study uh it improve life I think that there is also a downside whereby , in order to achieve that you will have to go in that and you have to keep paying out about like which is quite a lot if you think about it like five hundred


you can actually do a lot of things with it but and that you are tied down to pay, five hundred every month when to me five to six years is very long so that's why I think that , as much as it improve life it there is a downside to it as I mention


and or for some K if let's say they are not able to pay their loan , for the student loan and then like oh you mean in between of those earned uh pursuing the education right if they're not able to


commit to the term then there will be they must I mean that the amount of money is always there you know I'm saying


okay


okay uh you mentioned earlier about degree holder and diploma holder the salary range varies right , okay okay for different uh field for let's say early childhood, or for uh okay let you say the salary difference is vast but if you think about it right okay like


for okay let's say early childhood okay early childhood educator , for their starting pay for a diploma holder would be about two point four ah two point four K however for a degree holder, uh under the same uh diploma I mean degree field


the salary will be about two point seven to two point eight K so that's a difference of about three hundred to five hundred right , but if you think about it for degree you invest more years into it right two to three years and then on top of


that you paid the amount to study to earn that degree that is thirty thousand like I will just quote the thirty thousand , so if you think about it like for diploma holder and a degree holder the difference is only about three hundred to four hundred


but for a degree holder like for more education right for degree holder they invest more and then for a salary range that is only like, three hundred to four hundred difference I mean for okay you can counter by saying you know in the in the long term right but


this if we think about it a diploma holder with years of experience depending on the , uh organisation they could have an increment eventually that will reach to that level, that that would only take about like three years of their time to which is the same amount of time


a degree holder takes to actually earn their degree and then at uh come out as a fresh graduate right, so if you think about it a diploma holder who works uh example equivalent to three years right, so if they're starting pay is about two point four and if three years with the increment of hundred dollar


per year you if you think about it they will earn the same amount of salary that a fresh graduate, from a degree from a university would earn and then also to counter that right uh all of us have


uh went for a job hunt like we went for uh okay we scroll through Jobstreet and what not right, most of it like even despite having a degree right, uh like organisation actually look for a set skill skill sets to like


experience so despite having degree despite working so hard despite, despite like you you know pursue your education at the end of the day when you are on the ground field right, is that really what they're looking for because at personally speaking for myself


like scrolling through the job advertisement right through Jobstreet or indeed right most of it despite having that qualification, they was they look for a different uh experience to they looking for experience which about two years of experiences thus I would oppose to that whereby education improve a lot of people


I think educated in certain for P O V I'm talking about like having , poly degree uh poly certs and university cert so the vast if I mean to if to counter back to our


grandparents I think that would be of a different era whereby for our grandparents some of them don't even pursue study until , secondary school you know the maximum they will go is only until pay accept it right so maybe , there's a difference like I mean like because you're saying whereby our grandparents having an uh issue with technology right not having the knowledge to


to they don't have the knowledge but like I'm saying it's like, even though if you have okay as compared to degree and diploma both of you diploma even though you have a diploma you still have that knowledge it just that, not in debt as a degree holder but as I've mentioned earlier when you go out uh in the real life I mean when you go out to go for a


job when you seek for a job at the end of the day actually it depends on the organisation itself because , most of us have been there being a fresh graduate but through the under ads they emphasise on that experience


so like to me I personally feel like despite you have this qualification despite you having this , a diploma or degree it's actually uh it is not as uh I mean, if you compare having a this experience you have I think you were just uh hire uh grant to


actually be up for that job you know to be selected for that job so thus that's why I feel that, education improve life but at the end of the day also to an extent that, on having certs or doesn't determine having a good job or doesn't determine scoring ourself a job


ya I would agree with you on that but at the same time like I say they are our contra I mean our


there is a contrary belief to that too, like I'm saying like like I said about the loan at the end of the day also it's uh something you have to bear heavy on your shoulder, like paying out your loan and what not and as I've mentioned like when you go out in a real life seeking for a job at the end of the day


certs or no certs at the end of the day certain organisation they also only seek out for like experience for that one to two years experience so that is where I think that, there's a disadvantage despite having the education despite having the certs


oh part two debate topic two


okay this is regarding education is no longer necessary for success right okay I'll have to disagree on this statement because I feel that , education makes us aware of all the knowledge that is available out there and for us to learn and then it will uh eventually help us to progress and develop further


and then also without education right we cannot read or write and that would mean that we will be deprived, of a lot of valuable information and wisdom that can make us very successful, I feel that I believe that every individual is born with a set of certain skills traits talents in managing uh creativity and imagination but


all these together right are useless if they're not guided by the proper education which, one can only receive if uh by going to school college and university as these places I've mentioned right uh it provides us with the


latest know how, like eventually I think that it will help us to keep up with the highly competitive professional world, I mean without adult that success uh to be successful hard work is a must but


I feel I personal feel that without education right it will not yield any results, , I feel that education makes us individual people more aware not only about the world but also about themselves


uh and when we know about our strengths and our weaknesses can easily take the right path to a successful career, also I also feel that education is necessary for a success because I feel that


it enables us to actually gain a personal control of our life , can we might not like be born into the life that we want right but that is why I feel that education


can help us like I feel that by getting an education right we give ourselves the chance to change our life for the better , and eventually like once someone uh an individual graduate eventually you know they can start the hierarchy that become a manager


instead of just an entry level employee you know and then , overtime right I feel that it open us up, to a new and exciting personal and career opportunities so I really feel that , education is necessary in like in order for us to be successful


