It was quite curious that from that point onwards, I became more aware of this pattern that reproduced itself in numerous volunteering events. Generally speaking, Singapore’s volunteering culture deeply appeals to the individual’s ego. This can either mean that people perceive volunteering as something that reminds them of their fortunes, as an activity that value-adds to their portfolio, or as a commitment through which they can feel virtuous by having been part of a ‘greater’ cause. […]
The advent of social media has transformed many facets of people’s daily lives: socialising, dating, advertising, entertainment, and self-expression. Platforms […]
I am not a superstitious person. Nevertheless, I was on a train somewhere, scrolling through my Instagram stories as usual […]
Dating apps have changed the dating scene. At the tap of one’s fingertips, one can search up a wide range […]
The public sentiment surrounding class participation has generally settled in an unfavourable position—it is the bane of every university student’s […]
If you’ve combed Carousell for a secondhand top, scrolled through TikTok while procrastinating an assignment, or been on the internet […]
Singapore is lauded for being a meritocratic society. There’s no doubt that efficiency, productivity, and stability are important goals for a society, and these things are most commonly seen in the quantifiable. You can measure GDP fluctuations. You can count the output of a machine, and the fuel consumption of an engine.
But in our pursuit of quantifiable merit, we, as a society, often push our children away from things with less tangible value—such as stories and storytelling. Before our children reach teenagehood, we push them away from reading for enjoyment, and towards reading textbooks. […]
With more than 142 million views on Netflix, it is no surprise that Squid Game has gained massive traction. But I caught myself wondering: is the show really that spectacular? How different would it be from other survival shows like Liar Game and Alice In Borderland (AiB)? Determined to answer these questions, I embarked on a weekend drama marathon. Now, I’m here, two months after the show, to share my thoughts about it. […]
The Fear of Speaking Up I’m terrified of speaking up. On social media, my accounts mostly remain deprived of any […]
The Ivory Tower “It’s great that you’re pursuing your passion… But what are you going to do with that?” If […]
On 21 September 2019, the first Singapore Climate Rally saw the gathering of more than 1,700 participants (most of them […]
Many of us have moments of self-doubt. Moments when we fear that we are not smart enough, or don’t work hard enough, or aren’t good enough. When we suffer from these destructive thoughts consistently, we may be suffering from what is popularly called ‘imposter syndrome.’ […]