GOOD LIVING

What is your idea of good living?
What advice do you have for living a fulfilling life?
Do money, health and love play a role in your conception of good living?

Being able to spend time with family and friends and also having the ability to get what I want are good living. For me, my family is the most crucial element which makes my life more precious. Spending time with my family by picnicking at the beach definitely works to release tension. During this leisure time we can also discuss our problems such as mundane assignments, crazy charity projects, etc. My family can definitely soothe my mind and boost up my motivation again. Furthermore, hanging out with friends at the mall allows us to share or exchange our views about something that we like: football! Other than that, through our chatting I can learn something about them that I don’t already know.
Having the ability to get what I want is good living for me but it doesn’t mean getting everything that comes across my mind. What I mean is having the ability to get something but I need to put effort into it. As I believe that if in our lives we can get whatever we want our lives must be quite dull. On the other hand, by putting some effort we will appreciate the stuff more and it will have a sentimental value for us (LOL).



Afandi bin Suhaimi




Good living is everyone’s dream. It is everyone’s ambition. Good living is when you have enough or excessive money to spend, when you are in the pink of health, and you have your loved ones by your side. However, a dream will only stay a dream if you don’t work your fingers to the bone. No pain, no gain. Here, I would love to share a quote from a successful entrepreneur, who is also the founder of one of my favourite labels of all time, Calvin Klein.
When I started the business, I hardly went home. I became very driven about work and about my career.
~ Calvin Klein

His saying shows how he burnt the midnight oil to become who he is now. Yes, he is surely living a really comfortable life now. But, come to think of it again, how did he achieve his good living? “I hardly went home.” This sentence tells us something. He actually sacrificed his ‘good living’ before achieving a higher level of ‘good living’. So this concludes that, if you want a good living in the future, you better start to work all the hours that God sends.

PS: I take this opportunity to wish GOOD LUCK! to the IB seniors, as well as the IB juniors who are striving to excel in their studies.

Azlan bin Latif


What defines good living? It is something subjective. Each person will have their own opinions about good living. There are some standards that people commonly use to set a good living. The standards could be in terms of level income, education, peace, gender equality, job opportunities, or illiteracy rate. It is very difficult to measure these standards. Usually, people refer to accredited organizations like the United Nations to obtain this data. However, the data cannot be trusted 100% as it may be biased or hold calculation errors. Good living varies from country to country. A good living in Nigeria could not be a good living in America. It seems to be a lot of problems in defining a good living. Yet, these obstacles cannot be the hindrance for us to achieve our own good living.
In my opinion, a good living is made from one word: gratitude. Gratitude is the feeling of fullness. You yourself feel enough of what you have. It does not matter whether you have lots or little. The most important thing is to realize that you have something and try to appreciate that thing. Try not to look up but look down. Consider yourself lucky as you have something compared to the others that do not have. You may be fat but you are still healthy. You are poor but you have a happy family. You are ugly but you are physically perfect.
This way of thinking promotes positive thinking. You can excel with your abilities rather than fail with your flaws. In life, people need to keep moving. Only by feeling enough can you move forward. Make full use of what you have and everything will be alright. At the very least, you will satisfy yourself as you have given your best shot. Gratitude is a symbol of supremacy. You do not need other people to help you feel gratitude. It is already built in yourself. You just need to ‘harvest’ it. In the end, it could be you who do not need other people as you can stand alone by yourself.
This is the good living for me. I want to live in the world with fullness, satisfaction and completion. One could be the happiest man on earth by feeling gratitude.

Firdaus b Roslan



When I hear the term “Good Living”, what immediately comes into my mind is to live outside the IB world. (haha!) I really miss the old days when I did not have to work like a machine. It is just so hectic living in this “IB world”. There is always something - never-ending IAs, homework, EE, etc. Okay, I better stop now. x)
After a year of living in this IB world, I would definitely say that I am already married to IB. Everything is all about IB. Even during our lunch breaks or outings, no matter how much we try not to talk about anything related to IB, we will still end up talking about IB. However, I am thankful to IB because it has made me ask myself: Who am I? I never asked myself who I was or what I wanted in my life before this. Thanks to IB, it opens up my mind and really makes me think about myself.
My vision of a good life is to live a Iife not filled with ambitious plans but live a life that is worth something. I believe that IB will definitely mould me into a better person rather than a robot because money is not everything.  Money is only a means to an end in pursuing the important goals in life. And for now, the good life is about living my life each day engaged in activities, assignments, and new learning that bring personal satisfaction and fulfilment. 

