Dear Commenters/Lecturers

Please don't comment on those posts that end with "Pt. 2" they are an extension of the actual post and are not my weekly entries.

The Shorter Short.

Within the last decade in Singapore, the acceptable length of shorts has gone from 3inches above the knee to right about underwear length.

Please don't cite the heat or global warming as weak excuses, you don't need to because I really don't have a problem with this. At all. I enjoy the view, the girls enjoy the attention and the confidence boost. Everybody wins.

If the lengths keep getting shorter however, um.. how much shorter can we go?

While our culture is obviously gradually getting Americanised from the mass media channels that they own and saturate, skimpier more revealing outfits are going to throw asian humility out the window. Sad but true.

Hiphop, which has been a part of the western mainstream music for about 15 years now, has through cultural imperialism become increasingly popular in Asian countries together with the sleazy, skimpy, objectification of women. Asian pop music, then integrates the rapping and bass heavy instrumentals into its music, producing a weird clash of cultures.

While the video is an exaggeration of everyday club scenes, being telecast on mass media, it does influence Asians to deem booty shaking with a camera below your skirt as acceptable. While once again I'm not saying it's wrong to not be liberal, I just wonder what happened to humility.

In all aspects of culture, it's becoming increasingly acceptable to show more skin, be promiscuous and liberal about issues that were once taboo. As this is happening and will continue to go on, maybe it's time to take a second to take a real unbiased look at what Americanisation has done to our culture. What we've gained, lost, and whether that's what we really want as blood Asians.

Just so you know, the sleazeballs over there, masquerading under funky beats and cheesy rhymes are trying to convince our girls that going to a "hotel, motel, holiday inn" to "open up your blouse and pull that g-string down south" is definitely the way to go.

Once again, I don't have a problem with that.

What's Stopping You? Pt. 2 (Do Not Comment/Grade)

The Shamisen is a Classical Japanese Instrument. The Yoshida Brothers wicked skillz remixed on a electronic beat makes it so much more accessible to the masses.

Hsu-nami is a Progressive Rock band with an Er-hu (Classical Chinese Instrument) player

While not exactly of the highest artistic merit, these 2 artistes do bring some interesting flavours left of what we'd normally expect. Keep Rockin' It!

Context: The Low's Influence on the High.

The West, generally a low context culture has together with Westernisation pushed the rest of the world's (Asia's high context) culture to fit its own through it's Economic and eventual Cultural dominance.

In this environment, our country has evolved to promote low context qualities in individuals. The ability to speak and communicate verbally effectively has pushed public speaking courses into almost every corner of our education system. Class participation (really just the social courage to shout out relevant phrases) is increasingly valued. Culturally we're increasingly open to ideas, sexually we're only becoming more liberal. While talking about sex used to be touchy, these days teens tackle the topic of homosexuality like it's just another summer movie.

(I grossly generalise) In this aspect convent schools, seemingly more Westernised and having a larger stress on the English language and Western values has been churning out Chinese students with little to no aptitude in the Mandarin language and a culturally lower context. While initially frowned upon, the confident, liberal, individualistic qualities and inability with Mandarin has slowly become so common it's fast becoming social norm.

As Asian Culture is slowly (but surely) eroded from of the school system, and more and more emphasis is put on Low context communication, it seems there isn't a place for a High Context Culture to exist.

Will we through the generations eventually lose touch with our ancestral roots, or will the rise of China change the global dynamics push its culture back onto the West? Will we then put the stress back on Chinese like followers behind the Global superpowers, or will we eventually have distinct enough culture to call our own?

Dear Classical Music: What's Stopping You?

Play this while you read yo!

In today's pop culture, genre bending collaborations are commonplace. Borrowing from rappers' penchant to feature their whole extended family on their album and the effects of globalisation, pop culture has been exploiting its unique ability to bring 2 otherwise distinct non-inclusive cultures together.

While it's creating all manner of remixed mash ups and glorious imagery spanning the spectrum from the wonderful to the downright lame, pop culture's long lost cousin classical academia is not only getting left behind but is too caught up in it's own elitist snobbishness to come out and have some fun in the sun.

While Japanese cult fashion label A Bathing Ape gets with Spongebob to do a Shiny Yellow sneaker, who in turn gets together with T-Shirt label OriginalFake, who hooks up with Porter, Porter then with Nike on a Sneaker, Nike with Kanye West, Kanye with Louis Vuitton to do more over priced sneakers, Louis Vuitton with japanese Pop Artist Takashi Murakami to bring multicolour monogrammed bags into their boutiques and Bangkok backstreets, that peddle bootleg Shiny Yellow Sneakers thus completing a cultural orgy of sorts, our classical friends are still caught up in their stuffy tuxedos and 200 year old music.

Not that 200 year old music is bad, but classical music, with its tendency towards inaccessibility and dwindling membership numbers is not doing anything to save itself. It is nice to see a handful of people stepping out of a relatively classical, rigid background to experiment and mostly have fun, but I belief there's so much more interesting blends of music out there just waiting to be discovered. Therefore I was absolutely delighted to watch Paul Dateh work it with a DJ. Although strictly speaking he's got a jazz background, I think he proves that with the right people we could see some classical magic.