(mmhmm)


okay I see where you're coming from


oh I guess at the end of the day it boils down to what an individual defined as success right, like I stay uh I stand firm on my ground whereby I said that education is necessary , for someone to succeed because I feel that as we gain our education we will gain a deeper


understanding of what's right wrong fair or unfair and then , as we develop the reasoning and the critical thinking skills right we will be able to apply the skills to situation in our life, we will be aware of the rights and the responsibility as a individual as a citizen


and then I think we be made more balanced personal judgements and over time we'll apply this to society and help make, the world a better place and then also I feel that with education it gives us the key required for


employment I mean I feel that through, education lah I think we will be able to learn how to manage our time how to juggle several tasks and how to interact with various people, uh I think these skills are vital for me I think with education I mean that it will impart this kind of skills on us you know


and then like , I feel that it will I mean, it will also I think with education and it will give us the uh increase earning power as I feel that


ya just cases right uh actually I would like to say that I think uh with education right it actually allows us to turn our dreams into reality, let's say can those let you you mentioned earlier about those successful people right that donate uh education to be successful


but , I don't know whether you know about you but I think about mark zuckerberg is the one that invented Facebook, he was at college when he I mean he was at college when he dreamt about more connected society and eventually he invented Facebook so I actually say that


like I mean her at college she have that kind of mind maybe that like in college that's what uh, make drive him to uh to you know to think bigger and like eventually have the chance to live his dreams, which eventually you can see how successful Facebook is


and thus I feel that you know education is actually kind of necessary like uh to for someone to succeed, , also I think with education right it gives us the confidence and


kind of like power like because I feel that in a way, like the more intellectual you are I mean like okay like having a degree, is considered approve of our intelligence right by many you know and then


uh it will give us in that knowledge of the subject and then we can stick out challenging scenarios at to the end so ya


ya I I mean I do know of those certain stories whereby


you know they don't have education but they made it out in life you know but I feel this kind of thing it varies on individual like not everyone, will be as fortunate as those who already make something of their life, you know not everyone will have the similar story of someone with without education and then make it out big in life you know because like ice I mentioned earlier like


like okay lah and I I feel like at the end of the day like, although like high education or degree does not guarantee for a luxurious life right but I think is a fact that people with a faculty levels of education right


they usually end up with uh end up working at a better paid jobs, and then I think this would you know I do not have that I feel that it will immediately enable us to lead more you know relaxed lifestyle since like you know they earn more, you get what I mean because honestly I feel that


like you I mean like in our previous debate actually those who earn those with uh, like degree or what they definitely earn more lah than those uh with diploma holders so I feel that , like you mentioned earlier about the like those without education but at the end of the day they make something out their life I feel that


for that individual they maybe they are they fought really hard and they have uh didn't they don't give up and they, they they got lucky at the end of the day you know because they're they got recognised for their you know their work


but I don't think this applies to many to the rest you know because I feel that, with education right it will also, education actually I think at the end of the day I feel that education is a mind expanding gift lah that can broaden our horizons and enrich our life


so I feel that it can really also help us break into new industries and to be taken seriously and to boost our overall confidence you know, so I really feel that this is I mean ya at the end of the day it boils down to the individual lah what do they did and success you know


(mmhmm)


(uh huh), ya I I do agree on that


so to reiterate my points I do feel that education is , necessary for someone to succeed, and, ya that


ya like I said that in a way even though you have a certain skill set it won't be you know you won't be put to good use if you, don't have the you know the knowledge to how to put your certain skill set to good use


so ya


wait we have three minutes to prepare right, oh part three debate topic three


okay I hear what you said, but I kind of have to disagree on this to the solution to the problem of current is education, okay I I feel that despite having okay like those educated people despite having knowledge in at uh uh despite having education right


I think certain individuals tend to misuse this knowledge okay like for instance like around the globe like okay in fact in uh I think about, a year ago a few months back like okay as far as we know that uh okay like hackers they are smart right


but in a way I think they they misuse their knowledge because I think they are, cases whereby Singpass was compromised or I mean was getting hacked, got hacked right something something outside so I feel that in a way that


I don't think is a solution to the problem of crime is education I feel that, sometimes I mean depends on individual I I feel that sometimes like with the knowledge on certain people tend to abuse it because maybe they know the, the the in and out they know how to tweak the knowledge into uh


uh benefiting themselves you know like I feel that because there are many cases whereby I feel that you are okay supposedly you are I mean, okay I I would say like having a degree studying university you are supposed to be smart you you're supposed to know uh your actions have consequences right but in the past few months itself


there are cases whereby , NUS student committing certain crimes, like and the resort I think which was in july oh I feel like I don't know whether is of a month or two months ago like it's a NUS student


whereby he tried to strangle his ex-girlfriend which I think made made it to the news whereby , like uh made it to the news and it was uh made it to the straits times and all that so would you mention earlier where whereby


education makes uh people know to do what is right to do what is wrong right but based on what I have uh, quoted and cited I feel that these individuals are I think very very uh smart


yet I feel uh I mean uh with regards to the uh hackers uh hacking the Singpass and the CPF and all that I feel like they have, the knowledge but I think they abuse it to to benefit themselves so I feel that like I think education doesn't solve


uh crime in fact that for some like or it, encourage I mean like it because I feel that they are smart they know their way around it right so like they could earn like big bucks from it, so I feel that having education doesn't solve crime in fact for certain cases whereby you can be very smart but you


you abuse the knowledge and end up like you know making the new as the cases I've mentioned earlier


