~ JULY’S DISCUSSION TOPIC ~

CENSORSHIP

What is your stance on the act of censoring?
Is the public entitled to absolute freedom of speech and expression?
Why is there a need for censorship?
If there is a need, who should be responsible for it?

Censorship is a dirty word to me. I consider it a form of infringement upon basic human rights – the right to freedom of expression. Censorship is a tool used to reinforce power, dictate values and ideas and to keep the general population uneducated or worse, ignorant. It is also completely ineffective because human nature is always drawn to the forbidden. By censoring or banning a particular book or movie, it will just compel the public to gain access to the prohibited material by other means.

Censorship also draws clear and absolute lines on what is right and wrong with no compromises and no ground in between. It has resulted in some muddling outcomes as to what is deemed appropriate and inappropriate by certain authors, movie directors and producers. I was baffled to discover that Chinua Achebe is in the list of banned authors. If that is so, then why was Things Fall Apart included in the nationwide English Literature syllabus some years back?

I truly believe that censorship is a tool to subdue and limit freedom of thought and expression because the powers that be do not want their citizens educated and opinionated. Why would they when they would prefer to dictate what is right and wrong to the citizens? An ignorant society is better than a dissentient one.

Geraldine Phillips

Censorship. When we hear this word, abruptly we will imagine that the countries which practice censorship are uncivilized. However, if we really understand the use of censorship, then we will understand the importance of it in order for countries to be harmonious.

Malaysia is known as a country which does practise censorship in all mass media: television, newspaper, and etc. I think it is not wrong to censor certain materials but the extent to which the government practises it is an issue. If the government wants to delete certain scenes from a movie which comes from abroad due to the nuances of culture, it is not wrong, especially movies and dramas from France. If the government does not cut away these parts, the nude scenes may incur anger and wrath among the citizens.

The problem here is to what extent the government should censor our mass media. Today, whenever we watch the news either though national channels or private channels we should realise that we have been fooled with the “facts” due to censorship. The restriction imposed by the government is strictly just to maintain their good name, and as a result all the good and great news is always related to government. It means that we can’t really see what is happening in our own country. Is it getting better from the previous government or it is getting worse or are the opposition allies better? At the end of the day it is as if we were living in our own prison!

Ahmad Afandi

The IB5 who has left will be coming back again for one last event in the school: The Graduation Day. As the coordinator of the event I wanted a graduation that will fit them; a fun and spontaneous event. Having the help from one of the wackiest students in IB (Aimran) we agreed to create a memento that will best remind them of the IB programme, which is a VCD (that has now turned into a DVD due to the length) with their personal messages. Since we are interviewing, we might as well put it as a short movie during the graduation to show what their friends are saying to them. To add more flavours to it, we decide to ask them some “interesting” questions. So what started out as a short message became an elaborate interview that lasted about 7-12 minutes for each of the students. After the “wardrobe” interview we happily started working on the clips. This is when we found out that we had to do a lot of censoring. We needed to edit all the “inappropriate” responses which should not appear on the screen during the graduation (imagine all the teachers and parents!). I believe that censoring a video is partly fun because you get to see what each of the individuals really has to say but at the same time, no one else can share the fun (except the censors) because you have to censor off “inappropriateness” in the videos. So what is inappropriate? Anything that directly, indirectly suggests negativity (in the local culture) would be considered inappropriate. Well, I can’t really give solid examples as this will void all the censorship that we have endured! The students had a chance to express their thoughts, but were filtered by us (the self-appointed censors) who feel a need to protect privacy, and some….. to protect their dignity, so in this case it is necessary. So how are we judging the sensitivity of the speech? Well, since the audiences are the friends, family and teachers of the students, we have to listen to other hidden meanings as well, which makes the censoring job exhausting. First you take out some parts of the interview, and then when you listen again, it has to be sound, logical and most important of all, still carries the same message. In conclusion, censorship is tiring and should not be encouraged. Just show what is videoed and don’t video what’s not shown. J

Ellie Chuah

Censorship, my pet peeve.

I usually make myself see the black and white of everything, but not so when it comes to censorship. To me, there should be NONE.

The reason for my saying no to censorship has to do with the infringement of one of the basic rights of being human: freedom of expression. Everyone, black or white, Muslim or Jew, should be permitted to say and write what they want, and we, the readers, should be permitted to read what we want. To have a self-appointed governing body telling us what we should or should not read makes a mockery of our intelligence.

Censorship, of course, is a common practice in Malaysia (to be fair, it is in most countries). This means that the information the people get has already been filtered and is not the entire truth. Where is the harm in this? When the people do not know the entire truth, they can be presented with any version of the truth and they will believe it. This is the makings of an autocracy. It therefore doesn’t surprise anyone that there is no independent press in Malaysia.

On a less severe note, censorship is also rampant in the Arts in Malaysia. Movies are often censored because they are thought to be too sexual, violent or politically challenging (the whole Schindler’s List mess in the 90s was just plain embarrassing). Popular artists are restricted because they are considered too flamboyant. These are all examples of intolerance which stunt the growth of the mind. In order for the soul (assuming we have one) to grow, it needs to be exposed to the whole spectrum of humanity. When the soul fails to grow, you get warped individuals like the Indonesian Communications Minister who claims that the Internet violates public morality and vows to “save the young”.

What about those with the intention to offend or provoke? Should they be allowed to speak, too? Yes, absolutely. All the haters and anarchists should also have their say. This is because if they are not free to vent their hatred, it will be released in a more destructive manner (terrorism comes to mind). Should there be legal repercussions for these folks? Yes. This is NOT censorship. What it means is you are free to say whatever you want, but you have to be man enough to face the consequences of your words.

Edward Ong

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In the Spotlight…

1. What are you planning to do during the May/June school break?
2. How old were you when you had your first crush? Who was he/she? How did it end?
3. What is your most prized possession? Why?
4. What do you think of Ms Ellie's ability to sing?