Not only can mutual exploration make classical sounds alot more palatable to the mass audience, it will expose more people to classical music and ultimately work as an entry level step into its complex world.

Culture is evolving, and I think it'd be so much more refreshing to see the classical scene push to reinvent itself for a younger audience. The kids can learn the culture, only if you're willing to share.

At Least I Admitted It~

Charlene Yi doesn't belief in love, and goes on a road trip (together with director Nick and tag along love interest Michael Cera) to find out what love really is. Going from city to city interviewing happy couples, scientists, an entire biker bar, and an Elvis lookalike Priest, she meets Michael from which a very endearing romance unfolds.

The acting, largely improvised sets itself starkly apart from regular scripted romance movies. As our protagonists fumble through the (very real) awkward silences of their initiation at a house party and the clumsy small talk, they remind us that real world relationships are nothing like the smooth sailing scripts that Hollywood sells.

Transitioning from experimentation into intensifying their relationship, we see a sloppy attempt at physical contact remind us this isn't your typical smooth-dude-cute-girl romance flick. Going into the bonding stage under the watchful eyes of the camera, they frequently break the 4th wall in a really quirky almost amateurish way typical of the movie's novel direction.

Slowly though, entering the bonding stages, the pressure of having every second together captured on tape sets in and cracks start to form.

As they gasp for privacy while struggling with their differing views on the film crew, the interviews roll on, contributing interesting insights on Western society's views on love.

A scientist explains how humans in love secrete chemicals and hormones that induce a high that really isn't that different from those induced by chemicals.

A romance novelist explains why romance novels typically cater to a female audience and dishes out a recipe for chick literary success.

A Las Vegas priest who recounts a marriage ceremony where the groom, when asked if he would take the bride as his wife proceeds to flip a coin and take a eyebrow raising peek at the result before saying "I do".

Eventually breaking apart, Charlyne leaves for Paris for some final filming where she finally breaks down under ther heartbreak of seperation.

While informative and amusing, the movie makes no attempt to reconcile the various perspectives on love, instead soaking the audience in the humble sincerity of its characters and eventually making them think of their own view on the subject.

What's love to you?

You Want Non-Verbal Cues? Pt.2 (Do Not Comment/Grade)

The very magnificent Charlene Tan posted a really good comment I'd like to highlight.

Well, it is an ironic thing. We, the fortunate and blessed ones, encourage people to save the poor and needy through the luxury of a computer. However, do we(when we encourge others) do our parts to actually save the needy? I doubt so. Most probably, which I believe, is that we just want to ease our guilt of helping the needy since we find it difficult to help them, especially the ones in overseas.
Perhaps, it will be easier to contribute a small effort first, starting from helping the needy in your own organisations, or country. People seriously needs to know that every small effort counts.

To which I have to admit to being guilty of not doing enough.

I personally think there's a phobia towards volunteering for the less fortunate that can be difficult to overcome. Much can be done to package it like pop music. I mean package it as not just meaningful, but a well respected endeavour. How can we make teenagers with nothing to do choose volunteering over say.. the shopping mall over the weekend?

Outside of that, the allocation of resources on a global scale needs to be completely reassessed. I'm also sure MANY people'd be willing to give up their dvd player so 20 kids in a desert get 2 proper meals, IF they actually get to SEE the massive difference their DVD player can make, or meet the beneficiaries.

Donation agencies need to be alot more transparent. I think recent happenings in Singapore have reinforced the notion that when we donate we don't know what happens to the money, and we're considered a nation with low corruption.

P.S. Charlene can u get that music off your blog. We don't always feel all lovey and emotional.

You Want Non-Verbal Cues?

Here's one.

Do you really need me to explain how they're communicating non verbally in a linear model their lack of basic necessities? Do you really need me to point out how despite that, their eyes (Oculesics. Yes I've been listening in class) still reflect a fierce hope for the future?

Few months ago my old box style TV broke down and my parents got a shiny new 42 inch wonder of technology, polished, slim, and incredibly sexy. Last week I was at a Best Denki and there on the Television aisle was EVEN sexier, slimmer TVs. That we can not only produce such a marvellous piece to technology, but improve on it in a matter of months is a testament of how far we've come as humans.

What struck me even harder was that the same global system we're living in that has produced these marvellous inventions, is also allowing millions of children die from starvation and curable disease each year.

That while watching Hamilton do his victory lap on our roads about 2 hours ago in another hallmark of mankind's mechanical ability I realised that the same system pays people with the ability to humour us ridiculous excess, while the starving kids get nothing.

That because of pop culture (which has given us The Beatles, Tarantino, MTV, Pink leggings, leg spreading Divas, Flight of the Conchords and everything in between), a certain rapper snatching the mic from a certain singer is more important news then how many children are being saved. Or not.

The mere fact that I'm typing this in a comfortable chair, sending it over a network so abtract and complex it's probably humankind's greatest achievement, while the kids are still dying puts me at a rare loss for words.