(mmhmm)


okay , I I okay uh I heard what you said earlier but however I still feel that I do stand, uh firm on my ground where I said that despite I feel that despite uh individuals having the knowledge and the education right I feel that


I like I say I think at the end of the day it boils down to individuals you know like I feel certain okay like you could be having the knowledge of to do something what is right what is wrong but I feel that , depends on the circumstances you know like uh if it's okay for instance if you're in debt


and then like can you can be uh you can have you can be educated you can have the knowledge that uh it's wrong to maybe but maybe for certain individuals maybe uh they don't have a, like choice maybe that's why they tend to commit like embezzlement you know like uh okay like you see whereby there are like many cases all around you know whereby like


uh embezzlement but how do an individual commit an embezzlement right how like they could have the, uh knowledge to be there I mean like they have the but at the end of the day like certain things resort them to do a certain thing


which is to you know commit a crime, and like I feel that as much as you know they have the education they have the knowledge but at the end of the day I think, really it boils down to how to a situation you know maybe certain


individual abuse their power and their knowledge because uh I mean, certain individual abuse the , uh their position maybe because uh they are they are, you know maybe they don't see any way around it you know they feel that that's the best solution and thus maybe they commit a crime so what I'm trying to say is that like


ya I mean this kind of individuals not say they don't have any I mean most of the cases that made it to the news is like , they are not like on mediocre individual you know there are people with a higher grounds people with higher position you know, and to achieve that goal of higher position they are they need to uh to have a certain merits right


but at the end of the day they abuse their, merits and their qualification because I feel I didn't really I mean I mean I said this because at the end of the day there are cases whereby, individuals with high qualification yet they they commit crimes so I feel that


despite having the knowledge of what is right or wrong people still do crime I mean be it you are smart or not as smart, you see when I'm coming from


(mmhnn)


uh sorry uh can you reiterate what you mean about not having a choice, okay so these individual that you're saying right are they other are they those with education or without education


so you are trying to say about okay can I like on uh contrary can I ask so what what is your intake of those with education but they don't have any money , so don't you think that because you're you were saying that uh those without education they tend to resort to doing more crime right


like having no money and then they decided to shoplift something something like that right


K and (mmhmm)


okay and on on mine and so speaking for the minority of those that are educated yet they uh decide to commit crimes, I'm sick I mean I'm I'm not speaking about the bulk of it but I'm speaking about the minority of it so at the end I'm trying to say is that like despite having education right it like uh


like it doesn't really determine like it's so we know a solution to to the problem of crime, I'm trying to say that because like I mentioned earlier right okay like to me because I don't have any I I believe that


hackers they are very very smart they are very very they have the knowledge like you know they they can hack into something and that requires , a bulk of knowledge that requires for some that actually not even someone with just knowledge that requires certain skill sets and I think that is


require someone to be really really smart, you know so I'm trying to say is that like despite being smart I mean I mean like for real I think even for myself right like like uh, we're not used to coding and all that but when you see that they can make something of it what I'm trying to say like despite them being a hacker they are very smart


but despite being smart also they they use it to that advantage whereby they feel that they are really really like they, you know that task they choose to do a like to a certain, wrong thing whereby they tend to hack and they because they think they won't get caught because they think they're above the because they think they're very smart right


so I feel that they are I mean like I feel that honestly education really doesn't resolve crime you know like hundred percent


okay uh so to what extent can education improve the lives of people uh, so basically uh we live in a meritocracy environment where, uh education is dependent on like for you to get jobs uh for you to


you know have a job to get a job you need uh the proper, proper certification the proper education for such jobs, so in a way uh it improves the life like without, without jobs you cannot have money without money you cannot buy food without good food like healthy food example if you live off uh bad food it's not good for your life


it does not improve your quality of life so with more money it improve the quality of your life, uh so basically that's the general basis where education, uh improves the lives of people it uh also like for us it's uh


the more education we have the more certs we have uh it's, like we live in singapore the more certs we have the more useful you are in in what's I called the job environment, that's why the government always uh want to promote you know the they give us incentives for us to learn ya and then just give me a moment


ya then not only that the more you know the better you are at things uh example uh you learn business uh


uh to start up a business uh to start up a business uh unit at least a general knowledge of what you are doing, you cannot be starting a example a service uh of repair uh like mechanical repairs if you don't know nothing about


uh mechanics itself so uh there's another thing education, it improve your daily life whereby uh day to day, it helps with whatever you need to do


and education is so in terms of empowerment where, it gives you the confidence to to uh stand up where K, I'm educated I know how to do this I know how to do that it gives you the confident that you can do things because you have the education you have the knowledge to do things


cert again uh it improves your well being because you understand what you're doing and you understand what you need to do, and uh you can do it because you know how to do it


okay but uh back with the, point that you are making uh basically uh with that, with that uh expense that you spend like thirty K for, in the long term you when you go to the when you try to apply for jobs when you try to get a job


uh, the amount you receive the amount you have is, uh example with someone for diploma the highest paying job they can get is around two point seven, ya uh that's the highest paying that's the max but whereas for degree the minimum you can get maybe is about two point eight


the contrast you can get more actually like three point two example, uh the contrast with the difference of money uh the difference of money basically uh, that difference of money, is enough to pay back just the five years the sixty months that you used up


