We should criticise people or the opinions they may have. This is so that they can learn from their mistakes which were pointed out and ssignificantly improve their opinion or themselves as a whole.Criticising proud people and their opinions can make them humble, causing the work they do to be of better quality. Criticising people who are in the wrong or have evil thoughts can make them think twice about doing something illegal.
Of course, criticising people can be harmful too.
Criticising people who are stressed out can make them break-apart. This is one of the main reasons that some people do not criticise people often. This, however, leads people to have a wrong impression about you, that you are weak and are easily overpowered. They would then take advantage of you. This is another reason why you should criticise others.
In working life, not criticising people can lead to your boss or superior thinking that you are either not interested in your job or that you have no opinion about the matter, both which would give him a bad impression about you.
Therefore, we should strive to criticise people whenever possible, as there would be good results in the long run.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
If many people think something is true, is it true?
I'm sure you have heard the phrase "majority wins" being used repeatedly everywhere. This shows itself in voting, from presidential elections to just a group of people choosing what to do in their free time. But what I would be talking about is slightly different. Think of all the subjects that were tabooed throughout the world.
Not long ago, I did a post on the short story "The lottery". The story has a stoning incident, something which eventually got it boycotted throughout the world in its time. Normal people would be horrified at the story's outcome. Mrs. Hutchinson finally got stoned by her friends, with whom she was just talking and laughing with before the stoning. In fact, Mrs. Delacroix "selected a stone so large she had to pick it up with both hands." Even the victim's family joined in the stoning.
Notice that the story was banned throughout the world (the author also recieved lots of hate-mail). Why is this so? The public is horrified that the villagers kill one of their own people with no remorse whatsoever. They think that it is wrong, uncivilised, for people to do such things. Is it true? What about the small minority who thinks that it is not?
In life, we must look at both sides of things, see things from a different perspective. Why are people thinking in that way? There is no right answer. Usually, these conflicting opinions occur when there is a clash of cultures. Usually different cultures would cause different ways of thought. Religion is one of the key factors that cause this.
So, if many people think something is true, it is neither true nor false. It is the way you look at it that makes your opinion differ from others'.
Not long ago, I did a post on the short story "The lottery". The story has a stoning incident, something which eventually got it boycotted throughout the world in its time. Normal people would be horrified at the story's outcome. Mrs. Hutchinson finally got stoned by her friends, with whom she was just talking and laughing with before the stoning. In fact, Mrs. Delacroix "selected a stone so large she had to pick it up with both hands." Even the victim's family joined in the stoning.
Notice that the story was banned throughout the world (the author also recieved lots of hate-mail). Why is this so? The public is horrified that the villagers kill one of their own people with no remorse whatsoever. They think that it is wrong, uncivilised, for people to do such things. Is it true? What about the small minority who thinks that it is not?
In life, we must look at both sides of things, see things from a different perspective. Why are people thinking in that way? There is no right answer. Usually, these conflicting opinions occur when there is a clash of cultures. Usually different cultures would cause different ways of thought. Religion is one of the key factors that cause this.
So, if many people think something is true, it is neither true nor false. It is the way you look at it that makes your opinion differ from others'.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
I am lying. True or False?
I am sure you would have seen or at least heard of the above riddle. In actual fact, it is a paradox. For example, I cannot be lying as I would then be telling the truth. I also cannot be telling the truth as I would be lying. This actually makes the statement both true and false, (at least in my opinion) rather than just either one.
Take it in another way. Lets say, "This sentence is false". What this sentence means is that it is false. Its that simple. But the sentence says it is false, meaning that the sentence is also true.
Apparently this paradox is called the "liar paradox". It is explained by some using a "truth value", or the amount of truth that it has. (wikipedia)
This paradox can just be taken in another way. I can say "It is the truth. I am lying" In place of just "I am lying" this would be taken as that he was lying about himself telling the truth. Therefore, he is lying and there would not be any underlying paradox.
