is being a man you know the men themselves uh more interested, and politics then women because you know man has, uh men are so used to such responsibility because oh they think they are the dominant one uh in the household and because men uh dominantly in their company because if you are climbing up the corporate ladder


you will see most of the higher ups are all of, the the man, and because of it we uh there is no such uh there's no right and wrong whether the the political leaders should be women you know there is no such thing as a better man or worse in this case


okay so supporting on uh I'm not supporting I'm opposing to your statement as, because I think that, men do not have alter responsibilities and they are not bounded by the duties at home because it facing that in the household women are always


taking care of the house they're always taking making making sure that the children uh, uh ready and it's always not the guy or that is always not the man and in this case men are more uh perceptive into


their concepts of mindsets is because because of these women are always you know seen as a weakness and uh women are always seem as something


that are not ideal because of but we are talking about politics you see we are talking about , the if we are if I'm in since I if I am safe to say it's about the government , and because of the domain and chairs being men then women we are not putting into context because you are incompetent you know everyone is competent of the society or


or uh trying to lead a community into greatness but we are talking about politics we are not talking about whether man should understand this man should understand that because, if there is no two way understanding women also don't understand man you see and there is not what we actually want we are looking forward into a progressive nation we are looking forward together and


to combine forces so there is no such thing as oh it would be a better place this way or it would be a worse place even because I don't see, as one being superior than the other it's not always kicks okay


okay so uh to combat or to oppose to what you actually say , to to understand someone is of course you have empathy but you have to also walk their ground you have to also be in their issues now then cannot be in women's shoes because


we as as women also they cannot walk in men's shoes both of you both of the genders has to understand the other before coming to sit together, and, why relationships actually blossom or spark is because


man understands woman from or accept woman as they are and the women themselves accept man as they are so coming together the weaknesses and strengths, in the politics world is actually needed so if we are talking about whether having women is a better place and I don't think so because


it it works like a relationship like I said you know how our mothers are able to be there for our fathers and how our fathers are this vice versa is because we understand where the other person is coming from we are although we are unable to work their ground but we walk together


to make a house warm, to make a house comfortable so it's the same thing it's the same system uh how a country should actually govern or how the country or the political leaders be women or men are supposed to go on about


so what do you think about it


okay I I agree to the balance but I think you you also agree that, having women and men are not uh more women or more men uh would make


the world a better place because , like you said let's face it, there is always an equal balance to something you know uh there is always a negative and there is always positive , there's always a pros and there's always a con and it's all its weaknesses and there are always strength so if we are able to combat the weaknesses and we have uh and we can actually strengthen the strength


or uh there and a, a particular aspect it because of but the thing is that we are not , prone prone to having women as uh political leaders because if women can be competent and I don't see why not but if men are as eh are as competent as the women then it should always it should also be a


balance of uh the two, so that like I said to summarise my point there is no better man and there are also no waste having uh more women or , , more men in this


case because we are talking about politics and two brain is better than one, so if we are talking about such because if we are to stand our ground into a feminist mode if we are to bring a feminist into the concept or into the picture then it would actually be quite bad


or ugly in that sense because we are we are supposed to have support of each other despite, whatever ground that we are walking despite whatever views that we are sharing of each other we are supposed to walk the ground together regardless so what do you said


part one debate topic one


okay I think err after okay let me summarize what you said first so you said you quoted the uh the infographic about how the arts is not an essential part, uh in the industry right now in the workforce because the their respondents say that


ninety one percent said is it ninety one, seventy one ya okay they say that it is unessential uh I'll have to agree with you I'll say that it is of course not essential during this pandemic but then


you see that although is not essential the arts is not meant to be a, is not meant to be a business it's supposed to be more of a self expression a way of life because art can be seen in daily life so to express yourself is to be human and that is the purpose of the arts would you agree with that


sorry uh okay, so art shouldn't be seen as a waste of time because art is the way you choose to express yourself so uh it could be in the form of like words pictures drawings or films or it could be something to preserve your traditions like


uh let's say, what are some wait let me think it could be it could be like uh I'm not sure what it's called exactly but you know the


the act of like rice decorations during deepavali that could be considered art as well, yeah yeah


I think seeing it as a waste of time would be the issue because you see the arts is not about uh it's not exactly about making progress in the society it's not like science you cannot classify science and arts together so


uh how I see art is that art is how we describe ourselves and how we build our character so science is the progress of the society, so these two are completely different topics, and like I said before art is like


a way to express yourselves and to express yourselves is to be human uh and, without being able to express ourselves right we cannot know uh who we are internally without finding out so art would would be more of a journey of self discovery rather than advancements in our future technology


so it it depends on how you look at it


I think by using uh maslow's pyramid of needs right it's, clear that arts is in the self expression stage which is right at the very top of the pyramid but then you have to remember that singapore is not a third world country and from your point of view I can tell that from right now uh


the pandemic is making us focus on the lower levels of the pyramid of needs but if the pandemic wasn't around we will need to start we will want to start focusing on the self expression part of the if of the pyramid of need so


that depends on how you see it again


okay so the point to counter your because you said uh, food and uh health is on the lower levels of the pyramid of needs right is the foundation of the pyramid so uh you need to know that singapore is not a third world country so it's a first world country we already have all the food that we need we have all the materials that we need we have infrastructure


uh we have everything we need but uh, because of this we won't see signs as uh more important there are we'll see them as equal because we have already achieve the fundamentals of the of the maslow pyramid


I would say that would relate to the culture of uh ourselves because uh as asians uh we have typical parents that want you to be doctors lawyers and that is like the very traditional point of view lah


so I think those are from the influence of our parents then again looking at the infographic right, uh we don't know how the how the, survey was being conducted they had a thousand respondents which is a very minute population


uh science compared to the whole of singapore so it might not be very accurate in representing how singapore actually feels about the arts it and we don't know the target demographic of the people who have completed this survey they could be uh the boomers


who feel that being doctors lawyers and all these kinds of a white collar jobs are more important than, uh the arts however if you gave the survey to let's say millennials or gen Z you might get a completely different response


so the results of the survey you can use it as a benchmark however you do not you shouldn't use it as like a hard and fast rule to consider that, uh the arts are not important in singapore because it is important but it's only to a certain extent of course science is still more of course science is still like the fundamental level but


then again singapore is also a first world country so then you would have to consider that arts is something that we are heading towards


comprehensive yeah


okay like you said uh, art is a form uh self expression and to express yourself is to be human it also allows us to connect with connect with ourselves that we don't know about so, uh I I think you have heard of the saying saying like uh singapore is a first world country with a third world mindset


right so this could be one of the reasons why singapore might feel that the arts are a waste of time but as slowly as singapore slowly progresses they'll, singaporeans will start to realize that the arts are actually very important because knowing about yourselves uh made you realize like how how much significance you have in this society and therefore we can progress as a society this way


part two debate topic two


I think first of all uh we need to realize that art and design is completely different so uh like you mention the uh what's that, what do you the the one on advertising and propaganda


right so if art has a call to action that is yeah it is not art for sure that would be more of an advertisement so advertisements, are made uh without not really with art in mind but uh


advertisements are made for you to direct your eyes towards the call to action so that you would perform the said call to action so the only way that arts can play a role in this would be to, have the aesthetically pleasing uh looks to capture your attention that would be a very small part of design


so just to sum up uh design is wait uh, design is not art but art can be in design so you can think of it as like a little chart this is this big circle this is uh


this is what is it this is art and design is is like a cross section between art and design okay ya so that is one of the things that we should uh realise lah


and, about being arts about arts being enjoyed right, , hold on eh let me go to uh your definition of instruct and influence uh I would say that


