The New News

The mass media has influenced us in many ways. Take into context newspapers, it is our daily source of information, be it local or overseas aside from the ‘news’ on television. It is also a avenue for product manufacturers to reach out to us through their advertisements, hoping to gain a bigger market of consumers.

Take a look at this advertisement:

A simple advertisement with an ‘Agenda Setting Function’.  It still shows the cheap airfares that AirAsia is offering. However, the underlying meaning of this advertisement is  to spite back at Tiger Airways, the competing budget airline company. A few online news websites have ran reports over the disputes – AirAsia, Tiger Airways lock horns on racist slurs by rediff.com , Battle between AirAsia and Tiger Airways by Asia News Network (ANN) and Tiger Airways and AirAsia in advertising war by channelnewsasia.com

The advertisement sets the agenda for people to see Tiger Airways in a bad limelight. It reiterates the past fact of Tiger Airways having to cancel numerous flights due to technical and administrative problems. The caption : ‘ If tigers were meant to fly, they would be born with wings’ is a direct criticism towards Tiger Airways. It takes into account how the failure of Tiger Airways has already affected its reliability, hoping to re-emphasize in people that AirAsia is a better choice. Furthermore, the side note – ‘Guaranteed to fly everyday’ reinstates its claim on providing flights constantly without any disruptions.

The agenda obviously is to make the competition look bad in front of the consumers, an outright claim of superiority also through the use of the advertisement. With the image of the ‘crying tiger overlooking a flying AirAsia plane above’, it shows how Tiger Airways is left helpless.

The motive behind the advertisement boils down to a few points. Firstly, bad publicity is still publicity, perhaps the approach taken by AirAsia was to create some form of unrest so that people would notice it. Secondly, the volume of news coverage of both airlines has of course increased, linking to the idea of publicity (linking back to the three websites as stated above). It would also mean that people would take note of AirAsia, and any other advertisement from them would prompt readers to take a second look.

In addition, such advertisements would not have been published if not for the ‘gatekeepers’. Yes, the editor of the newspaper do play a part in this by allowing the advertisement to go through. Probably, by allowing this advertisement, it hopes readership would increase, especially with the accompany news updates on the two rival companies following after.

Has AirAsia achieved its objective?In my opinion, i would say yes and no. In today’s society, its is more of the Moderate Effects Theory which holds in place. People have more liberty about what they want to see/read.  Viewers have more options, and can decide to ignore such an advertisement. However, AirAsia has used promotions to intrigue the consumers appeal, thus its advertisement has in fact serve its effectiveness. What’s your thought on this issue?

Protests > Complaints

Working part-time at Esterline Sensors Services Asia, before entering SIM as a full-time student, made me realize the different working styles of different countries. For instance, though the particular company I was working for has its headquarters established in France, the system of delegation of work differs culturally from us here in Singapore. We, as employees are supposed to be adept in multi-tasking. Whereas in France, employees are often specialized in only a specific area, nothing more than that particular area of work.Occasionally, news of strikes or protests in France would spread in the office. It sets me thinking, does the difference in our own societal culture affect our way of highlighting discontent to higher councils?

Firstly, the idea of handling grievances with work issues or even government policies is culturally different in nature. Take this article for example – French Protests continue. If the people are unhappy about Singapore’s move or certain implementation of policies, our approach seems fairly civilized in nature. Through the use of our MPs, we voice our complaints and grievances. However, in France, it seems that riots and strikes are abundant in nature. Something that perhaps is culturally different in the way we handle our unhappiness. It seems as though such protest activities have been set as a norm in voicing out their opinions to the government for the French people.

Perhaps the only similarity stems from how we are both a mixture of collectivist and individualist society. Singaporeans driven by their own individual mindsets tend to bond together and try to get a petition, in a plan to persuade the government to see our side of the story. Likewise, the French, in this case rallying against pension reform, starts a widespread of protests and ‘acts of rebellion’ by “cutting the fuel pipeline to Paris airports and shutting down most of the country’s oil refineries.” Though it is a rather forceful form of communicating the idea to the government, but it somehow achieves its objective.

It is interesting to see how a common unhappiness allows individualist societies to become like a collectivist society. When the common ground is set, individualists may come together just for the purpose of attaining its objective. Traits like ‘great readiness to cooperate with ingroup members’ and ‘mutual sympathy’ can be seen, to ensure that their opinions are heard and help achieve the common goal. Though the different individualists may differ in mindsets, however they may be linked to a problem on certain levels, thus the results would only be achievable if everyone bands together as a huge entity to attain a more significant standing.

