[[How has been]]

Monday, November 28, 2016

[[]]

I think, indisputably, I am the special child.

[[I wrote this at]]*|10:39 PM|

Sunday, November 27, 2016

[[]]

I think why Christian hedonism is held in high-esteem is because it is relevant to the current happiness crazy environment. It actually strives at a deeper truth, not just that we are most joyful in Christ, but that being in Christ is the all out best case scenario for us. "happiness or joy" can be replaced with "meaning" (if the society was big on meaning, though perhaps less direct biblical quotes) or "honour" (w.r.t. the telos of humankind) .etc.

[[I wrote this at]]*|7:35 AM|

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

[[]]

Perhaps this is God's way of revealing yet another idol in my life. Relationships with humans (?). Maybe I was too thick to see it. Too blinded.

WHO AM I TO THINK THAT I AM, LIKE, SO AWESOME AND EVERYONE WORTH A SHIT (TO ME) MUST CONFORM TO ELEMENTS OF MY THINKING?

Even though I think I am right, probably am right (i mean, how do i think i am wrong. It is almost a tautology

[[I wrote this at]]*|8:31 AM|

Saturday, November 19, 2016

[[Victim blaming for rape]]

Yes surely rape is wrong. Yes surely it is the rapist's fault for raping the victim. The rapist deserves all the blame. I think this is pretty obvious to everyone. Nonetheless, I think the victim has to take some responsibility (not blame) for letting it happen. Wow, contentious statement, I shall qualify what I mean by that.

See, this back and forth about victim blaming and victim shaming is between two extreme positions. The first position is that the victim "had it coming" based on how the victim dressed, acted, flirted, drank, hinted, suggested, whatevernot. This pins the fault on the victim (at least partially), and this is surely the wrong stance to take towards rape (or molest, or whatever). If you followed the controversy on "Kelly" in the teenage magazine. The other position is to totally absolve the victim of any responsibility whatsoever and purely place the entire issue on the perpetrator or the rapist. I believe this, too, is wrong and too simplistic. Obviously my stance is not rocket science, I think most sensible, normal people would hold something similar to what I hold. What I am doing, then, is merely providing clarity.

Now, I am going to draw an analogy towards being robbed. Obviously there are difference, perhaps being robbed is less traumatising, there is less "loss" (only material? might be more, depends on who you ask) .etc. In being robbed, there are different kinds of robbery. For simplicity, let us just consider two cases. Case 1: You are robbed, at gunpoint, in broad daylight, on the way to work. Case 2: You are pick-pocketed in an alleyway in a seedy neighbourhood late at night after a party while stumbling home drunk. The difference between these two situations is that in the first case, the situation was entirely unforeseen and unavoidable while the second situation was, to some extent, foreseeable and avoidable (you could have taken a different route, you could have called a cab .etc.). Obviously in both cases the result is the same, you lose all your belongings, the robber is at fault, and if caught, the robber will be punished and justly so.

Nonetheless, the reactions towards these two cases of robbery might, to different people, be different. In the first case, I think most people would express full sympathy and remark something along the lines of "nothing you could have done". Maybe you can file an insurance claim or something. In the second case, sympathy will still be expressed, but perhaps less. Well-meaning people might say things along the lines of "learn your lesson, next time take a cab" or "you shouldn't have brought so much money out if you intend to get piss drunk" or "aiyo, why so careless". Even the victim might even share in the thinking of such people and view the robbery as an avoidable mistake. Even more pertinently, what is said can actually help other "potential victims" avoid robbery (or for the same person to avoid a repeat robbery). Of course there might be disagreeable people who say something along the lines of "you deserved it" or "you brought it upon yourself". The standard thing to do would be to ignore them, I guess. They are disagreeable, anyway.

The point of this robbery analogy is that nobody lets the robber off scot-free yet, in the second case, practical, meaningful and well intention-ed things about the victim can be said, namely that more could have been done wisely to avoid being a victim of crime. In the aforementioned case, I think it resembles the second case of robber a lot more than the first case.

Of course, there has to be a balance. Nobody likes to be used as a "negative example" especially after having undergone a potentially harrowing experience. Practical steps such as concealing the real identity of the victim, leaving out sordid details .etc. can (and have?) be(en) taken. In the kelly case, the readership might include potential victims who could benefit from learning from the victim's missteps. Stating that the rapist and asserting/reminding the public that no consent = rape can and should be done but why leave it at that? I guess it might be comforting, after being pickpocketed (case 2) to have someone tell you "the pickpocket was in the wrong, you didn't give consent for him to take your wallet" but that would hardly be advice of any sort.

