, one would be ha.d prcssed
to find a sih,er hrnrg ir these tunultuous tirres.
Hoi{ever oDly thc tbolhardy r{oLrld bet asanrst rhe
tcnacity and pcrse!€rance of hlrltans to suni!€ tlese
difticuttics, and that is why I belicve Singaporc
is to a largc exteDt prepared tor tuturc crises.
Sinsapore is led by capable lcaders who are
hishly erlu(nlcd and ha\c experience in
handlins crirical siruarions. Sinsapore's
PUOTO CRBDTT/ demandiDg meritocratic cducation systen ensures
that thebcst arc.jus yrcrvard€dforthcn.pertbrniaDce_
Among thc elite, only those of superlatne aptitude
alld attit de are selected to lead. This sh ingeDt prccess
ofchoosing talents to spcarhead ih. coLrDtry proves
that Singapo.e is well-equipled io face arLvcrisis. t or
damrle, Iocal politican Xhaw Boon Wan x$ ttre Cro
oft|rce h.,spitals in Singapore bctbrc he was afpo ed
Minister of Hcalth in 2oo4. His most noteworttrv
achievenent was lis caLn haDdlins of the Scvere
q.ul' R...r'i"aror) S,rd onr!S\aslo.,rb.rl n
2oo3.ID contrast, the e\ presi.leDtofthe philippines,
Ju- t'r1 fs r '.d qJ.., huuld'n.,o' l {.t ,r^r,riul
expcrience in politics, and his isnorance causect his
counttT much tuDnoil. lt is oide t that a country,s
leaders will dctemrine thc directioD s]re rakes. and
with strcn capable mnristcr.s, SiDsapore can definitetv
overcome tuture crises.

36 BR0ADIR PIRSPIOII/IS tie cssdu isJ,.i

Sirgapore is suitably equippcd to facc firtlrrc
oises bccause of its conccption of Total
Dcfcncc. lnrflenented in r984. it st.esses Lhe
jmportan.eofcivilians woJltinB ha.d ii haud with
0nilonied g.oups to nraiDlaiD Singa!ore's security
i l.- .un ,uIJ-l- r.- \l.l tr'.'.1.t,, rr,.
S"' ..r.1 f1'rol 's'.,1 T.1r...1 .l' , n.rl.d n
thc rniDds ofSiDgaporcans sin.cth.yw.rc in pfinary
scl.ol. The rvillins.ess of SinsaDorea.s Lo worft
eremulilled by (LeAsiin tsunamj of:roo4.
lo8elher is
Wh€. lhe tsunalni wrought d€vastation in many
Sontherst,A.sian countries, Singapore $'rs the fiNi
'i' l'I',J.IJ!1;l r'l .'1 ,1" \rt 1r,1o,".
golcrnDcDt,
Sirgapor.'s .rDr.d forccs rs lvell
jndeDendent local grouDs coo ftlinated Llie jr,int.eliel
eilorLs and helped in reconst.uctjon elfofts whiLe
'.. !,r 'Jl 'r; r':.,l.ur..,1pl"lrn l'i r.p Fb-
rnd supllies, ard or.tinrri cilih[$ mrdesenerolrs
Debactors may clain thal Singapore only
praclises drills and precautionuy measures,
which are mere role-play ard not respoNes
lurra(lrul .risi\. I\ ..1 ' lI .'...',lt l '
often conduct sirnulations of disastcrs. clr as am$s
'n,n r, -,1 -..^ Jl,rn.8r.J-..r\+.'r...t'I.i.
lheirmen toresl)ond rdeqLratelr. Irorexan\te, when
r biolosical substance is released, the amy will be
tlsked to control the c.o\rd. evacuate the a.ea, aDd
'r... .t- . r. tir ,.. fl .....1 Jnor,.J..-.t.f..
ultimatcll tutilc b.causc a simulation is nothnrglikc
'Jl j I r^' .t-'.r, "^,lrl, hd..t r-'ll.i,.
rol iusl .rmongsl the public. but lhe urilo.or€d
persorel as welL. I.ear irnpajrs judsnent aDd
p fu.,.'rr-.1 . .1. r-..:..*r1. .li, rr.'1 '.
drill ue an nraccurate reflectiini ofihe haDdhrg of
Hotr€ver it is incorrect to say thal the
unilorme(l rer\on"el $ill fail in x real (.i\i\
despite excehrg duing puctice. The pernnuel
flcctcd t{r haDdle disast.rs, bc it ots or biologicrl
ttrrcats, arc thc v.+ bcst aDd thc! havc Dot only
undergone t|e r.quisitc hrining, t|e!]].rve also bc.n
menlally and pslchological!r' condiLioned to be
prcpar€d 1o. such lrd\'€.sitr'. l he .epeated simulations
,l' Lr {ir'!., ur "-,!1. r,t rf.li'r r,
eren'ttring shc docs, ftom r sintlc tcmpcraturc
iatnrs.ac.cisc in schools to a largc scalc militaN
3/
cxtcdition inlolving $holc di\isions.
Critics may:rlso point to the fact that
Snrgapore's peacetul historf, an immaculate
re,orrl otrul lxvinain) (ri.is
"rlio"-side
since the racial riots in 1964, is proofrhat
Singaporc is livina too comfortably and s'ould
beata loss ifa crisis was tooccur. lherdo hnle
alonrt as Snrgaporelhs DothadaDythiDg serious to
witli siDce 196,1 other thdD threats fiom
conteDd
nembers of Jemaali lslamiyah fII), r terrorist
organisati{D liDkcd to thc Al-Qacda. Thc fact that
. sinsaporc |as cnjoycd ovo 4() y.ars ofpcacc has l.d
as t|ese crilics 10 conclude thal Singapore is loo
''ur.rlI anr.,irr ror.l,lL'a.I-'-,..,!. J;r.'r-'1,1: i..
On the contrary, Singapore's prolonged peare
is incontrorcrtible proofrhat she is more than
ready to face any disis.It is Singapor. s al.f.css
and preparedness lhal has prevenled anr. disasters
liorn occurring thus far. lhis is epitomised by the
foilins of tlie Yishun MRT bomb plot, in unich JI
nienbers targeted US Na\apcrsoDncl travelliDg to
: , .,a g \\'\J '. l\' :I BJI ' Il ' rr '..
dccisivc actioDs uncovcrcd plaDs to blo$' uf forcign
embassies in Sinsapore, aid lhe dete.tion 01 fi1ieen
Jl e bers. Snisalor€ averted what could hlr\e been
lier o$n 9/ 11, and thjs caD be attibuted to her alDost
prescient abilitr to Dip art probldn in thc' bftl.
In.onclusion, SiDgapre is largclypr.p.red for irturc
.. .d t.rd ro L F, d\ .4- e r,6J .i-i rpr . , ..1J a.i.
otl a loLal Dete ce systetrr, pe.lectionisL mentaliry
in drills, rnd farsighted readiness. These factors
accountfor hcr Nstaincd p.acc and cfficicDt dcahlg
ofpot.ntially dangcrous sitMtions or.r tlrc last fc$'
d.cadcs. No oD. crD forescc whet tlrc irrurc holds.
b,.''j'r,\l -d l.l-^plF ."'l".i"n " i..
pt, .Jriu, Jrinr|';1.-i ns.p"o,r,.' 1.,,
wofth ofassets, rnd politicaL instability crn lead to
r\idespread anarchr. Howev.r SiDg{porcxns can bc
assurcddrat thcir cotrntr]'is ali{ays on drc lookout
and pr.farcd to tacklir such adlersitics with
ER0ADtR PlRSPtOlVt5 /1,. rs\r, i._srr
 \rft[l{ C03 DAY 0i9
wt
The world would be a better place
t{::y""ne spoke the same language.
I

I
n this era of globalisation where people all over the world
interact with each other for reasons pertaining to trade,
politics and leisure, it is not difficult to understand why a
common language is sought after to facilitate interactions
on all these fronts.

ln fact, Enslishas the world's leading language has
bFen ar :rrFSrdl roul bi dSrrg a'ld td.r..lrt i8
'n
communjcation benveetr different groups of people
today. Yet it renains disputable that the social,
ccononic and politiczl ties bebt'een people md nations
would improve as a resuit of us adoptins the same
Speaking the same lanAuaAe would certainly
bring about ease of communication between
people, greatly facilitating trade in today,s
interconn€credworld. Econonicslobalisationhas
brousht about greater iDterdcperdence and
PHOTO CREDIT/
necessitated trade betleeen countries. As such. a
commonly spokeD lansuase would smoothen the
proce.soi rd"- n.sorrd ion T\F LnCli nlilcl"8..
J.la..i "xdmp.F ur : r' r'sLi8. rl,ar h, d-\r'ntn d ir
a, lF,n $ill- llr I ob.l ".o.omj tu bn nn " rhe
working lansuase of the world. Diplomatic ties can
consequendy be strenstheDed through suc@sstul rrade
deals. couDtries which do not speakthe linsu.t tranca
oftlie world mayfind thenselves lcft out, notj stin
tenns ofthe opportunib' to realis€ economic bencfits
thrcugh international tmdc, but also h thc area of
building bilateral ties and coope.ation $'ith other
whilst rhe idea ofa common language rnay
b ns about material benefits. it could at the
same time make us all culturally poorer.
Forernost is the issre offreserving ore's cibnic and
culiural roots throush the continued usc of a native

38 BR0ADm PfRSPtflVtS tle essdy issle

 DO YOU KNI]W WHA] IS

't'1

.,,ISPIRIllIO?
rwnied by o Jevrsh mon
(o led I t loinerho{if rhe ob
l9lh cduy ilws reoled ro
be m msy md {exible slobo
*ond orgmge orguuge As

or ir!efred lo rq uoq e
trperonro hos ro rperi{.
i*.* (lrure (nd fee ! orrli(iol

PHoTo CREDIT/ spc.ftc,s afthc sk! kolq altc of P.ntecost tstand nr vanldtu o rc .,"ortrg .likt"n ! Dooks/ir. Filsl
Zo renhof hoped thot wirlr
Cro{ld srudenrs. flr. i.l?! is tiat tht stud.nts l.arn t. rca.l in theit arDn longuage.fnsr oN nrcn iunsler noL.bilit! kLtet tjpe.ooio peoie dri
an to u pntu ipol tnc.lium ol erl cati.n,like langlth.r ti.e,ir,. trunrievriNan, flickr Crc.tive Conmons
rle rotiooo !rdetrrord fg
o!ld be fojlded Edlhir liope
{6 ir wif n fod, l]ir s sed
ormother tongue. Cultural kno$']edge, pruciices and Nn alons political and religious fauh lines, andthus tjperorro o5 on donple o{

to be nost effectively nnbibcd

noln1s can be argued solutions to ease such tensions tend to be mo.e Nw the lews {se if!o led il
mdpassed on to the nen gcn.mtion through one s m inlemolioml o npiro.y ro
complex. tor the largetuab and Muslim innnisraDt
oih dr wor d domiDotiol
nothertoDgue. Should ihc fursua.ce ofa common comrnunities residing in Europe today, the abilitr' to
llolin roo dsmmed ir 6 'rhe
laDgnage, saythe English langoage,lead to a dec.eased speak ir the same languagc as the comnruniq'that hnqmse o, spiei' ord hod o I
uMge ofone s molher tongue, then regrettably it cor d thevlivc with has Doi cased, much less resolved, the kpemnro spmker d oled
lead to a w€akeniDs and loss of oDe's cultural frcjudice agai.st them in t]re wake ol Lhe threats Iorprdiir! m lhgole{id
tnoilledge and eventuallv oDet cultuml scnsc of posed by Islanic t€rrorists. How then would oDe loog!oge.Todoy irg!isrs
belonging and i.ientitl. prcsnme that a commonLt spoken languase rvould lholhm tr€ mly
"limole
1,000 tspemnro n{' !e
inprove relatioDsliips betweeD counties aDd solve jpeols5
{Cerse 50rc5 belos
From tbc social perspective, speaking the p.oblens at the intenational levcl? rhc mon Iomo!r) vhlle
sarne language could promote better 100,000 !je I ((r !e y
understardins between individrals, Finally, ifthere came a tibe when evervone
reinforciDg similruities raiher than the really spoke the same language, then it could
apprenr differences. Todavk societies arc norc portend a drab and dull wolldwhere people
dilcNc and multilingual than ever. A connron think the s:me thouahts, adopt the slme world
langlage would seNe to onile djsparat€ groups view drd share rhe same culture throrah that
torvarft acomnronrision, iD tl t diffeiDg views aDd one lanAuaae. Surc, one can argue that the unity
opinions can be clearly articulatcd to fost$ oft|e world can ilus be achieved but at the cost of
nndeNtaDding aD.t facilitaic rcconciliaiion $'hcre the richDess irherc t within a direrse hunan societv.