but, I mean at the end of the day it's the raise, people will look at more how much you earn like people will look at your, ah how much is in your pocket how much you earn uh with that amount maybe you have more confidence in yourself


you have more confident uh you know going going to a shop then basically you see, you see this uh clothes that you like when you just grab it and go without thinking twice that, that that confidence improves the life of people that's what I feel and also uh sorry


sorry, and also did the education the degree that you have, uh not only uh, not only uh helps you with getting a job but helps you in a job or like uh senior management


uh higher paying job higher paying rules more responsibilities more, uh, more things that you can do more changes that you can do for example in school, uh those with uh better degrees


uh having uh having those uh HOD roles whereas those who just started it's just teaching rules first, so ya so when you hang out in a group uh when you say, (uh )uh !hey! I'm a HOD people will be impressed people will had !wah! this guy is a HOD


and he must be earning a lot so it helps with uh the general confidence that someone may have, it helps with their, their image so to speak and such image improves the life of the person


uh I see, but not only that generally speaking with more education it helps you with your day to day basis, whereby uh you are more educated you know how to do things


example uh okay I will say technology is education, as contrast to you know like old folks like, when you're you know some old people like your grandparents they don't know how to work, uh they don't know how to work their handphone they don't know how to work technology


because they're ah because unlike us, which is we are more educated we know how to work around these things what do you think about that


I agree with you on that it's like the quality of education, the quality of education or the level of education uh does not guarantee you, uh uh does not guarantee you a better life so to speak


but the the emphasis of education itself that improve life is still there, whereby uh without without education at all, like without education you have nothing


it's like you can't work this you can't work that because you totally have no knowledge example , if you want to uh compare uh shouldn't compare to someone who doesn't go to school at all someone, someone who who is not educated totally


and they are working uh and they and they, and they needed to work on computer, they will totally be clueless because they totally have no idea on what is a computer or how to do what, how to do what computer so no what I'm speaking isuh is


education is important uh education improves the life of people, but the quality of education the level education is not uh necessary uh differs okay thus, err the level of education is not as important


but the basis of having education is important would you agree on me


uh part two debate topic two


okay uh consider the view, and education is no longer necessary for success, uh I agree with with that like education is not necessary to achieve success, success depends on an individual's capacity to use his talent and creativity


in the most effective manner, so even if you are uneducated, or you have uh received a very little education, even then I think uh you can be successful, ya uh if you put your skills your proper skills the right skills at the right is right place and at the right time


and it's true education might get you respect from the society like uh uh my point previously, and but uh neither the society you know the respect uh they give you, is what uh makes you successful lah is your own uh will and determination


and it does not require formal education as nature has already given that to you, so uh adding to that uh giving an example an education is uh not necessary for example, if you have the hard skills


uh if you have the experience if you had the hard skills and if you use them at the correct and the right timing, uh you can be successful too, uh example uh I've uh example


uh someone could be a very good uh painter or uh or or you know uh inventor, they do not necessarily have the proper uh education for being a painter or being a


uhor designer and such but then they can still be successful if they, they you know like they design something that everybody likes they design something that everyone, or at the right time they design something that, ah everybody needs so uh not necessarily uh


education is err important for success you can be you can be successful without err without proper education, there's a lot of examples going around uh if you read the news if you read uh


especially overseas you know like people, err people get successful overnight people discover something and they got warranty they get successful, so it's only uh it doesn't necessary mean education is uh uh important for success


you can be successful uh uh however way as a uh there's a lot of ways for you to be successful, and education is not really the main part to being successful


ya but then again uh success comes in all shapes and uh uh it comes in all forms lah uh uh, a lot of people define success by having big money or you know they can flaunt their money


uh they have a high high worth, any there are so many examples of highly successful entrepreneurs who either did not go to school or received, very very little education but with their skills they work hard


I think only they make it big, you know there are big brands out there they started out with nothing now they are you know somewhere success, uh you can even uh say for example artist the favourite artist they did not


they did not go to to you know music school which is not go to to school even, you know like rappers or what but they are still successful they still have a lot of money they still have a lot of followers, you still have uh they still have a very big image about them they they did not go to school


but then they still make it big they do not have education, but they're still uh they are still successful, education might be important for some and might have been accepted as a social obligation, but it does not guarantee that you'll be successful with whatever you have received by spending so much time at the educational institutions


because uh this education institutions they only give you the the the, the load down the basically the information that you need, they give you the the source the theory


but they never give you the soft skills or the hard skills this comes with, uh experience this comes with, uh going around working hard you know, then again uh, like you can example like you can communicate effectively so that uh that is enough education


but you're not dependent on this you know is like is good to have but not necessary a need thing, for it to be successful that whatever it is if you work hard, hard if you persevere if you know how to do this hopefully you know you can be successful too


it doesn't necessarily means okay I go to school I automatically successful, no it does not mean that, ya then uh education may help, may help a little bit but it's not the


main picture it does not uh uh it does not it's uh like equal sign like education equals uh success, it's just part of it but it's not the main thing but then again you don't even need it


ya but then again uh it all come comes down to what do you think success is, you know uh what if what did you would define uh success is like a lot of people uh everybody


definition their personal definition of success differs from person to person example, uh some people if they have a business if they their first million dollar mark, is success whereas other people are are happy with their first uh hundred thousand dollar mark


and then they go it differs from person to person at the end of the day uh, if example your views of success is smaller then, whatever you just mention it's not necessary needed because you live a much simpler life


but also there's a lot of a lot of example those whereby uh people don't study, don't don't study for what they have don't study, for what they are doing now, ya there's a lot of people where


you know uh started on the streets no education but they are successful they are up there what do you think about that