TL;DR - While nobody should condone victim shaming, much practical, meaningful and well intention-ed things can be said about what the victim could have done better to avoid being a victim. These things should be said, and mistakes should be learnt from (case study material?) instead of being silenced by the catch-all "no victim shaming".

Note: here I skirted the topic of consent. I assume that consent was not given and hence, it constitutes a rape.

[[I wrote this at]]*|6:31 AM|

[[]]

So, ive decided, on good advice, to be less idle. To sleep earlier. Sleep more, whatever. Do things, meet people, live. Don't be idle for idleness is where the devil stalks.

At the same time, don't be distracted just to avoid idleness. It is potentially worse. While idleness is idleness both in the body and in the mind, distraction is idleness in the body and a sluggish, consumer mind.

Be still, and know that God is God. A ever present refuge in times of need. It is hard to be still. I will try.

[[I wrote this at]]*|5:38 AM|

Saturday, November 12, 2016

[[Philosophical mapping]]

Perhaps a project can be on the philosophical mapping of people. Of course this would be snapshots of the person, perhaps, having to be redone every 3 years or so. I would think a comprehensive, thorough survey would have to include more than just survey answers (arguably the easiest way) but also some actual "acts" and/or monintoring.

EDIT: OH AND COINCIDENTALLY, my module mapping to philosophy has been approved. Really thank God. I expected this to be a harder fight than it was lol.

[[I wrote this at]]*|5:50 AM|

Thursday, November 10, 2016

[[Exchange tale 1?]]

So, something happened.

I went to this store, to buy boots. So I approached this lady, and she talks as if as she owns the store, or is at least the franchisee. So she helped me find a pair of boots. Which was like, dual purpose, not too shabby, 50 percent off, the last pair too. So 50 pounds. I remarked that I wanted to wear them out. She said if I wear them out I cannot exchange them because they would be used. I said, ok, in which case I will carry it out. then she said there are socks at 50% off with another purchase so I bought 3 pairs of outdoors socks at 5 pounds. So i paid for it at the cashier. As i was leaving the store, i heard this same lady tell another guy, a white guy, that there was a 10% student discount. So i turned around and asked if i could have the discount too. She said no, only if you had asked before the payment. I thought, fair enough, though i was pretty sad.

So I walked out of the store, and into the cold, back to college. about 50 metres away I looked at the receipt and it said that there is full refund within 30 days. i thought, why not I just refund and buy again. So i went back to the store. they said no. I said, why dont I return it, get a refund, and buy it again. then she said she doesnt have to sell it to me if i get a refund. Im like. okaaay. I thought about it for awhile, decided not to make a scene and left.

So i was thinking, maybe it is racism. But it doesnt seem to be racism, she was polite and helpful and even, yknow, offered advice on like the refund policy. Additionally, i didnt hear the conversation between the white guy and her. Maybe he asked if there was a student discount. Apparently it is a thing here to not advertise discounts. Like... ok... But still, I was a little upset, and like, whats wrong with refunding and letting me buy it again? But i thought about it, maybe 5 pounds is a good lesson. Clearly i didnt learn from the earlier wetherspoons missing out on student discount. From now on, everytime i make a purchase i'll ask if there is a student discount.

Still, spoiled my happiness and buying what i think is a reasonably good pair of boots for a reasonable price.

[[I wrote this at]]*|6:14 AM|

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

[[On trump]]

