Afghanistan Quarantines its only Pig

(Photo Credit: Reuters)
Reactions to swine flu. I don't know whether to laugh at the news or pity the pig. Someone needs to give a better response to "Better safe than sorry."

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Links:
1) "Life Goes From Bad to Worse for Kabul's only pig." (Guardian)
2) "Afghanistan's only pig quarantined in flu fear" Reuters
3) "Afghanistan's Only Pig Quarantined" Daily Nation

ks

A Call for Cool-Heads-Warm-Hearts

It has been a tumultuous week for many Christians in Singapore. The AWARE saga, while largely recognized as a body for women and women's affairs has heightened the interests of men, religious groups, non-government organizations as well as the government. Why is this so? Many point to the reason being the invasion of religion (in particular, Christianity) into a body that is meant to be secular. Some argue that it is a morality issue pertaining to different sexual themes taught in schools that originated from the AWARE platform. Others are fearful that if not checked, the AWARE saga may form a precedent for religious bodies to infiltrate other organizations as well. The Press practically had a field day, covering the details of the heated organization's EGM with such fervour that under watchful eyes of many interested readers, any word used, a phrase chosen or even the hinting of a small sentiment, can easily sway mass readers to the views of the reporters or the press organ.

Put it this way. We are all fallible people. Put anyone on the hotseat, and apply continuous pressure and verbal barrage. It then becomes not a question of whether that person will stumble or not. It is a question of WHEN the person will crack. The more experienced can last longer, but the novice can be easily swept away. I am fascinated on the one hand about the whole saga, where individuals and groups were forced to apologize or take sides. Yet, I am rather miffed by the way the emotions and all manner of anger are being fueled. This is further aggravated by the way the issue was covered. What makes this issue such a hot potato in the first place? Why can't the issue be resolved diplomatically behind open doors. I figure out that someone, or some people must have roped in the biggest influence of public opinion: The Press. It is curious to see the way the whole thing was played up, like a reality show on TV. Parties were shown to be bickering at all things. Emotions were stoked and tempers easily flare at the first sign of disagreement.

It is to this effect that we must learn to be discerning in our thinking, our speech behaviour and our external conduct. To this end, I would like to suggest that Christians learn to constantly adopt a stance of cool-heads-warm-hearts. When dealing with controversial issues or matters of great contention, one needs to reason it out rationally, think both logically and theologically. Be innocent as doves but wise as serpents is Jesus's teaching on how we are to live in this world. A cool-headed person is as wise as a serpent, carefully discerning the steps to take and the pitfalls to avoid. A warm-hearted person is as innocent as a dove, loving Christ as much as neighbour, retaining a posture of doing good not only to fellow Christians but to fellow people in society, regardless of race, language or religion. We cannot do it on our own strength, but can only depend on the Holy Spirit to empower, to guide and to humble.

A TOUGH FAITH QUESTION
I suppose some of us may struggle with the following question:
"What does it mean for us to integrate our faith and our various work or social responsibilities in the culture we live in?"

I admit that it is a tough question, especially after the AWARE team that is deemed a 'Christian team' have been given an 'embarrassing' no-confidence vote. Some people may even be left questioning whether the team headed by Josie Lau, have done the Christian church a disservice in their brand of faith-integration. Before non-Christians, perhaps some of us may simply shrug our shoulders and behave as if we 'disown' Josie Lau and team from the Church of our Saviour. We may even forget that brothers and sisters ought to stand together through thick and thin. Let me supply three filters to help us see the whole situation.

1. HONOURABLE INTENTIONS: I applaud them for being honest to themselves and their convictions. I do not doubt that they have honourable intentions, and were somehow led to take over the AWARE organization to correct some of their programs. We can fault the method but we ought to respect whatever noble intent they have. (This does not mean I am taking sides at this time.)
   
2. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS: An ethical problem? Many people, including Christians have expressed doubts over the way the Josie-team have taken over the leadership. It became not a legal question but an ethical concern. While it may be true that one can be faulted on the basis of a technicality, this does NOT give the 'technicality' a blanket offer to forever taint anybody's sense of worth or integrity. Every ethical stance, especially Christian behaviour must be laced with grace. While it might be true that one cannot do the right thing by using the wrong process, similarly, we cannot do the wrong thing, even though we have the right process. In other words, those who do the "wrong-thing-right-way" is as guilty as those who do the "right-thing-wrong-way." The arms of ethical considerations stretches 3 ways; It needs a honorable goal. It requires adherence to proper rules of execution. It needs a heart of virtue. All three elements must be present in any ethical matter.
   