I agree with you arts do not have like a very hard and fast way of convincing us convincing us shouldn't be the main point of arts but the way that arts should uh instruct and influence us I agree with you it should be in very subtle


is so for example let's say paintings right, paintings do not give you a specific call to action like you need to feel this you need to think this way you need to do this it doesn't it but how it chooses to influence us is true err feeling so for example


van gogh stark staring night so that was sort of paintings by van gogh I think it's very famous it could easily picture in your mind so this painting was actually one of the most with historical paintings the main reason being that this was a walk


what would you say err this painting was, drawn from his imagination based on his feeling, but in the past all the other paintings all the other pieces of arts were just replicas of


real life like let's say you can draw a computer and call that art but that doesn't give you any feeling but if you draw your from your imagination in a way it tells you it instructs uh the viewer, of how the artist is feeling at that point in time so that is how art will be meant to instruct and influence us


rather than be enjoyed and about being enjoyed right it depends on your definition of, uh enjoying something it is very subjective so you could say like, uh avengers infinity war is a piece of art is a piece of art that's meant to be enjoyed yeah I would agree with you because it is not a contemporary film however if you choose to compare films like parasite by bong joon [ho] you will know that


this is a contemporary film as compared to avengers avengers is like a comic, it's meant for entertainment however for parasite it's meant to instruct you it's meant to influence you about how society is like uh


in your life so in parasite it was in parasite it was uh, more about social class and, that is the message that bong joon [ho] chooses to deliver to you as compared to infinity war where there is not really any uh influence it's more of enjoying the story so it depends on the author of the


of the film if you choose to see it from a film's point of view, yeah so what do you think


uh okay first I said that art and design is completely different, yeah design is a subset of art and then second thing I said was uh the way that art is meant to influence our thoughts and instruct how we think right is not like advertisements it's


it's in very subtle ways it it does so through feeling it's not uh hard and fast like political you need to do this you need to do that it's not like that it's you feel this way uh, you see this painting you feel this way that's how you're supposed to feel lah and the last thing I have mentioned was


uh enjoyment so it depends on the author so, uh I use the example of parasite and avengers endgame


okay so to summarize my point uh I would say that art is meant to instruct and influence because of how it makes us feel and makes us think and to adjust your point again on the


on how uh strong messages of arts shouldn't be considered art because it's it's not it's too political I would say that is, that would not be too accurate because uh like I said in the previous topic uh art is a form of expression so uh you may choose to express yourself strongly and in this case uh of was it george orwell


ya so in his book uh he chose to express himself very strongly with, uh whichever means he chooses to I think that is completely fine because, if you choose to express yourself subtly or you choose to express yourself strongly it all depends on you and it also depends on whether you like it or not so that's subjective in that sense


yeah and I think to summarize that's about it they show us they guide us in how we're supposed to feel and think in subtle ways


part three debate topic three


okay so I agree with you films are more appealing films are more efficient in delivering their messages uh, that part I have to give it to you that's uh none contest but uh you see many of those films adapt books I let's say harry potter harry potter is uh is one of the more prominent uh stories that we have heard so


those are adapting from the books and in order to adapt from the books you need to uh read the book and, because you have this second layer of interpretation the films are are interpreting it in their own way right you see


there's another layer of interpretation so the main message of uh whoever writes the book might not get through to the viewer of the film uh then, then again I agree with you films are more efficient in telling us uh the story


yeah I think that would be (hmm) films can, be a gateway for people to be read books yeah but uh, because okay uh back to my point on the second layer of interpretation uh films alright can be shorter they're more engaging however they might lose their message in between


and also because of the second layer of interpretation uh the reader might not get the main message of the book and also films can choose like what they want to, what they want to show in in their book like certain aspects of the book that you want to show lah uh I think for those that are very serious about wanting to know the full story uh those are the people that would read books


that's uh the main reason why people read books is because they want to get a deeper level of understanding so I wouldn't say that books are completely dead they are barely surviving


yeah


we're not wait it hold on it went up to two hundred and forty six from where


agree with you because I see that I see your point of how films are very engaging and they can catch they are more efficient in sharing their


their points of view but uh we also need to consider those that have uh different methods of learning so there are like four main types of, uh understanding was it four or three okay as uh first there's the kinesthetic way of learning that where you have to learn through your actions and there is also uh visual visual and audio


and then there's also reading uh reading of course takes up the least percentage of uh, of the learning type so I agree with you that uh reading is on books are on a decline it has they takes up they take up a lot of attention span and take up a quite a bit of time uh


however I think that although it's on a decline it is still one of the main ways that uh people who want information can get it so, uh like I said in the previous argument uh film film directors can choose like how they want to interpret their their story to be however the books contain the main essence of it


so there's if it wouldn't be on the decline for those who are actually seeking out a real fact because yeah I agree with you that people are lazy they want to they want to get their information packaged nicely for them


but I would say uh those that are really very serious about knowing the the full truth, books wouldn't be on a decline for them, so it's subjective in in a sense that uh how willing you are to to find out the whole truth about whatever you are seeing


part one debate topic one


alright so I'll begin uh answering the question, , so for the for the majority of people uh the arts uh, uh the what arts is a waste of time and how true is this to our society here in singapore


so to answer that question I'll begin by , citing a very relevant a recent incident that we , during the our circuit breaker period uh during the COVID nineteen pandemic which is ongoing


so do you remember , the the the article by the sunday times where they conducted a survey, where seventy one percent of singaporeans who participated, in in that survey stated that,


they think that an artist is the top most, unessential job during a, pandemic like right now that we are experiencing so just from that statistic alone I mean I don't understand that the the particular statistic


statistic is talking about , a pandemic but you can really see the value of , , how the arts is seen in singapore based on just how like in a crisis who like people usually choose, what is the most important to them or like it most vital in a crisis and it really it's really it's ever more clear than ever that


err artists are well considered, a waste of time in our, society in singapore, so, what what uh what do you think KG


well yes K G I do agree with your argument that about the nature of art about , that is err it is what it is it is something that people can see and enjoy and experience however the argument that


the question that we're trying to answer today is , is do people in singapore, or the majority of people in singapore feel that arts is a waste of time, and to answer that question I I feel that err your point about art being the fact that it's just to be enjoyed or to be experienced or uh


sorry could you restate uh what you said again, more, uh like your point


so like cultural it serves a cultural significance is is what you're trying to say like in in certain, uh cultures , perhaps but then , if that's the case then


it is well I suppose the benefit of that is is relevant in a sense that it brings people together culturally however if you were to talk about in a very in a most logical sense in a sense where, we're trying to


let's say better the uh our entire society in singapore, how like, don't you think that singaporeans the singaporeans who answered the survey are in a sense right, that they are right to feel that it is a waste of, time it is true that it that it is a waste time because of how they feel simply because of the the the the amount of


people who responded that way, I mean it really does make sense because , if you were to, think about it in terms of uh the progress of society , like we're not saying art is useless but it to many people it is considered a waste of time simply because of it's uh economic value or it's perceived economic value


like right like as like like very often if we were to draw from our own experience or my own experience like like when you grow up people will tell you that oh you shouldn't be an artist or that's bad, as a job especially because like in singapore it's hard to get a job with that kind of


uh skills particular skill sets that you learn in art and it is true it is not easy and there are many artists do face a lot of struggle on their own, and, yeah and if you were to uh just pick uh


comparison between , like science or pursuing science versus pursuing arts, like, uh advances in science usually creates more opportunities for people, like if you think of uh


if you think of like things like during this COVID pandemic the people in the scientific industry are the ones who are leading charge and, ensuring that uh millions of people are not dying, it's it's literally their responsibility like do or die you know and it it makes a lot sense that art is even in a normal non pandemic period that art is not considered a necessary or like it's considered a waste of time because simply because of its nature that it is not


that functional in a sense do you agree what do you think


alright yeah I like I said I I do really agree that that is uh art does give a certain degree of self reflection and err, I suppose a very uh vital part of our society also involves the freedom of expression which is something that we constantly look for in this during especially during these times


so although you see, there's a reason there's a reason why I strongly feel that, art can be a waste of time because , simply because like if you look at how the way humans and our needs is organized you know you know you know the maslow pyramid of of yeah of needs right so like the biggest part is our most basic uh intrinsic needs and then followed by like


hunger food shelter stuff like that followed by , more , less substantial things and more uh , stuff that happens on the inside so like friendship companionship family stuff then like if it it gets smaller and smaller and well ah yeah I do agree like eventually as humans we we should need to build up to that level of desire and we should aim to reach the top should reach like fulfillment which is very important


important but tell me the if without , everyone having a good education a good understanding of science a good, a proper job or like , having a vaccine


to cure your disease or having a a proper home for everybody so like if let's say everyone like a large portion of, the err , of singaporean decided to become artists instead of becoming scientists even though they could be particularly like their talents could be particularly


served in that sector which could help, don't you think it would actually be less beneficial for society like imagine if more people came became artists then there will be like less uh people to solve world hunger like they'll be less people who


solve housing issues there'll be less people to , basically like find a cure for dengue killing like millions of people in uh third world countries, wouldn't that be problematic in a sense like if our, lower the lower level of of body's needs uh is not


already to a sense fulfilled to some extent then how can you say that how can you as an individual like allow yourself to pursue the arts so freely and happily when there are others in the world who also have their own set of issues of their lower needs not being met so what do you think