Hidaya Ahmad (June 09)

1. Volunteer work with student exchange organization. And spend time with EE!

2. Around 11, a skater boy. He never left his gf, haha!

3. My ice hockey and in-line skates. Hold many memories.

4. Only heard her sing once and she's awesome!


 


Ms Geraldine Phillips (CAS)
1. I'm toying with the idea of going to Singapore. I hope to land some extra cash soon so
that I can buy that ticket once and for all.

2. Not counting Patrick Swayze, ;) It would have to be Nick. A boy who at 18 was far too matured for the 12 year old me. We spent a weekend in Awana together...along with his brother, my brother and our parents. ;)

3. This is totally shallow of me, but it would have to be my very own Louis Vuitton bag. This recently acquired item has been on my wish list all my life and the fact that I bought it with my very own hard earned cash just makes it sweeter to possess.

4. It makes me cringe. Hahahahaha...just kidding...or am I?


Lewis Jackson (ex-IB-er)
1) I’m going to alternate between gaming myself into another century, and partying so hard I rock the world (lol). Mixed up with a healthy dose of complete 'wastedness' haha. I basically want to maximize the fun I have in each day, make the best of this time. I also want to try marijuana ;)

2) Hmmm a girl called Olivia Duvall, I believe. I was obsessed with her for like 2 years or more. Got to the point where my nickname around school was "ILOD", I love Olivia Duvall. After I left, she got with my best friend... so a bit heartbreaking, but funny nevertheless.

3) I don’t really have one. I’m not materialistic in that sense, or perhaps I've never bothered spending enough on one thing for it to mean that much to me. If I had to pick one, perhaps my collection of books? All the books I’ve ever owned.

4) She can sing?


Azam Ismail (ex-IB-er)
1. School BREAK? I'll be free from school by then! I plan to travel the world, but due to lack of expenses, a family trip to the US to visit my sister and a weekend in Singapore with IB friends after graduation will do. Apart from that, I'll probably start volunteering at PT Foundation again (they miss me) and sort out all my university applications.

2. Probably when I was 13. I don't really remember. Guess my crushes weren't really big enough to leave an impression on me.

3. My beloved Proton Waja! It's a crappy car, but without it, I'd be doomed to a slow and painful boredom-induced death.

4. Ms. Ellie can sing? I've never heard her solo voice before! Guess that's another thing to add to my post-IB to-do list: Get Ms. Ellie to sing at graduation ;)




Mohd Izzuddin bin Nor Azminuddin (June 09)
1. I will have reunions here and there with my ex-schoolmates. :D

2. When i was 13 I had my first love. :p

3. 3 things that I always make sure I have before walking out of my house: my Fossil watch, my fake Timberland wallet, and my so cool G705 Sony Ericsson.

4. Hmm... For the sake of my Physics' test next week, it is better for me not to answer this question. :p

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Personal Favourites April 2009 - April 2010

Personal Favourites April 2009 – April 2010

Excerpt 1:

A more savage way you can help to kill this killer of ancestors is by dumping chemicals anywhere you like! Just dump those chemicals. Make sure it is toxic! The rivers usually are the favourite. If you dump the river, you will kill the fish living in there, or probably mutate it. The chemicals would also react with the water itself, forming whatever other horror substances that you can imagine, making the water too toxic to be used. Serves the aquatic life for killing our ancestors! The seas maybe a bt hard though, but if everyone works together, it’ll work.

Up next, nuclear bombs. Oh yeah! These are probably some of the best ways to kill the Earth. Let’s bomb anywhere we like with these hardcore mass killers. They can make a real big crater in the Earth along with making the surrounding air radioactive. You can make tsunamis out of them too. Bomb anywhere you like. The forests, the polar ice caps, the deep blue seas, big cities, up to you! Kill everything living on this Earth! That should show Earth what she’s dealing with!

The Editor-in-Chief says: This is an excerpt from “Let’s Kill the Earth!” (July 09) by Ariffin B Mohd Amir. Ariffin is known among us for his unusual opinions and the unusual way he expresses them. This satirical piece is a good representation of his style. In it he tells the reader to do everything he can to destroy the earth. But this, of course, is not his objective. When the reader gets to the end, he realises that all the things the writer is telling him to do have already been done. This makes the issue at hand rather poignant. Ariffin was a regular OM contributor. In fact, this issue comes with what is perhaps his last contribution (he is graduating soon).

Excerpt 2:

An Arrested Heart.

Nadzirah Yunos

You speak of rhymes
Dance with words,
Mimic poets,
With fingers in my curls.

Paint my heart red,
With a brush of your lips,
A voice that wraps me,
Of rhapsodic rapture.

When eyes turn black,
All is never lost,
Take me with insight,
Blithely within,
Fiery inside.

The Editor-in-Chief says: This is an absolute favourite of mine as it appeared in our pilot issue. The writer, better known to us as GG, was a student of IB3. She had taken English A1 for close to a year and half, and eventually decided to switch to English B. I love this short poem for its very precise and effective choice of diction. “Rhapsodic rapture” is a nice touch, allowing me to “hear” the voice of the lover. I hope GG is still writing poetry!

Excerpt 3:

Today’s world is characterized by speed; we are a people that are truly on the move. From the angered banging of the table when a program fails to load instantaneously, to the hurried cadence of the march which characterizes today’s executive; we are ceaseless in our efforts to speed things up. Today’s world is not satisfied with anything but instant gratification, and the entire service industry has adapted to fit our desire. One has only to look as far as fast food, one of the most defining concepts of our generation to see our desire projected onto food as well. We have let speed become one of the most treasured qualities of today’s marketplace, where speed and its sister ease of use rule an oligarchy of thought.

This epidemic of thought is most visible in the desperately treasured youth of today. Having grown up at the very cusp of the technological revolution, knowing nothing of the before and seeing only before it the boundless open spaces offered by this delightful new medium, this generation has not stopped in its ceaseless journey forward. Technology and its mediums are the train pushing forward, building its rails as it goes, and sitting atop in true pioneer fashion: with the wind in their faces and the excitement ever-present, is this generation. Information technology has managed to accomplish something unique to technology of the past, in that it can self-replicate fast enough to update itself. The train never fears a lack of fuel, for with every day there comes a new sacrifice to the furnace.