3. FAITH-INTEGRATION: Is Christian-Faith-Integration Negatively Impacted? That depends on what we mean by Christian-Faith-Integration. For me, it is not simply demanding conformity by sticking a label "THE BIBLE SAYS." It is an integration that starts with a cool head and warm heart. It begins with Christ. It is sustained in prayer. It is a loving confrontation that reflects a stereo attitude of listening to both sides intelligently, rationally, calmly and compassionately. Chances are, if we listen hard enough, there are more similarities than differences. Pity that the differences become played up, dividing people rather than uniting them. In this sense, whatever that has happened to the AWARE organization represents a LOSE-LOSE scenario. My answer to this third question is: "It depends." Who are we to determine that all halves of the game have been played? Are we the umpire holding the stop watch at the end of the finishing line? No! We are still on a journey of discovery and learning. Sometimes, the best progress one can ever make is by first falling down. Then one learns one additional way of how NOT to do it.

How do we practice Cool-Heads-Warm-Hearts (CHWH)?
Here, I like to close with some wisdom from two persons. Firstly, we can learn to practice CHWH through what John Stott describes as 'dual listening.'

“We stand between the Word and the world with consequent obligation to listen to both. We listen to the Word to discover even more of the riches of Christ. We listen to the world in order to discern which of Christ’s riches are needed most and how to present them in their best light.” (The Contemporary Christian)

The second way is to let our fruits speak for themselves. The wisdom of the 12th Century Franciscan monk says it clearly:

“Preach the gospel at all times -- if necessary, use words.” (St Francis of Assisi)

If Christians were to bear good fruit, practice dual-listening, speak out against the evils of society. Chances are, both Christians AND non-Christians will likely stand together for the common good. At the same time, always begin with a 50% discount to whatever you read in the papers or TV.

ks

"When Bad Things Happen to Other People"

Title: When Bad Things Happen to Other People
Author: John Portmann
NY: Routledge, 2000 (242pp)

Schadenfreude. You either love it or hate it, but it reveals a part of the human psyche that people will rather not discuss it openly. This German word has no English equivalent. It refers to what goes on inside people’s hearts when bad things happen to other people. In a world where people tend to think that they are good, rationalizing adults, Schadenfreude jerks one backwards when traveling a path of bizarre inner thoughts that revel in tragedies and mishaps other people face.

• Why do we laugh at a person when he slips over a banana skin?
  
• Why do newspapers sell better when they report more bad news than good?
  
• Why do we feel good, when a bad person in the movies receive his ‘deserved end?’
  
• In a competitive scenario, why do we take pleasure in seeing fellow challengers stumble so that we can get the prize?
  
• Why do we find it easier to laugh at others rather than ourselves?

“Character drives judgments of whether other people deserve to suffer.” (xv)

MAIN POINT: Schadenfreude or one’s eerie inner delight in seeing bad things happening to other people, tells us more about our character than our conduct. It is the character that determines the conduct. That is why one have to be clear inside of us, our motive and our ability to isolate the good from the bad feelings in us before knowing what moral actions to take when we see suffering.

Brief Review
Often people do not make any serious attempt to isolate important emotions in the mixed messages our heart grapples with. Whether our heart takes delight or ‘thwart pleasure’ in the misfortunes of others, Portmann argues that we have to distinguish the two of them to avoid any anxiety that can erode our humanness and views of morality. By addressing adequately what goes on inside us (character), we will then be on the right side of the moral question in our thoughts and our actions. He points out that ‘love for justice’ is a stronger motif than pleasurable glee in the misfortunes of others.

The author’s first book explores the universality of such a human emotion in a very fascinating way at two levels. He insists that his book is not about what people do (‘conduct’) but about what goes on inside them (‘character’). He also says that the way we react to other people tells us more about ourselves. Thus it is insightful to recognize our emotions whenever bad things happen to other people. At the first level, people tend to show some sympathy. At a deeper level, there is a strange feeling not only of ‘thank God it is not me,’ but somewhat eerie, even gleeful thought. When this happens, it makes our first acts of sympathy look fake, even hypocritical. It is like showing sympathy for a small lamb, while gleefully waiting for the lions to pounce on it for food. Watching Discovery Channel on how lions hunt or how sharks feed allows feelings of Schadenfreude to float upward.