I'm sorry can can you repeat your point


, yeah I I I do agree with uh what you are saying that but uh there you do notice that there is a contradiction with what


you are saying compared to what uh my data that I have said about previously so yes you you do you have mentioned that we are a first world country and we have uh access to a lot of many things that


other people may not have like our like in a sense your stasis saying most people in singapore their basic needs are fulfilled yeah I agree, uh but then why do you still think that that seventy one percent of people, still don't still don't feel that it's important to have art or maybe it is because of the pandemic as you said their focus on the pandemic but


so but don't you still think that there is a to some degree that that arts is not very respected in singapore you do notice that the art scene in singapore is not very big it is growing but it's not very big at the moment so why do you think so like why do you think people feel that way


okay I do agree that uh it is spot very very likely that uh the statistic that I drew from is, uh, uh uh could be very skewed in it's uh side cause I I do agree that uh, uh the newspaper I mean take it or leave it uh mean this is sort of a fact that uh the newspaper industry it's sort of


dying and that mainly the younger generation would be less inclined to read a physical uh sort of newspaper so, I, I it it might be wholly possible that , whoever who's doing the survey who's answering the survey is probably from a uh older generation and would hold uh different values from the younger the younger singaporeans


so yeah so it then perhaps that uh that that argument wouldn't stand then that about talking about like if you were to we will have to have conduct another survey which is more


widespread across yeah and comprehensive in terms of uh age group, and be more to be more fair in in like deciding the opinion of singaporeans and on that point I agree and


yes I also do agree that , arts is also a self reflection which is your first point and it is very important and it's something that people, especially in first world countries like ours should hold more and more because uh after we have like you have said we have covered our basic needs like shelter and uh food and water and stuff like that we do need to also


consider uh self reflection and look upon ourself, to as a society and consider and I think art uh whether is it through music dance uh, paintings modern art physical sculpting i think these are very excellent ways where uh singaporeans can uh express themselves


and, in a sense , I would, I would say not just, uh, not just enjoy the art but also see it as a form of, self reflection on society itself, and , and uh become better people from it


based on uh the messages that we try to achieve through art so uh yes I leave you to uh your own closing points


yeah


part two debate topic two


okay so err allow me to begin my point on answering the question , art is not meant to instruct or influence it is only meant to be enjoyed do you agree with this viewpoint so I should begin uh by first deconstructing what this


question means or rather the statement art is not meant to instruct or influence it is only meant to be enjoyed, so by instruct or influence I I I would think that uh what the question is trying to suggest is that that he has a particular agenda or messaging whether like art is sort of has it's own


uh sort of, is it supposed to give a message or a call to action will that the viewer is supposed to, relate to and understand and empathise with and hopefully take action on that message so that is the first part of what art should be for this and the second part is that


it is only meant to be enjoyed so, it's very clear that err it's the opposite so like being enjoyed as in it's only a passive, uh action that we normally don't we're not supposed to do anything about and just look at it and yeah just enjoy it look at it and and once it's done it's done it's gone and the moment is over


so that's what I think from uh the statement so I do agree with it because well if art in itself is meant to instruct or influence then it is not art we not all literature or works of


or or not all pieces of works can be considered art so, art to me at least, uh works of art that, art, that have a so called art that have a strong uh political message or if they aim to persuade the viewer too much or if they attempt to incite a call to action


from viewing them that is not art, we call those in my opinion propaganda and advertising you see like , that that is why err art can never be meant to instruct or influence it could uh influence to a small degree but the message should often be very vague it shouldn't be very specific like oh


take up arms against this, government or something no it shouldn't be that is not art that is propaganda of a because it's such an agenda of some kind or like when advertising agencies uh have youtube videos and you watch it you don't enjoy it right because they're constantly pushing pushing a message to you so when do you enjoy art so


the reason why art should be enjoyed is simply just look back to the last time you , , you you look at a piece of art so like I I shall give a, more specific example


I shall give a more specific example so uh like just think back to a time when you watched a film or a TV show or a programme on netflix like especially something fictional when you are watching that fictional programme uh for a moment there you just kinda


uh forget about your surroundings and your environment and your worries and you just only you're you're you're fully immersed into the story, and you essentially forget your own reality so that is art


doing it's uh job that is art , err I mean if you do, look at this fictional works or like cartoons or something on films they do have a sort of message behind them maybe a theme or like a a very subtle message but it's not very clear it's not very direct you know it's it's it's open to interpretation you know films don't


films don't say that err that we must do this or the call to action isn't always clear you can leave you can enjoy a movie or film, and come out, just asking yourself a lot of questions you don't have a definite answer and you don't


you're not , manipulated in anyway you you whatever you've seen is open to your interpretation whatever you choose to do after that is your own prerogative, so yeah I shall bring it over to you and do you agree with me


yeah well I I do uh agree with uh your points uh so to summarize your point so so you have you have said a lot of things, so the the first thing you talked about was err sorry what is the first thing you you said again


could you repeat your points could you summarize your points for me


so uh regarding your first point about , the design thing and the about art not being design and and it possibly intersecting, I I think you misunderstand so like uh my point is that basically there are my my first point was basically saying that


uh a lot of things can be considered could potentially be misinterpreted for art but my viewpoint is that if you have, too strong a, message whether it's a of a political reason or a


a commercial reason or any other reason that you have to like want to influence whether is it through marketing means or whatever, then I wouldn't consider it art, so works of literature even popular works of literature like george orwell's nineteen eighty four so basically if you if you are not familiar basically err it is uh a


a book about a dystopian society during the , which was written during the period of uh sort of a english uh socialism revolution period so it was a book about a dystopian society where people were just locked up and forced to do everything and every part of their life is controlled a little bit like how china is like now


uh but the idea is that the book serves as a warning to the people, during the english people during that time about socialism, and like it's, ill effects like eventually will lead to a totalitarian society, so a work of art like that so called


this book or literature by george orwell could be I in my opinion shouldn't be considered art because it has a very strong political standing it should be considered philosophy or , political philosophy if if you will because uh through in my that for my first point what I'm trying to say is that


art shouldn't be uh uh it it it it should really be only be enjoyed and that is its only value, so whatever that is whatever that you derive from it whatever money you you get from your song, or from your film


that you made, is all by accident and by chance every, the, the only meaning behind the art is its enjoyment and entertainment value for that period of time, so it shouldn't have a a message that's too strong on one side or another


or ya so that's my first point, so what I would consider art if I were to give an example is yes avenger, avengers , if you were to take away its copyright stuff or about its merchandise and everything it's only value is its enjoyment


so like the two hours that you are in there watching thanos beat like iron man up or something, that is the, art itself that is the time when you enjoy that is its value in itself, not whatever the message that parasite will be trying to tell you about society ya you enjoy parasite as a film as a movie and that itself is art but whatever message that was coming out of it is open to your interpretation


so the director of parasite kept things very vague, it wasn't very clear he made his characters poor on purpose but that is up for us to think about it so I suppose there is a fine line there is often times where art intersects with business and, uh intersects with consumerism and intersects with politics so there is a very thin line to draw


but to me if you want to be a purist, art should only be have an entertainment value at that surface level, so if, you can sell a painting for a billion dollars on, on like like van gogh's painting can go for very high price the original


that is accidental because society just happens to place its value on it because the painter or because of circumstances right, if, van gogh was just a regular, guy and like I was I made my own painting and I painted it and I try to, just put it on a wall on the streets somewhere people will just look at it and go !huh! okay cool


right, and that is the art whatever, they choose whatever society chooses to, do, with that piece of art whatever price tag they choose to put on it doesn't matter it's all accidental it's all, , it's all not part of the artistic process everything of it is outside that's not art already whatever message that you think it its supposed to give you is not art


so that's what that's where I stand and uh, yes so uh hold on a minute, err yes so uh yeah to summarize basically , in the words of uh oscar wilde, so uh oscar wilde is a poet


and uh a very established writer, so basically, in in his own words it's uh a work of art is useless as a flower is useless, so a flower blossoms for its own joy, we gain a moment of joy by looking at it and that is all is to be said about our relations to flowers


of course man may sell the flower and so make it useful to him, but this has nothing to do with the flower it's not part of its essence it's accidental it's a misuse so end quote, so this uh I feel this quote strongly summarizes my point about


art and it's err I would say art, in the at the end of the day its value is indifferent to anything but its enjoyment so yes I would leave you to summarize your points


yes uh thank you , so I do agree with most of your points and


part three debate topic three


okay I shall begin answering uh the question, so the question is books are dead films are the way to go do you agree so the the statement here is uh pretty clear cut so I'm sure like we all understand uh what it means that uh books are dead and films are the way to go so


basically , to summarize i mean to to, to, breakdown what the question is saying is that err well less and less people are reading books uh because of the arrival of uh popular new media such as films


and uh especially films or like a visual media that bring on a new, , level of engagement compared to books simply because of its visual


elements as well as audio visual elements that uh the audience can perceive that books do not have simply because books are are pieces of paper that you read things from and that's how the information is transmitted, so that is my understanding of the question books are dead films are the way to go