The Editor-in-Chief says: An excerpt from “Loneliness: A Utopian Nightmare” (Nov 09) by Lewis Jackson, one of our in-house authors. Lewis is known for having colourful opinions and his expressiveness, all of which are evident in this article about the “dark side” of modern technology. I agree with everything said here: the modern world is all about speed and superficiality. There is very little space for sincerity and retrospection. What a pity that the very tools that are supposed to help us develop are robbing us of our humanity (look around you when you are in a mall and see how many people are completely mesmerised by their I-phones). Incidentally, Lewis also writes interesting poetry.

Excerpt 4:

Our wretched self-absorption and brutal capabilities are surmounted only by our ability to turn a blind eye. Ignorance is anything but bliss for those who bawl for assistance to no avail. How convenient it is to imagine that we are any closer to achieving the oh-so-ambitious Millennium Development Goals. That our glittering sneakers weren’t as a matter of fact made by a little boy in the stuffy confines of a Chinese workshop, desperate to earn a bowl of rice and not a cold-blooded thrashing. That so much of the natural beauty we readily take for granted will shortly cease to exist as a direct result of our consumerism, our hunger for looming glass facades and brimming gas tanks. Convenience is the fog that clouds our compassionate perception, while passivity is the rocket that incinerates a Gazan youngster, the chain link fence that locks in a Sri Lankan refugee. Perhaps the advent of high technology has helped us sink even deeper into the comatose recesses of our comfort zones, where no shock waves can churn the waters of our consciences. Perhaps we consistently, tragically err when choosing between what is right and what is easy.

But what if, what if the night is darkest just before the dawn? I do believe that the forces of light are capable of penetrating even the most consuming darkness. In every age, a handful of individuals have always managed to break free of the suffocating bonds of ignorance, selfishness and violence to inspire and uplift the rest of us. Think Oprah Winfrey, Bono and Mohamed Yunus, Mahatma Gandhi, Desmond Tutu and Oskar Schindler: to follow in their illustrious footsteps, to move towards realizing the Utopian vision, we need to look inwards and confront that which truly frightens us. We have to awaken our consciences and open our hearts. We must embrace the fact that we are not enemies, but friends, that while passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. We need, now more than ever, to become the change that we want to see in the world.

The Editor-in-Chief says: The title of this piece is “The Illusion – At Present” (Feb 10), written by Pratik Raghu – our very own humanitarian. Pratik is someone with a voice of his own, and he often expresses himself beautifully. This piece demonstrates his exceptional command of the language and also his thoughts on weighty humanitarian issues. Extreme individualism (which I feel is a product of materialism) is an epidemic that is threatening the well-being of the human race. In our age, it seems impossible to imagine another Gandhi or Oskar Schindler.

Excerpt 5:

A couple of years ago, while walking the streets of West End trying to decide which play to see, I saw a poster in Piccadilly theatre for Guys and Dolls featuring none other than Patrick Swayze! The decision made, I marched straight in to get a ticket. That night, I walked into the auditorium with butterflies in my stomach. I was finally going to see Sam/Johnny! As the curtain came up, an announcement was made over the PA stating that an understudy would be playing Patrick Swayze’s role of Nathan Detroit as Mr. Swayze was ill. I was crushed that my crush would not be appearing that night. I stillmanaged to enjoy the show though.

Patrick Swayze has cemented his place in my heart and mind. To me, he portrays characters who display the best qualities of a man. His ability to portray them so convincingly on screen must mean that it comes naturally from within. That makes him a beautiful man inside and out. Ever since Ghost, Patrick Swayze has held a piece of my heart. With his passing, he takes that piece with him.

The Editor-in-Chief says: “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” (Oct 09) by Ms Geraldine Phillips reminded me of my own teenage years in the 1980s, when Patrick Swayze charmed the socks off everyone by playing a sympathetic ghost. Swayze succumbed to cancer at the age of 57. Along with the death of Michael Jackson, Swayze’s passing was another wake-up call for me: Everything changes. Going from day to day, you may operate under the illusion that you are immortal; but the brutal truth is no-one and nothing is to remain for ever.

Excerpt 6:

Apart from freedom, not having a good relationship with parents keeps teenagers from being happy. I know I’m not happy when I’m not on good terms with mum or dad. I would either be really pissed off, annoyed or you’ll see me ranting to my friends about it. I get annoyed by them really easily as they would always have something bad to say about everything especially when it comes to my education. I can say that I do not have a good relationship with my parents. Yes, I admit it. It’s true. And because of that, I hate talking to my parents about anything important especially when it comes to education. I can tell you that if I do go talk to them about it, I would end up crying even before I can say anything. I just feel that it is a sensitive issue to me to be talking to them about it. I think it is because of how they respond to it and what they say to me about it. I tried talking to them about education a lot of times before this; when changing my course from SAM in Taylor’s College to IB in Sri KDU. It was hell for me to go through all the conversations. I remember crying about it when talking to them about it or at least I felt like crying. I would hold back my tears most of the time when I’m strong enough. I usually breakdown after talking to them anyway.

The Editor-in-Chief says: The Nov o9 discussion topic “Teen Angst” caused some writers to pour their hearts out. Our ever-dependable advertiser/publicist/Facebook-manager Yati Ishak handed in a piece which is both personal and revealing. It reveals to us why teenagers are often unhappy during what is in fact the best time of their lives. Pressure from parents to perform well academically, pressure from friends, pressure from society – all these different forms of pressure make it sound as if adolescence were some kind of pressure-cooker. She writes, “I hate talking to my parents about anything important…” This is something I can relate to. Even to this day, at the tender age of 37, I still don’t tell my parents half the things I do.