Fazlin Fuad


You need the following things to lead a good life: Health, Passion, Love.
Health is the absolute essential because without a “cooperative” body you would be quite lost in the woods. Keeping healthy is always on everybody's lips, but it is not something as simple as flicking a switch. This is because healthy food is hard to come by in Malaysia. For a country that prides itself on delicacies, there is preciously little here that will help you sustain a balanced diet. The rich, oily local dishes aside, what is to blame is also the onslaught of American chain-restaurants (Chili's, TGIF, Bubba Gump) serving junk food that could ruin your health with just one serving. So if you are reading this, stay away from American restaurants!
What will help you keep fit and lean are FISH, FISH and FISH. I don't mean fish done “The Manhattan Fish Market” way; I mean fish done the sashimi way. The rawer, the better. If you can taste the sea, you are doing something right. Raw fish, especially the oily ones, are high in Omega-3 fatty acids and will keep your cholesterol level in check. On top of that, they will give you a shiny skin and a youthful appearance. Granted, fish are an acquired taste. But if I had to choose between slimy marine and excess poundage, just give me a slab of the rawest salmon any day....

I also swear by berries – the whole range of them. Not only do they taste wonderful, but they also do wonders for your skin and your overall well-being. And consume lots of greens!

Drink at least three cups of green tea a day. No, not Lipton, but the authentic imported Japanese miracle that contains an antioxidant (catechin) that can blast abdominal fat. Avoid soft drinks (Coke, Diet or otherwise, Mountain Dew, Sprite) at all costs. Do it now or you will have much to regret when youth is no longer on your side.
Passion can take many forms. For me it is definitely the capital A: the Arts. Literature, music, cinema – the sources of my inspiration and the very means that allow me to dream and create. I take these art forms very seriously (reading a book is not a pastime for me), to the extent where I get completely absorbed and can think of nothing else. There are some authors (Paul Auster, Virginia Woolf) whose works I love so much that it feels like their ideas and personalities are an inseparable part of who I am. Without them I would still be searching for a lot of answers. Music and cinema work the same way for me. I have no appreciation for classical music, so laymen's pop/jazz will have to do the trick for me. The hairs on my arms stand up every time I hear Carly Simon or Diana Krall. As for cinema, give me the visionaries of the industry (David Lynch, Woody Allen, Pedro Almodovar) and I will walk with them...
I remember writing about Love in a previous issue. I don't remember whether the views I presented back then were cynical, but it is undeniable that Love, in all shapes and degrees, plays a vital role in making life worth living. Whether it is love from a friend, a colleague, a lover or a parent, it is a force that arms you against the ugliness of the world, and your life has meaning and purpose simply because it tells you you are precious to somebody.

Edward Ong


Money is Central to Happiness
 Money is not everything but without money, everything means nothing. I know that people may say I am a narrow-minded person but this is the reality. People cannot live in this world without money. In order for us to get better health, we must have money to buy medicine, supplements and health care. Even to get someone that we love we also need money. Money is the centre of everything.
From the day we were born until now, thousands and millions have been spent by our parents on us. When we were kids, we asked a lot of things from our parents. They used some of their money to get the things that we wanted so that we could be happy. After we have grown up a bit, we need to go to school. To buy books and other school equipment, we need money. After we have finished our days in school, we then need to enter university. Now, the same things happen. We study for one purpose: to have a better future. But what is behind this purpose? To get a better paid job. Are we willing to work without being paid? Ask yourself!
 Not only that, after we have worked, when we want to get married and after we have our own family, we need money to support our lives. It is just a matter of fact that people cannot live without money, and with money, it can lead us to the “good living” that we are searching for.

Mohd Izzuddin Bin Nor Azminuddin

I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing.