nec€ssar!. !:i il 1\i)l'i.1 ll rri _ii rlri ...IHt T0WtR 0t 8A8tt?

to conclude, jt is not necessa.il) the case that the Iodoy, ws !5e tfre {ori
much riifii'i rrii]r':i ,,1 ,,ll i ir,,i. - worlct would be a better place ifevcryone spokc thc 'bobbh to msor rorrfused

rertair ll i|,: id cal t:ir;it riic stnlt' same lan$agc as that in itselfcan creaie undesnable ipeedr A(ordinq to'he B hlrc

outcomes as in the case of a s€akened sense ol cultural or(old (Grieri5 ll 4) lre ary
l a rt g u r g, e, s lr o k e rl C il ll \, '.ll (l ol Eobelrow huse fork5 of
idenliry, as weliBreatly duLLing an othenvise dive.se
as
peop e rhqi vere uniled
coilil]li.lltrLiarr. -\,-rit !taili{lits. and h,ely workl. Neither shorld rve naively believe beroure tlrey rpoke tlre snrne

tolethri js g|ertlJ' \iclr {}F L!(i. that speaking the sane latrguage caD unite the wo d lofs!oqe lhey deaded rll bui d

to the point ofresoh'iDg conflicts that largely stcn o tover tho rould reorlr
from ideological and rcligious differences.lt He!!en riel{ 5eeirq llrotrlre
Y€t the belief that the samc lan8raAc spoken rovoof BobeLwosrymloIrol
b-v all is thc rie thar binds the diff€rent races Mm!di,osoffe Godoollled
and narionalities together is simplistic. The $eir Mqloqs ord nrlrered
lrcubl€s Lhal we lnce ir this post September rr era rhe peop e thmuqlrul tlre

39 ER0lDtR PIRYEOIVIs f/ p.ss.r i(vr

 wt[( 003 DAY 020
To what extent do young people
in your society take an interest
in politics?,,,,,.,,,.,".
Very few tal<e on politics as a rnatter of active citizeDry,
or as haaing a right toa political view. Many prcbably
either do not have anv views at all, or are charactcnsed
by wlut is cornmonly accepted as a seDeral apathy
towards Singapore politics. This is a result brought
on b)' a complex mix of socio economic and polirical
Perhaps one of the more obvious reasons
the low level of political awareness and
activism is rhe shaping ofrhe political climate
t'y PAP, Singapore's dominant political party.
Its strong hand in evelr facei of society has produced
a stable political dnnate and brought abont sreat
economic prosress which has propelled Sinsapore to
Iirst World countlvstandards. Yet, it has also
broushl aboul a weali.ened political opposition.
PHOTO CRIDII/ A fcrceived climate of fear" pcNades the political
donain where anyone who wishes to be involved in
.d\tllE, lrickr politics shotrld hold dissenting views btrt be Eady to
40 8R0A0[R PtRSPtflVtS
outh and politics
do not commonly
go together in
Singapore. In
fact, it is not far
-fetched to say
that a large majority of young
people, especially students in
schools and universities, are hardly
aware of political issues on the
domestic liont today.
tow the line results in youDg people un$'illing to take
the initiative to take part in active cilizenry, heDce
their opjnions forn no more than complaints against
lhe govenment's policies. They are resigDed io the
fact that their opinion woLrld not have any b€anng on
ihc govemment s policies, thus there is no motivation
to tak€ any constructive actioD.
for The exlent ofthis peFasiwe aparhy seems even
more apparent whenju\.taposed against young
people in orher countries, where they are
ofren rhc ones to initiate protests and
demonstrations to voire their dissert. For
instance, the historic protest for democract at
Tianannen Square in 1989 was helned by univcrsir!
sludents. [ollowiDs dleir ]cad were thous:nds of othels
who joined nr the peacetul demonstration which ended
tragically. Yct, the youth s desire to scc change and to
effect thai change can sometiDes gain a powerful
mome.tum skong enoughtotopple a regine.
tie e.rsa! issre

Take for example the lale Suhar-to, formcrPresidert
of Indoresiafor over three decades. Widcspread
demonstrations sparked off first by universit-v
students iD 1998ledto lis eventual resignalion, thus
"nding l -"r rr, . i, t'n'i.i lJ 'ul rp:or lr i-
int€.esting to note howcver, that in these two
exanpLes, there was already a sro$'ins discontent
anongst the population, s.,me kind of crisis that
b rgs about an emotional fenour that notivated
lnp Io[,8 p.nt]i lnJ.r. l]- \:JnF.ononi..ri.is
at thal time cripflcd nNch of Indonesia s own
econont,lhus the desire for chaDgeto see a better
lile is Dot just a political issuc but a questjon of
this leadsto anothcrpossible reason for theapat|y
lnd of initiaiivc for the young to involve
Lack
themselves in politics. The good life broughl
about by economic progress and political
stability h6 produced a generation ofyouns
people who are laraely concerned wiih
maintaining that hiAh stand{Id ofliving. The
nah goal upon sraduation is to set a well paying
job and all of one s encrsy is focused on that.
A politicaL ca.eer is probably not on the averag€
younB pe*on's agcnda. l l te t ttttr.r
'''l: r ':.rt ,. .'.
en, r'|i'!allcri ja, 5:r11r,ir,o|e 1i:rs
ll ,l \.,.r: . r,i li li'
1r.".' ',,1,.t ,' r' I il',
r;,.,.:,1 , r,: .l ,lir '..1 ,t,-.
,r,.i.. 1,,l.r,ir'lrir 'l ."r'i
be r:rt,',LtiLtiii,:: oi rrLrlr-( ('r iieii!)f:rs.
Sonc ]ouths assum€ thal it is sonconc else'sjob to
iate ore ofthe countr] s needs. The knrd,s of domestic
or foreisn policies inplemented by the governmcDt
iseither ofno conccm to them or they see no means
ofeffecting any change, hcnce it is just better to
'hind one s own business.
In this aspect,the counlry's mrch-lauded
€ducarion sysrem is a conhiburina factor.
Largely a top-do\m structure, studenrs arc
srooDred to excel in academia. Reiv.trd and
mosnition are given to those who cxcel acadeDicatly.
Trus there is little motivalion for ihc student to thit*
DO Tl] S
outside his school lifc. A local sociologisl once
observed that the hea\T curricular demands .,n
studerts these daF leave liltle roon for them to tliDk
or to pursue thei. jdeils or passioDs. EveD the IOI A TOIAL GROUPTHAT
educatjon system's attempt to nurture natioDalistic PROMOII5 AOIVI OTIZII1RY
pdde and concern for tlie couDtry i the fonn of
National EducatioD coDsists of a retelling of \i]{W RIA(H GOV!O
sirgapore s history and thc need to preserve the
llonllorhm ideor vl$ orflj'
tundamental tenets oiSnrsaporc's cxistence. There
SirsoporcorJ llrd {ork o!l
r.hardh.'1) i'-l) dr,u' \p ib^u' r,l'l.tolri'. s uliont vilh rhe gowrfirenl
or cvcn how to bette. our society. This has the lo develot rlre 5irsqpore yo!
untbtunatc cffect ofNational lducntion being secn wmllo iee? Joii RtAIl] rhe
as mere propaganda by the student population, hence feed b ! !l tlnir'! ldr!'r
zlF,"linL hen .v", futl.1, I i1 ,1:'liun/l :*u,'
All is not lost thoueh. Onc can look to
thc internet as a tool to encourage poliric
involvcmcnt amolgst local youth. CybeNpace
is a sale place for thcm to express thei. political
opinion without fear of bcins poirted at or singled
out. The.e a.e a gocd nurnber of bloss tliat are soleb
dcdicatedto political comrneniara. ODc ofthe nore
notablc ones was a blog b) a (then) junior collese
studentca)'le coh $'ho blogged passionatel], about
not iust poliiical issues but also her lision and hoFs
fbr Singapore. T|c PAP itselfalso sees the eedto
tl,lil'r 1:, i
engage young people a.d nufture tlieni to become
,l -l thc tuiure leaders ofits political pafy. Yorurg P
r-ii:i-. $as formed precisely to do this. to sho$'young people "
1 the ropcs and gettiDg them to be invoh€d. E\cn the
-;
opposition Wo*crk Part-v Youth Wing has rc$uitcd
, a handlirl ofloung sraduntes and working people to
firrther the ir\,olvernent ofyouDs peopie in politics.
whcthcr thc formation of such youth folitical
oryanisations encourages a riore !olitically librart
society remains to be seen. Prime Minister Lc.
articulated rhc r{ont'ing situation oflhe absence of
strong leaders silling to take over the poljtjcaL reins
oDce the presenl Cabiret retircs.It is iDdeed cnrcial
to nuftLu€ politicall)-en8iged youths $'ho are $illing
to extcnd themselves for the country's sake and to
see thenrselvcs as asents ofchange in local poliiics.
h fact, any tbmr ofparticipation, ev€! at agrassfoots
level, is prelerable rathcr than simply playing lhe
clric and takitrg a backseat. (t
41 SR0ADIR PtRsPtO VtS l/rccssat/ tssr.
 WEEI( OO3 DAY O2i

Entrepreneurship is just another

name for personal greed. Discuss.

ince the Digital Revolution explosion in the 199os,

which ushered into the world an unparalleled flurry of
economic activity and financial growth, Commerce and
Capitalism have made plenty of enemies in the world.