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Top 10 Romance Movies in Geraldine's Humble Opinion

op 10 Romance Movies in Geraldine’s Humble Opinion

10. Casablanca – Apart from spawning cult one liners, it was one of the original love stories that ended in heartbreak as an individual proves his love for a woman by letting her go. This ultimate self-sacrifice has shaped my notion about how love is sometimes selfless.

9. A Walk to Remember – Pays homage to the Love Story theme where young lovers are rendered with the impossible situation of losing one another to a fatal illness. Their conviction in their love inspires me to look beyond the mundane petty things that may sometimes cloud a relationship.

8. The Way We Were – A story about how opposites attract. Despite the odds, Katie (Barbara Streisand) and Hubbell (Robert Redford) fall in love and embark on a tumultuous relationship. Ultimately, what attracted them to one another was the reason behind the crumble of their relationship. However, it speaks volumes about how certain issues could be overlooked and how love can sometimes transcend even the most convicted card-carrying Marxist!

7. Only You – This movie is saccharine sweet and has universal appeal. It is also very 90’s Hollywood driven blockbuster. Nonetheless, the setting is beautiful (Venice and Positano). The protagonist Faith has faith in fate. She believes in soul mates and is convinced that she was meant to be with one Damon Bradley. The movie chronicles her misadventures as she chases the mysterious Damon Bradley around Italy and along the way meets a man named Peter Wright. I believe the writer was using puns with the names of the characters. Faith who believes in fate and destiny wholeheartedly and Peter Wright who had the wrong name initially, but ended up being Mr. Right.

6. The Bridges of Madison County – The irreplaceable Meryl Streep stars in this movie that has opened my eyes to the possibility that some love affairs, no matter how brief, can last a lifetime in a person’s memory and heart. A story of sacrifice and forbidden love, it paints a very real picture of unhappy couples in dysfunctional relationships everywhere who engage in secret love affairs but as a sense of duty, choose to end the affair for the sake of the family unit.

5. You’ve Got Mail – You just can’t go wrong with this combination. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. What’s not to love? Sleepless in Seattle was another good movie but this one has trumps Sleepless for various reasons. It does not start off as a romantic movie. Both individuals are strong, career-minded people and they enjoy witty banter. I suppose this movie struck a chord in me as I ADORE witty banter. Although the ending is thoroughly predictable, it is the journey that enthrals me. The exchange of ideas and opinions on culture and books; the snide comments made to one another. It’s a great romantic comedy that merits a viewing (or twenty and counting).

4. Something’s Gotta Give - This is a real gem of 21st century romantic comedy. It comments on very real issues that stem from centuries-old stereotypes and presents them in a modern context. It has enough twists to make it interesting to watch with a healthy dose of culture to inspire me to live the finer life. There are hilarious role reversals and honest commentary on modern relationships that cling to some traditional stereotypes. The paradoxes in the movie are enough to get me in stitches, every time I watch it.

3. The Notebook - A story of undying loyalty and devotion. Noah and Ally were truly made for one another and have weathered the predictable storms early in their relationship to find and make something last. He from a working class background; and she a Southern debutante. What makes this movie exceptional from the usual star-crossed lovers of contrasting backgrounds is the enduring love they have for one another. Their love prevailed objection from her family, wartime, her imminent engagement, their differing temperaments and many more.

2. Pretty Woman – The ultimate grown-up Cinderella tale. Despite the gritty secondary themes (prostitution, drugs and Sunset Strip) this movie still managed to emerge a shining example of a modern love story where people are able to change one another for the better regardless of their background. The movie confronted the hardships both characters had to endure but portrayed them in a believable yet comical way. The chemistry between Richard Gere and Julia Roberts was ultimately the clincher for this movie that made it one of the most memorable romantic movies in my book.

1. French Kiss – This might not be anybody’s idea of a romantic story. For one, the protagonist, Meg Ryan, spends the better part of the movie chasing her fiancé in Paris trying to convince him to return to her after he dumped her for a French woman while on a business trip to Paris. She meets Luc who has his own agenda in befriending her and the both of them embark on a hilarious goose chase around France tracking down the elusive and philandering Charlie. What makes this movie my top choice is purely setting and plotline. It was a beautifully shot film, incorporating many themes near that are near and dear to my heart. As for plotline, it inspires me to think about love in another angle, and not be consumed with the idea that there is one ‘perfect’ one for me out there, This movie has taught me that even the best laid plans can fall apart and the only way to live is joie the vivre!

Other honourable mentions: Love Story, Notting Hill, Titanic (Lame, I know but still manages to tug at the heartstrings), When Harry Met Sally, The English Patient, Persuasion, Serendipity, Ghost, Gone with the wind, A Very Long Engagement.

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Love Letters of Great Men and Women

Geraldine Phillips

I was browsing in the Borders bookstore in Tropicana City mall over the weekend when I encountered this book: Love Letters of Great Men and Women. For those of you in the know, this book was referenced in the 2009 hit movie Sex and the City. As it was the only copy in the store, I snapped it up and eagerly brought it home to be devoured. Needless to say, it left me in a pink cloud of mist. Some of the letters were not in any way mushy; in fact some were downright vulgar in their expression of passion for their beloved. But there were many that sent pleasant jolts and a cold hard realisation that such romantic love notes are probably a thing of the past.

One of my favourite letters from the book was one written by Henry VII to Anne Boleyn. This was during the courtship period where Henry was desperately trying to win Anne’s affection and attention. As Anne refused to be installed as a mistress, Henry literally moved heaven and earth to be with her. But before this dramatic, irreversible event. He wrote her this note:

My Mistress and my Friend:
My heart and I surrender themselves into your hands , and we supplicate to be commended into
your good graces, and that by your absence your affections may not be diminished to us, for that would
be to augment our pain, which would be a great pity, since absence gives enough, more than I ever
thought could be felt. This brings to mind, a fact in astronomy, which is, that further the poles are from
the sun, notwithstanding, the more scorching is the heat. Thus is it with our love....Your friend and
servant.
HR

I wonder if Anne was his great love, his true soul mate. For a king who had everything handed to him on a silver platter to yearn for and consummate a long term courting affair, there must have been some sort of spark, a feeling that convinces your whole being that you were meant to be with that other person.