so uh to begin answering uh the question, to begin answering the question , , I would I would say I agree that books are dead and films are the way to go uh simply because of the points that I said before it is simply more engaging uh films have sound effects visual effects


they have, uh scripts they have art directors behind them they have whole casts of, crew and, basically the way uh information is transmitted is simply more efficient , and more immersive in a in a sense that


uh in terms of storytelling books are cheaper to produce but at the same time they are also so well they just so they are in a sense, static uh in a sense that you can only open the book and read and leave the rest to your imagination I suppose


so, yes so err ya so if I were to cite a survey uh like if you were to come in the context of uh singapore itself, , uh books have been in the decline and I do have facts to back that up so since uh twenty sixteen there is there's been surveys conducted so in twenty sixteen itself a survey conducted by


national by the NLB singapore so it stated that only eighty percent of singaporeans read something more than once a week so it that something could be uh magazines newspaper, online


online blogs online posts online newspapers, whatever it is uh ebooks or whatever, so that's eighty percent of singapore in general so like to actually read something, , so from there you can just tell that there's like a huge portion of twenty percent who don't even read at all


but that's not all, so to add on to that uh books and ebooks only made up nineteen percent of like for those people who read more something more than once a week books and ebooks only made up nineteen percent of what they read


so most of what they read actually came from uh, uh online websites uh and blogs and and mainly newspapers so like sixty eight percent of it was newspapers so ya as you can tell like books are only such a small minute fraction


even in singapore itself so if you can imagine in the world, and if you were to uh take into account the, amount of , the amount of uh, entertainment value that uh films have compared to books this these two these two itselves are very


strong motivating factors I believe for people to not want to read books as much as before, so uh I I give the point the u k g


just to uh add, just to ask you a question do you think that uh it might be possible that people might read books, because of things like uh, harry potter or game of thrones so like they they want to find out more about the lore


the of the, the film right


okay I I do err to so to summarize your points uh basically you're saying that, books , do , uh are still relevant in a sense, that uh that they they they leave things open to the imagination when you read them


uh right so so there isn't a like the very the very the crux of the argument is the very thing that helps films to be so engaging is the very thing that, uh makes films less superior


in a sense because it does not live uh up the medium does not leave enough to the imagination, and uh I do agree uh however but people are lazy and they wouldn't they would rather someone would imagine that thing for them in in the form of film


and uh yeah I also do agree on your point that uh books I mean films, do contribute to sell some books especially in the of the fictional genre so of like let's say harry potter like if you after watching the films actually before people watch the films nobody knew about the books but overnight after watching the films people the books became a phenomenon themselves right


you've seen that you've seen that in game of thrones uh the the the the the the HBO series, uh nobody nobody really talks about the books until like the the show came out then people started reading it , and and then yeah there was the whole thing about the script writing not being as good as the books and then people started being fascinated with it so uh I think that's really amazing


and I I I do agree, uh but , , however even though books is still clinging on dearly for life uh I would say that, it is only a matter of time because,


source of information they want newspapers they want uh blogs they want things that can help them in the short run that's why we even use reading anymore right so going back to my point about films being more uh of an efficient way of,


transmitting information in terms of storytelling uh, I would say my arguments still stands because, uh uh uh , simply because of how lazy human brains are and how like we we we want, like, the story world to be built for us


and uh it is unfortunate but it is also the current trend so and allow me, to uh bring up another statistic so according to the number of uh, netflix streams in twenty sixteen which was only what forty seven thousand so today in twenty twenty it went up to twenty six


uh two hundred and sixty four thousand uh and this is the statistics for singapore, , so as you can see, the the the the, (hmm), eh okay it was forty seven thousand in twenty sixteen


then in twenty twenty is, two hundred sixty four thousand, streams, okay so ya, so uh yeah I mean if you just compare the two pieces of information I shared about how people are not reading as much books only eighty per cent of the population reads books


I would say it's only a matter of time and it's a very it's very uh difficult for, books to make a comeback I mean it it there are certain areas where books are making a comeback but then it is only in the fictional department nobody really like, because


there's also not only films there's also the thing about uh google taking over the information age right like search engines, so we no longer like go to a like a encyclopedia to look for information or like, , yeah so like that's in the nonfiction but in the fiction era of books and films I mean yeah it's true you don't really like


most people don't really go to a documentary to learn about, new things but there are other forms of medium that people look to, more accessible like things on youtube if they want to they want pieces of information, they won't go to an encyclopedia but they won't watch films either I would say they would still they would still like look on youtube or something if they want pieces of information so


yeah so but on to summarize my point I would say that books are on a decline and it don't doesn't seem like they are making a comeback so what do you think


I I I do agree uh that the uh to summarise your point I'll say that, , there are, very valid reasons for for for looking towards books and there are still people who would look towards books for for not just


information but also for entertainment yeah so yeah but the there is there is still an overall trend that that books are on the decline and it is uh pretty obvious to everyone and I would


say that it is it it it is not entirely, err impossible for books to make a comeback as a form of medium or but perhaps in another form I would say perhaps uh if you were to start considering uh digital books instead yeah because like it's more accessible on our devices and it's it's it's not


too physical too too heavy to carry need carry like thousands of books on one device and yeah I mean perhaps books can make a comeback someday I mean where I would have seen uh popular devices like uh the kindle which is basically like a uh, a little tablet that that doesn't have any uh glare because it works like a


, it works like one of those notepads that uses black and white, , spots on screen right those are getting popular too and those uh are very accessible and , yeah I would say maybe books has


reach a point where it hasn't died but it has sort of to evolve and change in its uh particular form of medium, uh to become more accessible and I do feel the value of books is is still as important as ever


uh films do bring their own set of uh value to the table but books uh still leave it up to the imagination of especially for fictional works which I feel is very important, to the of the of the audience to interpret what they want to see


yeah I still do remember the first time I, I I read my first couple of books that weren't, , that weren't paperback comics or anything like if they were just words, and I was it was an interesting experience where you could not put down your book and you would just uh whatever characters that appeared and act uh acted in the book were


all very interesting in my head and then when I watched the film oh it was different and I was kind of disappointed they didn't look that way or they didn't felt the same way and ya I do agree, so, uh yeah so to summarise uh I would say books have their own inherent value and they have to uh change accordingly to uh fit and be more accessible in general not just


be stuck in the library because people don't really have time to just like visit the library to get thousands of books right and uh I will say has been uh like the books bookstores have evolved into e bookstores like itunes and stuff like that and I think that's really awesome and amazing and I'm glad the everyone can have their share of books


part one debate topic one


okay


okay so advertisements are defined as publications on online and conventional media in an attempt to persuade the audience to take or continue some action, so companies take advantage take advertisement as an opportunity to convince consumer of the advantage of their product that being said that any advertise at any advertisements that's actually entertaining entertaining actually is meant to attract their target audience


into reacting in a certain behaviour to to buy their products or interact with their products however many of them fail to realize that consumers' feelings toward certain brands actually matters too


it's actually an intrinsic factor where it depends on how, a consumer actually feel about the brand regardless of the advertisement so to a to a certain extent definitely entertain entertaining act actually affect consumer behaviour because they they sort of induce a certain emotion in consumers when


deciding whether to buy or not however they do actually only affect people with neutral standing towards the brand so people who feel who don't feel anything extreme about the brand so they're pretty neutral they don't feel extreme uh dislike for the brand or extremely like the brand


they tend to be more easily influenced by entertaining ads, , so a lot of ads have now moved onto digital space where a lot of word of mouth and a lot of reviews are being shared online so this actually affect a lot of consumers nowadays


as opposed to entertaining ads for example the recent the recent big hoo-ha about the founders Bak-Kut-Teh, where they had a lot of backlash regarding a social post that they had so initially before everything was exposed


a lot of people went to support but because of word of mouth people start exposing more about the brand, they kind of boycott the brand so regardless of whether they had an ad that's entertaining or not people still have certain feelings towards the brand and they might boycott it or in the other case or the other hand they might extremely like the brand and then


go for the brand regardless of the the kind of ad they actually put out so for example if it's apple, apple has been long running a forefront of smartphones so and they have always been known for having very simple creative ads that might not be entertaining but at the same time people still do buy apple products so to the point where uh


where we mentioned that they rarely affect consumer choice I think in in a way that advertisements regardless whether they're entertaining or not do not affect consumer choice unless they're of neutral standing


so I think that's about my my first point any comments


and the for consumers I think USPs maybe let's talk about the U S Ps of how a brand how a brand can actually put forward their U S P in entertaining ways


nothing that actually affect my consumer buying behaviour


as in I'm saying that entertaining advertisements rarely affect my consumer my consumer behaviour because if I if I'm stuck on a brand and I believe a brand uh a brand


vision regardless of how entertaining or boring the act is gonna be I will buy if I support the vision but if I do not support the vision for example if somebody is a vegan and and the product this lipstick has been tested okay not vegan if imagine somebody is pro-life


uh pro animals uh anti animal and animal bullying so if the lipstick, does test on animal then regardless of how interesting or entertaining the ad is gonna be I will not buy the lipstick so it does not affect my decision whether just because the ad is entertaining and I will buy the lipstick


