Class

"Class is an aura of confidence that is being sure without being cocky. Class has nothing to do with money. Class never runs scared. It is self-discipline and self-knowledge. It's the sure footed-ness that comes with having proved you can meet life."

--Ann Lander

RE: PM Dangles the Baby Carrot

http://stockscredits.blogspot.com/2008/08/pm-dangles-baby-carrot.html

In my humble opinion, the situation is rooted on the meritocracy in our education system. The problem is not a uniquely Singaporean one. You can find a trace of such meritocracy in almost every eastern Asian culture: China, Japan, Korea, etc—from the toddlers attending their ballet and piano lessons in diapers to the young champions glaciating in the Olympic arena to prove the genetic superiority of their nations. After all, to some people, “catching the golden snatch” is a matter of survival-of-the-fittest, not some kid’s play.

There is nothing wrong for a society to be meritocratic as a whole, and it is only fair that the talented and the diligent are awarded for their talents and diligence. But this is not the kind of ground-rule you want to set to your little ones, when they start forming their first perception on their lives and the world around them, because this will deplete them of their little naivety too early, too quick; and naivety— is arguably the most important ingredient for a life of joy. Without it, a life would be both unwaveringly purposeful and absolutely meaningless; both glamorously successful and bleakly joyless.

As ironic as it could get, the PM’s urge of forming families and bearing fruits, is not meant for the joy of a family life, it is meant to replenish the country’s HR pool so that there will be a less dependency on “imported head-counts”. Brilliant! What a prospectus! And its effect is compounded by some bonus “green grass” waving at us temptatingly. And like all other herd animals, we bite.

And of course, to be fair to those who “run the show”, they have been doing whatever they could think of on whatever problem they could see. You don’t often get the No.1 guy of the country to talk you into “going to bed early”. Truly amused and deeply appreciated. But even the fools can see that we are not getting anywhere near the so-called target. So isn’t this a sign that instead of trying to do one thing more that solves the problem, they should think of doing one thing less that causes it?

“So, how can we survive the competition, if we cannot provide a ‘high quality’ work force with the ‘right mentality’?” The answer is “we can’t.” So that question boils down to, “how much we are willing to sacrifice just to survive?” But, at the end of the day, you would want to be able to tell your children: they are created to this world because they are loved; they are not manufactured to this world because they are meant for some purpose.

Desire is the fuel of life

...
Jesse: ...and I just feel like I'm...
designed to be slightly dissatisfied with everything...
You know, I mean, like...
always trying to better my situation.
You know, I satisfy one desire, and it just...
agitates another, you know?
Then I think:to hell with everything, right?

I mean, desire is the fuel of life.
I mean, do you think it's true that if...
if we never wanted anything, we'd never be unhappy?

Celine: I don't know...

Jesse: Not wanting anything,isn't that...

Celine: a symptom of depression?
Jesse: Yeah, that is, right?
I mean, it's healthy to desire, right?
...
  ----------Before Sunset

Standard Causes of Misjudgement

Metaphysics

1. An individual has only one life, which is his/her current life;

Note: There is no Heaven, Hell or Samsara, etc. The game is over when you game-over.

2. Any other form of existence that is out of the boundary of, and can be associated with an individual's current life, either doesn't exist or cannot be comprehended by that individual, thus, is irrelevant to that individual;

Note: Our paradigms begin and end with our current life; it is pointless to look beyond that.

3. Immortality of consciousness can be achieved technologically.

Note: This can be understood as a "Heaven or Hell upon configuration" or a "Electronical Nivana"