In local context,groups of uncles and aunties may be holding their own ‘mini-protests’ by complaining out loud. However, unlike in France, Singapore might never experience protests of such frequency and scale due to its implementation and enforcement of strict laws. In my opinion, our voices might get lost in the ocean of complaints or issues raised by others too. Does that mean protesting is the only way to show our unhappiness since it would attract much attention from the media and people? That by attracting unwanted attention, the government would then be forced to consider our issue as a priority?

The Perfect 10

According to Geert Hofstede – Culture is the “collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from another..includes systems of values and values are among the building blocks of culture.” It is evident that the traditional way of choosing a wedding date differs between the East and the West, however in recent times, it seems that such cultures are diminishing.

In today’s fast-paced society, coupled with advanced technologies, cyberculture has developed. According to Wikipedia – “Cyberculture is the culture that has emerged, or is emerging, from the use of computer networks for communication, entertainment and business. It is also the study of various social phenomena associated with the Internet and other new forms of network communication, such as online communities, online multi-player gaming, and email usage.” As such, traditions are merging or dissolved as people all over the world have some form of access to other cultures and tend to associate or copy their ways.

The date is 10/10/10 and news of everyone planning their nuptials flood the newspapers and online news websites. According to maltastar.com – Is Today, the perfect day? , many believe that today IS the perfect day. From Singapore  – 830 couples say ” I Do” on 10-10-10 ; to United States – 10-10-10: They Love Just Thinking About It , it seems that almost everyone has the same mindset on having their significant life moment celebrated on this very day. Is it just coincidental or have they planned this for a long time?

In the Asian culture, the Chinese would often consult the elders to advise on an auspicious date for the wedding to be held, as often carried out as a traditional custom. Unlike in the West, where they usually pick a date in advance to have enough preparation time for their wedding.

Traditionally, the Chinese would often have a whole day filled with activities from tea-ceremony, to paying respects to both sides of the family, to a wedding dinner. With the influence of cyberculture, it seems that the hassle has now been simplified and couples are now opting for more unique approaches to celebrate and commemorate this life-altering event.

This is because cyberculture gives people insight to different views, as such they have a wider variety of options to choose from. For instance, wedding photos and private celebrations are now held overseas. Certain practices like reciting marital vows are no longer restricted to the boundaries of the churches, and have gone to reciting underwater or as a step before bungee-jumping off a bridge.

Though the options are all extremely fascinating, a personal question remains unanswered, would this mean that our traditions would be washed away by the waves of influence by cyberculture?

A Tribute To Mdm Kwa and MM Lee

As i start off this blog entry, i firstly would like to offer my condolences to ‘MM Lee’s Family’ for losing one of their loved ones.  R.I.P Mdm Kwa

In relation to this article: Mrs Lee Kuan Yew dies aged 89

As I read the news article, the relationship between MM Lee and is wife is that of ‘high school’ attraction. Like Duck’s model, their relationship only lingered between stages 1 – 5 and strengthen from there after Mdm Kwa was bed-ridden with her illness. The initiating period came in the form of when Mdm Kwa caught MM Lee’s attention through her intelligence and “gave him unexpectedly stiff competition for a Queen’s scholarship”.

Likewise, stage 2 happened during the World War II period when setbacks only made their relationship stronger and by 1944, the 3rd stage of ‘intensifying’ their relationship was inevitable with the abillity for their relationship to last through difficult times like war and for it to sustain, is admirable. Stage 4 ( Integration) was illustrated when “The two married secretly on 23 December 1947 after she had just turned 27, and he was 24.” and following it stage 5, “When they returned to Singapore in 1950, they tied the knot again, this time with their parents’ full knowledge.”

The build up of their 63 years of companionship is a testament to the strong bond and solid trust they have for each other. They helped each other in many ways and yet respected each other’s space – “She was a great source of strength and comfort,” Lee wrote, adding that his wife corrected the drafts of his dictated speeches.“I made a point, however, not to discuss the formulation of policies with her, and she was scrupulous in not reading notes or faxes that were sensitive.”

In addition, they complement each other by helping each other to progress forward -” “I wanted someone my equal, not someone who needed looking after,” the elder Lee later explained in his autobiography.”This complementary relationship was not only reinforced when Mdm Kwa was ill-strickened and bed-ridden but also abiding by the marital vows of ’til death do us part’.