At €very World Trade Orga sation and Lrternational one another and trading them for profit. Business
Monetdf Fmd neeting, angry prcte.stors bum e8igier beneUts the entrepreneur himself as wel as oihers in
ofRonald McDonald and wave banners condemning his conniuniv because it is simply about being able
the actions ofsta$ucks, Nike and Shell. Linu geek to create thinss that meet others' needs and beins
fight out an online wa. decrying the Microsoft fairly compcnsated for carrying out such se icc.
and dubbins Bill Gates abisbillion'rrc
monopolv
F,ntIrDILrnc u rshil is silnDIV hat
b,.1) r huugh L4t//srp?,. Cordol L, crr..nuld g.r
away with smnknE crcedis ciod dudnstbemon;y lisi(-Laliillg, su|r'iVal-secliitrg,.
mad 1e8os, that catchphrase and that era itsellhas ct'eative and inr-cniiYe hutran
oc.^T, . s}l hol of r\" j iL rr
wdiLon "".F".Fi ot ind
l)t-lllFs \\olll(l lliltlllllll\ l,. ll)cllllt-rl
ana !oryo_drF8r"pd tntrFpreneuAhip-.rriunroJr
to seek iinaDcial success on one's oM - has become to do - in Various rravs. rviLl.l
coloured with o r disdain for capitalist srced and r.Arr in;1 tlegret,s irl SltCCeSS.
rn fact,
unLultrolkd mxterilbnl . ,l^ ,
Nobel Prize winner and pioneer ofthe microcredii
movement Muhamnad Yunus' craneen BaDk liftcd
PHOTO CREDIT/ Objecti\cly. an cnrrepr€neur i\ nothing more tt.o,bdnd.u totpo\,|ilbve\1Fnd;nstuhpma."rp"
than a person who has decided to take on or mrcro-toans to en.ourrge their entrepreneurial
personal risk'r to
tu venture oul in
YEururc out rurxrrts a
'r runnins spirii. usins
Using their tiny infusi;D
infusioD of capitat smatl
to srarr smatl
capital ro I
business. In pursuit
pJr.ui. ofsinple
o-s n,ple econonic .u11i\J.
"."nnn,r. surfiml, t,u{r €\e. tike
busjnesses *.,,rr provision
oaq^Fr wearitrss or r_o,i"ion,t,,p.
ike basket sliops,
hJ. ala.ays
the human mceF has h".r crcatnrg
itsav.. bcen rnr
rrlnr. for
crF.ri things " I

'a
l
I
47 dflUAolB PtR)lttllvt! th, r"rt,J ts u" I
I
 tIARNThI5:
IOT AL ENTIRPR S$
mnltjtudes of poor Bangladeshis. Haitians and It is wh€n entrepreneurs make a great deal AROU|lOTHfWORID
fillipiDos $€rc able to indeDendently senemte nrcone of money when we judge them the most
for themseh€s. The Cmmeen Bank's manycustomers harshly. This stenis fron our mjstaken belief that u\1Pt0YMIN]

L!.JnrF erlrpr're,4L s nor uLr ul :\Jri, - money itselfis a cormptirg aDd tainting force and : ,{qf,.--r") \
tn(-dpreneur.h:p qd:.' hi. ru ir/Jr. r.Jr'umii
oppod'.ril:Frlurllrn's-l\ {}, r-none',erpBi!.,
todBn. Clearly, entrepreneru ship ar its purest
righteousness cannot bc found hand in hand wiih
richcs. Wc oftcn espouse that money is the root of
all evil" wiihout realising that we have misquoted the
,-c n,a\**
., - _ u{of
ismotitalcd }) lhc pra.tical nced to suNive original tsiblical verse that pinpoints "tne loue o/ a-'4 @,.--,
and ihc desire ro provide for one's family. monev is tlie root ofall e!il." MoDey aDd po$'er may Jomio 0livd 5lilben (UKJ

trshrNei thek {snso poo)

tenpt enh€pretreurs to become grecdy aDd corrupt,
Greal enterprises have also been founded but money and polrcr should Dot bc iaken as evidence
upon or propell€d by the good, inspiring - of grccd in thenNelves. Rather, the riches generated ADVOTAIY & AWAR I I! ISS
even noble - passions and purposes ofits by a. entrepreneur could bejust a neasure ol how
founding enrrcprcncurs. Beyond tbe muDdane
Deed to survive, elery human being aspires to
successlully he has supplied the goods and senices
that are demanded by societv xiiling to pay for it.
a
ffin9
actualise the best and most beautitul parts ofhim or Reventre is simply a measurc of holv gmat thc nccds .*'__ 1

hcrsclf. iill \\al}L lo create. to

1'{c
itt l,'\, , 1'r i, .r\ ' :r lirrt rl'1,
,ir..i.;rl r'',l,,,r, lri.L, \,1 .r.
\tr. .l' ,,rt.r).r,. (r, rlrtir
aspiliLtions ira\'tirl-re tiic iillli 01
.' l,l,t'.:r ..'r .- .r Lrt ,ir..
,,,'lt, , L
lr'. /\r.t,r\ : tl'1. 1'i< ' \ ')il :l
(ri t r:4tr''. I cllf4'-.lt(.:. rhr br.r
exanples of such are socjal eDterprises: busiDesses
that trade in Soods or sen'ices for a social pur"osc.
Hcrc prcfits maybc uscd to sutfort social aims or
werc and how wcll the entlepreneur met those needs.
EDtrcpreneu al designer Yves St Laurent anassed
his millions because he forcsaw a world $ne.e modern
Ihe B,s krue (U(l
\vhire Da tols(U5A)
woner would need and want to be freed from the lood #03 {50!!pore)
rlxr!shr (!rnsopo.e)
tuod
coDst.aints of fussy d.esses. Bill Gates made his
klroo'o'ollhoush{5msopo,e)
billiors mt because hc $rs sr ecdy but bccausc billions
ofpeople werc prcparcd to payhim ihat much for
thc levcl ofconlenicDce and efficiency broug|r into PROV]DII{6IORTHIPOOR
thcir$olkins lives by Nficrosoft so1r"are.'llat Gates
went on to use his wealth to nrn the world s richest
dnll lh r' nu . pu{-rtrl fuLrJ.'riu,. L rJ.r'3
educatioD ard medical rcsearch at a icvcl unmatchcd
by aDy othcr non govonncntal organizaiion should
turther silcnce critics \rho think he is nrerelygreedy. (L]r^)

l'r1 u .i1' s iLq.ll...^ r tli,l .s lhpL^cia-olle ivp

through actual operations forexanple, employnent In conclusion, by mistaking the
tNV RONMI}IT
of th€ disadvantaged or pu.chase ofnaterials frorn entrepreneurial spirit for $eed, we fisk not
seeirg the forest for dre trees. True, the lust for
the disadvantaged. UnkDowD to many chocoholics,
thclatc cntrcprencur Milton S. H.rshcfs chocolatc rccosnition and thc snrn call ofa lifesble ofnratedal
1"A
\{:/
cnpirc channels millioDs into sustanrnrg cducational cxccss and public adorarion hale caused nany
p ogmrnr ,F\. mp,l al cpn -" ,,ij,r, -11 tra ri"g bumble entfepreneurs io run ss€atshops, cuL corrrers, Ir td€tr ftoied {UK)
IE Body tlmp lU (J
crntes and cultural acLnities in Lhe Derry township depdve their e rployees ot benents in the dane of
Nh€re it all began.lhe lareAnita Roddick used her
frofit maxjmizaiion. iSiLL Lo sitrtlli
BoO shop enpire to spread the sospel of fair trade,
cquitable treatment of womeD and grc.n stct.taltl ll1r iLli bu:r jrf slilrl(.lt :1:l DOTHIS:

5TAR]YOUR OW1
consumerisrn. H$ husband cordon Roddick j , I r'',1 l\ i,.,.r,. 1 | t, _,r,,i SOI]Ai INTIRPRISI
prcduced the ah'ard winning flrc Biq /ssue. a current
\ , , ,l' r, i.- 11.'11. 1,.'..1 ', n; ),
aflans nagazine which employs honeless people as t Lt
lll
their silesnen. r'he Grameen Eank itself is ilrd to in:rrlli th. i,rliilig:f ,-'t.1'
qtrintesseDtially a profitjnakiDg noneyleDder LIte ilititr stLisiieii lllit;liitiar's r', llo ,rr";;;;;;;-,
(tlat sccmnrsl) most srcedy of finaDcial cntcrpriscs) w/cormlsingoFed(sg
ilavc I,r1i1l Lbcsr,:: lliarlts Lhcii rg
but yct it uscs moncvfor a hishd Dut])osc. 'rtll W'nr 530,000 o{opllo ro
ilr r;er i eti rr rres $ umFtun yow 0rr i le{iiol

43 &R0ADlR PfRSPfUlvf5 ti..sr,, iscrp

 iliEEii flCI: FA'l i}??

ales ofghosts, gods, heroes, mysterious happenings,

tragedies, noble acts fascinate people and get passed
from one generation to the nert. Due to their dramatic
nature and the mystery that surround them, mlths
and legends often have a strong hold over children
and people who are superstitious. However, in
modern Singapore where people are trained to think scientifically,
logically and pragmatically and where popular culture is heavily plugged
into the latest and newest on the global scene, is there still a role for
mlths and legends to play?

Given Singapore's srrorg push for scientilic
knowledse ald economic success, the
praranutism in this natioD leaves verv little
room for m]'ths abd legends, thirss that
require an appreciation for whimsy and an
oral tradition oftellinA tales. Storics aboLrt a
prrce spotting a lion on SingaDorck sho.es or a siant
swo.dfish that juniped out ofthc sca and killed people
seen ticulous aDd north lert little, in light ofthe
foctrs that SjDgaNrchas on the l tureasseeninthe
national habii of forecas tjrg and plannnrs ahead. on
PHOTO CRaDir'/ I'p urd p r,lr.JnJ.,r-.r..r,l,ng,r Ir"a
r""U.
to play in Singapore but th,.
"t"r,U,",,"r "t'li
that thet remajn important in more developed
countries like Euopcan countries aDd Japar,
suggestilg their vahc cvcn in educated, nodc.n
Thc most visible way mlths ald leacnds have
a rote in Singaporc is iD rhe tourism industrT,
iyhere they ale used ro creatc a slronger sensc
of Singapore's distinctivcness and intercst
people lvho wanr to know about its more
distart past. Scntosa's musicalfoutain shos lses
sods and mi-thological creatu.es likc drasors in a
more entettairing and lnique vcrsion ofSingapore's
orignrs beyond its coloDiai rast. Asian mlths also
create a diferent flavou for tourisls who conefi.n,