I see I agree at the end of the day it's uh based on the individual what they deem success ya, right truth truth to the point where, generally we are not talking about those uh one in a million people but generally people need education


to be successful people need education to have uh good paying jobs uh and good roles in jobs, ya so it's uh, it's a it's not a necessary thing thing uh but uh generally it's needed


but uh if you are lucky if you are uh one in a hundred or one in a million then maybe education is


part three debate topic three


okay so for the uh the solution to so the problem of crime is education, uh in theory as shown in many many start the education reduces crime rates


uh this is because uh of employability let's say like people with education, they're more employed uh people with more education they get employed and then uh then uh


they don't need to resort to crimes to you know to to make ending they they do not need to resort to crimes o cope for day to uh day to day basis, they no need to steal they no need to to you know basically uh because they're educated they are able to support themselves


uh also err not only that when a person is educated, uh they are more aware of social norm and choices, ya they are more aware and they see the possibility of a better life


sorry, an educated person is likely to seek another educated educated person as a life partner in the instance of a long term bond this can result in a raising, uh raising more educated children


so uh it starts from young, so if you are more educated, uh uh you know you you you you have more information you will share like, you cannot do this this is the wrong thing to do uh this is a crime you cannot do this you cannot do that uh they understand more uh


and also in a middle stage of life education prevents crime uh by keeping uh students at the youth busy, because they will be more engaged with schoolwork they'll be more engaged with uh projects homeworks


instead of uh having time to you know uh to be by themselves and maybe in a uh uh start stealing or what, uh they uh educated individuals are able to analyse


uh what is right what is wrong that may have impact on their, on their future their current decision actions example, uh if you are educated you don't want ah you don't want to get a black mark or a police record that may ruin your chances of having a good degree


or you know like uh for future jobs wise you don't want to have a, a a criminal record as such err educated students, they tend to think and focus more about their future so they don't


do anything uh criminal in nature, they don't want to ruin their chances of them err having opportunities in the future


ya but then again this is uh the minority it's the black sheep in the group, where it's just uh one one in a hundred, it's just the minority it's just the few that uhuh that it is into


that is into this uh I crime ya but then again ah, generally uh uh there are studies that show, that uh people resort to crime because uh


they need it it's not because they want to do it uh they think they want to do it but at the end of the day it's a need, that they have to do it they have to support themselves they had is maybe is a coping mechanism, uh maybe uh they don't understand so that's why they do it


ya that's why that's where education helps that's where education uh you know uh uh ease off like they understand, uh education uh brings about uh a better life uh education helps them uh get a job


so they don't have to steal uh education uh make them see life uh in a better perspective, uh example uh mental health, they understand uh that they need help so they seek help


uh they, they help themselves first because they are educated and because they understand, that what they are doing what they are uh relying is wrong


so they know that they are doing wrong they understand instead of you know uh, instead of just relying on their instincts to be violent to to depend on substance abuse


ya so basically uh, education uh helps with the many, whereas uh as your point previously stated states that even though you are educated, uh there are still crimes that only happens withuh


that only happens with the minority the little masses hereby whereby they they know what they're doing yet is still do it, you know but my point across my main point that I'm trying to say uh uh the solution to the mass crime


to the to the main popular uh to the uh to the many so to speak, is uh education, with more knowledge with more understanding uh with better insights, they are able to prevent crime they are


they don't have to resort to crime they can resort to something else yes I understand what you uh


yes I understand what uh you're saying so at the end of the day, uh it all boils downs to character because uh but these are the people who, who willing to do this they want to do this because< uh they want something better they want something more


but they don't need it ya ya studies have shown thatuh uh people who end up in prison, uh uh on their IQ level are lower, than the average person


ya ya because they are not educated they don't understand they don't know, and they do it because err isn't it isn't it for them to live day to day basis, they still example they go to the supermarket they shoplift


because they can't afford it so they have to do it, but err whatever you just shared, it's uh it's just uh the tip of the iceberg it's just the minority, it's not those who is not


uh normal person wouldn't go around uh there's money lying around they just take it, they don't do it uh uh because they know that it's wrong they are well informed they're educated enough, but even among this group of people even uh among the group of normal there are still people who


who's willing to take that money to go for the risk because they think they won't get caught, ya but when they get caught uh, it's a it's a matter of choice, ya so with people with no education is not a choice for them it's something they have to do it


what do you think about that , like they have no money so they shoplift


without education


yes but but, correct but uh that's only for the minor few, for the minor few you should take account to numbers the number of people uh ended up in prison for


hacking for uh corporate espionage or uh whatever you've just shared is only uh, maybe uh just a handful less than a hundred for the for the bulk of the people in prison


uh it's because of violence it's because of


part one debate topic one


okay, so so okay now uh I'm the opposition, and uh I feel that uh failure is not an essential part of success, okay so the first reason is sometimes in life uh there are no second chances ah


so like uh you mentioned that a failure will motivate us to keep trying until one day we're successful, but uh there are some cases where once you fail uh you can never go back for example