~ Agatha Christie

This statement cannot be argued anymore. We cannot find any human beings who do not suffer from any hardships in life. We can only see people who are trying to be happy instead of being sad all the time. The sadness and sufferings will however teach us to be more independent and strong to face all the challenges in life.
For me, living with 7 of my family members is one of the most precious things in my life. I have a sporting, convincing yet strict father, loving mother and the naughtiest siblings! Who says I have never fought with my brothers and sister? If we are all home (my brothers are now studying at Muadzam and Serting), the house will not be in the silent mode. Everybody will tease each other until one of us cries, especially my cute youngest brother. In the meantime, we all have different types of challenges to face in life, such as my father’s and mother’s workload as a Director and Executive respectively, big exams for my siblings and the most crucial problem in my life: the IB. So, we appreciate good living by spending time together, especially every holiday when we MUST go somewhere either in Malaysia or overseas, by having dinner every night and watching cartoons such as Ultraman, Nexus, Hagemaru, Fukuchan, Tom and Jerry and others every weekend :D

In my opinion, it depends on us whether to show appreciation in life as everyone has their own commitment. Although we think that we are the unluckiest person, there are actually huge numbers of people who are leading unpleasant lives, especially those who live in countries that are facing wars. Sometimes, we are just thinking too much and being too emotional about each problem that we have to face. So, what do we have to do now? Live life to the fullest! Go and enjoy ourselves because we only live once!

Fatin Shazea Jamaludin

Continue Reading...

YOUR MOST LASTING MEMORY…

I have one lasting memory which I would never forget for the rest of my life. Every time it comes to mind, I will smile alone. I never thought that I would have the greatest opportunity to go to that one place which most people in this world can only dream of. Before this, I had never found something that could lift me up and build my confidence whenever I felt sad and down until this happened in my life.
It actually happened last year when my dad announced that we would be going on a holiday. At first, I did not bother about the place because my family used to travel during school holidays. However, I was eager to know when I saw my father started to do research about Paris and London. At last, on one fine day, he told us that we were going to London. I was so excited because I always wanted to go there since I was a kid.
I spent about two weeks in Amsterdam, Paris and London, learning about their cultures, enjoying the beautiful sceneries and also having fun. The best thing that ever happened in my life which would be my lasting memory was when I got to go up the Eiffel Tower at night. From there, I could see the whole of Paris lit by spotlights and decorations because it was Christmas celebration! When I reached at the top, I realized that I should be going to Paris 2 years later after I have completed my IB. But now I got the chance to go there earlier. This encourages me to be strong in IB and strive for infinite excellence!!

Fatin Shazea

When I was 17 years old, the year I sat for my SPM, something happened that will always last forever in my mind. This thing happened a day after my birthday, which was on 8 August 2008. My auntie whom I cared like my own mother passed away. She died because of cancer. What makes me not forget this thing is the regret I felt for not being with her on the day she was buried. During that day, I was sitting for my trial exam so my father did not allow me to return to the kampong.
I still remember on 7 August that year, I was having fun with my friends celebrating my birthday. I called my mother and because at that time my mother was with my auntie, I asked to speak with her. She asked me to study well for my exam that year and to make her proud. I promised her that I would do it. I also asked her to take care of her health so she would recover faster. The next day, after I finished my mathematic papers, I straightaway returned to my room and I checked my phone. I received a message from my brother but I sensed something wasn’t good. He said “Maklong is not with us anymore”. I was speechless, frozen. I straight away called my brother and asked him whether it really happened. I was very shocked and tears wet my checks. I didn’t expect that my conversation with my auntie the day before would be our last conversation.
For my SPM, I kept the promise that I made. I managed to get 10 As for it. 