44 BR0ADtR PtRlPtOlVti ri, .$,q,,\rc


citi€s thensehes aDd may oDb see a cosnopolitan
liS ifnot for the tNr
guidcs and ai
stories told by
tou.ist attractiors. W'hilc somc mav olicct to thc
fabdcation of Dr)ths, it js c.ucial in cDgaging the
in.gination and .reating a sirongtl idea ol Singapo.e
tlan rcal and concrele lacts cnn do at ti es. Assuch.
myths and legends specillc to Sinsapo.e hrve a role
toplal in helping to naintain its disttuctir€ness and
creatirg a icher expcricDcc fortourists.
$ftilc the locals may nor buy into mlths that
have been created specifically forrourists or
€xaggerated for commercial purposes, they
too benefit firom the meuilgdeated by thc
nltns rhat enend Singaporels history bcyond
$nrat is ahcady wcll-documcnrcd in hisrory.
Ior cxanplc, the ver:v nane Singapore , neaning
lion cit!, draws iLs meanjrg hollrlhe legend ofSang
Niln Utama spottirg a beast he tliought sas a iioD
Nhile on tlis isiard. The fact that no lions have becD
laomr to crist h.rc imbrcs mvsticism toa nanre that
oihcniscwouldseernnonsensical. Irthisfounding
Snrgapore is a name that carries a sense ol
storr'-'.
hop€ and wondern.d Singaporems callbenefitf.om
' ,hp^i.:'. 1.,rul.'.u, o:\rr .l' l.\-b,.'r llL
"a.e
roo.l\ i\tirs an,:l lcgcrld-s sLi-pllli
rreaning \\:her irold. halC fircts fail
iLn(l lrlsh:cl iL nL.cd il llcoilli. L()
r .rl. :rr\, , l ll il| r.., ,. i1 il , ll.\
lhrotrg,lt l sr.ui], LirlL cuiriroL be
singaporeaDs can also benefit from the
stloDaer seNe ofplace that mlths ard lcgcnds
give, deating for thcm a city that is morc than
mccts thc c}t. MFhs c.losel) associatedrith places
like lt€dhill and the Sisterlslands p.ovide sto.jes of
d.aDutic happ€DiDgs that give a basis fo. tlieir nanes
aDd help cemeDt in people's n rds ihc sigrlificaDcc
ofthe place. civeD that Rcdhill has bccornc a busl
HDB io$n, ha\iDg thc siory ofthc boy w|osc blood
staincd thc soil as . testan)ent ofhis murde. alier
salinit t|e lilla8e pajn(s a djllerent picture of
Silgalore as aplacewith a colourful pastand allows
loerls to Jao berand the nNndane.
45
DOTHIS:
W,{TiH THt O(BI IIIIGAPORI
The morals in mltlN and lesends also serre THIATRT FI5TIVAI ?OO8
ro cmphasise ceriain values rhat arc ccnhal
ro humanity and can be used ro teach our
children. 'lhe leilend ol Redhill highliBhts the
briver) o{ a clikl and hoiv one person can save i
whole viLlage, wliile tlie mlth ofthe Sjster lslarcls
conmenrcrates the sh ong love bctwccD sisteN. W-hilc
many may prcf& to usc Wcston talcs to do this
nrstead itilen the abundance ol resources on the
martet, Lhere is a role lbr iocal mrLhs and legends
lhat convey lhese values e,hiLe helping tr, cr€ate ar
Aliar identirr_ tlut is comnotr to SirgaporeaDs. This
i.tentib creatjiD is madepossible alsobythe use of
thcsc talcs in local tcftbooks.
Other than more historical myths, popular lr0i 6rh r(l 24rhAuqrr, o(lll
mlths and legerds aboutplaces ir Sirgapore theolre qrcup W!tD Rltl
pressrrs o ar e5ofp oy5 !bl)!r
contirueto have releyuce. U$aD legends and
lro{ \irqogoE s m! rk! tur!
supe$titions continue to grip tcople's imagiDations
m'/rhs !fd hisro'iiol eqefdj
a. nvid i.nd l\ rh, .1.c". ,-rl . lnca- ...r'". wtuw roqerher to.onnrud our
Strodpore C/rosaSlories and lV p.og.n i)res like
/no.dib1e Tirles that portral' nyths ofghosts and
uncanny happenings in SiDgapore. Tlie sirgapore lrom lhe Swordfisl lhe,
Paranorml IDvestigato$, a g.o p tliat investigates The Concubine ft fhe
Last Tenptatian of
such stoics ni nodcrn Singaporc, dcmoDstratc thc
SiaDiord Ratrles, prepft e
rcal inicrcstin such mlihs. Thc endudng belief that
km(loni( m tll of
for on
unexplainable Lhings lnppen gn es mtths a d legends Auguir!
a plac€ iD ShgaporeaDs' iDlagiDations that will
continue despite scientific prcgress.
'll'^,8h ,\ah. rd.9.,d\.J. ,, naLt.IlrJ r,
'
.l.l'L "... irr. trigr Jrici, I' o'\i'galo1 r-rir
.ole nr appealing to the iniaginaLion and !roliding
another dinension to life and physical reality
continues to be inportart. Other couDtries corltinue
to enbrace their foundiDg n)ths aD.l legeD.ls of
hcmes tast as a $'ay ofundcrstaDdiDg thcmsclvcs
aDd crcatnrg .r.aning a.d idcntiry. ID likc manncr,
Sinitapore s m)1hs and legends nrar becone ore
inportint in Lhe lace of scientillc prog.ess thit seeks
to quaDtit and qualifi ni wavs tliat seem reductive
o. steile. SinSaporeaDs rrill continue b need to
belic\ethat thc land thcl inhabit aDd b) crlcDsioD,
thcv too arc uniquc through m)'ths and l.gcnds that
enrpnasise boundless possibiliries beyond our
inmediate present and that give a se se ol drann
rnd.olonrto onrhonrF It
ER0ADtR PlRSPftll\/f5 tip.sd i(s,p
 The world of the future will be a
woman's world. Do you agree? , , \,, i,. .

omen in positions of power and control, and

looked upon with the same amount of respect
as is usually conferred onto men - these certainly
count as credible qualifiers ofa "woman's world"
but are definitely not the be all and end all of
such a world. A woman's world essentiallv is a
world where all women are not only respected but also celebrated. It
is a tall order, and the world may not be able to achieve such an ideal,
but it most definitely can come close.

The participatiol ofwomen in politiG iI our
day and age suaAests that a "woman's world"
is possihlc in thc futurc. Hillar)' Clinion,
cermany's Ansela Merkel and Condoleezza Rice are
jusi few of the nanr' rlonen $ho are slarling to
acti!e!- tatG part in politjcs and in high l€vel positions
at that. Ofcourse we do not expect to see ail-female
PHOTO CREDIT/
govemments fifty yeaN on, but g.anting political
rights to womcn is the first step towards gcnder
cquality in Dolitics. In a landnrark nove for thc
infanously reslrictive UAE, a totnl of nire rroncn
$€revoted into its National Fedeml Council forthe
first tine ir 2oo7. Likewise in 2oos. Ku$'ait s
govcmnent finilly gale their \eomcD tull voting dghts
as r{ell as the chance to run for pDblic olfice. Gii en
thatin the 199os, Kuwaitandthe UAE did rlot allow
ilonen any poliiical rights, such political headway
signals nore freedom tc, be confe.red rpoD i{omen

46 BR0ADIR PtRSPt0lVtS tie essav lssuc

 TIARNIt]IS:
FORBIS'LISTOI
t"oking lion
econonic peNpective, who is to say
aD and spoft is enousli to an$rer fo. much ofthe abuse, r00 1,1051 PoV/tRILlt w0M81
that womcD caDnot mnatc cven rnorc hcadleay? and deDial ofhlunaD nghts that coltinres on a daily N Tl]t W0Rt0 2007
Wo.ren such as Ho Chnrg and tbe late Dame Anita basis in countrics whoc woncn harc no opportunities
Roddick head some oftle world s mosr successful to speak out or defcnd thcrnsclvcs. To ihcse doubts,
corpo tions- paving the war for the common woman I point ou{ thal lhemedia is alread}, prcpaftrg us for
to Dotiust eDterthe ilorkforce but to be ambitious a chang€, and urging us lo payaltention towonen\ i.aNcttaMiRt(ft
. ,d .lrr h l,- Jr,\.. tr' 2n,r. r2, ,. 5 r,.Jpu'-s thoi(ello., cermony
workforc. were $orncn, making uf alnost half of
th€ irorking popLrlalion. With irteDational €ftofs
aheadt underivir to increase (he ernploymeDl oi
wone! especjally in Middte Dastern countries, such
rs the UN's Milleniun De\elopneDt GoilsforSaudi
Morc and
'norc
cclc}rilics cre rsina lheir
lame to support causes for women's rights
and febale empowerment. The morc famous
ones include the eler popL'lar Oprah Winhey and
\H
2 WU YI

Arabia, wonen are Dow given nore opporllDities to her nuch-debated Leadership Academy for Girls,
be nnancialb nrdependeni. Ifit is a numbers same Nicole KidmaD and her participation iD LINIFEM as
we areplaying, the common workplace $'ill ' go..lsllr',\a.Jdnr.J,dl4Jq..L'nn.. rlp.'81
iDdeed become a "$oman's world" in rhe to slop gender apartbeid in AfghaDistan. Lesscr-
known bu t equall) capable of providins supNr arc it0 olTemolek Io d]n05
bilLionaire activists s ch as Sig.id RaLrsirs whose Sinqo|)ore
Evcn the sportinA world has becorne r'1i-r'Jm-J lr r.l ,,r"1.$,mF1 .r:ghr.gr",p n
sohewhat of a rlwoman's world" already. London, chana, Canada and Poland, and ceorge
Admittedl), sports has rol aL'ays been geDder Soros rose Iniernaiional Womcn's Program reaches
slecific, but the inpact of ilonen on the d€nographic as laras Uganda. The initiativeiaken by ihcse pcoplc
4. t0llD0Ltun Rttt
ofsports has underiably changed the wa) the ivorLd to advance women s.ights cnLrses are c€rtainlynoble,
sccs it. Thc image ofspofts as a hardy, t!"ically male atrd a.e not to be igDored. The e11ort lhal goes jnto
endcavor has chanscd $ith thc cmcrscnce of $omen snch causes prepares us foratuture$at celebrales
such as Nlichelle Wie andVenDs andSerena williaros. womcn and their value nr socielt'.
Michelle Wie became the nrst lenale golfer io qualjll
5 I0RAK t{00Y
for a men's tounament in 2oc)5. Likewise, the .\ uonlarr's r.,l,'r'lr-l lL;riId .,r', .1n,::r tt0 olPepsiio, U.5 A.
$llliams sisteN have astounde.t $'ith tlieir sheer
power on couft, sho$'ing that thcy ioo can play like t',,lil\.,, r-,lir\ '11, Lr ,,,i
wltRf lRt s0Mt 0TffR
the big boys. iutei'estirglr. lvithoLtt tr l lll' 1, j1..ll.l'. r-li rlr, r. ' Jj IAII()II\ AMN t)NTHI I\T?

\\r)lIelt rt'sll()tt. In''r'e \\()r'trt t)r' r, " .'',i.1 i. . r rt' '..i1'1.. tl' : ,,
Gl;?!
,

,to \r r lt lir t_ ir- l:r'lll, r : | -i,,,l l r( ,i"r ttlri ,t: l-an t ' r.. ,
"tY ?]
cithcr'. If niii fbl ilre stllish rir esses rliilr:r'cr',r, 1bl cr.cli onc io iislcc OPRAHWI1IRIY

oI L\Ia|ii] Slir|lil{l\ a or shirl tl aLiirc ,.rt-,ani,lr;usl.; ol-! :ur\ ulte ilril!!.

We ce cone close to it, though, and what we already
23.oL]tHt I ZABITH I

of Annili:L Solcrstanr thc nrale see in our $orld toda! js encotrrasing. The snall
0ueef, U l(.

