If history has taught us anything, it is that mankind has been shaped by warfare since the very beggining.
When civilisation first begun to take shape, warfare was present in the form of Survival. Back then, the world followed one rule and one rule only, Kill or be Killed, Eat or be Eaten.
Necessity is the mother of creation, thus we developed crude tools that would help us obtain our daily meals and help us avoid turning into meals. We discovered the use of Fire and how to preserve foods. How to protect ourselves against the elements. All in the name of the Fight for Survival.
Once we had mastered and attained victory in this war for Survival, we started to expand. Current studies point to the continent of Africa as the origin of human civilisation. Mankind spread out accross the world, coming to new places, conquering their new land, and settling down.
However, with so many humans moving in and out of areas, disputes were soon to take place. This is where true Warfare really begun...
The tools that were once vital to human survival were now called upon to end lives. Farming and hunting equipment slowly but surely, evolved into leathal weapons. And the development of killing machines has never stopped.
Wars have been going on ever since, the resons sometimes reasonable...but most of the time, doubtful. Women, land, greed, pride...all these things can be taken into account on why warfare spread like wildfire accross the globe.
The wrold we live in today is one that could not have existed were it not for the wars that our forefathers had fought. Technology and warfare go hand in hand as most of the modern comforts we enjoyed today, were somehow or another influenced my ware-time technology or better yet, merely watered-down versions of military hardware.
But ultimately, it still boils down to one thing...Survival. The main reason why we fight is to survive. No matter what form it takes, we go to war when we feel threathened by another entity. We wnat to ensure our own continued survival, even if it is at the expense of your enemies.
The tactics of war can often be brutal...but then again...hindsight is 20/20. In the heat of battle...the only thing that will go through your mind is to do whatever it takes to help you survive.
Survival is hardwired into our instincts. And truth be told, we are very good at this job.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Hymn to the Fallen
Hymn to the Fallen,
In honour of thee
We sing!
To those who have come and pass
And those who will never be,
Your contributions,
Are forever...
Your memory
Shall never fade.
So for you,
In honour we Sing...
Sing this sad Hymn to the fallen,
So that my mind will be at peace....
In honour of thee
We sing!
To those who have come and pass
And those who will never be,
Your contributions,
Are forever...
Your memory
Shall never fade.
So for you,
In honour we Sing...
Sing this sad Hymn to the fallen,
So that my mind will be at peace....
Monday, February 08, 2010
Human Equations Part 4 : Family
A group of people living together and functioning as a single household, usually consisting of parents and their children
"Microsoft® Encarta® Reference Library 2005. © 1993-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved."
This is the definition of Family, according to the Encarta Dictionary. As many of you know, I have been having problems at home for some time now as my parents aren't seeing eye to eye anymore. This has led to ponder for the past 2+ years and has finally concluded with this post.
In most conventional terms, family is basically described as the above stated. Typical singaporean/asian context normally follows the textbook rule of Family is most important. However, in our modern society today, the meaning of the word Family is slowly blurring away.
This is escpecially prevalent in the singaporean context. In our fast modern world...most families are supported by a dual income. Both parents are off working ridiculous hours and when this occurs, the availability to bond as a family group is diminished. Children are always bombarded my messages such as "Family stick together", but at the same time, it doesn't seem to be happening with their own parents. Over an extended period of time, the children get dillusioned...some of them disregarding the idea of human relations altogether. Although these reclusive individuals are rare, this is becoming an increasingly problematic issue.
For majority of the children in the aforementioned scenario, they grow up to see family as a more figurative statement. This is the main focus of today's post.
"Family first, Friends second" "Blood is thicker than water". These are statements fed to me since day one...but I have come to realize the inaccuracy of these statements. As far as I'm concerned, Family is no longer about blood relations. It is about the bond you have with that particular person that makes him/her family.
To me, Family is not about who your birth brother is or who fathered you. Instead, family are the people whom you have spent years together and gone through a multitude of trials and tribulations with.
They are the ones whom you bond with over an extended period, the ones whom you've fought with, sweat with, bled with. They are the ones whom have been by your side through your daily journeys and are always there to smack you on the head everytime your thread off the beaten path.
Where do we find these people? Most commonly, we see them in our friends and sometimes our teachers and mentors.
I take my closest pal Abel for example. He and I have known each other for almost 9 years now. Throughout our friendship, we won't be the first to tell you how odd our relationship has been. Right from the beginning, we started off with beating the crap out of each other with sticks. Mind you almost a decade later the crze with self inflicted violence hasn't exactly stopped and the damage shows. Years of bashing each other with metal sticks and wooden swords have been greatly detrimental to the health of our extremities...in particular, our fingers.