“He shared that his most difficult moment is at the end of each day as he sits by the bedside of his wife who has been unable to move or speak for more than two years. “She understands when I talk to her, which I do every night,” he said. “She keeps awake for me; I tell her about my day’s work, read her favourite poems.”“I told her, ‘I would try and keep you company for as long as I can,” before adding, “I’m not sure who’s going first, whether she or me.”MM Lee added that while he tries to keep busy, from time to time in idle moments, his mind goes back to when they were up and about together. To calm himself, he meditates for 20 minutes at night.”

I really admire MM Lee and his wife, for being able to endure all the political and social pressures while handling the pressures of raising the family and even standing by each other through the difficult times. Hats off to you MM Lee, and i hope youngsters like us will have the drive and determination like you.

Because let’s face it, in our time now, relationships are never like MM Lee’s and Mdm Kwa’s – long-lasting and affectionate, respectable and commendable. Divorce rates are high and relationships do not last long even when we do not hold such high positions in the government like them. Do you think we can be like them, lasting through such a long companionship?

Distance measured by…

… the physical? or the emotional?

“Going the distance” is a movie about two characters in a Long Distance Relationship (LDR), acted out by Drew Barrymore and Justin Long.  The movie expresses the complications in having the need for a balance between work and personal life in any relationship. On top of that it also portrays the even greater difficulty of maintaining one that is long-distanced in nature.

Let’s face it, for many of us, the amount of time spent with someone determines the progression of the relationship. For the few amongst us, time is hardly the essence; it’s the already binding bond that keeps the relationship going even without the quantity. But the emotional minefield that such a relationship entails isn’t for most. So my advice for the majority of us out there? Keep your chat windows open and phones close-by because we’re probably not made to endure the Barrymore-Long relationship.

It is undeniable that the notion of a LDR has been around through the ages. The idea of the working father having to travel to the city to look for a job, leaving his wife and children at home is an oh-too-familiar tale. To be honest, little has changed… LDR, will always be here as a lingering and necessary, ‘relationship taboo’. However, like Barrymore and Long, we are perhaps blessed to be alive and kicking in today’s world where opportunities for communication are bountiful. (A luxury that the ‘working father‘ does not have) No longer are we impeded by the snails of the yesteryears. No longer would we have to wait for letter that has been lost in the mail. Tools like Skype and Facebook has enabled the majority of us to function as per normal in any relationship, including LDR. Even the iPhone 4 has the function of video call on-the-go and this has allowed us to maintain a certain sense of visual intimacy with whoever it’s intended for, no matter how far that person is.

Though technology has enabled easier access to our loved ones – those designed to bring people closer – long distanced relationships will always be a tricky one to handle. Though technology has helped by creating visual intimacy, one should know that it will forever be a lesser brother to the sentiments that are evoked through physical intimacy. Personally, minute details in a person’s body language may be overlooked when one employs such technology. The inability of one to fully portray one’s emotions and sentiments through an email or a text message (as compared to face-to-face communication) might well be the source of many miscommunications and arguments… leading to perhaps, relationship endings.

So it’s time to be true to yourself… do you think that you are up for LDRs? Is time and physical intimacy of the essence? Or are you comfortable and contented with the two-dimensional webcam-ed image? Undeniably, technology does make our lives better. But at the end of the day, having the person beside you, talking to you face-to-face, triumphs over all that comm-tech has to offer… This is my take… what’s yours?

A Painful Perception

We all love horror movies like “Scream” and “The Ring”, Gory movies like “House Of Wax” and  “Saw”. However, there is a fine line between artistic impression and gore,that is often very faint. To us as normal viewers, we always view a movie as gory if it involves some morbid form of action, eg. cutting of the hands or legs, slicing, or piercing, all of which are involuntary.

Now look at this article – Viewer faints watching movie

The movie involves a mountaineer having to sever his own arm to free himself from death after being trapped by a boulder. Of course, most of us would now think that movie is going to be gory, but the director chooses to think otherwise. Through such an experience he hopes that we as viewers can have a “first-person experience” and understand that process.

Though it is not yet shown in Singapore ( or it may never be shown due to the strict censorship laws), people’s perceptions of the movie will determine its success or failure. Yes, i am talking in future terms here. The director has had a successful movie in the past, “Slumdog Millionaire” thus it is only an expectation that his next movie would be better. A social perception that everyone has set in mind.

Alas, this movie defies social norms by introducing to the viewers, the excruciating process of having to amputate the arm, a whole “44 minutes” long shot. I believe the director wants to portray the intensity of the movie, to highlight how the mountaineer manages to escape towards freedom,but first having to face its obstacles. I for one, believe that it is of artistic value, if not how can one understand the hardship of having to fight for survival in a life and death situation.