Woohoo! Trump is the new president-elect / president of the USA. Whether this is a wise decision by the American people, I cannot say (and I have not that much vested interest because I am not american), but this surely is the decision made by the (angry) American people.
Which is awesome! That is how democracy is supposed to function right! Unless democracy (ya, i never define democracy. if you like you can go with US democracy) is wrong, in which case the liberals are stuck in a sad place between their democracy and their choice. lolololol. This is what happens when a democracy chooses someone less democratic. They are free to do so, allowed to do so, have their right to do so enshrined in the constitution (and also the right to amend the constitution).
Firstly, I must say that I don't think the Trump presidency is, unfortunately, not going to achieve much actual change. For one, I doubt that he is actually as anti-establishment as he claims to be, I mean, he is a freaking billionaire, if that doesn't scream elite that benefited from the current situation idk what does. But even if he were the second choice (unless he was not??? possible, though I think, less likely) and a backup plan, I think it is great that the will of the elites has been bloodlessly overturned by the masses. Also, it is not as if the president can change everything in USA unopposed. If that were the case, Obama would have a much easier time in office.
It is highly likely that Trump is going to be just a distraction, I think. Directing the anger at "scapegoat issues" like against the minorities, other countries .etc. I do hope that he can right some of the wrongs in the system such as tax evasion by the rich (unlikely, given that he evades tax as a rich person), the exploitation of workers by corporations and sticking their noses in other countries for fun.
I think if the Trump campaign were to be summed up as ignorance and rage, the Clinton campaign can be summed up in snobbishness.
Ok, on to the great part. I think it is great that the privileged, the real privileged group realises that they are no where near the majority. That their concerns are a joke. Being concerned about... stuff (these stuff are contentious, but think of what has been heralded as "progress" in the past 20 years in America). Being outraged at... stuff (think of what has sparked "American" outrage), what has been deemed "important issues" when the poor in their own country suffer, ignored, not given a voice. Honestly, I think the USA was doing some stuff that might be good for a developed country to do, but in so doing, neglected the un-developed, marginalised people which is definitely wrong. Luckily for them! It is a democracy! And they can make themselves heard, and they did.
And come on, Obama isn't as great a president as they make him out to be, I think he did a decent job. He further raised the debt ceiling (oho, when is the USA gonna default? not in my term!), meddled more in other countries and basically helped the rich get richer.
This really is the victory of the people, the voice of the unheard! It is the time to be proud of the US people!
I mean, of course, I don't support bigotry and racism and all. But thinking of it in those terms is really incorrect. People are not against other people for no reason whatsoever. They are for themselves. And they have been, losing.

Also, I think the opinion polls are wrong because they are concentrated in the city. And also, obama approval rating now is supposedly 55% which doesnt make sense because presumably support for obama and trump are mutually exclusive.

http://www.cracked.com/blog/6-reasons-trumps-rise-that-no-one-talks-about/ this is good, by the way.

[[I wrote this at]]*|5:22 PM|

[[Comments on a mandated Malay presidency]]

Honestly a mandated malay presidency is the dumbest idea i have heard thus far, this year, from the Singapore government.

[[I wrote this at]]*|8:36 AM|

Sunday, November 6, 2016

[[]]

I think, even though I am not there yet, I can trust that the seeking of Christ is real, and that I will be willing, God willing and enabling, to seek him whatever it takes, what ever changes it takes to myself. Indeed, I am far from there, and the road will not be linear, for sure.

[[I wrote this at]]*|6:30 AM|

[[]]

Honestly, I would really prefer to be involved in peoples life. It takes, quite awhile, before i decide that someone is someone i should, yknow, commit to investing in. Of course, one can, be friendly and invest in conversations or times shared with strangers. But commitment.

I think, relationships, are pretty important. And human relationships are mirrors of our relationship with God. Though, to me, they seem more tangible, more workable on. They are, also, more prone to error. Because humans are not God, and we do not love perfectly, and we do not have the best intentions and we do not do what we profess to want to do.

I think, one of the main differences on exchange is the level of human interaction. Generally when I enter a new environment, I tend to depend on, yknow, the previous batch of sorts, to tide over the dearth until I am, as it were, comfortable, in the new situation (i dont like the choice of the word comfortable because it seems to suggest comfort as primary, it is more like... sufficiently integrated socially). So it is pretty tough when the breaks are jarring, like when i cannot access the previous "threads" as it were. Obviously it is hard to access when overseas, and also in an army camp.

Think of it like this, there is an arrow stretching from the start of your life towards the present moment in a thick black marker. Every person you meet and form some kind of bond with, you begin to see their timeline too. Depending on the intimacy of the bond, their line on your paper is either thin or thick, bold or light. Obviously over time, the level of intimacy changes, it can go from a B6 pencil to a line of a ball point pen, to a fountain pen before fading back to pencil and... whiteness. And perhaps when a rare meetup is organised, back to a mechanical pencil line before fading back to whiteness. Of course, effort is required to maintain connection, given the passage of time, it is only natural that the colors fade to, white. I would imagine most people, say for instance my colleague at my first job, would just be the smallest blip last for 2 months before fading relatively quickly away.

I wonder how does your paper look like. This paper, when superimposed on significant events of your life. How much weight do your friends, acquaintances and family hold?

I too wonder, who is significant, what is significant. This paper would tell alot of things. many stories.

[[I wrote this at]]*|5:34 AM|