I watched Toni Morrison’s Beloved a couple of years ago, and was appalled at the way black slaves were treated. One such slave in the movie eventually commented after many years of mistreatment by her white masters, that there is no such thing as bad luck in this world, only ‘white people.’ The scary thing about Schadenfreude is when people participates in the ‘bad things’ that happen to others. In fact, the only moral thing about bad things happening to other people is when we jump up in triumph over the victory of justice over wrong.

Moral Problems of Schadenfreude
Three Problems.

1. People are largely confused about what is right and what is wrong about their feelings when bad things happen to others;
   
2. This confusion leads one to further confusion when one cannot differentiate between their feelings and the actual suffering of others. When this happens, people tend toward self-deception that they should ‘feel this way,’ or ‘feel that way.’
   
3. All these leads one to try to inadequately rationalize what justice actually is.

By clarifying what Schadenfreude is within us, we can make better attempts to recognize the need for justice, while at the same time be ethically moral in our hearts. Nietzsche says that there is no justice in suffering. Harold Kushner and Maimonides say suffering is random. Is justice a revenge or justice a form of right behaviour?

“Philosophically, the assumption that benevolence must aim at the full good of another works to collapse any distinction between Schadenfreude and malice. Religiously, the particular visions of appropriate suffering that various creeds generate blur the boundary between human satisfaction and divine Schadenfreude. What is most surprising is that our most conspicuous producers of codes of appropriate suffering should purport to be dead set against the idea that persons might take pleasure in the suffering of others.” (201)

Tragedies are differentiated into ‘pretty bad things’ and ‘really bad things.’ In the first part, Portmann describes life as a comedy where people are condemned when they inappropriately celebrate the misfortunes of others. Yet at the same time, such condemnation is not a helpful step to help work out some form of justice in the world. The better emotion to have is to slow our rate of condemnation of 'trivial misfortunes.' Contemplate instead. The second category is the more serious one. It is only fair that we are measured with the same measurement we use on others.

My Comments
This book is another of those attempts to try and make a ‘bad’ thing look good eventually. Everyone loves the evergreen plot in any story. First, bad things happen to the hero. Second, the hero encounters problem after problem. Third, a sense of despair steps in. Fourth, a ray of hope appears from somewhere or from someone. Fifth commences the recovery process. The story culminates in a final brutal battle in which the hero wins and the villains are slain or extinguished. People live happily ever after. It is essentially a book about the morality of human emotions, the inner character rather than the outer conduct.

Portmann begins shockingly to state that bad things which happen to other people are not necessarily bad but morally acceptable. Instead, it can be very good as long as justice eventually prevail. Not only that, one can also learn more about oneself, and in doing so, be able to finally fight the wrong end of the emotional morality, toward the right object of love for justice. There is also a sense that while Portmann is well read, his references circulate among Nietszsche, Freud , Schopenhauer and Kant. He combines the philosophy of Nietszche, the psychology of Freud, the conservative Schopenhauer and the ethics of Kant. The result is somewhat confusing.

The book highlights a very important human condition, but fails to address the problem of human sin. Granted, it is not a religious book, but mainly a moral philosophy. Yet, there is a biblical verse that gets illuminated in the 244 page scholarly work. Taken from Ps 1, where one delights in the law of the Lord, people generally desire justice. Here is the main point that Christians ought to take home with. It is not the continued reflection on one’s emotions regarding Schadenfreude that tells us more about ourselves. It is in the delight and constant meditation on the law of the Lord that not only reveals to us the purpose of our being, but nips any budding evil thoughts that a heart tainted with sin, so readily releases. Portmann also assumes that people have that inherent tendency to want to get justice done. The problem is who defines the justice? What is the yardstick of right and wrong? Not much light is shed beyond the assumption. There is also a sense of ‘there is no point running away from suffering, so why not celebrate it?’ (105). Such a mood is unhelpful. No all suffering can be explained, least so to celebrate it. Rather than studying our emotions to make sense of justice and suffering, meditate and study the law of God. We cannot depend on flaky human emotions or the study of it, to teach us morality or the rule of ethics. We, as frail creatures need the solid Word of God, just like a human body requiring bones and muscles to maintain our body structure.