I finish my first point already are you going to counter my first point


okay so countering your first point about inducing emotions in consumers with ads, uh my second point comes to this part where they actually companies fail to realize that


entertaining ads right albeit being uh able to attract consumers and inducing emotions in consumers they fail to realize that different people interpret ad differently, so for example there's an ad in singapore where NETS come up with a a E NETS ad


where they make use of a celebrity to represent four different races in singapore some people find it funny but some people find it a bit of uh culture culture inappropriation because they could could have got a another celebrity of a different race to represent that race so


that brings a lot of controversy in our society, and then funnily enough a lot of our brown brown skin friend find it funny and the and the chinese are the ones that find it offensive so this actually draws a very dangerous line between whether an ad is actually entertaining or is it religious


a sensitive ad so , it has actually affected a lot of the ways ad has been portrayed because of entertainment and there's a because of issues our societies is rising right now and there's a lot of sensitivity in Singapore especially with race so albeit it being an entertaining advertisement


people start seeing the brand in a very insensitive way, and then it kind of got backlash and then a lot of negativity come comes with the brand so I'm not saying that people don't use NETS nowadays but imagine this on another brand and then people will start boycotting that brand regardless of how entertaining it is and that's why I feel like entertaining ads


do not affect consumer choice unless it is appropriate, and therefore I conclude that advertisements, are entertain that are entertaining can capture a consumers' interests in the product only if they're in the neutral standing of either they're not understanding the brand enough


if not they will not buy so imagine if I already don't like this brand for not being able to fulfill whatever USPs they have been saying through their entertaining ad I will still I still will not purchased that product but another product that is boring with a boring ad but has


has proven itself through through time that it is actually effective with its USPs I will still buy the product so regardless whether the ad is entertaining or boring as long as as long as, they they deliver what they promise I believe consumers these days are very very rational in their buying behaviour


because of the use of an a comedian a very very famous comedian in singapore who has been known for portraying many many different roles in his character in a comedy


ya as it it's actually a video there's actually a video yup so it's actually a video


I agree to a certain extent because imagine if I've been using this certain brand for for for let's say a very very long time and then this new entertaining ad that comes out I, might be inclined to buy the first pair to try but in the long run if it doesn't deliver the next entertaining ad that comes out from it I I probably would not buy it I'll probably just fall back to my old old brand shoe


yes yes yes yes that's why I say it rarely affect because I have a neutral standing with this particular brand that's entertaining unless it's a brand that I really despise and so regardless of how viral the ad is I probably still would not buy it that's because of my neutral standing with that particular brand that's why I am inclined to try the first pair


okay


okay then I'll I'll start now so uh a picture speaks a thousand words I think this is a phrase that we're all very familiar with because when you associate with pictures they expressed much more than words ever can be


so for example okay my first point is that pictures are universal while words are limited to language so everyone from anywhere across the regions will be able to understand the message behind a certain picture, whereas


in words it's very it's actually uh dictated by language that can only be understood by people who actually know the language, for example toilets so it's always with a simple female and male sign and then we can tell which gender the toilet the cubicle belongs to so imagine it in a foreign language we will not be able to tell which one is the female toilet which one is the male toilet


and then the same also food for thought have you ever thought think of why traffic signs are always in images rather than words it's because of how easily images can actually be expressed, rather than mere words of saying of this is this is an underground pass it's it's always easier to translate it into images because it's universal and everyone regardless of


language or what kind of language they their mother tongue is they will be able to understand, pictures better than mere words, that's my first point so what do you think about have you ever think have you ever seen of a thing that is represented better in word than pictures


an exclamation an exclamation mark with a triangle


, and then I'll throwback the question to you if he has to travel from a place to another place what is he actually looking at is he still looking at verbal words where they tell you okay right fifteen minute minutes straight down road blah blah blah or do they look at a specific map which is an equivalent to a picture which one is more effective


but I'm not expressing anything I'm saying that word a picture is more powerful in terms of expressing themselves than just mere words because word you really need a stream of words to be able to express what that sentence means versus a picture that actually just explains more than what a sentence can can say


okay so but I'm saying that even okay using your example as a as watching movies, if you see a person holding a knife stabbing a guy and scolding some or just saying something roughly in italic you know that it's gonna be a violence scene do you still need the italic err do you still need the subs for


for that scene to be in english or you can just interpret it


exactly so back to your movie example where just looking at uh image or the person's expression we can be able to, uh we could be able to interpret exactly what kind of emotion has been running through that image without words so it comes to my second point where pictures can actually appeal to emotions


so it has the effect of amplifying the message behind the image that it's depicting so it has the ability to evoke some sort of feelings in people when looking at a specific image just like the just like your example of of as in just like my example of a person in a movie


very angry spilling some sort of italian gibberish holding a knife and stabbing the person we can tell that this person is angry and he stabbing someone out of anger or he's being evoked into feeling anger and that's how we depict an image, so so photograph is one of the other way of how at how a picture can actually evoke some sort of feelings in us for example where people go travelling


they will definitely take pictures do they write in a diary today I travel to where where where where where I had a happy time I drank tea the tea was delicious it was sweet it was pink in colour the cup the cupcake no people take a take a picture and when people review back these memories they have in the picture that actually it actually brings them


joy of how of how they're feeling, at that moment of time and it actually helps them record uh history so for example like uh, for example like uh


during Lee-Kuan-Yew one of his rallies in the past there was a picture of him with his fist in the air and then it evokes so many feelings in people and just with one look at the picture people could actually felt his passion through the picture just like the first man on the moon on the moon so with team in


poking the flag in onto the moon people cheer because of that even without words people know it's an achievement and they felt uh as american felt the the, the glory of actually having the first men on the moon that's why pictures are able to just express more than words and actually brings out evokes certain emotions in people


that can range from actually being angry you can range from actually being happy and there's so many interpretation to what a person can feel with pictures therefore I conclude that of although words as much as words can actually bring the same effect, with a picture it's actually a longer and much more tedious process


of actually , invoking emotions and stuff like that that's why a picture is always more powerful than mere words


yes because uh the picture can interpret in a way of, uh evoke emotion in individual people so some people might think that you are just angry you just try to punch the air or some people might be think thinking you are ambitious like punching the air because you are happy


some people be thinking you're passionate you trying trying to prove point but all it means all this means that they can they they can mean so much more things than just mere words


okay so but okay back to your point where you're saying that words are like much more like mere words are more important when it comes to interpretation of a picture, but have you ever seen,


a word gallery have you ever seen a word gallery opposed to an art gallery people people actually, I guess picture is a way for people to actually express


what they actually feel and obviously it's taking an artist's take but in terms of powerful whether how powerful it is to put out a message a picture always worked better than words


yes, then you can actually understand the innocence of kids and how they see the world


this is very obvious you can tell the difference in the different level of drawing styles you can tell it's the kids' drawing versus an adult drawing


, okay


(hmm) I think when it comes to pictures is always relevant in history because with history a lot of pictures actually can save time while learning history rather than mere words


part three debate topic three


okay I can start now right okay, so advertisements are defined as publications on online and conventional media in an attempt to persuade the audience to uh


continue certain action be it buying a product or actually err, introducing or recommend certain products so companies have or brands have actually made use of advertising to encourage certain behaviour in consumers be it on online or TV advertising so it definitely meant it it's definitely meant to encourage


a desire for certain products, so uh in terms of better products is actually do people actually need these products uh, it has is much more to be seen but advertisements itself is meant to encourage err more people to buy their products or actually even know more but about their products because then it comes to my first point of why entertain advertisement actually works for consumers because everyone every human being is a visual creature


everyone remembers certain aspects of err an advertisement, a bit entertaining or boring so it with advertisement it actually entice people to buy more, so regardless of their sale or there's no sale and advertisement is always needed for brands to come online so for example during the COVID period everyone's at home but the but the number of people shopping online has increased


uh as opposed to pre COVID period why is that so where we're not even going out anywhere is because of the online there's a lot of advertisements online and a lot of a lot more uh promos out there where you all can buy more clothes online even with physical stores closing so not okay