-rrtr.;,ieit
.ttl lr.cr \\1,t, (l ltlrr" 'r', .t"t,h Ja ral,ng r.l,id,dint\"IBhrJi ",.i"l
and hopetully, s'jth effort and a bit oflDck, thc \orld
erldofsenlcl) L Lieals. rhc world of spolts Mt
ofthe tuture willc€lebrate noljusL a lronan but €!€ry 24. N0,\ GATTS
haslorDed quite gleefully fronr the rnen io cmbracc tofoundu ond {o thoirmon ol
wonar nl this world. rt
th, Blllood Msliido Gors

It is possible ofcourse to argue thar nothing

in the tuture is certain, th{t the general 25. HIIIARY RODHAM TL NTOIl
Senolor of l,lsw Yo*, U.S.A.
population ofwomcn in the world is still not
ad€quatelytakcn care of. Onc is noifaulicd for RIAD THI RIST OFTHI L ST
questioning if equal parLicil)ation in politics. ecnnomy w{v.10ft s.{omr'l 5ry'2007111./

4/ ER0lDtR PIRSPIOIVIS r/)c.ssa! issr,l

r',ifiti |ir;i lli,'i il:1:

To what extent do the newspapers and

magazines that you read deal with
what is trivial rather than
what is importaflt? ,,,,,,, ., ,,,,,,,
oys who love their toys have MAXIM,
Stuff and FHM;
White collared women can find a little piece of
pastel-coloured middle class heaven in Martha Stewart's
Liuing and, Real Simple; Fashionistas have Vogue whlTe
foodies have that gastro-porn classic Gourmet; and of
course, the more serious-minded and cultured crowd will champion
their Economrst and Wall Street ,Iournal. It looks like we are getting a
good mix of publications catering to different crowds with different
needs. So why then have cantankerous media critics like Noam Chomsll
been moaning over falling editorial standards, trivialised content and
accusing publishers of bending to the winds of a fickle audience?

The quesrion does pose a somcwhat false
(li(holomy by prcsupnosinA r}lat trit iat rhinas
have no importmcc at all. It srnacks ofintellccnral
snobbeD for chonrsky and his ilk Lo tell us whal rye
like to.ead is tuivolous aDd$'|ar thevlikc ro read is
rnpna", l lr l" I lri.,. : t1., ,.
,i|,i..r..,,r-,rl..l-.
r;i leir ti al-i ltits:;'.'li,l:ti,:ltit: otrt
,r':.. ' :l .t: , t:t.:i!::t,j''.
:r:rotitci' ttiltf 's,I lelleri ll itois0l.
The trivialiry," and imporrance of conient is qtritc
{.bi,,1i\"t^onF!on-.ni in.-r.. . ar dr,r"r-"son.
'the latcst issue ofGrurrret discusscs rhe delighls of
beekccping. howtojuice cheries, who makes to besr
cocktail in the United States and whether Michelle
Obana should nake cookics. yogre ediior Anna
Urirtour is absolutely serious wheD shc pontificrtes
on the sisniticance of Karl Lageffield's hem leDsth or
the versatility of LoubouliD heels. These topics of
discussion are hardly ground-breaking or cven
'iEr''l' - r' ,F,iri'" t. a $orld trt'o. {rr, t"ninF
povctland natu al disaste$_ It rnay even be highlt,
olTensive to some in the light ofthe problcms ofthe
$'orld. Neusuee/. s special issue or livcs of rhe supcr
Rich caught a lot offlack as it can-" smack in rhe
m ctle of tne disasters in Myannarand Sichuan. But
stili, to a chefor a fashion desisno, or even to those
u' sh\o nrnr\ pfl^yr\esutd ,r.,.in D. a.hiur
thse is a ptac€ for such
and other material soodness,
tublications. Publicarions thai 1€arur€ a lilrle bit of
quirldDess, colour, fun and focus on the frivotous"
p:ns of life should not be condenmcd as unimNrtant
ard tivialjust becausc tney are not wh.rllvcent.ed
on conventionally more serious issues. Wc alt need
our little escapistjoys in a worid overslrado'led by
nu.,roildn,lrLrn^il.bFit Fad.ne Jbou , ro, r-t rg.
sipting Merlot in TLrscany ornhether Heath kdger's
Joker outshone Jack Nicholsor's.

48 BR0ADIR PtRSPtolVtS the essdy issde


But whar wc should discuss is how particular
forccs in today's publishins wo.ld are
t.ivialisin* what is impoftant. tt is no secrel
that lhanls to capitalism, lhe world of
publications has evolved nrcreasnrgly irto a
public-owled, profi t-ddvel drd lud-nosed
eDterprise. Reputable publicatidrs eist of cou$e
bui thcsc rar. siala arls arc usrully ormcd by a.alth]
fanrilics or financ.d by foundalions $'ith an 01d
lashioned scnse ol roblessc oblis€ and nrtrnicifal
p d. h'ho fccl abo!. t|c n..d to squcczc thc last rcd
0enl oul ol tieir bosinesses. 'fi.,\llr, rorl Ttr.r
depends o. the Sulzberger la ilr', ,/rc l4/rs/rtrglo,r
PostleaDs o th€ Grahanrs, COOI),l4aqozire is the
crextioDof the ealisticheirof iheGoklhirsh lodune.
]lost publications are the uDfortunate lroducts ot
slarcholdcr-war-a co+omtions ir a profit o.ieDted
agc who arc not in the b sniess of public education
but nrass rnarkcting products. Wh.n the C'fti.dgo
ltibunc bought o\rr thc rcspcci.d I-,t. Tines, oDe
olthe llruL things it did lo inrprolc profit margnN
was to cut budgets to. orerseas bLreaus aDd st.ff,
rffectiDg the liel elemeDts lhal made L.A. lim.s
rcporting so excelleDt. Urithout a BaBhdad bureau,
r.a ,'r'1..\.T,' b'.r-ll,-\J'nur,\i.'1 " \4i
.overagc ofthc Imq iDmrgen.l?
This spiril of economic compctition also
means nrosl edilo.ial content is orientcd
around the public's desire to llc cntcrtained
rather rcsponsible.eportinA. InrportaDt issucs
arc still cove.ed bt ourpublicalions bul it is thc Drosi
rucilcand rclativeb insisnificant elemenls in t|osc
i {r" lhJrS' .Ii 1' l Lp. \l ' l1, Lli, 'l: ' , 'i ,
'o.\
inporlanluontcnttoDraximisepopularappealthat
lo$cst connnon denoniDator. Moreink
caters 1o I hc
\.as spilled on lur turting Bjll cliDto!'s constant
iDfidelitr tha. s,herhcr Ic should havc paict rnore
attention to the Rwandan gcnocidc. lvheD U.S.
Sccrcta[ of State CondoleeTla Ri.. afpcarcd at
hricsbadcD militar-a base, mc,re column spac. $'as
dedi.atcd to thc (pseudo)political significance olhd
sery Matdx likc outfit fian n hat she actLrall) said or
New media also prcssurises traditional
publi( ation\ lo lri\ iali\c lh.nrschcs. i. ',rl ,J
Nedtobe atrained Ir.olession ltodc scDt to school
to shar?eD their discem oren L lor hchr.l accuracl, io
49 AR0ADIR
RIADTHI5:
GRIATNIUI5PAPIR5AND
dislingLrish belneen 1|e need to nraintain triva.y I,{AGAI NISYl]U SHl]UtD GIT
a.d tle .esporsibiiiLr Lo jnJoflr the Nblic nnd lo
YOURllAllDSOI{
debate about the ethics o{protecting thei. sources.
Now, antone of a!l' age with an internet connectio., ]lif OUARDIAN
a ljlogger account and r knife to sliarpeD crn start guardian
{D online nagazine or nenspaper. UNest.ained bI
TflI NIWYORK I]]\1I5
repoter's ediics {Dd r crutious frct-checking edjtori.
0l1c Srtr' l!ork dil,cs
tcaDr, bloggcrs can gci a$'ay with f.DDnrg thc most
danrnilg (.nd Ict dcliciorFly .Dicn.innrg) otinioD WIRID
tieces. Hence, eler since the lnLernet lvas born,
tr'aditional publicatioDs arc witncssiDg a slo$'b t
sxm d.clincin sal.s and alrdjcncc DrnDbcrs. Today's
THI }vA5HINGTl]I{ P1]5T
woshingtonposl.Lr'n
mass.udien.e clcarl) likcs drc casual. caustic and
olflhe cu l'l rcl)ofiaSc of nor Drcdia cv.nifitisDoi M0N0t1t
ahurs credible or ba lan.cd. I.calb. t|c Strirs Ztner
his.oped in lhe likesoi Xiaxu., JocAugustin. Dxar
. in t ,e , r' t'\ ''t
', Jr., \' ' r,st \, 1
publi(aLjons anongsl lhe youth. Thcy hayc bccn
picked Lessfarthejribilitt to be prolessional rcport.rs
rnd norc for thei. abilit] to be leisly. a l l mctivc and
uDflinclingly cortroveNial in Urejr views. Who is l(r
say that thcir bl{rgs rvill not soneday cross lhe onlnre
l;00t)
lcrsion of .S.?dits lines jnto the actual !ri.ted
fubli.ation should thcvcoDtinueto prole they hare
the star poi{crto kc.p audiences readnig? Ahead},
the linwn Yang and Xiaxuc caifight has made it to
front page ew! in the natioD s oDly broadshcct,
girirg this mho. blogosphe.e eleni l|e.quivalcDt
editorirl significarce as a.e8!onal naturai disastcr
or local election result.
t0Rfl6N P0 tY
Wlrilc there is nothjDg $rort8 xilh, litdc bit of
iiivolity iD the tliiDgs thal $.e read, il is disturbnrg
idr.nthrt s..rns t{r be the overall trend 01\lhere orr
publi.alions clcn thc nost esteeDrecL ones tre
head ing. lt is fair'ly obvious thrt tod.!'s public:rtions
are beins challcnscd br vcry real economic and
cultuftl iorces lhat call thcm io ti\iilise their rnaterial
ard lighte lhei. approrch inr sun'ival's sake. |ew
can afford to say ro Lo lhem and rvc caDnotjudge
th.m with a cleaD conscieoce since$'c ar. prccisclv
thc audicncc that is payiiig lo. $haL thcl arc
producnrs. UDtil Drore ofus derrand a b.oad$ and
deeper lt$fcctivc to thiDgs, the corporitjons today
{illjust kccf giving us Nliat rve $ant touchi.g
phoLos oIaDri folcrt] cffor1s iDlf.ica (!!ithouL the
Dasty poLitjcs behind it, thank you). cclc'bity spaLs,
Britney s latesL .reildown .nd tcn wals t{r fi'+t flab
bctbrc bikni seasor hits. €t
PtRSPttTlVfs ric rsvr! issr.
 l]1/Efl{ 004 DAY t]?5

There is no such thing as luck.

People determine their ornrn lives.
Do you agree? i 1,uJ ,,ru

\Fm1t"
all it what you will -
destiny, fate, karma,
superstition, magic,
curses, the evil eye
)1,,, - luck, good and bad,
.tt$ has an incredible and oft times
J'|$
,0;Y l ridiculous hold on the popular
imagination. Sure, people may not
really believe that stepping on a
crack will break their mother's back
but at other times, the mere
thought of not wearing luclqy green
briefs on the most important day
'' oihis life may be enough to drive
'/"-'-/ (a an inveterate gambler pale.

