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week 6: culture in time
was watching a documentary about a culture that is slowly eroding away by the silent monster that is time: the parsi, and their funeral rituals.
Interestingly enough, i never knew Parsi simply meant 'From Persia'. A majority live in Mumbai now, a thriving city of many millions. These people follow a traditional ritual of letting vultures feed on their deceased, as cremating or burying them would defile the elements - the entity they hold sacred.
Unfortunately with the passing of time, the vulture population in that area have all been nearly wiped out - and the deceased just start to decompose - which is traditionally unacceptable.
There is alot more to it, but thats not the point i'm driving at.
the future is something to look forward to, with new discoveries and inventions to ease everyday life and bring the world up another step. however, does traditions and culture have to suffer because of it? these things, so deeply etched into people's lifebloods are what make them who they are, and the individuals that they are, are what makes the intricate and unique designs in the patchwork that is humanity - to strip that is tantamount to roboticizing.
is our future really aimed towards that? where there will be no distinction between angmoh and ah ma? where indians and german people smell alike? where everyone goes 'whassup?' (hmm....)
heres something to digest.
in light of the dismal prospects of not being able to be eaten by vultures, the parsi now employ solar panels that concentrate sunlight (in a manner similar to a magnifying glass) onto their deceased, deliquifying it to a husk in a considerably shorter amount of time. of course, they cant let it burn, as that would be such a sin, so its set to not heat up hotter than 130degrees (geez)
maybe, just maybe it isnt going to be as bad as i make it out to be ;P maybe i'll have an blackskinned kid next time with yellow eyes and 6 fingers on each hand or something. chinese new year aint gonna be the same again.
Week 5: Culture means the absence of freedom.
Red Light District. That's chinese new year for me: it feels like a 'ho extravagenza. I can never feel totally comfortable with it even though it's been engrained in me when i got my first hong pao when i was but a leeeeeeeeeeetle boy. i think my dad spent it all. bah. anyway its all red, i dont feel right about it.
I only like the money part of it, but then again, with my so stingy 2-dollar-hong-pao relatives, it just feels like season to splurge. a bit.
do all hindis really appreciate the rat god of theirs? their culture is such that rats are treated with utmost respect (perhaps im stereotyping here, but thats not the point), but dirtty is dirty, and dirty + dirty = quite very dirty. how can the indian women tolorate that?
they say the Buddhist Gods in temples are usually found with really squinty eyes; the incense can cause major eye irritation, i hear. do buddhists really like doing their gambling stick throwing in such a smoky place?
I cannot believe that all indians appreciate their superstars jumping out from behind trees and start doing a head jiggle while a gazillion other backup dancers do the same thing, while their counterparts pops out from another tree and start doing some sort of raincalling dance. I mean it's amusing yes (in fact, i prefer watching that to the really lousy locally produced shows - their unintended humour is a thousand times more humourous than the intended 'humour' from local sitcoms. that is SO sad)
The crux is....... the world we live in is a place where ideas and culture is forced on each individual, whether they like it or not. For all i know, i could love a simple nepalese lifestyle, feeding goats that smell like curd and and wearing clothes that make me look like santa claus gone funky.
and as such, i believe that there is no such thing as Freedom. It is a word that disillusions, because the only possibly freedom, in the entirety of its word, is death. (unless there is an afterlife, then there is no such thing as freedom). Which, if you think about it, is quite a dismal revelation, doncha think? ima go watch some horror show now hide under the blanket later and hope to god i fall asleep.
Week 5: Blasphemy
I was never a staunch christian. I fondly remember sleeping during praise and worship, and especially sermons. I remember asking to go to the toilet and never returning until the part where the pastor makes people fall like dominoes while uttering total nonsense they call tongues. I remember pretending to be sick just to skip church service.
but deep down inside me, i know that there is an almighty God, and his name is Jesus. Its him i confide in when in the direst situations and when im in an emotional turmoil.
and i sense that feeling, when i see my Malay friends praying on their prayer mats facing Mecca. When i see a million devotees on their pilgrimage. They know there is a God, and they call him Allah.
Having said there, i can't help but feel as though we're all connected in an intricate web that binds our faith and believe together. Just as how God in Christianity is called Jehovah, (name all the christian God names), and how Allah is known as (name all the Islam God names), could it be that we are possibly talking about the SAME God? That Allah and Jesus are actually one entity, known differently in 2 religions? There are many many similarities from biblical and kuranic(?) accounts that I can't remember now, but which had bugging me for quite a bit now.
Could God's work in mixing the tongues of those who dared the Tower of Babel be a factor in this? That they all know of this God, and spread it in their own new cultures as a God that is now known differently?
Like how saying 'Mary had a little lamb' can turn into 'Larry had a bitter Ma'am' after passing through 2000 people?