Besides, in the real world, when people say something, they usually mean it and probably, the person who started this paradox, actually did so unknowingly.
Take it in another way. Lets say, "This sentence is false". What this sentence means is that it is false. Its that simple. But the sentence says it is false, meaning that the sentence is also true.
Apparently this paradox is called the "liar paradox". It is explained by some using a "truth value", or the amount of truth that it has. (wikipedia)
This paradox can just be taken in another way. I can say "It is the truth. I am lying" In place of just "I am lying" this would be taken as that he was lying about himself telling the truth. Therefore, he is lying and there would not be any underlying paradox.
Besides, in the real world, when people say something, they usually mean it and probably, the person who started this paradox, actually did so unknowingly.
Monday, May 25, 2009
My first semester as a secondary school student
My first semester as a secondary school student has been interesting...and tiring. Ever since CCA started, I have only been able to go home early on Tuesdays. CCA drags on till 7.15 and I would only get home at around 8.30. This means that I have almost absolutely no time to do my homework after doing necessary stuff like bathing and eating. Also on Thursdays, I have to go to Bishan for Third language and I would only reach home by 7.30. As such I would usually have to stay up until very late to complete my homework for the day.
But enough about the negative aspects of Secondary school life. There are positive sides too. I have made new friends since the first day of school and I can eat at MacDonald's every Thursday because of Third language. Others include more pocket money and more freedom when I am outside. Also, I get better things like new bags, phones and books. At Hwa Chong, we can get impromptu half-days, courtesy of the Principle. This usually occurs when there are good results for major exams or competitions just to "reward the students", to give them a day to rest.
Now for the interesting parts of Secondary school life. The life of a secondary school student is no doubt interesting, especially to a new student. For one, my school campus is big, with a size of 72 hectares. This means it takes about ten to fifteen minutes for someone to walk from one end to another which we would have to do sometimes. That may be why we get long 40 minute periods. Sometimes we can venture over to the college section of the school, usually during the breaks. (Many people do complain that the high school section's food is better than the college.)
But enough about the negative aspects of Secondary school life. There are positive sides too. I have made new friends since the first day of school and I can eat at MacDonald's every Thursday because of Third language. Others include more pocket money and more freedom when I am outside. Also, I get better things like new bags, phones and books. At Hwa Chong, we can get impromptu half-days, courtesy of the Principle. This usually occurs when there are good results for major exams or competitions just to "reward the students", to give them a day to rest.
Now for the interesting parts of Secondary school life. The life of a secondary school student is no doubt interesting, especially to a new student. For one, my school campus is big, with a size of 72 hectares. This means it takes about ten to fifteen minutes for someone to walk from one end to another which we would have to do sometimes. That may be why we get long 40 minute periods. Sometimes we can venture over to the college section of the school, usually during the breaks. (Many people do complain that the high school section's food is better than the college.)
Saturday, May 16, 2009
BP
/*Write a 450-word narrative depicting the human-elephant confrontation in India.*/
I sighed as I walked through the devastated village, the victim of a stampede. Many mud houses lay destroyed on the ground. Worse still, the sight of mangled human bodies on the floor made my blood curdle. The scene of destruction was enough to shake anyone to the core. However, I had a job to do. I gathered up my wits and walked on as quickly as I could.
I often saw myself as a UN peacemaker working frantically to make peace in the Middle East. The only problem was that I was anything but that. An Environmentalist working in India, I had seen many examples of human-elephant confrontation over the years. Today, I am going to try to stop another example from appearing in my already long list. I walked to a group of angry villagers picking up knives and spears. They were already amassing an army to, presumably, attack an elephant for revenge.
I talked to the leader of the group, trying to stop him from going on with his plan of attack. It was all in vain. He refused to stop his attack, saying that his wife and one of his sons had been killed in the stampede. But after an hour of negotiating, he agreed to kill only one elephant. After that, he refused to talk with me any longer. Powerless to stop the group, I followed them closely.