Mohd Izzuddin Azminuddin

Life is very interesting. A lot of things happen in one’s life. It could be something sweet or something bitter. These experiences play an important role in characterizing a person. Awful situations in the past could result in people behaving badly in the present. However, this cannot be the reason for people to blame solely on experiences. Sometimes, experiences can be a good teacher.  People keep all experiences as memories.
19 years is very long and I have gone through many experiences that I cannot forget. One memory that I would like to share is how I had gone through my secondary school. At the age of 13, I was sent to continue my study at a boarding school. It generally was a pleasant memory. It was there that I had to learn to take care of myself. I had to wake up early to organize myself. Time management was very important as no-one was there to help you. Mistakes were familiar as I was naive. I need to thank my friends for helping me survive that phase. When I was hungry, it was they who offered to share their food. When I was sick, it was their medicines that helped me to recover.  We lived like one big family. Those 5 years flew by very fast.
I will never forget this experience. My friends have helped me to be what I am today. Thank ya!
P.S. Thanks to Hakim who was my senior in my secondary school. Not forgetting, all my IB seniors, and Keat Meng! It is nice to have all of you as my friends.

Firdaus B Roslan

He is just a normal guy, not really smart, or rich but we do understand each other. The first time I met him was at a mosque where we went for religious classes. The first time I was in the class, I felt really lonesome as nobody was affable. In the third class, I saw him and I thought he was a new student. Moreover, he took a seat beside me at the back. I didn’t feel comfortable in the class yet although it was my third class. However, he started our first conservation.
‘’I love cricket too.”
“How do you know I love it?’’
“Your key chain tells me everything.”
He was the first person I spoke with, and I knew that we had a lot in common. He loved playing cricket. He loved Malay literature – pantun. After a month, we became closer. Every time after class, we would hang out at a café nearby and then we would go to a pet shop to look for fish. We both loved fish. It was one day when I didn’t bring money to pay for my food that he paid for me. And he always helped old people around the mosque.
Suddenly, my parents asked me to stop studying there as the mosques was too far from our house. After few days I didn’t go to class and he called me. I tried to explain to him but it seemed couldn’t understand my situation and he wanted me to continue to study there. Yeah, I understood why he forced me as he was lonely. I didn’t understand why all of our classmates were reluctant to be close with him.
I didn’t hear anything from him anymore. I found that he studied around my house.  I tried to trace him but I failed. I asked my friends who studied at the same school with him. But, what a surprise! The friends told me that he was such a jerk! He was nearly kicked out of the school. His discipline record was terrible. He smoked, played truant, etc.
I never expected that he was that terrible. But, I wanted his explanation as to why people talked bad about him. Why? If he is so, he would still be my best friend.
Nearly 8 years I have been waiting for him but I will never give up. He is Muhd Norsyafiq bin Muhd Norhisyam. Hope to meet you one day!

Ahmad Afandi Bin Suhaimi

My most lasting memory happened about a year ago. I went to Bandar Seri Iskandar, Perak to be interviewed for the Petronas scholarship. I travelled with two of my best friends and it was the first time for me to travel far without my parents. We took a bus to get there, and we stayed at my aunt’s house for a night, before checking in the University Teknologi Petronas (UTP) where the interview was going to be held the next day.

The next morning started out great with a perfect breakfast. But a great start of a day never tells you that the rest of the day is going to be perfect as well. As soon as I reached UTP, the soles of my shoes were torn, both sides. Till they got really annoying, I decided to rip them off, and I walked around the place with the shoe’s upper part, and only the thin layer of my socks as the base. The worst part was when it got wet. As much as I tried to hide it from everyone, I had to bear with the humiliating condition. I dressed smartly with my Padini shirt, and tailored dark pants, but my feet, they could see my toes stuck out from the shoes. Embarrassing much?
It was very demotivating. I could not concentrate on the preparation for the interview. And to see the other snobbish-looking candidates made me lose my self-esteem. Completely. However, I managed to distract myself from the embarrassment. I was even interviewed by the officers and lecturers with my toes stuck out from the shoes. But that did not matter, as I ended up being chosen as one of the few to get the Petronas scholarship to go overseas. Forest Gump says, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You will never know what you are going to get”.

Azlan Bin Latif

Continue Reading...