The same way our parents got carried away by the marvels of Industrialization and subsequently plundered the planet of it's natural resources, they're also plundering the lives of millions of unfortunate souls. The former has caused global warming, which is rapidly gaining the attention and resources it needs, while the poverty issue is often swept to the back of our collective consciousness. If the poor are left to continue in their downward spiral, one day we'll have another mess on our hands.

While much is already being done, it must be said that with our tremendous resources and knowledge (much in excess of sustaining ourselves) we do not have any excuse to let anymore children die.

My old DVD player just broke down.

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Suggested Listening (Do Not Comment/Grade)

before you read the post below this.

I wrote it listening to this, and it's beautiful so y'all might as well fall in love too.

Botak, so what?

Botak, so what? is an article that introduces us to Ethan Tan and alopecia universalis, the rare condition he suffers from which causes him to lose all his hair. It goes on to show how his family helps him handle the emotional stress that comes with his inability to look like everyone else.

The social construct of today's society associates several negative connotations with a bald head, and it is natural for humans to fear what we don't understand. Therefore one can't exactly blame the people who stigmatize Ethan due to his condition.

But because our thinking is largely shaped by our language, by simply introducing the mainstream public to the term alopecia universalis, by putting a face to the enemy, it allows people to finally have a starting point to understand Ethan and others affected by this condition from and realise that there really isn't anything wrong with them.

To grow up with such a distinct physical difference (non-verbal communication cue), One can imagine people who meet him gathering a negative first impression, creating a filter from which to assess all further interactions with and leap frogging to an unsound conclusion. With social acceptance that much more difficult a thing to achieve, it is so easy to allow Ethan to be ostracized and slump into having a negative perception of society. His family however rallies behind him, making sure he keeps a positive outlook and proactively helping his teachers in school understand the problem for example, to help him assimilate into new schools easily (as if it's not hard enough even with hair).

Reading this article, the take home message is that people affected by the condition are perfectly normal, and given the right emotional support we can help them overcome the social stigma.

However, I think more importantly we should try and understand that with the media and ultimately society's fascination with a perfect face and body, we tend to forget that in the game of life some just aren't born with a beautiful hand, but beneath their not so chiseled features lies someone who simply wants to fit in, just like you.

Pajama Parties. What's Not to Like?

Many advertisements for consumer goods aim at making us insecure about our attractiveness or social acceptability, and then offer a remedy for this feeling in the form of a product. This is a common strategy for selling mouthwash, toothpaste, chewing gum, clothing, and even automobiles.

Living in a city drenched in ads, I believe we have been bombarded by so many variations of this formula, we have developed a certain skepticism towards it. This creates a very high level psychological noise that advertisers have to penetrate in order to get their desired message across. Here, I use an ad for Coca Cola to examine how this formula is executed and its outcomes.

To persuade its target audience, young adult males aged 18-28 to drink Coke Zero, the advertisers use the headline "Zero sugar, real Coke taste. Now, everything is possible."

Implying that making a drink taste like real coke with zero sugar seemed impossible. But now that they've achieved it, it seems everything else is possible.

The ethos of the ad uses girls that match the typical prototype of everything most guys look for on face value in females. Slim, young, attractive faces, giggly, flawless skin, healthy and sexy. This connects with the primal desires of their target audience, and keeps their eyeballs on the screen. The protagonist on the other hand looks good but not unrealistically gorgeous. This allows the target audience to relate better to the scenario and narrative put forth and ultimately lets them put themselves in his shoes.

Using pathos, the the ad generates feelings of happiness. Using imagery of the fun of a pillow fight, the feathers around to amplify the innocent bliss surrounding the situation, and the ecstatic expressions of the ladies evokes positive emotions from the audience. The music chosen has a fun but mischievous vibe to it. Also, when our protagonist enters the room, it fades out like an Old Western, referencing Cowboys who have heroic traits assigned to their prototype. These heroic traits are transferred onto our protagonist and the male target audience.

Logically, Coke Zero tastes like real coke, with zero sugar, so guys can stay trim. This also means they can drink and enjoy it more without the guilt trips and need to exercise.

While rehashing the formula and going head on against the psychological noise barrier would be suicidal, Coca Cola attempts to bypass it with sexual references and weak humor.

Whether we accept the narrative or not, the slight association that's subconsciously formed affects the collective representation of reality of young adult male tribes, pushing not only sales of the beverage, but also their expectations in women into stratospheric heights. The ad also rides on and puts forth other feminist social phenomenon like the increasing objectification of women, and the unrealistic benchmark for beauty only possible through heavy make up and plastic surgery (Both becoming increasingly accepted into social norms).

However, even with a weak attempt, with enough of these ads bombarding the masses and associating Coke Zero to social desirability and acceptance, the next time we're in a cafe not knowing what to get, and the girls at the opposite table are giggly and bubbly, chances are we're not going to say Pepsi.

Opening quote cited from: http://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/jgarret/3waypers.htm

Not Much of a Cypher

But yeah welcome. Spelling error intended.

Blast off!

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