Compare the movies below like

“Saw” :

It itself is a gory movie. Plainly gore that spills throughout the whole movie. The storyline bases itself in how people torture or maim themselves to escape from a sinister mastermind. Just for pure entertainment purposes, it just show how people are used for sick fun.

Next – Passion Of Christ:

Gore or artistic value?What is your perception on this movie? Yes it has raised numerous debate over the visual discomfort it gives people. Culturally, people have also disputed against the movie’s depiction of Christ. I feel that the storyline is to uplift Jesus Christ’s torment, to show how much he has suffered for his people. No, i am not a christian but i do understand the essence of the movie.

Both movies have had generally good reviews in their own ways but ultimately, for artistic appreciation, “Passion Of Christ” would be the winner. “Saw” is just mindless gore and does not have an enlightening moral to take home. “Passion Of Christ” however highlights the respectable culture background of Jesus Christ and how much sacrifice was made by Christ for his people.

It may not be found in our everyday lives, that people are often beaten,tortured,having to see them amputate themselves, but it is our perception that the fine line between gore and artistic values are decided. Nowadays, the media has exposed us to different visual images that we are no longer as conservative as before. As such, values have been blurred, and at the same time people have been introduced to a whole new perspective of the world. Of course, our perceptions will take over our judgement in deciding on the movie’s rating but it is important to not place our local society’s values on our judgement but to keep it open to avoid being biased. So what is your take,would such a show in your perception be gory or artistic?

War of the Faiths

The War of the Faiths

Perhaps the most infamous act of the 21^st century happened today in the U.S., 9 years ago. Yes, it is easy to recall the destruction of the World Trade Centre but that is where the simplicity of it all ends. Approaching its 9^th anniversary, the complications are revealed once again, the War against Terrorism trickled down into something more relatable to many… it trickled down to the oh-so-sensitive religion.

Take a look at this article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/10/world/10react.html

I am pretty sure that many of you have come across this piece of news, one that has caused uproar comparable to the many others on religion:

“In 2005, violent protests erupted in Afghanistan and Pakistan world after Newsweek published report — one it later retracted — saying that American interrogators at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, had flushed a Koran down the toilet. At least 17 deaths were blamed on the riots.

In 2006, a Danish newspaper set off an enduring battle over freedom of expression versus religious respect — and spawned another wave of violent protests around the world — when it published satirical cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. The cartoons flouted the Islamic prohibition against making images of him and also insulted Muslim regard for his importance.”

Looking back at the article, you can see the anger towards the action of Terry Jones (the pastor who was to burn the Quran in a bid to stop an Islamic community from building a community centre 2 blocks away from the Ground Zero). Was his drastic action appropriate? A harmless act of building a community centre with no other hidden motives made him think of burning the Quran. But the agenda of Terry Jones was to stop it as he felt that Al Qaeda was responsible in the 9-11 attacks. How can they face another ‘insult’ by letting an Islamic community centre be built?

His action was fuelled by his hatred of the Al Qaeda over the 9-11 attacks. Yes, a skewed idea of Islamic act of glory was preached to the terrorists but by Terry Jones burning the Quran, does it make him any different? The Quran is the Holy Word of God to the Islamic community, burning it would only mean having no respect for the others’ faith and beliefs. The Quran is like the soul of the Islamic community, by burning it, metaphorically, you are burning the heart of the religion.

Based on Terry Jones’s position, it also subconsciously triggers another intention. He being a pastor means he is of a different religion. Is he trying to play God on his part? Saying that other people’s religion is in fact wrong? Based on another article, “We believe that Islam is of the devil, that it’s causing billions of people to go to hell, it is a deceptive religion, it is a violent religion and that is proven many, many times,” Pastor Terry Jones told CNN’s Rick Sanchez. (http://articles.cnn.com/2010-07-29/us/florida.burn.quran.day_1_american-muslims-religion-cair-spokesman-ibrahim-hooper?_s=PM:US)

This is a generalization of the Islamic community, yes though unfortunately the Al Qaeda terrorists are a part of it, it does not mean that the rest of the Islamic community can be condemned in such a way. In the public’s eyes, they may also see him trying to show that Christianity is superior to being Islamic. Is it not ironic that he is condemning another religion to prove his point, and spreading wrong information, a distorted one in fact, to back up his action?

With the World leaders and people of high ranking giving their takes and views, even pressurizing him to not carry out the ‘burning’, it only shows how much is at stake. With the media so accessible these days, it may lead to a war of not only between US Christians and Islamic but those all over the world.

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