In the Spotlight…: The OM Staff

Fatin Shazea (Blogger)

1. What is the one thing you absolutely can’t live without? Why?

I can’t live without my teddy bears. My most favorite teddy is the one that is fluffy, nice to hug and of course it came from the special one =) The reason why I’m so into them and why I can’t live without them is because they can comfort me and can also be used as one of the mediums for me to express my happiness or madness :D

2. Tell us one thing that we may not know about you.

I used to fight with people, especially boys, when I was 13. Which should make me a nerd (you guys will definitely laugh if you see my nerdy face especially with that round spectacle and NAME TAG!). One time, if I hadn’t been able to control my anger, I would have been in jail for killing a girl in a case where she dared me to fight with her. I accepted the challenge and I sat on her bump until she couldn’t breathe. Fuh =.=

3. How do you see yourself in ten years’ time?

I see myself having a stable family with lots of kids and a steady position in a big company and still loving Facebook

Nicholas Foo (Illustrator)

1. What is the one thing you absolutely can’t live without? Why?

The beach. It is where I feel most at homeJ

2. Tell us one thing that we may not know about you.

I believe that everything that exists (plants, animals, inanimate objects) is of the same equivalence or even more important than our existence (human beings).

3. How do you see yourself in ten years’ time?

Wandering from place to place with temporary jobs

Cassandra Teo (In-House Author)

1. What is the one thing you absolutely can’t live without? Why?

My music. I love to feel the beat and move to it. It makes me feel good no matter what.

2. Tell us one thing that we may not know about you. My bark is worse than my bite ;)

3. How do you see yourself in ten years’ time?

Doing what I love best! Spending my time outdoors (hiking, rock climbing, etc), helping to save and restore the environment, travelling and trying out all kinds of different foods.

 

Yati Ishak (Advertiser/Facebook-manager)

1. What is the one thing you absolutely can’t live without? Why?

My blackberry of course (: Well, it has everything! There’s bbm which is blackberry messenger, meaning you can chat with other blackberry users for FREE! There’s also MSN messenger and Yahoo messenger. I can Facebook and Twitter whenever and wherever! I can make calls, text people, take pictures, make videos. What more can I ask for? (:

2. Tell us one thing that we may not know about you.

I secretly have a crush on Mr.Ong… :o hahah. Did it scare you??? I’m kidding (: though at times when Mr. Ong dresses well, he looks really good! Okay enough about that. Let’s see… oh here’s something interesting. I admire girls who are my kind of pretty/hot/elegant/sophisticated. I’d go like “Wow, she’s so pretty!”, “Oh my god! I love the way she dances!” or “Daaaaang I admire her so much. Look at her. She looks so elegant and sophisticated.” But this does not mean I like girls until I want to be in a relationship with them. It’s just those mutual feelings you know and I just admire their looks. It’s just a physical thing. And still some of my friends call me bi for it. Haha. Just so you know, I am not bi. It’s just this thing that I have. That’s something you don’t hear people confess about yea? (:

3. How do you see yourself in ten years’ time?

I’d be 30 years old! OHMYGOD. Well, I’d probably be married with a kid/kids? Living in a decent house. Not too big, not too small. I’d be driving a BMW X5 since I’ve got a kid/kids. I’d own a BMW Z4 for my husband and me to drive. Well, that would be his car. Mine would be a white BMW 3series coupe. Wow I can imagine it already and it is PUHRETTY! (: I see myself running around organizing events, calling people up for sponsorships, searching performances to perform for events, and making sure the event runs smoothly. Oh, I also see myself advertising events, running Facebook groups like what I’m doing now with Opinionated Monthly, making sure everything is up to date. Yup, I see myself living the life; happily with my family, earning money, loving my work, probably travelling here and there. That’s how I see myself in ten years’ time (:

 

Azlan Latif (Advertiser)

1. What is the one thing you absolutely can’t live without? Why?

I can’t live without chocolates. I will have chocolates after every meal. I destress myself with chocolates, and chocolates put me in a good mood.

2. Tell us one thing that we may not know about you.

I wanted to pursue my studies in medicine actually.
3. How do you see yourself in ten years’ time?

In 10 years’ time, hopefully I will have a beautiful wife who understands me best, handsome and pretty kids, and a high-salary job. Ahh what more could I ask for?

Lim Wei Jie (In-House Author)

1. What is the one thing you absolutely can’t live without? Why?

Me J.