We trudged through the forest for an hour or so, the natives ignoring me completely. It was hot and humid and my canteen was emptying fast. The trail was thin and only allowed for a single file.
It wasn’t long before we reached the waterhole at the end of the trail, a waterhole that the Asian elephants were known to frequent often. It was a mere fifteen minutes before the first elephant came lumbering in. It was a young elephant, merely ten years old. The natives ducked back into the dense forest and waited patiently for it to come.
The elephant, a female, came slowly to the waterhole and drank. It had a huge wound on its leg. This elephant was probably injured by another group of natives.
The leader nodded, his eyes glinting. He motioned to the group, coming up to a crouch himself. Raising his knife, he readied himself for the charge.
This elephant would not be able to run.
The knife swiped forward. With a deafening roar, the villagers swooped forward as one. The elephant was down in seconds. I watched horrified from my position on the trail as the leader sawed off the young elephant’s tail. The elephant was helpless to defend itself and screamed in pain. Another riled villager cruelly cut the end of her trunk off, causing blood to spurt out in all directions. This was not enough. The villagers all stabbed again and again, venting their anger on the already limp body lying on the ground. The stench of blood filled the air. By the time the last villager was done, the elephant had already been dead for an hour.
Slowly and painfully, I sank to my knees. This was the worst show of violence I had seen in my life. How could this happen? Was the world really that cruel? I would remember this day for the rest of my life.
I sighed as I walked through the devastated village, the victim of a stampede. Many mud houses lay destroyed on the ground. Worse still, the sight of mangled human bodies on the floor made my blood curdle. The scene of destruction was enough to shake anyone to the core. However, I had a job to do. I gathered up my wits and walked on as quickly as I could.
I often saw myself as a UN peacemaker working frantically to make peace in the Middle East. The only problem was that I was anything but that. An Environmentalist working in India, I had seen many examples of human-elephant confrontation over the years. Today, I am going to try to stop another example from appearing in my already long list. I walked to a group of angry villagers picking up knives and spears. They were already amassing an army to, presumably, attack an elephant for revenge.
I talked to the leader of the group, trying to stop him from going on with his plan of attack. It was all in vain. He refused to stop his attack, saying that his wife and one of his sons had been killed in the stampede. But after an hour of negotiating, he agreed to kill only one elephant. After that, he refused to talk with me any longer. Powerless to stop the group, I followed them closely.
We trudged through the forest for an hour or so, the natives ignoring me completely. It was hot and humid and my canteen was emptying fast. The trail was thin and only allowed for a single file.
It wasn’t long before we reached the waterhole at the end of the trail, a waterhole that the Asian elephants were known to frequent often. It was a mere fifteen minutes before the first elephant came lumbering in. It was a young elephant, merely ten years old. The natives ducked back into the dense forest and waited patiently for it to come.
The elephant, a female, came slowly to the waterhole and drank. It had a huge wound on its leg. This elephant was probably injured by another group of natives.
The leader nodded, his eyes glinting. He motioned to the group, coming up to a crouch himself. Raising his knife, he readied himself for the charge.
This elephant would not be able to run.
The knife swiped forward. With a deafening roar, the villagers swooped forward as one. The elephant was down in seconds. I watched horrified from my position on the trail as the leader sawed off the young elephant’s tail. The elephant was helpless to defend itself and screamed in pain. Another riled villager cruelly cut the end of her trunk off, causing blood to spurt out in all directions. This was not enough. The villagers all stabbed again and again, venting their anger on the already limp body lying on the ground. The stench of blood filled the air. By the time the last villager was done, the elephant had already been dead for an hour.
Slowly and painfully, I sank to my knees. This was the worst show of violence I had seen in my life. How could this happen? Was the world really that cruel? I would remember this day for the rest of my life.
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