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Ms Geraldine Phillips on „Teen Angst‟

Ms Geraldine Phillips on „Teen Angst‟ (the November 09 discussion topic)

Secondary school. Love it or hate it. But you can never be indifferent to it. Every single emotion that you could possibly experience, you do so in your teens. It never comes quite as blazing and passionate again. Remember when you hated your mother with a fire of a thousand suns? Or when the girl or boy of your dreams finally smiled at you? What about the time when you heard through the grapevine that he /she likes you too! Unreal!

What I remember most from my teen years is that feelings and emotions were completely black and white. There is nothing in between. You are either in the very depths of despair resigned to your fate as a single old hag, or singing with the birds flying hand in hand with your sweetheart across the rainbow in the glorious setting sun. I would not think twice before declaiming my love for a boy I‟ve only known for 24 hours or screaming “I hate you!” and really meaning it to my mother. My inability to see the grey area has of course hindered any intellectual objectivity, but at 15, who cares, right?
Love it or hate it, your teenage years herald some of the most memorable moments of your life. A lot of first‟s, a lot of mistakes, a lot of heartaches and of course a lot of angst. The teenage me moved through life with assurance and conviction that eludes the adult me. The teenage me had so much courage and belief that life would be fantastic and extraordinary.

The adult me knows better. However, the shadow of the teenage optimist stuck around, stubbornly like the recurring pimple that will never go away. I still have bursts of mad optimism from time to time, but definitely not on the scale of fabricating elaborate lifestyles in my head (and actually deluding myself into believing it).
I used to roll my eyes at the adults, who used to tell me to cherish my youth. As if mountains of homework, exam anxiety, raging hormones resulting in unsightly acne, conflicting emotions about that boy/girl and daily rumour-mongering were supposed to represent the best years of my life! With the benefit of hindsight however, I can see now that my teen years have been a focal point in my life. The discovery of new experiences and the exhilaration of sampling something for the very first time is in short a thrilling experience. At the cost of sounding trite, I would say to all teens that the life you have now is somewhat special. You only have a few years to be a teenager, to be forgiven for all the crazy mishaps you get up to and the rest of your life to be a (hopefully responsible) grown up.

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How to Deny Reality (Geraldine Phillips)

There are plenty of ways to deny reality. People tell us to grow up, get a job, put food on the table, pay bills and own your mortgage. That is a reality. But does it have to be your reality? They say it takes all kinds of people to make this big world go round. Different strokes. Humans have had to adapt to the life of hardships and struggles alongside wealth and happiness. Sometimes the scales tip favourably or unfavourably but that alone is not an indication of personal triumphs or failures.

So how does one deny reality? Perhaps you can get lost in daydreams. People might think you are mad and irresponsible. Some might say it is the Peter Pan syndrome. But you know that you are going to a place everyone once was in their childhoods or even in their sweetest dreams. Smug in that knowledge that only the brave abandon modern ideas. The escapist thinks of nothing but a better place. Michael Jackson was a well-known escapist. He was constantly escaping into another world, one that didn’t make sense to the rest of the world. Sadly, we have no capacity to live beyond the norms that have been dictated to us.

To deny reality, one needs to know how to strike a delicate balance. One needs to have the courage to follow one’s heart and not one’s head. One needs to use common sense and not get completely lost in the clouds because then you are dealing with the very cold reality of an insane asylum.

Denying reality can simply be ignoring the petty, mundane routines of life like getting up, having breakfast and going off to work. Why not try getting up and going to dinner for once (yes, at 11am) and then going off horse-riding or mountain-climbing? Try walking or biking to work for once, regardless of how impractical or unfeasible it is. When you turn up late for work/school, say that it is the price you are willing to pay for less carbon dioxide in the environment. Denying reality does not have to be self-indulgent. It takes a bit of courage, a lot of imagination and the will to see it through. Maybe then, I will not be the only dreamer on earth.

“..You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one…”
 John Lennon

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(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life