But even after all that, Abel and I have bonded beyond our wildest ideas. Today, I am proud to say that he is my brother because in the years that I've known him...no other person outside my birth-family has seen as many sides of me as he has. He has been with me through thick and thin and honestly...the term Blood Brother kinda fits. As a matter of fact, I consider the entire group I hang with Brothers.
In the end...Family is not who you are genetically related to.
Family are the people whom you chose to believe and trust. They are the ones who will rescue your sorry ass when things get rough. And Family are the people whom you will always be there for in return.
A birth-family is important. But at some point, all of us have to start our own Family first.
"Microsoft® Encarta® Reference Library 2005. © 1993-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved."
This is the definition of Family, according to the Encarta Dictionary. As many of you know, I have been having problems at home for some time now as my parents aren't seeing eye to eye anymore. This has led to ponder for the past 2+ years and has finally concluded with this post.
In most conventional terms, family is basically described as the above stated. Typical singaporean/asian context normally follows the textbook rule of Family is most important. However, in our modern society today, the meaning of the word Family is slowly blurring away.
This is escpecially prevalent in the singaporean context. In our fast modern world...most families are supported by a dual income. Both parents are off working ridiculous hours and when this occurs, the availability to bond as a family group is diminished. Children are always bombarded my messages such as "Family stick together", but at the same time, it doesn't seem to be happening with their own parents. Over an extended period of time, the children get dillusioned...some of them disregarding the idea of human relations altogether. Although these reclusive individuals are rare, this is becoming an increasingly problematic issue.
For majority of the children in the aforementioned scenario, they grow up to see family as a more figurative statement. This is the main focus of today's post.
"Family first, Friends second" "Blood is thicker than water". These are statements fed to me since day one...but I have come to realize the inaccuracy of these statements. As far as I'm concerned, Family is no longer about blood relations. It is about the bond you have with that particular person that makes him/her family.
To me, Family is not about who your birth brother is or who fathered you. Instead, family are the people whom you have spent years together and gone through a multitude of trials and tribulations with.
They are the ones whom you bond with over an extended period, the ones whom you've fought with, sweat with, bled with. They are the ones whom have been by your side through your daily journeys and are always there to smack you on the head everytime your thread off the beaten path.
Where do we find these people? Most commonly, we see them in our friends and sometimes our teachers and mentors.
I take my closest pal Abel for example. He and I have known each other for almost 9 years now. Throughout our friendship, we won't be the first to tell you how odd our relationship has been. Right from the beginning, we started off with beating the crap out of each other with sticks. Mind you almost a decade later the crze with self inflicted violence hasn't exactly stopped and the damage shows. Years of bashing each other with metal sticks and wooden swords have been greatly detrimental to the health of our extremities...in particular, our fingers.
But even after all that, Abel and I have bonded beyond our wildest ideas. Today, I am proud to say that he is my brother because in the years that I've known him...no other person outside my birth-family has seen as many sides of me as he has. He has been with me through thick and thin and honestly...the term Blood Brother kinda fits. As a matter of fact, I consider the entire group I hang with Brothers.
In the end...Family is not who you are genetically related to.
Family are the people whom you chose to believe and trust. They are the ones who will rescue your sorry ass when things get rough. And Family are the people whom you will always be there for in return.
A birth-family is important. But at some point, all of us have to start our own Family first.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Human Equations Part 3 : Romance Movies and real life Reflections
Some time ago, I distinctly remember lamenting and raving about the fallacies of romance movies.
After some reflection, I've come to realise why we humans seem to love these preposterious movies so.
Hope. The superior WHAT IF scenario is what really drives our attraction to these movies. These shows bring us into an alternate universe where all our wildest relationships could possibly come true.
They reflect the kind of life and world which is inherently hardwired into each of us individuals, the longing for a partner whom we will share happily-ever-after-with and gain all that we could possibly dream of.
Perhaps, despite the disillusioned state of the films we have nowadays, the pressence of such a film allows for us to look back and properly ask our selves....how are we actually aiming to live our lives?
IF not to find love at the end of the day, then what are we here for? We were given a complex brain, which in turn gave us incredible skills, complex emotional systems and the one thing that seperates us humans from all others...Sentience.
Above all things, we are the most complex/messed up beings on this planet. And yet, we have the audacity to come up with Romance movies while at the same time killing off our fellow humans.
I suppose Romantic movies are the ultimate reality most humans want to be in. the most prized goal at the end.
WE are all human in the end...programmed to pick the most suitable partner...produce the next generation, ensure their survial...then die. Romance movies are the epitome of this.
That is perhaps why we are all so drawn to them. Cuz they reflect what we really want.
After some reflection, I've come to realise why we humans seem to love these preposterious movies so.
Hope. The superior WHAT IF scenario is what really drives our attraction to these movies. These shows bring us into an alternate universe where all our wildest relationships could possibly come true.
They reflect the kind of life and world which is inherently hardwired into each of us individuals, the longing for a partner whom we will share happily-ever-after-with and gain all that we could possibly dream of.
