Sui Generis People in the world today, especially in Singapore, are too willing to settle for fitting in with the status quo and just doing what they are told to do. Here's my thoughts on society, education and life in general; and my views on being significant. Statistics Unique Visitors: Total Unique Visitors: Outgoing: Total Outgoing: 0 0 39 1903

Articles from Sui Generis

Cosplay 2007-09-11 10:21:00 clipped from www.wired.comA popular hobby among devotees of anime and manga, cosplay — costume combined with play — pays tribute to fans' favorite characters. Donning a costume offers shy geeks an anonymous mode of self-expression and fun. Traditionally homemade, cosplay attire is now easy to find in shops catering to otaku. From roots in Japan, the phenomenon has gone international: The world's largest cosplay event, Comic-Con, takes place in San Diego. But the center of the cosplay universe remains Tokyo's Akihabara district, the vast high tech mall where teams of enthusiasts perform spectacularly choreographed dances set to manga theme songs.  That's Wired Geekipedia's definition of Cosplay.Personally, I'm not a fan of it. But yeah, a couple of quick/simple thoughts.Firstly, I find it a bit odd that they find their self-expression in pretending to be someone else. That kind of takes the "self" out of "self-expression" doesn't it?Secondly, and more importantly, I thin ...

Freedom 2007-09-10 10:36:00 Richard Cockrum asks the question: Are You Willing to Be Free?Many of us want freedom, but yet many of us don't make the choice to take it. Often, freedom comes with risk. When you have nothing holding you back, it tends to be less safe. Think of a harness when you're rock climbing. No I'm not recommending you rock climb without a harness, it's just an illustration. The harness, while it might hold you back slightly and hinder your freedom of movement slightly, also provides safety. It's the same for many things in life. Safety often comes at the expense of freedom.And that's why many people don't choose the path of freedom. While they talk about wanting freedom, it comes with risks that most are unwilling to take.What's your choice today? Restraints - but with more safety? Or freedom - at the price of risks? I'd rather have the latter.Link via Steve Olsen: Best of the Internet 9-9-07 ...

Blog Action Day 2007 2007-09-09 04:48:00 I have just registered my blog for Blog Action Day. Just thought I'd inform you guys, so you can look forward to the post. And also to all you bloggers, I do recommend that you join it. Though I'm not exactly the biggest proponent of environmental causes, I do think it's a good cause, and if you have a blog, I suggest you take part. ...

A new look on Africa 2007-09-09 04:13:00 Andrew Mwenda asks us to reframe our view on Africa, to not see it as a problem of eliminating poverty, but as an opportunity to create wealth. When you change that focus, your actions will change as well.More than just for Africa, we should do that for all the questions we face, I think. It's a great thing to do. Instead of focusing on your problems, reframe them as opportunities.As one of the speakers from Hillsongs Conference 2007 said to the church about poverty, AIDS and all the plights facing the world today - "These are not our biggest problems. These are our greatest opportunities."How are you looking at your problems today? ...

Quote for today 2007-09-08 07:15:00 "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." - Mark Twain.I personally agree with that completely. I feel that I've learned and gained a lot more in the 7 months after I've quit school than in the 2 years in NUS High.What about you? Is your schooling helping your education? Or is it hindering your education? ...

Youth Vibes 2007 2007-09-08 06:43:00 I've been quite busy lately, and that's kind of why the blog posts have become a bit more infrequent. Yesterday I had a meeting with Nicholas Chan, which I'll write more about later. Today, I just attended Youth Vibes 2007 today. It was a really good experience, and I'm hoping there'll be more similar things starting in Singapore, and I wanted to share about it. So here's a few things from the discussions today that really struck a chord with me.Firstly, Tan Hang Chong of the Nature Society mentioned how he carries his passion around with him. He's an avid birdwatcher, and just as most people carry their cell phones or credit cards everywhere, he carries his binoculars everywhere he goes. I think that's a great practice. Carrying your passion with you, in a concrete form. Songwriters always suggest (to other songwriters) to carry a recorder (or at least a notebook) wherever you go. The same applies for any field, any interest. You should carry your tools everywhere you go, beca ...

Doing "what's expected"? 2007-09-07 11:10:00 A friend I've been to talking to a lot lately typifies a Singaporean "achieving" teen. Good grades and results, seen as a very good kid. But unwilling to take risks, not wanting to think for herself, and doing things just for the sake of it.She's been complaining a lot about all the things she has to do. And yet she still continues to force herself to do it. Without any reason. When asked, she doesn't seem to be able to answer or provide a reason for it.That's an attitude that's very prevalent here in Singapore. People who do things just because it's "what's expected", just because it's what everyone else does. And it's one thing that I can't stand about Singapore.Why are you doing what you are doing? Is it just because it's expected of you? ...