I’m just going to say it. Patrick Swayze was my very first love. Ok, first celebrity crush. Talk about falling for an older man.  When Dirty Dancing premiered, I was a mere five year old. What did I know about boys and crushes?  The defining moment was when I turned nine. Ghost premiered in the State cinema – those who grew up in Petaling Jaya in the 90s will know that it was THE cinema in town.  To an impressionable nine year old child, going to the movies was like stepping into another world. A world of wonder and intrigue where the characters were larger than life and indeed life seemed larger than life.
The memory is vividly etched in my mind. It was a rainy Saturday evening and my father was driving to the State cinema. My mother and my older female cousin were in the car with us. They were trying to persuade my dad to watch the movie, which my dad vehemently refused, saying it was a chick flick. (Well, he didn’t use those words specifically, but it was something to that effect.)
I was excited. The movie received a lot of hype as a wonderfully romantic love story. There were even rumours of mild nudity scenes included in the movie!  Needles to say, I was thrilled to be watching Ghost. It made me feel like a grown-up.  Before disembarking from the car, my dad handed us a box of tissues.
“Here, you are going to need this.”
Stepping into the cinema armed with popcorn and Coke, I settled happily into my seat and watched eagerly as the scenes unfolded before me.  It didn’t take long for me to notice the handsome leading man.  His name was Sam. I watched in dismay as he was killed early in the movie but was revived in the following scenes as a ghost.  The pottery scene mesmerised me. It was delicate, intimate, bittersweet and accompanied by a song that will forever stick in my mind as the most romantic love song ever.  It was then that I felt the first flutter of a crush. It was an awakening of a more adult nature that paralysed me with delirium.
It was at that point my mum and my cousin reached for their tissues.  I guess I was too young then to comprehend that he wasn’t physically there with the woman he loves. To my undeveloped senses, it was a just a beautiful love scene.  Yet, not wanting to be left out, I cried too, without really knowing why.
Years later, whenever I re-watch the movie, it never fails to trigger my tears.  This time, the tears are accompanied by a tug at my heartstrings.  I felt for Molly - the wrenching feeling of abandonment and loneliness. I felt for Sam - the saying “the worst way to miss someone is to be sitting right there with them and knowing that you can never be with them” never rang truer in this case.
Stepping out of the cinema, I noticed there wasn’t a single dry eye leaving the building. My cousin was still dabbing her eyes and my mum’s eyes were red and sore.  My dad was waiting for us at the verge with a smirk on his face when he saw our tear-stained ones.  From then on, I lapsed into a pre-teen moody phase. I wore black clothing and claimed to want to see ghosts, so that I could see Sam. 
I did see ‘Sam’ again. A couple of years later – only this time he wasn’t Sam, but Johnny Castle.  A smooth talking heartbreaker who could move with the combination of grace and sensuality on the dance floor.   It was as though he moved on to match my adolescent growth - from a sweet sensitive man, to a sensuous lady’s man.  I realise that chronologically, this is incorrect as Dirty Dancing was an earlier film, but I am glad that I saw Sam before Johnny. It was like seeing him come back to life, with a fun personality and scorching hot physique to match.
Dirty Dancing was a whole different experience.  How he probed Baby to be more confident through the dancing lessons.  The exploration of their love and her sexual awakening.  How Baby encouraged Johnny to break out from his stereotype. The feeling of weightlessness as Johnny lifts Baby up in the air in their triumphant dance.  I wanted to be Baby so badly.
The first time I saw this movie, it was at my very first sleepover at my best friend’s home. We stole into her mother’s drawer and sneaked the video out.  Later that night when the adults were asleep, we popped the video into the machine, mixed up some hot Milo and watched in awe at the dance moves, the sensual scenes and the incredible Mr. Swayze. We both shivered with delight at the words:  “Nobody puts Baby in the corner.”
A couple of years ago, while walking the streets of West End trying to decide which play to see, I saw a poster in Piccadilly theatre for Guys and Dolls featuring none other than Patrick Swayze! The decision made, I marched straight in to get a ticket. That night, I walked into the auditorium with butterflies in my stomach. I was finally going to see Sam/Johnny! As the curtain came up, an announcement was made over the PA stating that an understudy would be playing Patrick Swayze’s role of Nathan Detroit as Mr. Swayze was ill. I was crushed that my crush would not be appearing that night. I still managed to enjoy the show though.
Patrick Swayze has cemented his place in my heart and mind. To me, he portrays characters who display the best qualities of a man. His ability to portray them so convincingly on screen must mean that it comes naturally from within. That makes him a beautiful man inside and out.  Ever since Ghost, Patrick Swayze has held a piece of my heart. With his passing, he takes that piece with him.

Rest well, Patrick. xxx

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~SEPTEMBER'S DISCUSSION TOPIC~ ITS THE END OF THE WORLD.

~ DISCUSSION OF THE MONTH ~

It’s the end of the world. what would be the last thing(s) you do?

If the world ended tomorrow, I would first say goodbye to my family, my cats, Sharkey and Gorgeous, and also express my feelings to them as I love them so much. I would miss them the way they are and I would thank my parents for being so lovely and caring in my life. They taught me how to be a better person in life and also they always give me the inspiration on how to face this world which is full of happiness and also obstacles. I would spend our last night together in a restaurant and laugh as much as we could and enjoy the last moment together before this beautiful world ended.

Other than that, I would spend all my money which I got from my father for my distinctions in the SPM examinations. I got RM1300 for that and I would go shopping even though I knew that the world would end tomorrow. It is my hobby to shop so I would spend my last day shopping and hanging out with friends if possible and I am very sure that I could feel the satisfaction of being with them. I would buy clothes which I did not have the opportunity to get before because I was not born affluent. Now, I have the money and I want to spend it all.

Moreover, I would like to seek forgiveness from my friends and also, if possible, from my teachers.  Sometimes we do not realize that we have hurt our friends and teachers. If we offended them and we did not apologize, they would think that we did not care about their feelings. At least, if the world ended tomorrow, I would feel relief if they have forgiven me. I would also settle all my debts and of course as a Muslim, I would pray and give alms and charity to orphanages and old folks as much as I could. Lastly, I would like to get married with the one I love. I want to know how it feels like to be someone's wife because there will be someone who will always care about us.

In a nutshell, if the world ended tomorrow, I would like to do all the things that I want to do which I do not have the opportunity yet. After all, I would like to feel the satisfaction of being a perfect person in this world.

Fatin Shazea Binti Jamaludin (June 09)

When we talk about the end of the world, it gives us the meaning that all living things in this world will die. If the world ended tomorrow, I am sure there are many things that I would like to wish for. Everyone will be the same as me; surely, they also have their own last wish before they leave this world. Since I am only 18 years old, there are many aims and ambitions that I want to achieve before I go to the nirvana stage. Out of so many wishes that I want, there is only one wish that is always my priority. I think I will rest in peace if I have the chance to fulfil this dream.

As for me, if the world ended tomorrow, besides saying goodbye to my beloved parents, I will go and meet the only boy who has stolen my heart and confess to him how much I love him all this while. I first met him when I was in Form 3. My school had organized a rugby tournament among all the schools in Kuala Lumpur and he was representing his school for rugby. I was his school’s guide and I was supposed to show them their hostel and so on. Since that day, we have been friends and day by day, we have become closer to each other. We studied together and lucky for us, we both managed to get flying colors for our SPM examinations.

As we got closer, I began to realize that I actually had a crush on him. The reason why I am attracted to him is because he is such a good listener and he really takes good care of me. I still remember the day when I first enrolled in Sri KDU, I called him and cried over the phone because I was not able to cope with the new environment. He patiently listened to me and he has kept advising me until today. He always manages to calm me even in the most difficult circumstances, and he will always be there for me whenever I need his help. On his part, he treats me as his best friend and nothing more than that. It never crosses his mind to take our relationship to another level and I accept that fact as long as we are still close with each other.