COVID aside being a unique situation there's also, uh big brand names like iphones and iwatch do people really need a an iwatch to tell time they do not need but


because of , because of the ad and how it has represented itself through the ad people see the ad and then they think that oh, this is a new tech thing so everyone has been rushing to get err an iwatch, so it definitely encourage uh desire for products which people do or do not need actually but it definitely brings in a a certain level of interest in people who actually sees the ad irregardlessly


regardlessly yup so that's my point


I agree I agree to a certain extent that different people have different needs and wants, but what the sentence is saying that it encourages a desire for products which people do not actually need which you have to agree to a certain extent there are products that people really do not need but because of advertising people have the desire or interest in that certain products


so for for example for example stuff like, a soft toy for an adult do you need a do you need a teddy bear


that talks but it encourage a certain desire of feeling towards the person like oh this is cute I want to get a teddy bear but do you really need it I don't think so that's uh


yup so that's why I'm saying that advertising encourage a certain desire but not all products depends uh as in obviously the product has to be relatable to these certain, consumer so for example if so for for example if you are a


if err if you're not a gamer obviously regardless of what kind of ad advertising advertising it has for people it does not appeal to them so for example the next example I'm going to bring up is actually secret lab, because of the advertising that they do they become so popular that even non gamers want to sit in that chair


so but do we actually need a a gaming chair for non gamers we do not need it but because of how well the advertising has been it has proven that people will actually purchase a secret lab chair irregardless whether because of promo or is it because


they genuinely believed in the USP of the secret lab chair but people still have a desire to purchase certain products because of advertisement and, that not necessary need need it maybe they really enjoys like a a new gaming chair but generally is something of not uh is something of uh something not of a high need


(hmm) yes but not gaming chair not professional gaming chair like secret lab


but can I but can I, still sit in the normal chat and play my game oh wait the the the the the first scenario that I I mentioned was that I'm not a gamer


so I can take a normal office chair and sit at my desk I do not need a professional gaming chair but people do get entice to buy a gaming chair a secret lab gaming chair because how beautiful it looks just just to sit in it


yup okay so by comes back to the point where actually advertising encourages that sort of desire and behaviour for people so I understand the part where like uh different people have different needs and wants and then there's a fine line between a need and a want but in terms of generally in terms of


uh things that people do not actually need err maybe we we can look at it in a more general idea of what so for example like you say uh like a baby looking at an advertisement for pampers obviously uh they are not they are not the one with buying power they do not actually


they are the one who need it but they don't have the actual buying power so it doesn't really encouraged a desire in them but for parents who actually look at the advertisement of, uh baby diapers they will actually buy the diaper for their baby so the same way works for I think a lot of other products like


uh depending on the for example a female shampoo or female facial make up I mean it does not appeal to male so but err but it appeals to female but is it necessary a a need to have makeup


but people will still feel like it will still encouraged a desire for people to buy products okay so for example one for example a foundation is enough and then new type of foundation comes up, are you telling me that a female will not be enticed to buy this new product or foundation because they don't have any foundation and they really really need a foundation or is it because they are just entice by the


the ad that's coming up and they feel like oh I this colour of foundation looks good like this new eye shadow looks good like should I get this new eye shadow just because, I want I I need it I need to draw my eye shadow that's why I'm saying it encourages a certain desire for people for products that people don't actually for example uh even for example going for very very niche products like target with targeted audience like even a hair straightener


do we really need to straighten our our hair for ladies it's not it's not need it becomes a want but are people entice to buy like a new dyson hair straightener, people are queueing to buy the dyson hair straightener because of the because of the advertising and of course the brand name and people have a certain desire for such products even if they don't need it


that's why I agree that that advertising encouraged a certain desire for products that people don't actually need it to regardless of whether they need or they don't need advertising some encourage any sort of desire for products across the board regardless of its need or want


or never heard before but it does encouraged the a desire for products


uh ya I'm I'm just curious lah for do you myself that do you have any experience yourself uh have you have you ever seen a advertisement that you find yourself that is entertaining and maybe you can share how it appeared uh how like what which aspect of it is entertaining to you lah


then I can elaborate more on that


as in as in I'm just uh for me right I'm just asking you uh do you have any experience yourself that you found an advertisement entertaining, no you don't have any, okay okay


interesting okay like even any like advertisements can be in a form of like trailers and movie trailers and et cetera right like you could be funny entertaining no you you have never found on yourself entertained by any of like movie trailers (hmm) ah like as in any product launch trailers no


just curious what's your consumer buying behaviour


(hmm), okay but but it appeals to you in like some certain kind of emotions right when you are looking at the news where


by this this particular brand is like abusing you know animals at like or, about it but you did see this kind of ads right is it is that what you saying no


okay can ya ya just uh carry on, ya uh I, you counter your first point okay okay I I thought I will counter it at one shot but okay if you want me to countering now okay uh let me counter uh I I disagree with what you're saying right now because


for for me right advertisement is a way of communication to actually encourage the audiences to make purchasing decisions about products or services lah so, entertainment can entertainment can come in uh various forms like for example like I mentioned just now like can be trailers can be those uh


product launches like like even t like like which is the the basic one would be like the advertisements done on the TV itself lah and actually without realizing right it will actually get us influenced by one of the example like, (hmm) which blends the advertisements with the with entertainment would be like there was actually an a study lah which by conducted by I'm I'm not sure which party company but I think is just to


it's just a experiment on how advertisements mixed with entertainment will influence the buying decisions of, the uh consumers themselves so that experiment is whereby the they get the audiences uh moviegoers actually whereby in the movie right when watching a movie they actually flash certain images for example like a banana like just for a split second itself


and right but in which they didn't really even notice as well lah so after right after the movie right when they go out they are actually they are actually given uh, the list of fruits a variety of fruits that pick from and most of them actually selected banana so this is one of the examples of uh entertainment being uh effective being effective and uh affecting the consumers' choice and as well not and not just that (ppc) entertainment


right it's also will also be able to, let's say for example one one of the question whereby I already ask Wan-Ling was that have you ever been entertained by by uh particular advertisements why I'm asking this is because right right now social media is pretty big lah is is uh like anything that people find interesting or whatsoever it will go viral pretty quickly


so one of the example would be let's say right now as , uh when I'm watching an ad posted by one of the friend or the company itself, and I find it interesting I may not be I may not be be the one who actually buys the product but because I find that the advertisement is pretty entertaining and I want to share it with my friends I will share it across social media platforms and


and and and vice versa and more people will just spreading and spreading and spreading and sooner or later right people the people who right audience will actually, wants this product who find this uh product it it doesn't matter whether it's entertaining or what but they see the message err the the advertisements is coming across and they actually feel that they want it they will actually be the ones uh making the purchase so ya I do agree that advertisements are


advertisements do affect the consumer choices lah, yup by appealing to their emotions and buying behaviours


is it okay so err my first question to you right uh going back to your point example of the NETS ad on the brown face which aspect of the advertisements do you find it entertaining because you label it as entertainment


okay okay so so that picture itself you say is entertain that entertaining lah okay, , okay okay understand okay yup okay uh and back to your point about yes I agree with you that uh for advertisements right it must be err coming from a neutral stand the consumers should becoming from a neutral standpoint and that the and that the product itself right the quality has actually


uh is good enough that captures their attention and their how to say, their trust and so like I like I mention whatever and even though the ad is advertisements is not entertaining consumer will still trust the brand right so my one of my question ah which I will answer itself is uh


what makes you think that the consumer will the advertisements will reach that consumer itself so for what I'm uh what I'm saying is that for example is that, uh I for example I love this brand of shoe, and uh I


been wearing this shoe for like maybe maybe I love this brand of shoe for like uh been wearing it for like the past five years and then uh it got maybe it got it got it got weathered down and then I change a new shoe and I totally forgot about that brand, and then one day this particular brand of shoe came up with a very interesting advertisement and it's very entertaining


okay but, but it's only for that let say for that specific group of people that specific platform that specific country I I'm not aware of it I'm not aware of that, product but just because they came up with an advertisements that is so entertaining


they maybe use some (hmm) some comedians like you said some characters lah in that advertisements and people and it's starting to go viral, looking people share on facebook across all the social media platforms et cetera and then it's because of those that it reached me you see is not that the advertisement company reached out to me itself is because like I say


if the advertisement itself right is a very boring ad okay even though I like the the product itself right if they are not targeting they didn't target me itself but they going they reach out to the wrong kind of platform right, again then if people find it boring they obviously won't share it across platforms right and eventually I wouldn't know if I didn't know maybe