But really, risk. I can’t stand living life in the conventional manner. There has to be some sort of a calculated risk involved, to give me a breath of fresh air or adrenaline rush from the unpredictability of the outcome. Risk in the context of ideas, projects, even homework deadlines! (IB teachers alert!) But I have to be careful not to overstep the border that separates foolishness from risk.

2. Tell us one thing that we may not know about you.

I use to be really short. Puberty hit me when I was 16 and before that, I had this outlandish idea of me never ever growing up. Anyway, skipping 500 times a day during the holidays helped and here I am now.

3. How do you see yourself in ten years’ time?

 Working in a 3 Michelin-star rated restaurant? Well, I doubt that idea will ever take off so hopefully, I’ll be working in a Fortune 500 company, preferably in Korea, inject my family tree with foreign blood and no kids, yet. If these situations don’t come true (God forbid!) you can find me in a secluded corner in the US, pathetically selling overpriced calligraphy pieces to white people.

Izzuddin BN Azminuddin (Illustrator)

1. What is the one thing that you absolutely can’t live without? Why?

I’m not sure myself what it is. People who I love I think. (What I mean is my family, and all my friends).

2. Tell us one thing that we may not know about you.

It took some time for me to answer this question. Haha. Hmm, people can see that I’m a happy person but deep inside my heart, who knows. :p

3. How do you see yourself in ten years’ time?

In 10 years time, maybe I will have already got married with the person that I love and be travelling around the world with her.  :p

Firdaus B Roslan (Illustrator)

1. What is the one thing that you absolutely can’t live without? Why?

I can’t live without my sweetheart, the little red heart. It keeps me alive.

2. Tell us one thing that we may not know about you.

I would like something BIG. I want to own a big house, a big car, and big money. I myself want to be somebody big. Yeah! Let’s grow bigger.

3. How do you see yourself in ten years’ time?

10 years older.

 

Afandi Bin Suhaimi (Blogger)

1. What is the one thing you absolutely can’t live without? Why?

Absolutely my lappy. Firstly, all the important documents I have saved in the laptop hard disk, including all my pictures, are tremendously precious to me. Furthermore, Adobe Photoshope CS3 creates my ideal world. Using this programme I can create thousands of beautiful pictures which are really impressive, at least for me. If you want to take pictures with somebody you admire most, you can use this programme to create a picture of you with the person. If get pimples, you can get rid of them with just one click, and the next click can create a perfect skin tone. If you want to be a model, you can make yourself more than a supermodel.

However, the most important reason is I need my laptop to get better internet access, so that I can get in touch with my friends all over the world, whom I miss a lot. But IAs are starting to take away my precious time.

2. Tell us one thing that we may not know about you.

I love Malay literature, especially pantun. I was such an expert during my schooling days but I have left that world.

3. How do you see yourself in ten years’ time?

I will be working with an outstanding oil company. I will have married and maybe have children.

Pratik Raghu (In-House Author)

1. What is the one thing you absolutely can’t live without? Why?

As cheesy as it sounds, I must say I would not be able to live without my family. I share a very close relationship with my parents, one that I can’t imagine being deprived of. I cherish the fact that we can communicate effectively with each other, and that my parents saw to it that I was able to lead the life I wanted to.

2. Tell us one thing that we may not know about you.

I am awful with giving drivers directions. Weirdly enough, I intuitively ‘feel’ my way around places, instead of remembering road signs, landmarks and left turns. Make me your navigator at your peril!

3. How do you see yourself in ten years’ time?

I see myself having a job that allows me to serve people in need compassionately and creatively. I do not see myself walled into a tiny cubicle in some towering steel and glass façade, gormlessly working myself to death for soulless fat cats.

Continue Reading...

April's Discussion Topic: What Defines Morality?

~ APRIL’S DISCUSSION TOPIC ~

WHAT DEFINES MORALITY?

The million-dollar question that every philosopher has attempted to answer, and now it is your turn. Share your thoughts with us, in 100-200 words, on the nature of morality and why it is an exclusively human phenomenon.

Moral rules are humanity’s attempt at self-preservation. The classic “Thou shalt not kill” is a good example. Our innate (or is it?) sense of good and bad may tell us killing another fellow human being is against our nature, but there is nothing stopping us from committing the act until it has been turned into a moral standard and sanctioned by (religious) authority. The laws dictating our behaviour are a direct reflection of the moral beasts that we are.

