What constitutes aggression? According to dictionary.com, it refers to "any offensive action, attack, or procedure". Basically, I could say your top was freaking ugly, and that would probably be aggressive.
Why do people turn to aggression when they can't resolve conflicts? Is it an innate thing in us humans, or do we simply like to compare and see who has larger fists?
Personally, I feel that people enjoy showing off, especially using brute strength and when their opponent is smaller than them. As mean as it might sound, you probably wouldn't see many small-sized individuals willing to settle an issue using fists. Unless of course, they have a black belt in taekwando or karate or any similar form of martial art. =P
When I was much younger, you could say I was guilty of that too. Whenever there were arguments with other kids, challenging them to a fight always seemed the answer. Maybe I was too young to fully grasp the concept of aggression and violence, but it never seemed an issue to push and shove each other around when we were arguing. Moreover, as I was pretty monstrous in size compared to the girls and some boys when I was in primary school, I didn't get pushed around too much. Now, I believe that we words would be better in resolving conflicts unless absolutely necessary. Why bother getting your hands dirty over some worthless chap? :) What do you guys think?
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Procrastination.
Procrastination, according to dictionary.com, refers to the postphonement of doing something, usually out of habitual carelessness or laziness.
Why do we seem to procrastinate so much? Be it completing and submitting an important assignment, paying bills on the last day of the deadline or filing one's taxes on the last day itself, most of us seem to have a habit of leaving things until the last minute before rushing to complete our tasks.
Is this behaviour something we were born with, or did we look at those around us and decide it was ok to do it since everyone was doing it? I know of friends who have weeks ahead of them to complete assignments at their own leisure, yet they continuously put off doing anything until the day before the deadline and it suddenly sinks in that they have less than 12 hours to complete a 3000 word essay. Not that I've never been guilty of similar behaviour as well.
It's not only students who have this habit of procrastinating. Given ample time to file their taxes before the deadline and the Internet as an alternative platform to filling out forms, Singaporeans were still seen in long lines outside the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) on the last day to file one's taxes, with many citing the lack of time to do so earlier.
Are we really so short of time that we must leave everything to the last minute, or are we merely pushing everything back with the excuse that we'll have time for it some other day?
Why do we seem to procrastinate so much? Be it completing and submitting an important assignment, paying bills on the last day of the deadline or filing one's taxes on the last day itself, most of us seem to have a habit of leaving things until the last minute before rushing to complete our tasks.
Is this behaviour something we were born with, or did we look at those around us and decide it was ok to do it since everyone was doing it? I know of friends who have weeks ahead of them to complete assignments at their own leisure, yet they continuously put off doing anything until the day before the deadline and it suddenly sinks in that they have less than 12 hours to complete a 3000 word essay. Not that I've never been guilty of similar behaviour as well.
It's not only students who have this habit of procrastinating. Given ample time to file their taxes before the deadline and the Internet as an alternative platform to filling out forms, Singaporeans were still seen in long lines outside the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) on the last day to file one's taxes, with many citing the lack of time to do so earlier.
Are we really so short of time that we must leave everything to the last minute, or are we merely pushing everything back with the excuse that we'll have time for it some other day?
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
The Little Things in Life
A few weeks ago, I went to a prawn-cum-fish farm for prawning with a bunch of friends in Pasir Ris. It was pretty rustic and charming, and was pretty isolated from civilisation. However, I didn't expect much of the trip and was all prepared to be bored senseless while waiting for the prawns to attack the bait. I was kinda forced to go for this trip, so I had no choice but to show my face that day or face the wrath of many people.
You see, I always wondered who would actually go fishing, be it prawn or any other seafood, in this day and age, especially for leisure? In the past, yes, I wouldn't be surprised since there was little entertainment for our parents and grandparents and this was one of them. But in today's society, with the television, PSPs, XBoxes, arcades and the all-powerful and encompassing Internet, why do we need to do something like that?
As we waited for what seemed like forever for something to bite, we ended up chatting with each other and fellow prawn-hunters, which was something I would never have done had I been doing something else such as queuing or waiting for something. It dawned upon me that perhaps this was one of the many little things that I, like many people, have missed in our daily pursuit of everything that we deem important to us, like earning as much as possible, securing that place in that prestigious school for our kids, and generally rushing from place to place.
Why don't we slow down a little, catch our breath, and listen to the birds chirping in nature, the quiet stillness of the trees in the forest and cut ourselves some slack? I guess I never fully appreciated the little things in life until I saw a little girl go slack-jawed at the fish her grandpa had caught at a fish pond near us. The fish was slightly larger than average, but to her, maybe due to her smaller frame, it probably seemed enormous. We might have scoffed at the catch, but to the little girl, her grandpa was probably her hero for wrestling with the big and slimy aquatic creature.