A clos€r examinaiion of the issue reveals thar
what passcs for serendipity or ill foftune can n.rsrly
be attibutcd ro people's thiDking and actioDs.
'l'o sunr tir ol li ilc llf Lire nreaning
irt ore's litc ls lL nriririi:ri h:',1;i;er;irg
ol r-h.- piiie i'eslli o1r';inticn cirarre
i ,lr.r,,,r rl ;r'"i::ri i,r u.,l
uirr i-liirrgs ir:r1r1;cn iit their iilcs.
;uiii r;tcil: tillgelornl-r' !lr r'i:de ali
l i's:ronsiir;l ;: i' iiir or:c's i l le. I,r,n is the
arbite. of his own fate, and morc importanily,
PHqTO CRNDIT/ detennines the veracitv of lis lifc.
ofcourse, random rhance and coincidcnce
happens. One cmnot cqect to live nl a world tull of
constant techDological advaDces that bring people
closer and closer togciher and not expcct some of
these variables to come to a head and affcct one s life
sometimes. Adnittcdiy, the good fortune rhat may
result fron thcse encounters caD play a lital part in
people's livcs- Tbe histo4 ofnankind is littered with
a plethora ofstories recosDisins how lives havc been
transfomed by a few seconds ofchance. Thcse few
seconds can undo years of cndeavour and cfforr or
prevcDt vears more of pain and sullering. Thc day ) u u
fall sick and stay hone frorn work can bc the same
day your olfice in tlie Twin Towers fell, the day you
wore red sock can also be th€ same day you win bis
.rrlp n.", Sutpq,ridng all.hF.-, hin.F hipp-r'rr8c

50 BR0lDlR PtRiPfOlViS th. rc\a't i.. p


complctcly $ith detenninism ed fate is problematic.
And this all cncompassins belief that such luck can
be laned and controllcd by obscurc rituals that .rnly
maLrF qFn,c lo ynu. \..^me. Ll. rirlFl) J, slru.li\F
inen i l',fn\ irlo ar ptcus'
free will.
Ir
rrlo..\.rci i,8on/l
actual fact, people determine the outcome
ofrheir olm lives by making their own good
fortunc or luck. The question of why some people
lead envious charned lives and other people lurc.h
from one disaster io anothcr maybe the simple and
unglamorous reason of constructive will and effort
direciing desir€. As Roman philosopher Sencca said,
"Luck is what happens when preparation mcets
opportuniv'. Psychologists say that soc{€sstul peopl€
tend to benefit morc fiom chance encoLrnteru or seem
to be "blcssed" with sood luck, noi because they wer€
$€aring a lucky crystal, but interestingly enough
because ofcenain life skils that tlley possess. Noticing
and creating opportunities, developiDg aDd listennig
totheir irtuition, having positive e$eciations and
a rcsilient attitude malGs such people best placcd to
ar!io'm hJpprnjJn.e and o!,poluri,ie. i', rh. r
lives into self-ftlfilling prophecies ofbenefii and
ro.t,ne. A cl.tzrttcc cllcounier' \\.ith
\\'fl "'lr BIli, il i. p|e, i-"1r tlrrr.
. it\:trr'H. I ir |l-)t ac(tltf rtltlr
becarLsc 1,on hacl tlrearh tlone rrtLr'
1,.-r.rl' ll ;lll(l tillllg'lill'l nlnl
r-ll, iri:il io lll\i'sIlf, r.)lll I erl:lll'j
intcrnei cclrllal]\' u as all pcisoiial
actiol lntl initiative.
Human action and will can work both ways
too. J[st as people influencc thc beneficial
outcomes of their lives, they can also
unLnowinSl) or uncon\ciously afferl lhcir
futures for rhe worse. What passes for bad luck
has moretodowiihhos people dealwith ill fortune
ard adversitt_than a nalignaDt force ofkarma out
to get then. Studies on how people view bad luck are
pini, Ll"rl) rerFal're s^i , f"" rlor. -ppr..:dli'F
abort what they still had in thcir livcs, arc detemined
to nake nore informed choices in fliture atrdso oD
to have high expectalions of lifc. othcrs keep
!
51
't
D DYOLI KI{OW?
POPUIAR 6OOD IUTK IHARi,IS
bernoanjng whai happened to them years ago and alt0 sYt\180ts fRol\t ,{R0ut{0
are entireiyfixatcd otr what they lost or did not gei, IHIWORID
and lend to make thc same bad decisions over and
over asain- Many timcs, what is construed
ffiw m
as bad luck isiust people makins bad choices.
The problem is notjust believins in luck, bur
believins wholly in the power of luck to
U*& ffi
transfo'T liwes. This belief is dangerous because Tfl
peollp gi\. ut, .ollrol Jro r-.punsio;li ) or thpi- AS 'K
&
._$"
e# &
liv€s wiih litdc regard for the consequ€nc€s. Eelieving
in luckbecones a social and life determinant more
than people realise. The equation ofluck with games
of {:}rn.e like nombers. horses and cards are
slmptoms of a faith that asserts that rnoncy is the H5[ffS
only ihirg that matters in Life. Whole lives spcnt oirkoblAsrl
. drosoiflisi (k1o)
scarchins for $ays and systems ofimprovins and
stmobs {ruypt}
maintainins the luck in their lives only show that
Lucli llecom es
morat worth marlers very littl€. I{ATURI
I cntnlll.l!:;ll t\ tl, rite br rrltiClt
peopie escape their tioLtblcs, rvolk erh n0 {$ilo6}
anrl rlnlllc:lr( I, s1,,'llsrl)llil I'rS. bomboo{th;nud
Hi:r'd worl< is loo ordinarl. unrl
r'pltltotr in,J rtilllr l,lllrS jln:\\Fr'i. ANlliAts
prsj {6smmk)
It is little wonder these peoplc tcDd to think they a.e
plagued with bad luck more than anyone else or elahonlJll]sd!)
spend their lives in deliberaie isnomnce of tlie life dolphi'1 lNor,re A'ner!uB)
ied bots {tlrre*i
right before their eyes.
Surcly we should be pist all thjs in this age ofscicntific
!llisololr leerli {Ai' ro)
raiionalism and political and sell deternination, so
why else is a bclicf in luck so persistent? Charms, 08lttl!
r(0r{5 E
anulets and talisnaDs have been found in almost all
civilisations and man]' superstitions that stemmed
l{olls Amoim drum .okhcl
{iom old beliefs arc still widr us. wldher as a reaction
to nundane industrialiscd lives of work or tc, lhe
unce.tainties and unpredictability that still plague
.ndrr' mrn, h..1.. onri rup\ lo I'aa nI \,13r' . -lL.i\r
search for aDswers. Somehow we cannot rcsi$ q.,.ing
to fignrc outorcontrol what lhe lutureholds, good
orbad.It's a shame because, while.ot discountirs
'l'" hond.r. i ,d c"in"rJ.n' F\ lhal .1r' hatt.., r ,
|unran life, pcotle should realise that t|e best answcr
to happiness lies in their ox.n hands and can be
detelmined by prcsent actions atrd perceptions more
.1.n".hr..e.,rinlnrh' ul, r- h-; inEro,
sonetling tremendous lo happen. at
8R0AD[[ PtRSPttTlVtS ri. .srdv iss!!
 ifiit[]{ 004 nA'f ti:6

There is no such thing as luck.

People determine their own lives.
Do you a.gfe€? u,.,.,",,,''""
\1 'f f

instein once said that coincidence is God's way of

staying anonymous. This was said shortly after he
was asked to lecture on the Big Bang theory and
expound on whether he did believe that the world was
formed through sheer chance or a galactic stroke of
luck. Einstein hesitated to credit the creation ofour universe to luck but
he did admit that our beautiful universe was, to him, a deliberate design;
something too intricately formed to exist just because luck was on
our side-

Similarly, man has neverleft his precious life totally
in the hands oI luck. The.e have certainly been
episodes in histo.y where man has looked to Lady
L,cl. bdl $ hrnFr. rpo$:b.,. hr hJ. b-i-'l lu d-rFnlinF
the direction and scope of evertahing he has built for
himseli for after aI it was his life to lead.
PHOTO CREDIT/
For the longest time, before science and self,
deteminism really began ro alter thc way we
perceived the world, superstition and belief
in luck did indeed dictate the runnins of many
lives. After all, otrr beliefs aboui four lealclovers,
broken mi[oN and mbbit's feet n]ust have stemmed
lion ill fated turns of
man's incapacib' to control rhe
their oM lives and therefore he inevitably turned
to luck for answers. But as we Sained the ability to

5? BR0ADIRPIR5PIUIVB tlp.,ssdu,s,e

conhol our envircnneut a.d cifcumstance, ollvthen
Nas luc.k relesaicd to n),tholoLv and lblldalcs, slrittible
I,r,.F.i:n i'p.ir'ldr. r n'rl ul r., rlr d { ii..
deternri initourlilcs.
But surclv we can arsre that not all faccts of
tifc can be determincd and secured via our
sheer will and determinatioD. MaDy people still
believe t|at hck plals a hnge role in asccrtaiDirg the
success olbDsnrcss or in o!.pursuil ofunon.y- Eicn
ifile we.e lo arg c that the running of succcssful
hsniesses has becornc morcofascience than a luck-
drivcD erterprjse, sureiysaDrHnrg is still a game of
,lrnc..
"l,r' r/{oIilt,d; rc\ 1,,1.r'r elllo
be on our sidc. A teani ofstudenls tion MITprcred
the contra[ and sh]$rd that luck had.othiDgtodo
with gambling but thatganblirg was pure mastcn
of r!{thematical probabilitt. Iheir innate
nraihcDratical talent and hald work paid ofl and
d.anuticallr chaDsed theirlif. for tlie better, albeit
to the chagriD and coDsequent caution of casinos
A similar trend can be obseNed wbcn we
strdy the mentality ofcarly gold mine.s who
visircd the nelrfound land ofAme ca or even
more rccently! the thousands of poverty
stricken peasants (ho search thc rivers of
SieE{ Leone daily for their lucLy l}rcak.
Invcsting huge amounis ofener&v aDd tinre. thcsc
nrincrs did not believe ihat had xuk wc,uld reap
l|em rc$'ards but rather hardi{ork at least crealed
an oppotunjt] for luchto shine on thcn. These dars
I r-.r.LL r^r nr n.r,L t-.,s .a.or,enr^a a q r-rriu I
oftechDological slpc ority than tliil olhr.k. Nc$'
machniesand knolvledgc asdiscovered by lralc
'nan
.tpn r r,-J.,,r n o-" ,,r, a rr,l l-. ) oilrJir"
, lives and thc iives ofothcts is ven'
Djne.al wcalth. Our g.ea I er
undersiandiDg of geology has helpcd us better predict
lyheth€r $€ $'ill nrd.edbe successlirl in our cndeavors
aud leaves little to chancc.
In lact, orE modern world not only challenees
the naivc notions ofgood lrck but dso bad.
Are !lanc crashes, earthqLialtes,
k nappinu r.sult ofN rva inrg LInder a la.lder or
a
pcrhaps the result of a rare blood red eclirsc?
Ccrtanrlv we ha\e ferrs and pe.haps €!en ha!.
inklings that bad luck is lollosing us but our r.rtional
l
5l
MTIH Tl] S:
2r (2008)
mind is clearly the do ri.ant cngine driving ou.
aciions and reicrions. llationalitl rvill
r'
shou' rrs that "bad luck" is i;r lact
-qtltistically irnplobable. we are lre.evo
nore likeiy to survive a plaDc ride safely than havc
anislupliappen. rhechanccsareof courseinva ably
inffeased if ae couDt in salety proccdu.es, regular
Sord on the le:t * I rq hoor
sately checks, reell trained staff a!d rcspoNible lld{ t
B in! is Dowr rlE
passengers. wc caD certainlydele nnrchox ouliaes Bef Mdio ob0lrhetunry
tum out, i{hethcr or Dot n'e think l|ere arc ill-boding o' rhe Mll Slorklo(k TNo , 2l
r obout o g'Np olMi!trrl1I
rluderts Nho diiponrevlh U(k
rd ifireod, dctsnd of
o
Wc should however rcmain humble as wc proIob]iry thers ond (rd.
argue asainst luck fiom a privilesed position. (sninq ro o!l5morl Los
lvhile we arc able to tse ntcdern tcchDolo$' and
knowLedge lo dctcrmiDe the direclion ofour lives.
$€ still have lo considcfthe mary peoplein ihc $orld
who do not liare iull acccss to these tools yet. Thc
nillions in Zinbablve must bc cutsitig their luck for
havinit becn boni irto a time and rlace sucli as the
one dete ni!cd by Mugabe no!v. Wcak political
"\'',nFn,l:e r,t.o rb' r"rln".e."t" r''l,i,;
about a chanse 1br drcnselies ard ire the.cforc left
iDtlieir resignilion to lookto luclt lor ars\{ers.Itis
thcrcfore ou. noral resfonsibility as people s4ro
have tools ofself{eteruirratioD io aid those who do
Dot.ll is pointlcssto arguethat lhe millionstraPped
ir repressive castc systems, opp.essive rcgnnes aDd
pamlyzirlg pove rb arc snnply victirns o i ill fatc aDd
ihat there is nothj.gsc can do about il. l o them bad
1,,.k does nrdee,l exisl. But $r knowthat we ha!€ thc
powerto hcb cliange these situations.
Our abiJity to cletcnttire our otvn
nuch a rpestion of rdll ancl not
incli. rt'e.e is ctea' "uldeDce that luck ilocs Dot
exist other thrn ir n.r
the nriDds ofpeople who do
hivea cioicctobeLieve otheNisc. Luckdoes {ell nr
briniling an clcmert ofetcilern.nt and serendjpit)
n, o,,r lifes. but wheD it conres lo thc crunch and
wheD w€ ire dealins $'ith bread ard buttcr issues,
there are very lew in thisworld who ilillhold oti to
luck$'hen they can instead dcpeDcl on a secure and
selfrlelemnrcd ccft aiDtv. (t
ER0ADIR PtRSPtt t5 ti. r.n[] i5."(
 Do the past and present offer
any guidance for the future?