Week 4: for lack of a better topic, i shall talk about gaming.
can gaming be educational (in more the positive way?)
my whole life i've spent %30 of it involved in some sort of game or another, be it board, card, pen&paper rpg, computer, drinking what have you. No, not The Magic Schoolbus. I refuse to touch that. Anyhow my mom was always going 'stop gaming ah boy why you game so much ah? not good! go study! go go!' actually she didnt exactly say that, but you get my drift.
but i won't say i've become that 30% more 'stupid' because of it. i believe somehow or another, it helps you learn things a different way (hence the creation of The Magic Schoolbus: interactive, fun learning tool for your child! only $9.99 get it now!)
my vocabulary has increased, sorta. playing RPGs (Role playing games), i first learnt the word 'Intellect' (hmm) and 'Dexterity', 'Constitution', and alot of various words to describe dramatic fantasy worlds and fantasy characters. (unfortunately, you learn words like 'rofflez' 'i PWNED Jo0' 'uR BAzES R aLL BloNg 2 ME' and crap like that). so wait. lets not talk about that. im talking about the Goodness of Gaming here. ahem. So, it is another channel you can use to improve your vocabulary. I remember being unceremoniously waved off on numerous occasions, just to consult the dear dictionary because i didn't understand what mr. quest-giver was asking of me. hah.
gaming can also improve your reaction and decision making skills - especially games that involve real-time action and first-person shooter games because your decisions would ultimately lead to your fate. unfortunately, it seems some people can never learn because i PWnED THEM ALL!! stupid N00Bs! *ahem* yes, it does make your mind/fingers more dextrous after a prolonged period of time.
so in all having weighed the Pros (and cons), I'd say gaming can be quite productive, contrary to popular 'ah pek' belief.
Week 4: Catsup?!
So, as I was sleeping my way to school just now, I stepped into the elevator and this old man came in as well. I knew him - he was Catman. i mean, really. He feeds stray cats for a living: breakfast, lunch, dinner and some say even supper. The cats under my block would meow to an irritating crescendo at his sight - and i'm upset.
yes, i think cats are awesome to cuddle with, but they're good at eating and doing nothing. I had a cat once who was so fat he fell into the washing machine (lid was open) because he couldn't skip off in time. When it's that time of their life, they can irritate the living daylights to an oblivion.
I don't believe that stray cats should be whisked off the streets like Pork floss buns off the shelves of Breaktalk - it's not right and it's inhumane. What is inhumane, is the feeding and the caring of these stray cats. It would ultimately lead to a gazillion litters of very strangle-ble furballs prancing about. I vote the feeding of such stray animals be banned!
If once feels a tad bit felinophilic, one should just march these cats home, don't leave them along the streets and just feed them because you're happy - it's a disfavour to everything around you - the neighbours and the cats themselves.
but, i still love cats. their fur make me sneeze. weee.
Week 3: Tragedy
I'm not particularly sure the direction this entry will be going towards, but i'll just let it run along as it comes.
I just watched Requiem for a Dream, Director's cut. It's, in my opinion, not just a great show; it is an awesome show. Ellen Burstyn's performance was simply incredible and the style is totally ecletic, one of the better shows i've seen so far.
but i digress. The dramatics of the show is so real that it invokes in me this great feeling of pity and sadness; a feeling that I scarcely feel in regards to reality. Not even when I realised my best friends were going to migrating away, not even when my girlfriend was cheating on me. It almost seems as though Film has more vivid reality than reality itself.
Point. What is it that makes the Human tick?
Look at the recent earthquake/tsunami killer combo that just happened. Or roll back a couple of years, look at 9/11. In the faces of these overwhelming tragedies does one see and feel the vivid reality that is life. It is only through these events that we see the what makes the Human tick. I've never seen Singaporeans give so generously as they have to the victims of the tsunami - to the point of overabundance. It's crazy. I wouldn't even normally be able to bargain 10c off a stupid pirated CD. (i mean as an example, you know I don't buy those stuff *innocent look*)
that said, i just feel that, sadly, Tragedy is the spice of life. Tragedy is what makes life vivid, and worth living. I couldn't possibly imagine living in Heaven where it's all milk and honey and everything nice for the rest of my life.
i still don't quite understand what i just said. I should take a look again..
Week 3: Dreams
I've had many dreams that I never did understand.
like just a couple of nights ago, I had this dream about riding a horse for a bit. It became tired after a while, so I got off the horse and I carried it instead; It had somehow - as if in a dream! - magically shrank to a manageable size and as i trotted happily down to dunnowhereland. I cannot remember the rest of it, regretfully...
I had another dream whos meaning did not completely elude me like the first, though - I had stacks of US notes junked away somewhere in my room that I'd just recently discovered, apparently I got back from the US having not spent much. I woke up and was about to look for it when I realised: that can't be true. I'm as broke as broke can get. :(
I guess I've wondered: why do people have dreams? but more importantly: what do they mean? In the first example above, it doesn't mean jacks**t (whats riding a horse gotta do with anything relevant in my life, much less carrying it!) otherwise it's got some reall--y deep meaning. In the second example, it's pretty easy to discern that i want money. But, is that all?
Week 2: Wierd: Did I spell that correctly?
So, I learnt in class today that I am an introvert. No one believes me though: shockwaves of murmuring and arched brows question my sincerity as i, as innocently as possible, try to argue my case. Apparently, they say, I talk too much crap in class. I don't, really.