like let's say you are an engineer uh designing a bridge, uh and there's this famous case ah is uh caught the narrows bridge in US so this bridge collapse due to the engineer not designing it properly


so, uh this case also killed thousands of people, and, so he failed as an engineer lah because he caused the lives of many people and subsequently he was sad and his whole career path was was cut


and, will he he will no longer be a successful uh guy in the career his next job is also will be very hard as because of his bad record so, I feel that uh


sometimes uh a failure is actually it will is a costly it costs your success, and okay, so yeah and actually uh


maybe things like good planning ah and uh maybe resilience is even more essential for success than failure, like instead of failing first then correcting the mistake and be a successful person, why not plan for the worst and avoid failure you can be successful as well in certain cases yeah thank you


okay so okay in my opinion this statement, failure is an essential part of success right is crafted by, maybe teachers and parents to tell their children when they fail


and they use this sentence to try to console them and to tell them don't be scared of failure , it it's a stepping stone to help you reach your success one day but in my opinion it is not the most essential thing to success


uh maybe responsibility uh initiative uh leadership all these are even more important, part of success than failure and why do teachers like to use this sentence is because many people such as like maybe albert einstein


uh uh, and many other uh scientists they failed many times before they become very famous so and, they came up with a very special invention that help us in our life


and make any contribution such that we remember them but before that they made many failures but, this is only because they, uh made a very big contribution at the end and these are the small


>minor is a small minority we remember because of their success and of course then they just say like how many failures they made but they never say uh, how uh resilient they are how responsible and there are how actually maybe their IQ is a essential part of success


and actually majority of people they failed and they forever failed, they didn't become successful at all it's only the small minority that, became successful after the the failure so


to me, it is not the most uh, essential part and, like we don't need to fail to keep trying, a person who has a personality of uh like never give up attitude


doesn't have to fail to be success so , to me failure is just a a outcome uh uh, in the journey of becoming successful some people fail some people don't it is a second


ah no no uh I'm saying failure is a by product, of your journey in life uh, maybe you you may happen to fail or you might not happen some people can be successful their whole life they didn't fail before, so because the reason is because they have maybe luck luck is an essential part


they have IQ they have the good attitude and to fail or not to fail is, it's just a secondary uh result, yeah, it does it doesn't need to contribute


yes and failure is just a a by product of the journey is a result is not the, uh catalyst to help you be successful some people maybe never failed before just because they're lucky they can also be successful so


uh failure is not not uh an essential part ah it's just something that, people used to to comfort themselves when they failed


but, okay other than luck maybe uh responsibility uh forward looking IQ all these contribute, uh and make you a successful person as well lah it's more essential like if if one person


who has no IQ who has no uh forward looking and resilience, he let's say he keep failing one thousand times, he is not smart and he he will never be successful as compared as to a person a smart person, high IQ and forward looking uh he can don't fail at all and he can be successful


yes that's why uh in my first example I gave the example of the the bridge engineer in some parts, some actually most of times, uh when you fail and the failure is too big you can never get back on the track again your your career is lost your entire life is gone no matter how


how much for example a a small kid and he he went to take drugs then he landed in jail for twenty years, uh, I I cannot see how this failure uh contribute to his success in in future and then


sometimes he is not given second chances like like the bridge that killed many people, they don't let him be the he can't even find the next engineer job and, he will never be successful again


hello I think you muted your mic oh okay


part two debate topic two, so our job can start anytime she is ready right


that's so I go next ah, so uh I am the opposition I disagree that experience are more valuable than material possessions, and , yeah, so according to a Google's definition of uh valuable uh value ah it is the the usefulness of something


so, uh, to me , okay, experiences uh like for example to to certain people


they feel that experiences are not useful at all, uh it does not increase uh any value in their life as opposed to material possessions such as


maybe a car, uh a car helps them to transfer uh uh to travel from a place to place but maybe uh an experience does not, uh like experience in the form of maybe the five senses ah


it does not, accomplish something by itself but material possessions like a tool and item, can help you uh achieve something ah and


and that something is tangible, uh it's very hard to measure intangible things like experiences, uh, you you need tangible stuff uh to to measure like like


and I I disagree that material possessions should be, narrowed down into uh luxury goods only, everything that is uh uh tangible object in space is a is a material possession like a a speaker a a phone


a bed everything is is material, so if if we limit to luxury goods then, I feel that the the the discussion will be very uh narrowed lah, so and also, uh what is an experience to a person that has memory loss or or dementia


uh they they cannot remember what happen their travel times in the during their youth days or their argument with their friends, they can only live in the state of the, uh at the moment


and they get reminded of what they said they use the materials around them uh toothbrush, speaker to listen music at the point in time and, these are what is useful to them instead of those experiences that happens in the past that they cannot even remember


yeah that's all


okay so uh I noticed for the one that you say about the memory loss case ah your your valuable, your amount of value valuable nurse, is, more of precious like because it is valuable like like precious uh the guy lost the memory so


so it becomes more valuable but I don't think this statement is referring to to the precious, instead is more on the usefulness ah I'm arguing for the part of the the usefulness of, the the possession


so okay for example uh recently there are many cases of okay so just now again sorry the the previous case uh, that's why I'm I'm trying to say like there is no use


all those memory are useless to a person who has dementia because, they they can remember ah then they forget the next second so, maybe you can say it's precious but it's not useful at all, so ah okay back to the another example recently there is