Though it would be unwise to dispense with moral rules altogether, it is necessary for us as thinking beings to be aware of the artificiality of moral rules. They are artificial because they are man-made (as opposed to divinity-inspired) and thus subject to change and manipulation. Cultures across the world may share certain moral rules (I can’t think of a culture which deems adultery morally acceptable), but it must be said that for every commonly shared moral rule, there are at least ten others which are culturally specific. Polygamy is not always the reprehensible practice that some cultures portray it to be. Homosexuality/bisexuality is generally accepted (or at least tolerated) in cultures which acknowledge the complexity of human sexuality. Aborting a foetus is not always the fire-and-brimstone sin that less tolerant societies say it is.

Morality becomes a problem when it trickles down from the top to the lowly individual and begins to dictate how that individual should act, think and live. This will deprive the individual of the right to be himself and to decide for himself what is right or wrong. In some Asian cultures, for example, it is considered “morally desirable” for a son or daughter to marry and produce a procession of children for the sake of the family’s bloodline. Anyone who does not comply is deemed “disrespectful” and “unfilial”. This, I feel, is a moral code that encroaches upon the rights of the individual.

Morality also tends to be (mis)used as a tool for judging others. Having moral codes suggests that everyone in that particular community must adhere to the way the game is played. As soon as someone fails to do so, he can easily be apprehended for non-compliance. The individual is duly judged and marginalised, without being given a chance to explain his stance. Morality is only concerned with black and white, not grey. In the eyes of a moralist, everything must either be right or wrong. There is not such a thing as “possibly right”. This is the crux of morality’s problem, as we know that life is nothing but grey areas.

Morality becomes an even greater problem when it is approached from a religious point of view. When God is brought into the question, all nuances go out the window. All religious leaders have to say is: God says it is wrong, so who are you to say it is right? No discourses are possible when the will of God is the final word. Some may argue that morality is God’s creation. There is a flaw in this reasoning, for it should not surprise anyone that even an atheist may think stealing another man’s wife is morally unacceptable.

Edward Ong

Basically, morality means good acts or deeds. However, after asking my close friends, I have realised that there are nuances to it. The differences are in the sense of adopting the values of morality in our routines. This does not show that we don’t really know what morality is all about or we don’t practise it because there are several factors which influence our method in adopting the values.

Firstly, our lives’ routines can never be separated from our culture. Every place has a unique culture which people practise, and the culture influences their minds and thoughts. Zorro, which is a famous film, depicts the culture in western countries which accept the act of stealing or robbery if one wants to assist hapless people. However, in Malaysia, for example, all citizens do not accept this idea and decline it as a norm. In Malaysian culture, properties belong to their owners, and no one should rob anyone for benevolence. Hence, the culture that people practise determines whether the action is moral or immoral.

Human civilisation is a fundamental of thoughts. Over the years, it is proven that civilisation has evolved, and as a result, humans’ attitudes towards certain subjects have also changed. Indirectly, this revolution alters our understanding of moral values. For example, in the past few decades, the concept of homosexuality has been considered uncivilised. People condemned this idea and boycotted people who embraced the thought. Nevertheless, civilisation has spun our thoughts on it, and today people can accept it as a moral act from the aspect of human rights.

In conclusion, morality is very subjective as several factors tend to affect our understanding of it.

Afandi Bin Suhaimi

Morality is an ambiguous term. It might be the good and the evil one. Good and evil are subjective. It is possible that we humans just created them. However, bad or good actions are situational. Rationalism is the definitive moral guide for me. Rationalism is “any view appealing to reason as source of knowledge or justification”.

For example, regular people may argue that abortion is a bad action because it is a murder whereas rationalists may argue that it is a rational action. Teenage pregnancy is a big problem now. A teenager may choose whether she should go on with the pregnancy, be a young mother or have an abortion and move on with the normal life. Sometimes if the teen is diagnosed pregnant, she may panic and think that she cannot deal with the child. Abortion is a good path to take since the teen is still in high school studying. The teen might need to drop out of high school when her pregnancy starts to show. Raising a child is not an easy thing. Child abuse may occur if good parenting skills are neglected. Therefore, abortion would be the best option to take to not to deal with the problem at all.