I will go with another other other companies who other brand of shoes you see so if the advertisement is entertaining and people share it and I saw it the chances of me purchasing the product because I have pre past experience with this product right it will it will also increase do you agree with that


uh yes yes so from your point right you saying that the ad advertisement was entertaining that's why you bought it


which is why which is why are going back to my first point right is that previously you you've actually bought this shoe before you like this shoe and but because just because uh because it's been a very long time and you forgotten about the brand and then one day


err you saw your your friend posting that advertise and entertaining uh advertisement on facebook let say of the brand of shoes in your facebook then you reminded yourself eh actually this particular brand of shoes is actually I've actually err worn it before and I I it's actually a very good quality lah and I decided to buy it


so ya this is this is one of the example of how entertainment, in the advertisements affect the consumer choice lah yup


part two debate topic two


uh yes actually this is one of the question I'm uh gonna bring it to you as well lah I'm gonna ask you as well is that you mentioned that traffic lights yes they are in pictures, but uh if you've driven like maybe if if you driven long enough in singapore like you don't even long enough as in just a week itself you just take a normal grab from one place to another if there's a construction ahead right what what kind of sign would they be using have do you remember


exclamation mark with a triangle are you sure that's what you are only seeing there's no words there okay back to my another example you uh you let say err can I ask where where where do you stay


you stay in Bedok so if you want to, tell the (hmm) let's say the taxi uncle where you where you wanna where you wanna go in what what kind of picture will you be what kind of picture will you be showing them


ya but but to to get to there right what will you what must you how are you going to show the the the taxi uncle


but let's say you show the uncle but let me have you ever gone gone inside a cab right and then you, you show a picture to uncle or do you tell the uncle !hey! uncle I'm I am staying in Bedok can you drive to Bedok or do you show a picture of the map of Bedok to him, which one is more convenient and which one is more easily ~pretated and err and there's no wrong answers to it because right one of my first point is that for pictures right yes err people can see it and not all but the different people have different interpretations you see


like for example you say that if there's a construction ahead right then people see like those first time first time first people first time like, maybe they just pass their uh driving license they see a triangle and the exclamation mark do you think you know how how how sure are you do you think that they know what it is


so obviously there will be a sign that says construction ahead right so there's no there's no possibility lah let's say there's no possibility no way that they will misinterpret it, correct so words yes it's true picture can be good but it must be used in a correct context and for the context of the construction ahead right words is more powerful than picture cause it give the answers there's no way there's no wrong way to interpret it yup


so uh one and so err from my point for my case right yes it is true that pictures are universal however some words are universal too so for example best selling novels like a harry potter let's say and william shakespeare have their words translated in many languages


there are many people around the world and are still interested in a metaphor of the words as well and if you have uh ever picked up a book itself right the, picture it's yes the the picture itself could be the one that for you but obviously it no matter how good the pictures are it is the contents inside it is the story inside that gets people buying it and not just a picture


and ya and the works of shakespeare of studied much around the world lah than the works of any other did more than the works of any other painters, yup and going and one of uh another example would be that let's say you're watching a movie


uh let's say a thai thai movie or a mexican show and there's no subtitles you won't know what's happening one I mean yeah sure you can watch you can see what their what their movements are where they are walking to but without the subtitles the english subtitles


unless we know how to speak thai how to read thai language or mexican but I'll presume that not everyone uh is is knows all the languages in the world what so obviously words are words will play a major role in that in translating their actions the what the picture want to represent with the subtitles [loh]


I I would want and I would want like like you mentioned you said the person saying in words right said some, some uh strong words right so they were using words to represent their anger and the reason why they want to stab them right and plus if it's paired with subtitles it will give you a better picture of what the let's say the director the author itself


wants you to know about the context of why is why is he stabbing the person it's like if without knowing any words right without hearing them their conversations and all all you're seeing is just a picture of a person stabbing him but you'll be left wondering like why why is he stabbing what's what drove him to doing that you see


it's the same concept as to storybooks like people don't buy storybook because of the cover it could play up part of the role but ultimately like for example harry potter if no matter how good the picture is on the outside right if the if the content itself if the story itself is not good like nobody will buy what


(hmm), (hmm) I'll have to disagree on that again so one of the examples that you mentioned like uh the Lee-Kuan-Yew the neil armstrong going on the moon those are pictures right so going by your example if I were to hire an actor or me myself


uh posing like how they pose okay without any context without people knowing who I am what I've done which is through the use of words and speeches that he gave and I just post it online people will feel the emotions, will feel that !wow! this guy is someone who's motivational powerful is this what you mean so if I just you know just strike the same pose as what they have and people will just think of me in that way


ya but wouldn't that be dangerous like like most of the like even right now if you just log onto into facebook right now there's so many people like maybe you pose a news article okay most people will just like be debating you know there like saying there will be a lot of far left and far right


people like saying !hey! actually this is doing this and other people say no the reason why he is doing this particular thing because of this this this, so like what you say picture yes is open to people for interpretation which is why I'm saying that it's it's actually a dangerous, uh it is dangerous without uh any form of context so people will start interpretating and they will start saying that !hey! actually I'm right then other people say !hey! actually no the way I interpret it is right so it's like with different different interpretation but no


nobody knows it's it's correct or wrong whether is correct or wrong so this is where words come in you see words is, word is the person the person who maybe took the picture the person who wrote it who wrote the context itself they are the ones who say !hey! this picture represents this you cannot get any more other other ideas this is the answer itself so this is final answer like is not open to interpretation you see yup that's what I meant


so I mean ya so so to conclude to conclude my from my point of view right yes the picture can be can be powerful however right used in a wrong context right it's it's pretty dangerous lah I would say


oh okay so so using your art gallery as an example like would you wanna go like right now would you want to go to an art gallery that is uh that is drawn by let's say kindergarten kids


okay but how do you know that the gallery is actually what like like like you say you want to go to a kindergarden that is drawn by as in err art gallery that is drawn by kindergarden kids right how would you know that is drawn by kindergarden kids if without words representing that


you see this brings me back this brings me back to how picture itself right is open for interpretation so what you are seeing right now what you are saying right now is


you see this picture oh this is definitely drawn by a kindergarden and some other people comes along who have a different background with different life story they say !hey! actually this no this is actually drawn by a very famous artist you are wrong and then you will start saying no you are actually wrong this is


this is where like some of the conflict even happen lah I'm not gonna go into like the, like the past or what but ya this is and it and it it's actually much more relevant in our uh in the in our daily daily context or like if you just go inside facebook you see a lot of pictures itself right


like without any voice voice over without any subtitles is just people like moving here and there doing different actions right it's it's only gonna be like open to interpretation what and a lot a lot of people will have different views like if someone if someone is having a bad day, and he sees that you know some some people is like crying and all they will have a very like strong emotions toward the negative side


but if someone is having a good day they see that someone is crying oh this guy is probably touched and all I don't know something like they see is always up to interpretation what so so like I say words are, words like pictures is powerful but it has to be in the right context and accompanied by the words itself to be to make it relevant you see and to not be able to open it to interpretation lah


you have any final final comments to add


okay part three debate topic three


okay so your so just to be confirm Bee-Shen your first point you mentioned that


uh how how does your first point actually uh goes in line with that advertising only encourage the desire for products which people don't actually need so your so right now the point I think is saying that


uh advertisement actually is just promoting product that people in general don't even need at all is is like say like the apple example that you said you said people actually don't need a fitbit right, an i an iwatch iwatch I thought is the same as fitbit


no okay iwatch okay let's say let's say right now using your your iwatch as an example lah uh I'm a jogger I love to jog a lot I take part in competitive uh running marathon et cetera I also do own an iphone


but because I came up with I I'm actually taking part uh with uh at a competition in a competition right, that err and I have to make sure that I run fast lah to hit the a specific timing I have to check my heartbeat whether I'm actually fit for it


et cetera okay so right now comes along uh apple advertisement showing that oh apple iwatch it has this feature I feel that this feature is what I need, so going to my first point is that right your interpretation your interpretation and my interpretation of


a need and a want varies like right now ya maybe to you an iwatch is not a need, but maybe to like competitive uh runner and sprinter et cetera they actually need that iwatch for its function that it has cause makes sense to him


I so how does it and it actually benefits him in a way that is it it it it becomes a need already whereby not only he's able to keep make sure that his pacing is correct, uh is he gets to see whether the distance that he travelled is it uh hitting the mark that he wants


and err whether his heartbeat heart health condition is it okay to take part in the competition et cetera and all these right it is it already encompass inside err err iwatch itself, which you can still wear while running lah so at that point in time when he upon seeing the advertisement right it it's definitely a need already what do you agree