uh the there's this rise in online shopping trend and uh food delivery ah, so, why is it that uh online shopping has become so popular, this because we just want, the goods to arrive at our doorstep


we are not interested in the experience of , going to the shop queueing up, uh, walk walking all the hassle ah all these are maybe shopping experience but we just want uh to get it


as fast as possible to the doorstep, with a snap of a finger and then we want to possess the material, so, in this case uh you can see that, material possession is is, in a sense more more valuable uh it's what we value more


and also those uh, food delivery apps ah, we we don't want to experience of uh going down and and, uh visit the hustle and bustle of the hawker centre and, and walk around and we we just want to scroll on the phone get the food


delivered to our doorstep uh as far as possible so so we can see that the the possession is what we we want what we value and uh, also, what what is an uh imagine you are a old person what is an experience


what is the value of your experiences to your children to your to your next uh generation, if I have, maybe two condominiums I possess extra two condominiums I can


pass it down to my children, and they can sell it and, and they can use it, it's value it's of value to them all my experiences when I die it's just erased to zero


and uh it means nothing ah to to the next, uh, next generation they cannot even use it they cannot sell it and I feel this is also why all the, countries GDP is measured by


the the possession, the the income the possession of the the citizens, they can't measure it by by they don't measure it by experience because it's of no value to the the country your experience do not contribute to, to


experience by itself cannot contribute, to how well a country is doing or the the standard of living of the country, uh standard of living is, measured by the the possessions because uh when people stay and earn more they have more material possessions this shows


how well the the country is doing and, how well the person uh


part three debate topic three


(ppc)


okay hello I'm the opposition so I disagree that countries experiencing conflict should be left out to solve their own problems, okay this is because uh just now you mentioned that uh it's like other countries randomly


implement policies to your country so and they do not know your country as well so they shouldn't step in ah but I disagree because, most of the time what the country experience conflict what the most of the time what the country experiencing conflict needs is


probably some research resources maybe natural resources and monetary resources uh food money water this kind of stuff so, or maybe first aid so other countries can still step in to give resources, and do not meddle into the policies uh (ppc) what


uh the the the country is still ruled by the original uh leadership, other countries are just uh contributing the resources and let them implement themselves so it doesn't, means that a country that step in will affect and give lousier policies and make it like <mandarin>越帮越忙:yue bang yue mang</mandarin> ah like make it worse ah


and but then again most countries that experience a very long and extended conflict for long period of time ah, this shows that they are unable to solve the issues themselves


uh like those countries in africa in and maybe middle east they're always in, civil war for a centuries already its shows that they are not uh, able and not they don't have the


the level of competency to to solve the conflict ah and maybe not even solve just to reduce the conflict so this, uh means that other countries if other countries don't step in


the conflict get bigger and bigger it may spread to the rest of the world and for example in the middle east the there's this ongoing uh religious conflicts so , uh those civil war they they make the countries less safe and reduce the tourism in the country and reduce the economic growth


and causes the cities around these countries to be affected even though they don't have the the conflict, but, citizens around the world they are less likely to visit the neighbouring countries as well and this


uh because it's less safe ah so if I'm the neighbouring country of course I will want to, uh try to step in to help to, sort out my the the country beside me that have some conflict so that tourists


uh so that I don't get impacted so much and, tourists uh they still want to visit my country so I I my with the well being of my citizens can improve instead of being pulled down by the neighbouring country


ah that's all


okay so for your Hong Kong example uh I disagree because you're saying uh because, US they're helping them then uh it made even worse but let's say if let's say US don't help then uh


they leave the problem to to china ah so, maybe in this uh first few years maybe it, seems that the problems has been solved


because you know china is very strong and forceful, so maybe on the surface it seems there is uh the problem is solved, but is like more of just sweeping the problem under the carpet maybe we do not know ten years or twenty years down the road


uh there's this overthrow because uh they cannot stand the chinese government anymore or, uh so it's just that whether the the the conflict uh is being postponed or


it may be it may be the case that the conflict is is just postpone but because now the US are are step in, so instead of postponing it uh we face the problem and then we try to solve it so all the problems come up first then


maybe in the future it is better ah and an example in the the, recently there's this uh COVID case ah, let's say a country that is uh, not able to tackle the the problem by itself ah (ppc)


other countries uh can step in to giving the resources if not, ultimately the problem will still come back to you ah it will just spread and maybe your your own country


get affected by the the COVID also and uh to me the, different countries are just a, uh boundary, on the map ah they're just demarcated by boundary on the map on on the paper but ultimately they're still


uh, we're still living in the same earth mah so, those countries are just some countries they can be side by side but they are just uh being ruled by different parties but actually they're, side by side so what happens on one side actually also affects the other side and


they're just boundaries on paper ah so if we don't, step in to to try help doing uh help to sort out their problems uh ultimately the problem will just either be delayed or or spread or postponed


so when we see a problem uh neighbouring countries uh should help yeah that's all


okay one two three, part one debate topic one , oh okay so I will go first with the proposition


so how far do I agree that uh failure is an essential part of success, this is actually supported by this very a very famous chinese proverb that failure is actually the mother of success


so I agree that failure is essential because we have to keep trying, before we know what can work and what cannot work, so after experimenting a few more times then knowing uh what will not work


then can we arrive at success, so we can see how thomas edison actually tried experimenting, a lot maybe up to thousands or even tens of thousands of times before he actually invented light bulb


so so so in that sense we we can see how important failure is before we can uh, we can arrive at the the success, uh success story lah at the at the end goal of success