Portmann mentions that the threefold moral problems of Schadenfreude are largely because people fail to distinguish the conflicting emotions sufficiently. In other words, people remain perplexed and without addressing such feelings adequately, people will miss the opportunity to exercise justice accordingly and morally. However, his attempt to do so fails to lift the general reader high enough from the quicksand of confusion. Philosophically challenging. Theologically inadequate. In conclusion, Portmann’s book is thoughtfully addressed but still morally confusing.

ks

Jolt Quote XXIII

"Plant a word in the mind, and you will reap an act. Plant the act and you will reap a habit. Plant a habit and you will reap a character. Plant a character and you will reap a nature. Plant a nature and you will reap a destiny." (Source unknown)

Seductions of a Competitive Culture (#1)

A CULTURE OF COMPETITION - a 4-part series

This is the first part of a group of four articles, tackling the seductions of a competitive culture. It will be released over the next two weeks. Each article will highlight the dangers of a competitive culture creeping into the aspects of our life at home, in the church, at our workplace and finally our personal well-being. At the end of each article, there is a suggestion for thought. Here is the introduction and Part I.

INTRODUCTION
We live in a competitive environment. In the morning, we rush to beat the rush-hour traffic. In the office, we engage in strategic planning, organizational matters and operational issues in our workplace. Some try to outdo fellow colleagues performance-wise so as to gear oneself for a good annual performance appraisal. Others seek out customers to bring in more business, competing tooth and nail with fierce rivals. Eating can become stressful too, when we have to stand in the line early to order our delicious food. With limited parking lots, many rush to grab the closest available parking lot. The culture of competition is here to stay. With supply exceeding demand, the scuffle for the main prize gets more intense. One way to upend the competition is through strategic initiatives and business strategy.

The business guru from Harvard, Professor Michael Porter shot to fame with his venerable five forces of competitive advantage. For Porter, any business strategy is to design in order to gain competitive advantage. The basic premise is that all firms are not equal, and some can become more competitive than others. At the heart of his five forces is the concept of ‘rivalry.’ The level of rivalry increases whenever:
• Supply exceed demand;
• Slowing market growth;
• Low switching costs;
• High stakes involved;
• And many others….

Welcome to the adult world of hard competitive work. The advantages of competition are too many to list. Consumers will gain in terms of choices and greater bargaining power. They drive down prices. They offer choices. Competitive pressures keep suppliers in check to observe better quality and to adhere strictly to standards. On the other hand, we need to be aware of the downsides as well. In this series, I shall attempt to tackle four trends that we need to take note of, when living in a culture infatuated with competition. My main point is not to dismiss competition totally but to wisely think through any repercussions of a competitive spirit that affects us in our home, the church, the workplace and finally the self.

A) Creating Anxious Children (in the home)
I read an interesting article sometime ago about children forced to grow up too quickly. Instead of being allowed to be children, they are increasingly being forced to take upon adult-size problems. Private tuition takes priority over playing intuition. Topping competitive examinations supersede cooperative affiliation. School resembles a circular racing track rather than a garden for self-discovery and group co-operation. Fun and growth have succumbed to the competitive demands of productive efficacy and efficiency. Extra-curricular activities are increasingly deemed essential, rather than ‘nice-to-have’s. Many parents, want their children to grow up to be ‘better’ than them. Some will even force their children to do what they, the parents cannot do.

“I have always wanted to be a doctor, but since I can’t, I will do all I can to make sure my children can pursue the medical profession.”

“Since I have always wanted to be a _______, I believe that it is the will of God to let my children carry the baton of my dreams.”

“I know my son can do greater things, so I will invest all my resources to help him succeed.”

There is a deep-seated psychological tendency among many Asian families, that what a generation cannot achieve, the responsibility falls on the next. My parents often shared with me their unfulfilled dreams. At one time, they even swear that because they grew up poor, they are determined to make sure that their children will never suffer like them. While the intention is honorable, the end-result can be regrettable. We can unwittingly create a generation of anxious children becoming worried adults, dying unfulfilled when old. Why should children worry about performance and exam results, when they ought to enjoy the privilege of being a child?