For the record, we caught 4 big prawns in 2.5 hours using 3 rods. Extremely pathetic in terms of quantity - this I must wholeheartedly agree - but in terms of quality of the atmosphere, it was pretty worth it.
You see, I always wondered who would actually go fishing, be it prawn or any other seafood, in this day and age, especially for leisure? In the past, yes, I wouldn't be surprised since there was little entertainment for our parents and grandparents and this was one of them. But in today's society, with the television, PSPs, XBoxes, arcades and the all-powerful and encompassing Internet, why do we need to do something like that?
As we waited for what seemed like forever for something to bite, we ended up chatting with each other and fellow prawn-hunters, which was something I would never have done had I been doing something else such as queuing or waiting for something. It dawned upon me that perhaps this was one of the many little things that I, like many people, have missed in our daily pursuit of everything that we deem important to us, like earning as much as possible, securing that place in that prestigious school for our kids, and generally rushing from place to place.
Why don't we slow down a little, catch our breath, and listen to the birds chirping in nature, the quiet stillness of the trees in the forest and cut ourselves some slack? I guess I never fully appreciated the little things in life until I saw a little girl go slack-jawed at the fish her grandpa had caught at a fish pond near us. The fish was slightly larger than average, but to her, maybe due to her smaller frame, it probably seemed enormous. We might have scoffed at the catch, but to the little girl, her grandpa was probably her hero for wrestling with the big and slimy aquatic creature.
For the record, we caught 4 big prawns in 2.5 hours using 3 rods. Extremely pathetic in terms of quantity - this I must wholeheartedly agree - but in terms of quality of the atmosphere, it was pretty worth it.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Tattoos. A bane or a boon?
The history of tattoos is believed to have begun over 5000 years ago and is as diverse as the people from different places who have them. Tattoos are created by inserting inks of various colours beneath the skin's surface. With a growing fascination with tattooing and its significance
and the immense popularity of tattoos themselves, it is interesting to note how tattoos have changed in the way they were perceived.
In the past, tattoos have been mainly used as a decorative art on an individual's body in Japan, Polynesia, New Zealand, to name a few examples. In recent centuries, it has also become popular in convicts and gang members, who want to have a sense of belonging and identity as they are all in the same place (i.e. prison, gang). Tattoos can reveal a lot of things, such as a which gang you're from, who you actually are, your beliefs (e.g. religion, racism) and sometimes even how many people you've killed.
Closer to home, tattoos initially started out with indicating which gang you belonged to, and anyone with one of a different was automatically assumed to be from a rival gang and beaten up. Other than secret societies, more people are looking at tattoos a s a form of a decorative art for their bodies. But this view is not shared by everyone. Those from the older generation, especially with experience in the shady underworld of the past, might still view it as a symbol of violence and hostility towards others. Anyone with one that's relatively visible would be assumed to be of no good character. Why do most of us think this way? We may claim not to mind, but when push comes to shove, would you befriend/marry/go out with someone with these decorations all over their body?
Recently, I attended a good friend's birthday party and I arrived early to help out with the food and decorations. Everything was going along relatively well until her younger sister emerged from her room to mingle as her boyfriend had arrived. I could be oversensitive, but it was evident that the atmosphere changed when both of them were present. Why would this be the case? For starters, the sister has a large tattoo of a phoenix which covered half her back, and it was very obvious as she was wearing a white racerback top at that time, and also a tattoo of 2 roses on her wrist. Her boyfriend was no better. He has tattooed lower eyelids and has both his upper arms and legs more or less tattooed all the way to the elbows and mid-calves respectively.
The guests could be seen discreetly checking out the odd couple as they moved around the house, and some were actually blatantly avoiding them. Though I do acknowledge that some might feel uncomfortable with their presence, and I might have seen her sister too often to be affected, I did find it rude that my friend's sister had to be treated in that way in her own home. After a while, the sister realised what was happened and changed into something that covered her up more. My friend didn't realise anything as she was busy, and I guess that's a good thing, as she wouldn't have wanted her sister to feel isolated.
But the thing is, are we going to discriminate or ostracise people because of their choices, just because it doesn't agree with ours or isn't accepted totally by society? Who are those that dictate what can or cannot be accepted, and why should we listen to them?