Perhaps, despite the disillusioned state of the films we have nowadays, the pressence of such a film allows for us to look back and properly ask our selves....how are we actually aiming to live our lives?
IF not to find love at the end of the day, then what are we here for? We were given a complex brain, which in turn gave us incredible skills, complex emotional systems and the one thing that seperates us humans from all others...Sentience.
Above all things, we are the most complex/messed up beings on this planet. And yet, we have the audacity to come up with Romance movies while at the same time killing off our fellow humans.
I suppose Romantic movies are the ultimate reality most humans want to be in. the most prized goal at the end.
WE are all human in the end...programmed to pick the most suitable partner...produce the next generation, ensure their survial...then die. Romance movies are the epitome of this.
That is perhaps why we are all so drawn to them. Cuz they reflect what we really want.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
food for thought?
2012 was probably the end of the Mayan calendar cuz they probably got too lazy to count any further.
look at it this way...the calendar is called the Long COunt. I seriously doubt they expected to count so far and continue to survive. So I doubt they saw any sense in counting any further.
They did exist a bloody bloody long time ago.....so...2012 is probably a serious stretch for them..
Lol....just a funny thing.
look at it this way...the calendar is called the Long COunt. I seriously doubt they expected to count so far and continue to survive. So I doubt they saw any sense in counting any further.
They did exist a bloody bloody long time ago.....so...2012 is probably a serious stretch for them..
Lol....just a funny thing.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Quoteworthy...
I am lazy to write a full blogpost. Instead, here are a list of quoteworthy things I've said/heared over the past 2 weeks or so...
1) "Last night's sleep was awesome! It was only 3 hours...but it started with having a girl in my bed, and ended with the same girl in my bed!!!" - me referring to Night b4 SAS CCA day.
2) "The word of the day is Legs. Lets head back to my place to spread the word..." - JJ
3) "For goodness sake! You're not rushing to give him a fuckin blowjob!!!!" - me giving stage directions to actor.
4) "If there was a ghost in the house...my brother would be the worst to consult on its existence...The ghost could whack him and he wouldn't wake up." - Brandon refering the the ghost in the house.
5) "How could a TKD coach possibly be such a pussy!!!!" - my fustration over the pettiness of the RP TKD instructor.
6) "Everone wants immortality...Thats why we blog ain't it?" - bro Abel
7) "It's BLAAAACK!" - Rahman on the dildo/bottle opener he got for WJ.
8) "Hey...where the hell is Blow-Job-Guy?" - me referring to missing actor.
9) "Have you noticed something...the boys aren't paying attention to what Miss W is saying. Their eyes are somewhere else..." -observation by bro Abel during drama prac
10) "She's hot...at this rate...fuck the mascots...all we need is to showcase her!" - referring to the new Drama teacher.
1) "Last night's sleep was awesome! It was only 3 hours...but it started with having a girl in my bed, and ended with the same girl in my bed!!!" - me referring to Night b4 SAS CCA day.
2) "The word of the day is Legs. Lets head back to my place to spread the word..." - JJ
3) "For goodness sake! You're not rushing to give him a fuckin blowjob!!!!" - me giving stage directions to actor.
4) "If there was a ghost in the house...my brother would be the worst to consult on its existence...The ghost could whack him and he wouldn't wake up." - Brandon refering the the ghost in the house.
5) "How could a TKD coach possibly be such a pussy!!!!" - my fustration over the pettiness of the RP TKD instructor.
6) "Everone wants immortality...Thats why we blog ain't it?" - bro Abel
7) "It's BLAAAACK!" - Rahman on the dildo/bottle opener he got for WJ.
8) "Hey...where the hell is Blow-Job-Guy?" - me referring to missing actor.
9) "Have you noticed something...the boys aren't paying attention to what Miss W is saying. Their eyes are somewhere else..." -observation by bro Abel during drama prac
10) "She's hot...at this rate...fuck the mascots...all we need is to showcase her!" - referring to the new Drama teacher.
Friday, January 01, 2010
Human Equations Part 2: Development of Human Relations
I'm sure everyone has heard the phrase, "Only time will tell." Over the years, observations have been made to actually prove this little saying, and this can be thoroughly obseved in the development of a person and his/her relationships with other people.
Throughout our lives we will interact with a large variety of people. Forming a variation of relationships with all of them, ranging from good friendly relationships, stiff professional relations, loving romantic relations or perhaps even bad, sour relationships. All these things are the result of your interaction with other peeple and how they connect with you.
However, things in this world are ever changing and relationships seldom ever stay the same. Over the years, I've seen my usual clique of whacky guys grow up and become who they are today.
Take the biggest of em all, JJ. Big guy from they day I first met him, all the way back when we were in primary 1!!! Always outgoing and very very noisy. Didn't really know much about him back then...bt then again...JJ never really needed much introduction. EVERYBODY in SAS knows who JJ is.