Working or Schooling...? 2007-09-05 12:55:00 Almost every time the topic of my quitting school comes up, I get asked whether I'm working. It seems almost as if I'm either schooling or working, and there's nothing else possible for me to be doing.Why is it that people assume that you either have to be schooling or working? And if I say I'm doing neither, I get strange responses. There's so much to be done outside school and work. There's so many opportunities, so much to be explored and learned. Especially at my age, where I don't have the burdens of supporting anyone financially.What have I been doing since I quit school? A number of things. I've been blogging. And it's been an awesome journey, meeting new people online, reading new interesting things. I've learned a lot from blogging. Above that, I've participated in Reel Revolution 2007, a video-essay competition. I've also attended a Young Entrepreneurs Networking Session, and I'm going for a youth discussion forum this Saturday. And I'm in discussions about a we ...

Degree vs Learning 2007-09-05 12:13:00 Scott H Young warns us not to confuse a degree with learning. It's a really good, worthwhile read.Today I was just talking to a friend about why I quit school (it seems like a lot of people here find it a worthwhile conversation topic). We got talking about how a lot of people here (and probably in the world) are going through the formal education system just for the paper, the certificate.And as I've mentioned before, that's quite sad. School, the education system, should be about learning. It's the EDUCATION system, after all. It should be about learning and educating the students, not about the paper.I remember one of my teachers once asking me, "Derrick, you don't study and get Bs, why don't you study and get As?". It was a rhetorical question meant as a reprimand, so I didn't respond. But if I did, I would have asked, "Why do I need As?" Does getting As mean I've learned more? Not really. And I think that highlights the problem. Even the teachers are focusing on the result ...

"Just having fun" 2007-09-04 11:40:00 This is a year late, but they've been showing highlights from X-Games 12 a lot in Singapore lately, so yeah.Last year, in Summer X, Travis Pastrana pulled off what should be impossible, a double backflip on a Motocross bike. It was an unbelievable feat, and seeing it again now (even though I saw it last year) still amazes me.But watching the repeats and the interviews (multiple times), one thing that's struck me. Before he attempted it, he went to his mother and said something along the lines of "I wanna go for the double. And if anything happens, I just want you to know that I love you and I'm just having fun."Note his last phrase. "I'm just having fun." I think that's really important. And I think it's why he's the best at what he does (5 Gold medals in 6 Moto-X Freestyle events kind of speaks for itself). And it's why he has the ability to re-write history and revolutionize the sport that way, and to take it forward. He's enjoying what he does. He's "just having fun." It' ...

Positioning 2007-09-04 11:24:00 9-ball pool is a game I enjoy quite a lot, though I'm not really good at it. It's a game that I watch a lot as well.The difference between amateur and professional players, is that professionals tend to be better at positioning. They can see and plan 3 or 4 balls ahead. And if they get out of position, they can recover quickly.Those are lessons I should learn at the pool table, and they are also good lessons for life. One of the key to success is to be able to see ahead. If you can see further ahead than your opponents and make your moves accordingly, you're much more likely to succeed. Of course, sometimes things don't always go according to plan, and that's when you have to re-adapt and change your planned line.How far ahead can you see? ...

Enjoy what you do 2007-09-03 11:21:00 Had soccer again today, but I didn't really play too well. I started alright, but towards the end I started playing quite badly.One thing I did notice about my play, however, I play much better when I'm enjoying myself. I play a lot better when I have a smile on my face, and just having fun. It basically frees up my mind to think more clearly, and also allows me to play with more confidence. And I don't think it's just me. Look at Ronaldinho, arguably the best player in the world. He almost always has a smile on his face.I think enjoying what you do is a key aspect of doing it well. If you're not enjoying it, chances are you'll lose focus and won't be thinking too clearly. Not only in soccer, but in everything you do.Do you enjoy what you do? ...

Overnight Cycling 2007-09-03 10:35:00 I had overnight cycling with my cell group on Saturday night (which is why I hadn't posted over the weekend). It was quite tiring, but it was great fun.3 or 4 of us were cycling at the front at pace (and naturally got to the destination first), while most of the group (there were more than 20 of us) cycled slowly at the back. And it kind of taught me a few things.Firstly, when you're at the front, when you're pushing to be the first, it tends to be less crowded. There were only 3 or 4 of us in the front group at almost all times. Secondly, the gaps are not linear. The 3 or 4 of us i the front were really far ahead of the rest. The gaps between the others were a lot smaller. There were other segregations, but the gaps weren't that obvious. Thirdly, while being at the back was more relaxing, and you had the company of the others, it didn't provide the thrill and enjoyment that being at the front provided.3 lesson, that are more or less true for life as well. Push to be the first, th ...

Thanks 2007-09-03 10:33:00 Just wanted to thank Chris Brogan and Phil Gerbyshak for mentioning me in their Blog Day 2007 posts. Really appreciate it. Thanks, guys. ...

Innovation 2007-09-02 23:42:00 Slashdot reports that 54% of CEOs are dissatisfied with innovation.And yet the problem is not a lack of ideas, "it's things like a risk-averse culture, overly lengthy development times and lack of coordination within the company". Basically, the ideas are there, but people aren't following through with the ideas.How is your innovation going? ...