Anyway, had to attend a family friend's post-wedding dinner. I didn't have anything to wear so I wore my usual: torn jeans, t-shirt and cap (yes, inappropriate, but I had nothing else). To cut a long story short, argued with my parents and things got a little sour.
Went for the wedding dinner later in one of my brother's shirts and gel on my hair (ew..) and things got kind of wierd there too. Everyone around me at my table was having hearty conversations with each other; 3 cute girls who were leaning on my brothers every word, a couple from vancouver who was chatting up a storm with another couple from somewhere else, with two very irritating kids in tow. I, on the other hand, was just eating steamed fish and waiting for the next dish to arrive. I then decided to leave, and guess what? I just said 'hey, I'm making a move now' to the bride and groom. Poor Michelle. There was a moment of awkward silence before she plunged into the usual pleasantries, with Israel getting a word out or two. Needless to say, I beat a hasty retreat.
So, why do i act the way i do? What is the basis behind my inept social skills? Is it just me, or is it someone that i've become? I feel.. wierd.
Week 2: Music
I have a magnetic white board in my room and there is a used orange CD carrier from Gramaphone on it. It has but a single phrase on it:
'without music life would be a mistake'
I happen to agree with it wholeheartedly. Silence can be more heart-breaking then any music can ever make you feel. (except when you break-up with your girlfriend and listen to some soapy love song that makes you feel as though you just dug yourself six feet under)
Music is capable of engaging the listener in a spectrum of emotions and really brings life to the word Vivid. Imagine...
Sadness/Tragedy
Watching Braveheart without the accompanying orchastra "Oh so sad. William's bitch died".
With it "OH my GOD! It IS a tragedy! *Booo hoo take out tissue*".
Happiness/Laughter
Austin Powers without music? "What the hell you stupid fart waste my marnie oni"
With it "Bwahahahahahha! Oh gosh this flicks so stupid! I like...."
Patriotism/Pride
How about the Olympics without the national anthems and theme songs? "Wah lao... how come all the channels showing this idiot trying to break the stupid world record! I want my FRIENDS!"
With it: "Holy Jesus Christ! He just broke the world record! The Human Spirit will NEVER be doused!.... NEVER!"
Horror/Suspense
Imagine The Ring without accompanying music. "Wah lao what she doing trying to climb out the TV! stupid bitch Bwahahahha"
with it "MOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMYYYYYYY!!!"
What is it about music that affects us the way it does? Is it the beat of the music, or its harmonics and melodies? I wouldn't know, but if God created an Angel of Music specifically, it has to be something divine. So greatly it colours our lives that without it, life would definitely be a mistake.
Week 1: Skinned, Part II?
Maybe it's one big devious marketing strategy. Far-fetched, yes, but plausible.
I have decided: I shall not pursue this matter any longer as I'm feeling more stupid by the minute.
So, let's talk about durians, or cheese, or any food that greatly defers in like-abilty spanning culture. I feel great sadness for those ang mohs who can never learn to appreciate the beauty that is Durian.
I just had a couple of seeds (I have learnt the art of eating it without hands, but it involves juggling the seed within your mouth which can be quite a daunting task) and every moment spent with it was just heaven. How can you possibly not like it? How could you even think to deem it 'rotting flesh'?
How about cheese, while we're at it? I know my grandmother absolutely hates it, that is, when she was alive. I couldn't quite understand why because she was always rattling on in (I believe) Teochew. Probably something along the lines of 'GET IT OUT MY HOUSE NOW!'. I think cheese has got to be one of the most delicious piece of rotted food ever.
However, I hate fried insects and Chou To Fu.
I was brought up with durians and cheese a staple in my house but never fried insects or Chou To Fu: could that be the underlying reason why some like it and some don't? What if I was brought up not knowing durians, would I still like it today? If I were brought up along the streets of Thailand, would I love cockroaches (I mean in my stomach) instead of jumping like a failed erection at the sight of it? (I don't really, actually, but in any case please don't quote me!)
Is one's youth essential in making what a person is, his likes and dislikes, his preferences and his, shall I say, Forced Appreciations?
Till today, I still don't really care.
Week 1: Skinned
Why do they even have weird skins like these? It's pink, it's geometrically icky and Who here is like bugging me.
I found it in the 'default templates' section while creating this blog. And, they don't have just one - the bulk of the available skins are made up of faces (and some pretty darn silly, if you ask me). I mean - Who the HELL are you to begin with? Hello?
Shouldn't they go with something people would more commonly use/are attracted to, for instance, a picturesque landscape or some kind of 'I Luv U' mambo jumbo or something for 'the Manga addict' skins? I would believe that'd be more popular.
I definitely would not use a skin like this; the absurdness of the whole design coupled with kangaroo-eyed Who here gracing the space where I write all my shit - it's just not right! But then, with the dawn of realisation, it hit me.
I used it.
Anyway, aside from the drama, I'm lead to wonder: Does Pita's aim in having skins in their 'default template' section not match with the ideas one would consider 'nice' or 'popular' have any sort of motive?
Like getting people to write stupid blog entries like this?
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