Fast forward to almost 13 years later, JJ is still...JJ. Although a fair bit more perverted and very politically outspoken...He's maintained a constant sunny desposition.
However, I only reconnected with him during those 13 years, in sec 1 when we landed up in the same drama club. Primary school, I was only familiar with him in primary 1. This is where the development of relationships occur. Back in primary 1, I recognized JJ for a certain set of characteristics. After a long period of no contact, it was only natural that I inferred on my last impression of him, to carry on the relationship. Fortunately, I wasn't wrong on that point.
In the end, we've decided that only one thing could possibly describe JJ --> JJ.
Take another big man, WJ! The super mushroom. I also met this fellow back in primary 1. But back then, he was a very different bugger.
I was very scrawny in primary school...and WJ was....WJ. Big and mushroom like. He used to steal/borrow my pencils and not return them. Bastard aint he? haha. Big bully that bugger was.
Fast forward to Sec 3 and he and I are in the same Lit class. Cautious of him at first, due to my preconcieved notion that all my pens were gonna dissapear into his mushroom head...It turns out that he became quite lol-ly guy. All round slacker and ideologist. Ultimately being absorbed into the clique.
Only one description will ever stick with this guy --> Mushroom.
All these other guys mentioned earlier, the changes from one to another year are not very apparent. Afterall, there were years of seperation in-between, even though we still saw each other in school.
In this next part, I will talk about a man who needs no introduction in my life. Abel koh has been a brother of mine for 9 straight years. We've basically beaten each other to hell and back. Throughout this 9 years however, there was never any real seperation between us. We always hung out and did the usual SAS rubbish together.
Throughout the nine years, I've actually been able to observe the various traits of said best bro, how each of the ideals are formed, how our outlooks are formed and how they evolve.
To this day, we are still best bros, and ultimately, it has made me realise that unless you have been there to see a person through so many years, you will never truly begin to understand a person. Just as how parents always seem to know what you are doing or thinking, to truly know a person, is to have the time to hang arnd the person long enough, till all the clues are through.
Throughout our lives we will interact with a large variety of people. Forming a variation of relationships with all of them, ranging from good friendly relationships, stiff professional relations, loving romantic relations or perhaps even bad, sour relationships. All these things are the result of your interaction with other peeple and how they connect with you.
However, things in this world are ever changing and relationships seldom ever stay the same. Over the years, I've seen my usual clique of whacky guys grow up and become who they are today.
Take the biggest of em all, JJ. Big guy from they day I first met him, all the way back when we were in primary 1!!! Always outgoing and very very noisy. Didn't really know much about him back then...bt then again...JJ never really needed much introduction. EVERYBODY in SAS knows who JJ is.
Fast forward to almost 13 years later, JJ is still...JJ. Although a fair bit more perverted and very politically outspoken...He's maintained a constant sunny desposition.
However, I only reconnected with him during those 13 years, in sec 1 when we landed up in the same drama club. Primary school, I was only familiar with him in primary 1. This is where the development of relationships occur. Back in primary 1, I recognized JJ for a certain set of characteristics. After a long period of no contact, it was only natural that I inferred on my last impression of him, to carry on the relationship. Fortunately, I wasn't wrong on that point.
In the end, we've decided that only one thing could possibly describe JJ --> JJ.
Take another big man, WJ! The super mushroom. I also met this fellow back in primary 1. But back then, he was a very different bugger.
I was very scrawny in primary school...and WJ was....WJ. Big and mushroom like. He used to steal/borrow my pencils and not return them. Bastard aint he? haha. Big bully that bugger was.
Fast forward to Sec 3 and he and I are in the same Lit class. Cautious of him at first, due to my preconcieved notion that all my pens were gonna dissapear into his mushroom head...It turns out that he became quite lol-ly guy. All round slacker and ideologist. Ultimately being absorbed into the clique.
Only one description will ever stick with this guy --> Mushroom.
All these other guys mentioned earlier, the changes from one to another year are not very apparent. Afterall, there were years of seperation in-between, even though we still saw each other in school.
In this next part, I will talk about a man who needs no introduction in my life. Abel koh has been a brother of mine for 9 straight years. We've basically beaten each other to hell and back. Throughout this 9 years however, there was never any real seperation between us. We always hung out and did the usual SAS rubbish together.
Throughout the nine years, I've actually been able to observe the various traits of said best bro, how each of the ideals are formed, how our outlooks are formed and how they evolve.
To this day, we are still best bros, and ultimately, it has made me realise that unless you have been there to see a person through so many years, you will never truly begin to understand a person. Just as how parents always seem to know what you are doing or thinking, to truly know a person, is to have the time to hang arnd the person long enough, till all the clues are through.
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