I know if I did not tell him my feelings, I would not be able to live happily but I really do not have the guts to do so because I am afraid he might freak out and leave me behind. For now, all I want to do is to concentrate on my studies since I know I would go nowhere if I kept dreaming about him. However, if the world ended tomorrow, I would not hesitate to go and meet him to tell him that I love him so much and will keep on loving him until the end of time.

Sheril Emy Idayu Binti Abdul Latiff (June 09)

  

 

Till then.

John 8:32 – Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

If it is the end of the world, one of the things I would do is e-mail this article to the chief editor of Opinionated Monthly, which goes like this:

Is there a correlation between the numbers of A’s obtained in schools and colleges to the level of poverty, corruption, dispute among nations and to the quality of air, water and soil? The issues of yesterday, which stem from greed, indifference and ignorance, still persist to this day. Does it mean that nothing can be done about it? Does it mean that it is a waste of time and energy to do something about it?

Is it our duty as teachers and students to find and be part of the solution to the issues humanity is facing today? Or do we conveniently point our fingers to someone else?

A glimpse of paradise on Earth can be caught once we begin to adopt an attitude of ‘if it’s to be, it’s up to me.’ That is my contention. Yours too, at some point, one way or another.

What is the purpose of education then? Can we see beyond an A? Is there a grander scheme of grooming students to answer exam papers?

If education is not about solving issues and problems through means of philosophy, religion, science, politics, technology and arts, then I would let out a big sigh of relief. But if it is, I will not panic, make eye contact with my students, and say; “I’ve failed you,” smiling.

And I shall be free.

-   Love Your Mice   -

If the world ended tomorrow, I most probably would make myself the center of peace of the world. Through the millennia, we have not been able to eschew from causing misunderstandings and other factors that caused the world to be unsafe to live in. World War I and World War II have told us enough about the consequences of war. Although humans are sensible enough to evaluate the effects of war, they are still sending their armies to wars and operating activities that can harm world peace such as producing nuclear weapons.

As the center of peace of the world, I would meet the world leaders regardless of their political ideologies in order that we all could negotiate and understand each other just for the short moments left. I would persuade North Korea to cease manufacturing nuclear weapons. The missiles which are ready to be launched should be undetached. The ongoing war in the Middle East between the Israelites and the Palestinians should be ceased. I would make all the world citizens unite as today was the last day that we would breathe and see each other.

Ahmad Afandi (June 09)

If the world ended tomorrow, the very first thing I would do is to buy the most expensive first-class airplane ticket to Langkawi. I would then meet my family in Langkawi and ask for their forgiveness. I am dead sure that my sisters, one in Sarawak and one in Australia, would come home too. So, we could have our last little reunion.

            Then, my family and I would go to the beach and we could swim there, because I never had the chance to boast to them that I can swim now. Well, kind of. I would force my family to get a manicure just because my dad hates it (been there, done that) and thus we could laugh and cherish the moments we have. Most importantly, I would try to drive my dad’s car even though I have never learned how to, which probably would get me killed. Hmm, maybe not such a good idea...

            Lastly, I would call the person I have a major crush on and confess my feelings to him, and I would say to him, “Even though we die, my love for you will live on forever.” Well, to sum up, I would also have to call, like, a dozen people of the opposite gender, including Eunhyung from ‘Super Junior’, to confess my everlasting crush on them. Hmm, too troublesome. I might just spend more time with my family.

Zuraida binti Din (June 09)

It’s the end of the world. What can I do? Even if I did carry out my deepest desires with doomsday looming, there is no joy or satisfaction to be had in earthly pursuits at the eleventh hour.  I would simply sit and wait for the end of the world, comfortable in my own bed with a nice glass of white, listening to Chet Baker. 

Geraldine Phillips (CAS)

Tomorrow is unpredictable. It is a mystery. Even if we plan what we are going to do for the next day, unfortunately sometimes it does not go according to plan. If we knew we would die in the next 24 hours, it would create a chaotic situation. People would start to think about the last thing they wanted to do. As for me, if the world ended tomorrow, the last thing I would want to do is sleep for the whole day.

            Why? The reason is simple. I do not want to know how the world would end. Would it explode like what we have always been told in the theory of the big bang or would an alien come down to earth and wipe out the entire human population? It does not sound realistic but the possibility is there. So sleep is the best thing to do. We wouldn’t need to wander around doing this thing or that thing because it would be useless. If Einstein were still alive, I think he would agree with me. J 

Mohd Izzuddin Bin Nor Azminuddin (June 09)

If the world ended tomorrow, that is the time when my life, my parents’, and all the others’ would stop, including yours. That is also the time when we would all start to think back what we have done throughout our days of living. Have I been a good person? Or have I been living as a nuisance to others? Did I do enough good deeds to go to heaven?  As I fear the wrath of Hell.

            If the world ended tomorrow, today I would live my life to the fullest. Starting with my beloved parents, I would kneel down and ask for my very last forgiveness, “Mum, Dad, forgive me for all of my wrong-doings, and if I did not fulfill your dreams and expectations.” And I hope I will meet you in Heaven. Then only would I ask for forgiveness from others. Not forgetting, the Almighty, who gave me the chance to experience the supremacy of his creations.

            If the world ended tomorrow, I can’t deny I would be a bit happy, as I could finally free myself from those meter-thick books. Not that I dislike them. I just think that it’s time for my brain to rest, peacefully.

            If the world ended tomorrow, I would fulfill all the promises I made. The promises I made to my parents, and my dearest friends. And lastly, the promise I made to her. And that is, to stay with her till the end of time.

Muhammad Azlan Bin Latif ( June 09)

What Would Be The Last Thing You Do?