tlr'' j.!
; '' r-l i ""f
1

a,jt t, t

,;1 4 .-* I r. .ii. il$ ** Sr

he past fascinates us, and haunts us constantlf in thc
present. The past marks our journey through space ancl
time anri engagcs us in the present et'ery tinc u'c rel'erence
a name, a battle, an agreement, a nation. Historl. ngysl
stays in the past. We hear its constant refrain ever_r' tirne
vie tell stories about people and their exploits, evcry tilne a biographl,'
and history book hits the bestscllers list.

'l he pasl altulilgcrs in thc d..isions lhal $e DLllie ODe ofthc most irDporlant aspects ofhistor,'
1t! the fnture. nhcD gov.nm.nls rnd Irlions lass is how (c DcAotiatc $ith it in the prescDt.
legislation. dccid. DoLic\ !i,d trke rction. Il ilc sh.\! lhrt $e lirve leitrtrt lion our rrogrnt Nnd
',1r...'...r,t'
ri(l hole (an open iar th. fttuc. Xhknrg rlon(r,reriLs
ior pAt beha\iour arc mr|k.N oftNsl lnJ llie tutur.
()t olt]r.r.rost $rri.g.xNdrt)les ol eyjljr ihc flst
w^s thc Holo.N,,sl r.d lh. aarge N evcr ,\grnr " \trs
\t nn\
rh. t,onrise ltl]rp€ .r(le to tire,ltils rDd to l|c
peotle loolito thc plstiD thc holt thrl il calr erlhir
\voJld aieDna!\ lus shown i{illiDgn.ss to it. elar
their presrnt and lorct.ll thlri.lulure IiiUrDlistens jls heinous r(ts b!nuldnE amrDdm.nls nr tht.prse!t.
cuefulll h. mrl |lL,.l o(it the allrolriate hssons 'r ire bujl.Lnrg of I ldoclust rnusLanns , L. d r ,oDrnrnts,
,

Pll()f() cRF]I)I f/ thrtc.n|dfguid€ \!huL lie melns to do iD th. tr.scnl.

thc rclun of nhni.s rDd r,1ro'l Lo th. ,lci{isll
.Dd l]r!s. ,nore iD the right diNlior t.^rrl'(ls 1he
. r', r, r\. r,1 r'r t.' , .

54 ER0ADlR PIR5PlatVlS r/'r r((,! 1JJ,r

its tcxtboolc. arc all pointers ofan unreseFed and
robLNi apologv that shows good faitli for lhetuturc'
The past tclls the wor'ld i{hai nistakcs Dever to rep.at
again. How that lesson rcflects in prescnt socielv and
Nlicy can also hale a healins etrect that builds bridges
so that people and countri
Refenirg to the past also helps us prcdict
future behaviour ard make decisions. We
constantly rcfer back to Past events to make sense nf
ilhat is going on the prcsert and whcther rve are
ticrefore, byenension, goingto do better orworse
in thc tuture.It isforthat reason$hywe coDstantly
.efer to prelious novcnents, revolutions and battles
rt' .o,6n,r-Ll$iLl nquili) morln,.u,serFr ls r,
our present. we b€lieve horfthe prescDt cliannels
ihc past ca| show the waytothe future. This is the
reason whv minoritJ leadcrs i! America will
constantly evoke I'Iarttu hLther King Jr.'s legacy and
why thcrc is so nuch fascination abort whether
Barack Obana is JIrK's political heir and wilLbdns
back the Camclot emto AmcricaD politics Drawing
thc risht comparjsons or parallels brins \ithnl our
grasf the ability to imagine ihe futore and act
accordingly.
Thrt being said, the constmt harkina back lo
thc past can also be crippling and we nlay
need a slanbolic break with ir in the present
beforc we can mowe into the firtue. Someiines
,br:on5 tn loul,ng Lac. J. rnFir mlerrJlmpr^rrF'
develop a conveDient sort of annesia: they see all rh.
gloies ol the colo al past but Dot the violent breaks
and rebellions, nor the cornption and venal
beha!'iou that causcd them. In situations like ihese,
Pill'L Of
the pNt shoul.l be kepl wholly in the past.
the reasons l.h]' the rvolld ma,-v be
stuck in a poJitical rut and unable
to nerhc headrvaf in in[cmationa]
agrccnents totlaf is that tnanY
political and international
institutions ale still based on
\\rorlcl \Var 'fn o structrLres a;rd
COnCelnS. The facl lhat the Permancnt vetoes
olthe UN Security couDcil are still wieldedbythe
ri lors nl .' $orld w"r 'umF L'o ).ar' r 'o is-o^I ni
55
increasingly anachronistic and accounis for nanv of
toda,vt political stalemates.
Olher times. the lessons of the past seem to
have no dis(ernible impacl on lhe tuture. l '
a depressinsfact oflisior,v that the ability ofhunatr
fih'.e Io hold on to habits ofvice. todnre, murder,
avarice. and $laih is incrediblv strors. The names
ofcornties and disaste6 might blu! bur the sane
probler r r- rr L{ir\ o:.l,rd1e,r18 r-gr ld-'b F,,'
the Senocides tha! wc swore nevcr to let happen
asain,lbrall the ringjns declaratjons asainst crimes
against humanity, we still have Rtfanda, Dartur,
Zimbabwe, Myannar and morc to come iD the tuture
lhere seems ro be nothing thatwe can take into the
tutLrre for hunan nature aDd bad behaviourtunps
Somc fulurisls also believe lhrl it is
rehogressiwc to head into the 21st centurv
thinking aboutthe pasr. The biSgest challenges
shaping thc $orld s future - climate charge, the forces
terroris!, dwindlins resou.ces are
of globaljsation,
slobal problens !D a scalc that history has never
before witnessed. UDfettered fl olvs oI infornatioD,
capital, soods, seNices and people have opcned np
the world like neler before lnstcad of ninins old
historical documents, it may be futurist literature
aDd inagininss that craft and Prolide our answers
rn the cDd, mankind's cumulative store of hnman
*periencc is too valuable to dismiss as it mav bc ihe
oDl) thing that roots us in a larger narative and helps
us sustain the wisdon we necd 6 rve becone citizens
ofihc future and rnove i o unchaned tefitory' While
history itself is soDetimes ovcNtated, histo cal
patlerns ofbehaviour and thinkjng - diplomatic,
Narrior like, dying civilizations. roads not takcn -
will always have relevance for the luture as they can
influence and reassure s and hence alter ihe prcsent
and the tuture. How $€ mine thc apPropriate lessons
from such trends. how s€ recosnise the differences
between what is real and endLtring from \that is
shallow and tmnsitory is the best arbiter of whethcr
$c are going to sunive and prosper as a human race,
and suamntee a tuture which our childrcD will not
ER0ADLR PlRSPtfllViS theessoy turri:
 iriEi ;i {iil4 Dl\"', (}lii

PHOTO CREDIT/

56 ER0ADtR PtRSPttTlVtS t/t !ss.u iss,r

 NIIIIJRIWAIIH

ll,allirD {2008)
lr'5 mc oi lh{ biglen nns
hjl5 rh 5 yNor oid ir ro!
A!qe no lo k ofd l!ns
Itrldroi rurvln! bulhls ond
sncjrnsfotclifl siifev kh
delislrrir rheir ro ri 05r*el{
oppoirred 6ro!rli5 of lrle

A|hr heod ofr[ ! ro]li([n!

but !llm!lo ?nl iunner
borkhrh! rt ll priLo!ophiio
qEnion:mr ve ru+ope rhe
fului{ bi rhrr sif q o!l
pe!enrl l! itnini on
lnpctroro lort e rrlti we
nsl rolc orden fiom wlltur
fr€e rfro re of !ry so'l?