To end on a lighter note, her sister's tattoos have also helped us out on a few occasions. We were never approached in clubs by sleazy creatures whenever she was with us because everytime she stuck her hand out to draw us into a circle, her wrist tattoo would be seen and said creatures would beat a hasty retreat. =D
and the immense popularity of tattoos themselves, it is interesting to note how tattoos have changed in the way they were perceived.
In the past, tattoos have been mainly used as a decorative art on an individual's body in Japan, Polynesia, New Zealand, to name a few examples. In recent centuries, it has also become popular in convicts and gang members, who want to have a sense of belonging and identity as they are all in the same place (i.e. prison, gang). Tattoos can reveal a lot of things, such as a which gang you're from, who you actually are, your beliefs (e.g. religion, racism) and sometimes even how many people you've killed.
Closer to home, tattoos initially started out with indicating which gang you belonged to, and anyone with one of a different was automatically assumed to be from a rival gang and beaten up. Other than secret societies, more people are looking at tattoos a s a form of a decorative art for their bodies. But this view is not shared by everyone. Those from the older generation, especially with experience in the shady underworld of the past, might still view it as a symbol of violence and hostility towards others. Anyone with one that's relatively visible would be assumed to be of no good character. Why do most of us think this way? We may claim not to mind, but when push comes to shove, would you befriend/marry/go out with someone with these decorations all over their body?
Recently, I attended a good friend's birthday party and I arrived early to help out with the food and decorations. Everything was going along relatively well until her younger sister emerged from her room to mingle as her boyfriend had arrived. I could be oversensitive, but it was evident that the atmosphere changed when both of them were present. Why would this be the case? For starters, the sister has a large tattoo of a phoenix which covered half her back, and it was very obvious as she was wearing a white racerback top at that time, and also a tattoo of 2 roses on her wrist. Her boyfriend was no better. He has tattooed lower eyelids and has both his upper arms and legs more or less tattooed all the way to the elbows and mid-calves respectively.
The guests could be seen discreetly checking out the odd couple as they moved around the house, and some were actually blatantly avoiding them. Though I do acknowledge that some might feel uncomfortable with their presence, and I might have seen her sister too often to be affected, I did find it rude that my friend's sister had to be treated in that way in her own home. After a while, the sister realised what was happened and changed into something that covered her up more. My friend didn't realise anything as she was busy, and I guess that's a good thing, as she wouldn't have wanted her sister to feel isolated.
But the thing is, are we going to discriminate or ostracise people because of their choices, just because it doesn't agree with ours or isn't accepted totally by society? Who are those that dictate what can or cannot be accepted, and why should we listen to them?
To end on a lighter note, her sister's tattoos have also helped us out on a few occasions. We were never approached in clubs by sleazy creatures whenever she was with us because everytime she stuck her hand out to draw us into a circle, her wrist tattoo would be seen and said creatures would beat a hasty retreat. =D
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
White lies.
We all tell white lies. Who doesn't? Whether it's about how fat our friends look in something or telling someone you're well on your way to the meeting destination when you only just stepped out of your house, we always seem to say something else rather than the exact truth. I guess it's better not to hurt those around you, though you would expect those closest to you not to withhold the truth.
It could be just human nature. No one wants to see those around them negatively impacted by their words. It happened to me as well, and will likely carry on happening. When I went out to clubs with my friends in the past, I would tell my mum where exactly I was going and doing and yes, there was gonna be alcohol. I thought there would be trust between us and that there was an understanding that I knew how to take care of myself. Obviously I didn't get the reaction I was expecting, which obviously led to a huge fight and many arguments following that. Our relationship became strained everytime I told her I was coming home late, and now I've given up. I either stay over at a friend's place now, or I wait till everyone leaves for work/school before I let myself in.
Is it wrong to lie? Yes, but if the truth hurts even more to my loved ones, I guess that's what I'd do.
It could be just human nature. No one wants to see those around them negatively impacted by their words. It happened to me as well, and will likely carry on happening. When I went out to clubs with my friends in the past, I would tell my mum where exactly I was going and doing and yes, there was gonna be alcohol. I thought there would be trust between us and that there was an understanding that I knew how to take care of myself. Obviously I didn't get the reaction I was expecting, which obviously led to a huge fight and many arguments following that. Our relationship became strained everytime I told her I was coming home late, and now I've given up. I either stay over at a friend's place now, or I wait till everyone leaves for work/school before I let myself in.
Is it wrong to lie? Yes, but if the truth hurts even more to my loved ones, I guess that's what I'd do.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Curtains Up
First blog I've ever done by myself. Have a joint one with a few friends but it was all done ant set up by someone else. Feels kinda weird, I guess, at the thought the whole world's reading your thoughts and stuff. Let's see how this goes.
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