(hmm) I


, okay I don't need and I don't want if if a teddy bear


okay uh so going back to your your point about uh secret lab so do you have any chairs at your house


normal sitting so do you do you do you think that a chair is a need, okay understand so understand so if you agree that a chair is a need already right and err right now I'm seeing that eh actually I need a chair and I see a advertisement that is about chair a chair that is comfortable why would you want and and right now like compared to like a wooden plastic chair


it is not durable it is it is flimsy it is uncomfortable compared to a chair like your secret lab which is which have which has like maybe cushion paddings et cetera and its durable so it becomes a need already what whereby like right now you buy a chair for like maybe fifty dollars


and then err maybe in a year itself it it's spoilt, compared to buying like our secret lab compared the buying yourself (hmm) what you give me


ya ya ya so going back to my point right like right now even like you go to can like can even promote that gaming chair ya there's this the exactly this is why it comes to the interpretation right right now you say I'm not a gamer so if you are not a gamer obviously whatever gaming chair you also will filter it out compared to let say just a person who just wants comfort itself


they don't care what kind of brand it is they don't they only see the functions itself, compared to wooden chair and office chair and a gaming chair they see uh gaming chair that is more cost effective the quality they use is good the cushion everything is good they will obviously go for it what cause it's more sensible like right now if a company is just marketing a chair a particular as an office chair


okay and then and then do you expect like or only office people go and get the office chair no what like some people what would may even want to get a office chair for their home lah cause they see that it's comfortable and all so right now what I'm my the point I'm trying to make right is that if you have a need, and that you have a need to have a chair let's say and if your need itself right it coincides with what the advertisement is appealing to you right it also becomes a need already what so err so my second point is that


uh like for example in different stages in your life like for example in the baby, what the babies need they need diapers pacifiers for adults do they even need pacifier adults uh I I doubt so lah, right so uh what I'm saying is that it it is open to the different interpretations and different stages in life so right now so for example if I'm a adult and the the TV comes on and says !hey! actually we are advertising on a diaper you don't need it what


so but however if you are a parent itself and a TV comes on then advertising about diaper [ho] I actually need it I don't really need what so ya this also like is also like for example senior citizen err wheelchair let's say or automated wheelchair it provide right both comfort and you do need it right


yup so that there I do admit that there's a fine line between a need and a want but let's say what if both of the products have the same cost price but want is obviously out of a high quality right you need that even more right, but you can't say that oh I need I only need the I only need the basic things I don't I want the but I want the ones that are more premium let's say you can coincide together what I need a chair but I want to need a better quality of chair see


yup yup that's my point


(hmm) okay so uh like uh back to my first my one of my point is that err there's err there's actually a fine line between a need and a want lah like putting to your eye shadow but uh I'm quite sure that in your whole life you actually need there's some period of time whereby you needed to draw your eye shadows right


no it's not a want okay so one of the examples like okay so ah use your eyeshadow your, your hair straightener and your hair straightener as an example let's say you are actually (hmm), interviewing to be like uh an actress


they and the person the interviewer says !hey! please err wear some makeup be this particular scene requires you to have an eyeshadow on so does it become your need already, it need is a need right because you're an actress you are getting paid to do so and you're getting paid since you're getting paid is actually your life hood is at stake what right


so ya so for this particular context right an eye shadow is becomes a need already which is which is back to my first point whereby it's whereby you don't know who the person is or what his life experience is and, as in what he's been through and what he's currently experiencing to have it to determine whether it's a need or a want what so you can only judge those based on your own perspective so from your own point of view right you're saying that oh an eyeshadow is just a want what


(mmhmm) confirm nobody like for sure nobody will need it at all but to that actress who needs that eyeshadow to get the particular role it becomes a need already what same as your hair straightener as well like uh, like you are you are said you are running a a barber shop a saloon


you you you need to make money right you need you need to make heart for your livelihood right it becomes a need right as long as as err it's err income generating you need everybody need money ah for sure and, do you expect customers potential customer to come in not say I wanna get my hair straighten no right so in the eyes of you you say that hair straightener is not important but in the eyes of the person who owns the salon right it is a need what


it is a need to purchase that hair straightener and it is a need to purchase a good quality so that there's more customers coming in right yup so that's my case lah so yup so my to the my final point is that advertising do encourage a desire for products at different different particular group


part one debate topic one


okay so let's start with a, the, debate topic so I think uh the first one is uh are certain types of writing superior, to others so uh as a proposition I think I just want to break down what is uh the different types of uh writing


and also the definition of superior today so uh for the different types of writing uh I just list there's uh a lot of uh different types and uh ways of writing but today I just want to touch on uh four different uh types which is the descriptive the persuasive


narrative and expository uh types of writing so these are some of the, uh common uh types of writing that uh I'll be uh, talking about today lah and uh to continue into this uh debate one is very important is we understand the definition of superior and uh superiority uh if you go and check uh in the dictionary it states that uh superiority is the


is the , a higher in quality meanings the it's higher in quality and therefore uh it it becomes superior in uh whatever we are, uh comparing to lah ya so uh for today uh as a proposition


I agree that I believe that it there is uh there's different types of writings that are superior to another type and uh why do I say that is because uh I believe that in a different purpose of writing there's a different objective


uh we want to accomplish a different kind of things and therefore the types of writing holds a superiority uh in the way that we write, and why do I say that is because uh you say today you want to uh, be persuasive talking to someone uh using the persuasive way of writing is gonna get you that results or that objective


uh but writing a narrative might not give you the same kind of uh results that you want therefore uh it compromises on the kind of quality uh that you are hoping for and uh currently this is uh my stand and just one example that uh, uh we can see uh from results that have shown why are they teaching all these kind of uh different types of writing because of the effectiveness and the quality that we can achieve from using this type of uh writings


uh can give us different kinds of results and therefore there is a superior in uh , uh different types of writing and yup, so ya that's my point ya


yup uh uh thank you uh opposition for your point uh so for coming from the proposition I believe from what you say that, uh different different types of writing they are


superior in their own ways am I right ya correct so you say we take a scenario is there let say for for example news writing is there a particular type of writing that is superior uh as compared to the other types of writing


yes correct so in that way right in journalistic style it is superior compared to the others, so if you take maybe in maybe a sales pitch or as a presentation persuasive might be superior to the others so in in talking to uh in say in a situation or in general yes there is a superiority in uh


in the types of writing because there is different objectives so today uh from what I'm saying is that uh, there is a superiority is just matter of where it's being used at ya so uh, I believe that you said that uh


is it unique is that why you mentioned that it's unique, yes correct so the reason why uh it's unique in uh those functions is because it uh helps to uh achieve different kinds of uh objectives am I right ya so today like different types of writing can be used like for example if you are talking about descriptive uh writing


uh, it may be used uh for, made more scenarios compared to maybe some other journalists uh writing because why in that type of writing we only can use during a journalism or maybe we want a certain information to be brought across


but descriptive writing can be used over multiple channels that will bring uh more superiority why because it's more simplified and uh it's more used and it gets the right information out, okay so to uh for and also adding on my uh another point that can uh


help, us I mean uh that proves my point is that uh the reason why we use different type of uh writing styles is so that we are able to make thing simple so that the other, party or the other audience are able to understand better, am I right to say


uh, oh okay, ya so is we want to make things as simple as possible today how many people


are studying journalism compared to how many people are using descriptive uh types of writing in their daily life , so talking about that is it superior when more people can understand about a language through that writing type does that make it it it shows us that it's more superior because it's more accepted uh in our community and uh that's one of my points yup


thank you opposition uh and uh for the proposition I think uh I've understand and one question that you have brought up is actually the criteria on how we, decide what is more superior am I right yes okay for that right uh I think we can understand what is the purpose of writing in the beginning it's basically for communication purpose uh am I right to say that


yes so for communicate uh communication uh purposes we want to find which is the most effective way and the simple way that the other party can be able to comprehend our language I mean our , way of writing or the message they want to bring across am I right


ya so looking at uh descriptive uh writing for example is there more use, or maybe uh more avenues where descriptive uh method of thought writing is more used compared to journalists kind of writing you know journalism or that that that the type of writing for uh when doing a news reporting or whatsoever


there is more use uh for descriptive writing as compared to journalists uh writing and do you agree with that, uh first of all, yes okay you say you agree with that then it makes it more superior why because it's more accepted and the message can be brought across uh easier and that's why it's being used more as uh as compared to uh journalism or the the way what what is it sorry journalists what


yes correct as compared to uh descriptive so and that and that's the reason why it's more superior because it's more understandable which is one criteria and more acceptable and are easily comprehended by the other party receiving the message


yup and that's my point and the criteria that I based upon how superiority is uh


party able to comprehend and understand the message that we want to bring across


uh acceptability meaning the amount of people able to understand, yes correct and the simplicity of learning and applying


uh the the the style of writing the type of writing ya


alright thank you uh opposition yes so uh do we go on from here, or, okay can ya


okay can sure sure, uh, what, what I'm trying to say is simplicity it means that uh it's more accepted by the masses and uh that's why it's more effective let's say today uh you know the type of writing are for journalism