Here is a deeper problem which is more disconcerting; that is, the stunted development of self-identity. This is especially acute when parents repeatedly impose their expectations on children at a young tender age. Instead of taking a role of a guide by the side cheering them on to walk according to their gifts and vocational inclinations, some of them brow-beat their children to submit to their demands, in the name of "It is all for the sake of your future." I have met people who selected a course of study for the sake of their parents. Last weekend, a gentleman bowing to parental pressures, chose Engineering instead of Art school. He was never truly fulfilled. These people gave up their choice in favour of their parent's preferences. They yield their vocational choices to that of the parents. Some adapted well. Others not so well, as they continuously endure the mismatch between their dreams and their parents’ expectations. When they enter the workforce eventually, they continue to live under their parents’ ideals instead of pursuing their own dream. Life is more than simply making a name or a living.

Parents, let children be children. Watch them play. Better still, play with them. Observe their inclinations. Preserve their childhood innocence. Do not create a fretful generation who feeds on competitiveness and activities that epitomizes human restlessness. These are adult problems that adults have to tackle, not the children. Do not let the anxieties of the competitive future world crowd out the any effort to identify the gifts and talents each child has. Above all, let the children be who they are meant to be: Innocent Children. A well-lived child in his childhood augers better than a pressurised child struggling to understand 'adult-size' problems in his/her innocent childhood years. It is a well-known fact in psychology that if a child is not given a chance to be a child when young, he will attempt to fulfill this need to be a child, deep into adulthood. Perhaps the seduction of a competitive culture is a test of our faith. Proverbs provide us some wisdom pertaining to the need for children.

In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence,
And his children will have refuge. (Proverbs 14:26, NIV)

Fighting the seductions of a culture of competition can also be seen an act of faith. Who do we fear? Who do we want to be? Do we fear men? Or do we fear God? I submit to you, my reader, that children pick up not only our genes but our fears as well. Is our confidence in the Lord? How does your faith play out in a culture of competition?

THOUGHT: What if we keep the expectations and troubles of the adult world to the adult world? What if we do not carry over our work worries, or economic turmoil into the innocent domain of children at play? Perhaps, by letting children be children, we are helping them to become healthier persons as they reach adulthood.


ks

Seduction #2 - Unhealthy Spiritual Competition (in the church).....

Karen's Favourite (I Know I Need to Be In Love)

What makes a favourite song? I suppose it must be that one special connection in that quiet and special moment. The Carpenters have collected many hits over the years. Many of them have achieved Platinum status, their albums hitting the bestseller charts year after year. I cannot find any equivalent singer of their stature these days. It strikes me as I was listening to this song, that out of the many popular tunes belted out, this song: "I Know I Need to Be In Love" is Karen's Carpenter's all-time favourite song. I was asking myself, "What makes this song a top favourite?" According to her brother Richard Carpenter, it was because the song reflects exactly the deepest emotions of her heart at that time. That is what makes anything a favourite. It has to be able to echo our most personal self. As you listen to this song, you cannot help but feel that it is something that has been troubling Karen for a while, and she was truly singing it from the bottom of her heart. In order to become a favourite, the song must possess:

• Meaningful Lyrics;
  
• Melodious Tune;
  
• Powerful Singing;
  
• Deliberate Tempo;
  
• Well choreographed music;
  
• Echoing the heart.
  

This song contains all of the above. The chorus is especially powerful:

I know I need to be in love
I know I've wasted too much time
I know I ask perfection of a quite imperfect world
And fool enough to think that's what I'll find

What is your favourite song? I suppose it has to be something that is able to connect you with the past, giving some hope toward the future and to help one be rooted in the present. This song may not do all three for you, but it sure brings back wonderful memories of Karen Carpenter, my favourite singer. I love this song, even after all these years.

ks

Korean Guitar Child Prodigy - Sungha Jung

I am completely amazed at this gifted 12-year old boy, Sungha Jung who is indeed a guitar prodigy. Here are 4 videos of some of my favourites. You'll be stunned by his prowess.

1) Mission Impossible Theme (link)


2) California Dreaming (link)


3) Yesterday Once More (link)


4) Cherry Blossom Time (link)


If you enjoy his music, you can check out the playlist here or listen to his MP3 steaming here.

ks