57 ER0ADfR PIR5PtflvtS /r, ,\{d4i\5rr

 WEEI{ OO4 DAY 029

PHOT O CREDnT

58 BR0ADIR PtRSPttTlVtS /i. cs:s.rv r.ssre

 I
D0il]r5

n|&41
i,d
TRI]N fORIIID RUI{ I
MARATH()N Tl]I5YIAR

turrIdaltiire rlt i,mrne

oi{i l
rlf Ior rlir 5roido(
trorr.d mrr!ilor oi 7rl
l]rarircr 2008!

or ran se? Authorities seen to have no
paticnce to wail lbr thc supposed bencfits sclf-
discirlline $ould tlrins. 1!-c have discolcrcd
nrultittc tnnes in hislorl that positiye cliang,e .rn
com€ inrDrcdiat.ll wher \!e imlosc stancLaftls on
'"',..1'rr'
likc onr own sLrtfoscdlv sofl t!(horitrrirn state.
SiDgrpore. or n,ore broadlv,\sia s gor.rnm.nt
di.cdcd dcmocra(r hr!. frolen thaL dis(il)lnrcd
n,€lhods lhat are i eel.rl ilFt nnfopularc!f bring
$'ithout the steady ero$-th of a responsiblc
civil socictt or iDdependenr but .lso mutually
,.con nr ablc states. then it sccmsthat$ehave
no choice butro always paradoxically couple
sclf-disciplin e $nth an imposed c\-tcrDal one.
A..hic\ing the desi,.rbl. goll ofiftleuendenl matu tY
com.s Nith the re(oqnilioD thrt the independ.Dcc
!ones Nilh its flir shrre olSuidancc. Hoi{ els€ can
we ma.aAe onr nation s suvlh as \'. lorrge it,Lo
increasinal\ .onttovcrsirl de\elotmeDts o1

btuttchnologl? Ho$'cise.io Ne Suide our youtli as

.esL'lr.. t' I :-'
tlrt b.cone adulls in.n increasiDgh arbitmrf and
,r,il. ,l .1 ,i . ar '\'orld? Ho! else do $'c rcalisticalh lteep ou
,'.i-il oiu nroml or spi tualw.rllts oD track?

r$te. all, thc Arcatest p.oblcm s'ith expediDg

cach person or institution to bc self-
discipliDed is lhc fact tlut this solo jo[mcy
()1- ac.ountabilit\ cao too casily begin to bc

defincd by oDe's own convcDicnt starda.ds.

\\'r' ra.,r r .l, l .'., ,-1r... ,11.,r.. !1 4 .-,.,' r..j r'- ir. l he self is rareh ctisciplired. rnd
can easilr bll frc! t) ir i'idual jlstificltiors tlirl left lo ils oNn ctevices \!ill likclt leer torvards
snoothly tra.silioD into { sliirpery slolc of nual disappoio .g rcsults, rs tlLe sell is nltirutely selfish
t
j

,elatnism. U.S. 1,),eip,n lmlicv hrs al$r\s Lltn nDrt rnd does nol ,rlwa]s act in the besl int.tst ofthe
'r "l l . l ,r '!l] l"r\i '.'u .
comnrurit!. liul shonld $'c nrdeed jmlosc carly
thrt ii prcscntl] the $.o.kls onl) s fcryo\ler. lhc
is
erler.rl.ontrols on lraturing o rscifthe rvchrlc
United Slales hrs nelcr trrh been accouDtlbLe 1o a good chrD.ic ol gr!i!in!, i'rlo p.ofl. ivho ulde.sland
a!! one pa r or nrstitution. NiLh sr.| loivcrs i{e thal to be s.lfiiscittined is lo tak. on the nLjlxlsel
,^, l. \-. lFr',r 's,. ul.e.r,','rr'' ''r I' L-i,:, r. \\' ipl .'
selfdiscidnle. ch€cl,inS its own t.tioDs co.sist.ntl!
^'r.,1.-\1, t. l, J1r. r ' ul
'-r N d rl rrr
oth.rs so thevcaD lake lh. burdeD ofi !s.6t
l:
roLicv srad ualh slictc into arr a br ss ol ighteous sel
justilLcatioi,: hirdh atestaDerl 1o lIeliltncsorthe
snstiinabilitr ol sclirdiscLtline.

59 BR0ADIR PlKPtOlV6 tir fsso,/ issr(

 wttK 004 DAY 030

The only worthwhile form of

discipline is self-discipline. Discuss.

ou might be tempted to think modern society

schizophrenic. Excess is the b1-word of our modern
time: All-You-Can-Eat buffets, ever escalating portion
sizes at popcorn stands, z4 hour red light districts,
floating casino cruises to nowhere. Yet, oddly enough,
in our Bacchalian times, we stili pay homage at the temple of self-
control and self-denial.

Conversely, our modern heroes are not flabby,
carousing Nero types but painful\ trim inspirational
speakers, perpetually skinDy models, workaholic
connercial wizads aDd tightly nuscled atliletes.
Gohsjustbythc millions pourcd intothehealth and
diet indusny rlhose entire existence hinges on the
preaching ofthe gospel of self discipline, it seems
r":rl) ob'.o ,.lhil s",lo.ep grFdr qo.rh dnd m an.nr
iD learning horv to cont.ol our otrt-of-control lives.
The exercise of self-discipline is revcrcd
bccausc wc recoanise the compellins power
of our olm human willtulness that mocks our
every attempt to do better. Every hoDest htrnian
beiDg can testifl to sonie g.avitational force aithin
PHOTOCREDIT/ us that pjN us doM to ear{r to a lifc ofunshacklcd,
uncoDtaincd tlcasurc sccking. Thosc nho scern morc
able to deny thenselves earthlydesires are thus seen
as more Doble, even niore divine, than the.est ofus.
Everyone at some point has r,r'ishecl
the1. could simply lealn to s:ry "No"
to that extra milkshake. that
fbrgettable one night stand, the
adulterous kiss or 1'et another pull
un lJre jackpol rnachine. rhu.."e d,,i,.
the sheer drive (ifnot the beliefs) olascetics like the
Btrddha- Mother Teresa and Gandhi rvho could
apparertly deny and walk aivay iion a life of frenzied
excess for a simpler, corltrllled life. But even the grcat
(lrr. idn.L,^. l, P..rl.^ni,...dthd d,.r' pl.owing
full well what was t|e rigbt thins to do, he still
rcLrss-Fd reliblv qiLh t}F rFaliLt or ' ror.F {irh:n

60 ER0ADtR PtR5PlctVt! /h.,

'5.4
6r,.
 R$D Ti S

IL
thatfullcd him mightilytowards doing what he felt Alltudll,the ony of it dI is that an eressrve
was wong. For him, only the g.ace ofCh.ist could rhampionina ofself-discipline sets 16 rp for
.,,i.
bestorv enough power in hini to b.eakfrce iiom the disasler.li\' rg,n^\.rly.n, nr,.dw I inllnq r'g
the etemal rulcs oflife, we can easily neglect the far
s.rgl r'.r 1rd \i .ti,rrruI
^'i;.t^or'' q',ln\"
Obvior$ly, ifwe could all rontlol our personal c-\ ' $r! frorn t-," iflt"ou. idFi-\ ot dis. pl na
^,1 sl aucuslt rs t0N[[sst0l15
appetites that so olten lead to sclf-dcstruction, \FsF-porigrill\Uor,g o.\arfo. \ ac"r baSi ,
the world world llc a bener place. The root ol to control ou.ljves and orLr appetites ivith tlie most
ournost cmshins problen)s can be blamed on Ma 's noble of intentioDs and btrt $'hen we end up
-rqls
rorF I'F, Frl' rlF lIF cu -nl oi. !ri. F, ri,.\ 'reb
and loolning issues ot envi.oDmental devastatioD;
$lrsliippiDg tlie meaDs morc than the ends, we may
becone moNters. Sone vegetariaDs iDthcir bid to Jl"t
f;r
ll'F. a,ha our' o .p ol n.uJrrn,.'\.u,, lrrbn' ,,\r.ri,,,l Lnn rl,, sius,.rlnu, ",durl'rlc
gone wild. The developed irorld would rather try thc most obnoxious dietNazis w|o push a lacto fi€e. A,] JAIOBI'

theirdandestto inve ahigh tech sohtion thaD to cgg free, leather free, raN food veilan lilestyle. TllI YIAR Of II.III{G B\BI\GIT\

I '.1, xl I ' l^w 1..\ .n-u. .n J-r' Jd\ s l.'r S r, l\4, tesperoie,gouscuires Bree Van de Kanp js a
Toke o peek inlo rwo mm!
laDs: conscNation and litestyle change. Consomers brilliant parody of would be Ma.tlia Ste\ea.t like o dYe n I u re s r n Io r e f- d i s ( i p i i cl
just canDot deny Lhemselves the corlenience of h.ruseivives whose obsessive-compr sive desire for the former more sermus ond
drninit sas sozzlers nor Lhe pleasure of orvDnig yet cleaDlhess and peffectjoD iD tlie household end up reo i5r[ oid rlre otrer, nrorc

anolher precious pair ot patent ptrmps. :I alte another
horrible issue like global sex-traffickirs of undemse
girls anct boys. The nas1,r truth ofrvhy that is eleD an
issucis thatmanvich, i{cll cducated adults simplv
choosc not to coDtaiD theil hst even though it woukl
cost ot|ers t|eir I onthfirl nnrocence.
Yer, resting too much on one's sef-conbolled
laurels can lead one to possess no ounce of
hurility about onesetf ald thrs, have no
shred of empathy for rhose who are weakcr
in the face oftemptarion. Extrcrncly disciplined
teople can be sorne of the $'oNt people to live with
because thq,rnake tbr harsh, unlieldins company,
.o
'J 'nl-.
rrorSrr'.8pr dndlo.Flonp,L)lhFil
abiLity to folLoe. rules. Without a liumble
unde$tanding of our oua capacil to strnble, therc
is little rcon for .ilo$dce of mistakes in their world.
It is a wor'ld without compassioD or gmce. ADyslip
of ill disciphrc brands lor a failurc, a dcscncratc of
infcdor stock or simply 'noi hling hatd cnough" iI
their e.yer. Jesus C|risheseNed some of his s! ongest
words olcorde'nnalion lbr the JeBish Pharisees of
li l-r rh.'rprileJ hFm rl\a'unb-irriblrruli\-
!p to the nost legllistic :!xl nniute of ru]es for liviDg.
They $'ere not only unable to adnit tliat tliey coukl
Dot live up to ei€ry single nle at every siDgle niNte,
thcy alio{rd others to tlink they cotrld aDd rcbukcd
lhose who could not. In doiDg so, thcy bind heal'
burdens. hard io bcar, and lay t|enr on nren
shoulders; but t|ey themselves willnoL nove them
$'ith one oltheir fingers."
dirins their children aDdhusbands a$'ny from the
In conclusion, a life of self-discipline is a
worthwhile and meaningful thing to pursue.
uo1.ritl,r.l t,ring'p."r* 1" "6....11.'.,1 ;, ; ,
io) " ,d n'. a.ir.'.r\' | .. h.lnld l),,l" liLll.
a sell disciplined lile uloLi\ alcs
rathLrr than cl'ushcs. inspilcs hopc
lilllrer llr,rr irr,1rr, e.,1"-1,;rir. ll :-
a svllbol to rrlal])'of ho\\'much
g()r)(l llt(l nr\\ l]l l( n lr)\ t,lr r'r)ll
cLrlrll] ilr-u ULrL itrtLir itLLtal lit t: ritrt.
olll' ( ollll.lrl'llIle< \\'lel. ,'| qlf " t.
pcrsorl chooscs tO cii-I_r hirnsclf
( etT;l t (]estres illtrt
lltPilqltfe\. Dn14
risht, thc sclf-disciphrcd lifc bcars liuit whcD nany
others take uD the challenge and follow. Holrever,
tle self disciplined nost al'lays beware that thel
tread a very thin line between quiet pride and rglJ
ar.ogance. Doing the right thiDg mrst Dever be done
the $rcng way lest it discouuge and irtinidate othes
fiom folloNnis so. Nobody likes a Phaisee. Least
of all a consisteDtly disciplined and peffect cod
HimqPlf rt
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