Before my eyes close for the very last time,

Allow my heart to speak, and you will hear it say;

That a Muslim, a Hindu, a Christian

I am not

A man, a woman, a child

I am not

Sir, teacher, mister -

Do not call me by those titles.

To put myself above you is pretentious of me

To put myself below you

Is akin to Ali punching his own face

In a fist fight.

To take me as I am and

You as you are would be

Respect given where respect is due

And not because I am

A Muslim, a Hindu, or a Christian

Nor because I am

A man, a woman, or a child

And certainly not because I am

A sir, a teacher, or a mister.

- Drunk on the Fruits of Love -

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Straddling the fence between my faith and my desire to be an existentialist

Straddling the fence between my faith and my desire to be an existentialist

As a cradle Catholic, my religion was predetermined for me. I grew up learning the Lord’s Prayer, going to church on Sundays, and sometimes close to examinations or when someone in the family was ill, we would go for Novenas on Saturday to appeal for the intercession of Our Lady.

Yes, it may seem that I am just like any other of the 850,000 Catholics living in Malaysia. One who goes to church, contributes to my tithes, observes Good Friday and celebrates Easter and Christmas. However, this is a startling confession that I have not even confessed to my parish priest but I am doing so here. I have not read the Bible. Not in its entirety anyway. That was why when the option to do Bible studies came up as part of the subjects available for SPM, I did not even consider it as I knew that my knowledge of Scripture is elementary at best.

As I do not consider myself an overtly religious person, I am able to view Catholicism objectively, which may contradict the very teachings of the doctrine. Semitic religions bank on the faith of their followers. Creationism dictates God is the supreme creator and ruler of the universe. He created mountains, rivers, oceans and animals. He created man and from the rib of Adam, he created woman. On the seventh day he rested.  Science will tell us otherwise. Ancient Greek philosopher Anaximander postulated the development of life from non-life and the evolutionary descent of man from animal. Darwin later produced his theory of natural selection where he purports that humans are the results of evolution. Complex creatures derived from more simplistic ancestors. Natural selection preserves a functional advantage that enables a species to compete better in the wild. Natural selection is the naturalistic equivalent to domestic breeding. Ever heard of the theory that we are descendants of water and fish?

To the faithful, this will seem absurd and utterly untrue. Their faith guides them and provides all the answers they need.  Bertrand Russell states:

..for all further religious knowledge we must rely on the Scriptures. We ought not to seek to understand time and space before the world was made: there was no time before the Creation and there is no place where the world is not.

I am not a cynic in any way. I do believe in a higher being. However, I also believe that man is his own worst enemy. We have to come to terms that we are not fighting the shapeless form that is Evil or Satan, but merely ourselves.

The notion of the soul and sins I believe is man’s invention. Over time, sins have evolved from the impurity of the mind to indecent dressing to devil worshipping through cross-dressing, music and ritualistic animal/human sacrifice.  Today we condemn suicide bombers who claim to maim and murder in the name of God. Rewind to the 1500s when people were being torched at stakes, accused of being in the occult, or performing witchcraft and in general not following the life intended for god-fearing believers.  What makes those executions any different or any more ‘legal’ than the massacres we see today in modern society? All three religions state that only Yahweh/God/Allah shall judge men. Why then do people take God’s judgment in their own hands? Humans have a tendency to annihilate one another and worst of all, they purport that they are doing God’s will by ‘cleansing the land’, ‘enlightening godless beings’ or ‘finishing off the infidels’.

The grievances that drive men to lash out like that can be traced to the very social fabric of their community and upbringing.  Serial killers, rapists, pedophiles, religious extremists more often than not were brought up in less than ideal surroundings.  Our basic survival instinct provokes us to react. Countless of times, extremists have quoted the line from Exodus 21:23–27 “An eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” to justify their revenge which results in a never-ending cycle of violence.  

It is very Utopian to profess that we ought to live as one, as equals.  In my opinion, a Utopian society here in this life will be the earthly equivalent of the Holy Grail.

An existentialist is a person who wants to know how life should be lived and believes that philosophical and psychological inquiry will provide some answers.  Religion exists as a comfort mechanism – to provide reprieve from this life, with the promise of a better one in the afterlife. Religion comes with values and a set of rules that we have to strictly adhere to, to confirm your seat in the pleasant afterlife, otherwise known as Heaven.  Existentialism, on the other hand, believes that life is very difficult and that it doesn't have an "objective" or universally known value, but that the individual must create value by affirming it and living it, not by talking about it.

How do I reconcile my faith and my existentialist leanings? Paul Tillich a professor of Modern Art in Harvard says: 

There is really no such thing as Christian existentialism. Christians who question life in existentialist terms answer as Christians. "For this reason, I do not believe that the ordinary distinction between atheistic and theistic existentialism makes any sense. As long as an existentialist is theistic, he is either not existentialist or he is not really theistic. 

Common sense tells me that I cannot be completely theistic. My limited knowledge of Scripture is a true testament to that fact. I profess to believe in God, yet I wonder if everything in life can be solved by faith. There is a contradiction between free will and fate in the doctrine. If God has predetermined your fate, how much in control are you of your own life? I think that by surrendering your will wholeheartedly you are merely not taking responsibility for the ramifications of your deeds. That is the reason why suicide bombers and extremists claim to be doing God’s work.

In contrast, Existentialists tend to take freedom of the will, the human power to do or not do, as absolutely obvious. Now and again there are arguments for free will in Existentialist literature, but even in these arguments, one gets the distinct sense that the arguments are not for themselves, but for "outsiders." Inside the movement, free will is axiomatic, it is intuitively obvious, it is the backdrop of all else that goes on.

Religion is still very relevant today because at its roots, it does provide comfort, spiritual guidance and values for the individual to live by. All I am saying is, do not let faith be your only driving force because, faith alone cannot sustain the individual in today’s modern world.

             Geraldine Phillips

Russell, Bertrand. The History of Western Philosophy. New York: Simon & Schuster, Inc., 1945.

http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/philosophy/existentialism/whatis.html

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,936701-2,00.html

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