Fazlin Fuad Mohamad Faiz

If someone asks me to define morality, I am sure I will take a long time to answer this controversial question. Religions are the responsible force that determines the level of morality. They claim that society’s normal, rational morality is some absolute handed down from God. Things have eventually changed. Now there are many atheists as well in this world. This leads to a different understanding of morality as it is now thought that some immoral acts are actually logical, depending on the situation.

In my opinion, I would say that morality depends on our common sense. Yes, it might be true that religions also play a big role in determining morality, but then we cannot simply follow the rules given without any rational explanation. Morality is a specific, personal, individual issue, and impossible in the universal sense, when interpreted by various people and cultures. I will give an example that shows we are the ones that define morality, not others. In love, for example, women are prone to cheating compared to men. Why do women cheat and is it wrong for us to cheat? (considering myself to be one of the women). The reason for us to do so is that we like the thrill of the forbidden escape that we get from mundane relationships, not that we want to betray men. Unfortunately, for some people, they assume this kind of act as immoral. They think, as women, we should behave and be loyal to our partner. What makes it worse is when the woman is in a community that practises gender inequality; they assume that men are far better than women are. If a woman cheats on her partner, definitely people will assume that she is a slut, which is unfair to the woman as people around her do not know the real reason why she has done so.

In conclusion, I can say that it depends on us to define morality. No one can say that what we do is wrong or right. As for me, any moral decision I make is based on my own morals, and I know that my morals may not always necessarily tie in with general morality. Life is great, enjoy it. Do not care about what others think 

Sheril Emy Idayu Abdul Latiff

Morality can be found when a person behaves according to logic rather than his emotion. Morality can be seen clearly when a person is dealing with a difficult situation, whether he will use his head or his heart. In my humble opinion, when a person with high morality deals with a difficult situation, he would be true to himself as well as to other people. Morality prevents you from lying, even to save your own skin. A person with high morality will be trusted and respected.

As actions speak louder than words, action will determine the morality of a person. Let’s take into consideration a person who asks another person to throw out rubbish for him, and a person who actually throws his own rubbish into the dustbin himself. I will personally say that the second person is more “moral” than the first person.

Some examples of immoral behaviour are lying, throwing rubbish on the street, spitting on the pavement near someone’s feet and so on. It is good if you advise other people to throw rubbish into the bin, and to knock on the door before entering. But it is highly immoral if you only advise other people without you, yourself, listening to your own advice.

Zuraida Bt. Din

Morality has existed since the beginning of time but no one can find a conclusive definition for it. The depth and breadth of morality has been defined differently by different people based on their cultural, religious customs and perceptions. Based on Wikipedia’s definition, morality refers to personal or cultural values, codes of conduct or social mores that distinguish between right and wrong in society. Eventually, there are no right or wrong answers in defining morality. This is because when someone defines a subject as moral, other people may not necessarily define it as such. Culture and religion also influence people in interpreting the definition of morality.

For example, the introduction of weaponry at the very basic level has no moral issue if it is meant to be used by the arm forces to protect the country. However, weaponry is misused by certain people as a medium to attack human beings without any reasons. Similarly, the production of drugs is vital to everyone’s daily life as it helps to cure illnesses. Even one Panadol is enough to heal one’s fever in a short time period. Unfortunately, the misuse of drugs has led to several issues, including death, when one uses drugs for different reasons. Though most people know that the misuse of drugs will actually lead to death, they could not do anything as they are already addicted to them.

Another immoral activity is when people misunderstand the meaning of fashion. They see fashion as an essential issue living in the 21st century. As we all know, fashion designers are allowed to use fur to make clothes more fashionable. Regrettably, they tend to go overboard by increasing the use of fur in fashion as it will cause extinction to the animals. If this happens, will our next generations have the opportunity to see all the unique creations and learn to appreciate them? This again begs the question as to what is defined as moral or otherwise.

Fatin Shazea

Continue Reading...