also the other point is that, we we have to first recognise that and and we have to first acknowledge that failure is is an essential part


if not we will not keep trying we will not we'll not step out of our comfort zone as well because, if we we don't think so if let's say if let's say we disagree that failure is an essential part


then once we encounter one failure one very maybe small failure etcetera we will stop trying and we will go back to our comfort zone , and where we stop trying we will never be able to reach the success lah so so we so I think that it is very important that we have


this kind of mindset that failure is essential so that it can actually motivate us to keep trying, ya before we reached, the success uh pace ya


ya that that that's uh for yup proposition


okay just wanted to highlight a few points, just just wanted to highlight a few points so firstly right about the failure motivating them to try harder I don't mean it as


failure will motivate the person to try harder it's more like we have to recognise that, failure is an essential part therefore you will keep trying


it whether it motivates you or not largely depends on I I will think lah largely depends on the personality and also probably the character uh character of the individuals , but we should first recognise that it is an essential part therefore uh you will not be so discouraged by failure but instead it motivates you to keep trying


because we we we know we know that it is an essential part therefore it will uh it will motivate you to keep trying, un~until you reach a success because we we acknowledge that it is an essential part mah so then for the other point on your


plan for the worst, or resilient right I think, agreeing with failure being an essential part of success it's not mutually exclusive, oh this is to say that I can still plan for the worst but it doesn't contradict me acknowledging that failure is an essential part


because when I plan for the worst, it doesn't mean that I don't expect myself to fail on the other hand when I planned for the worst it means that I'm actually expecting myself to fail


then what can I learn from this failure what lessons uh where lessons are learnt can I derive uh from this failure, such as I can uh use it uh to to reach my success eventually


yeah so so so so that is some of the clarifications that I would like to make uh regarding, yeah what you just mentioned lah so so and the other thing that I'd like to highlight is


, if if you agree if you disagree that failure is an essential part of success are are you saying that, we don't need failure to succeed so


uh one try and we will be successful are you actually promoting this mindset uh in in that sense, or or, if failure is not an essential part of success then


then what is what what what do you actually mean mean mean by that uh from the opposition point of view


okay so, so just to clarify so essentially you are still agreeing so in that sense you agree that failure is an essential part


but the disagreement comes , how essential as compared to the other qualities


yeah so you are saying that, okay so you are saying that they are, uh, how should I say this that means there are other contributing factors to success on top of failure is that right


okay I I I can agree that there are minorities in in life that uh you know they they are so lucky that they they don't even


fail once then they will be successful but how big is this group we are talking about, because I cannot be I cannot be making a general statement, based on a very small group of people right for the other general public or the the the vast majority of the other people failure it is an essential part of success


ya but but as in how likely is that


because think about it ah even, for example uh thomas edison , he failed more than thousand times before he can actually invent a light bulb for example and I don't agree that what you mentioned earlier on


all these people are famous and remembered because they succeed at the end of the day , but this is because they they understand that failure is an essential part so they keep trying and trying, for those that do not buy this idea they think that oh once I failed I I failed so


there is no need to keep trying for example, that's why we don't even know these people because they failed and they stop trying so they in in a sense they they never became successful


okay I think we need to contextualise uh failure a little, so because when we talk about failure it it has to be done in the sense that failure


uh with with the with the mindset that I'm actually experimenting something or trying something out with , with the with the idea that eventually I want to achieve something or to to achieve something


yeah yeah sorry sorry oh as in it cannot be it cannot be uh done using the, the idea that oh I mean the kid that went to jail he obviously did not have success in mind


he he wasn't trying to be successful, if not he wouldn't have gone to steal because stealing uh successful or failure it will not aid in him, becoming a better person or achieving something greater at the end


so I I would think that this example may not be very accurate in that sense


part two, debate topic two, yup uh I think I think I'll just start now


okay I think uh when I start probably I'll lay down some ground some uh ground rules, lah so when we talk about material possessions I mean this this this discussion uh should be done on the basis that


we we have already met all our basic necessity, for example I have food, I have uh I have a I have a roof of over my head I have a place to stay


so I I shouldn't be we shouldn't be discussing around the topics like oh material possessions such as food, is uh important and is essential, because I mean that there there is no point in discussing about that point lah because we all agree that


I need to first for few some of the basic needs for example uh food uh drinks all these for survival, I think we shouldn't categorise them under material possessions and we we shouldn't be


uh discussing about such , topics because uh it it will be very unfair lah because what are experiences compared to bread and butter for example, so so I think this is like the uh assumption or some of the ground rules that uh I would like to lay down


before we proceed with the debate so, what my my my position is that experiences are indeed more valuable than material possessions and by


uh material possessions I would refer to uh for example luxurious goods, uh goods that are not necessary goods that are not , basically uh necessary for our survival and I I agree that experiences are more valuable because


experience uh because material all material possessions has an expiry date eventually even if I buy a branded LV bag, , even though it can last me for let's say years but it will eventually spoil


it will eventually leave uh if if you have an expiry date to it, but , as compared to experiences experiences do not have an expiry date because it stays with you and if forms a part of you yup


okay I I I think I clarify first, height, I think I will clarify first while when I meant material possessions sorry I I didn't mean it to just be luxury goods


but I think we shouldn't be discussing uh material possessions in the context of for example what you mentioned earlier on toothbrush, because we should move beyond the basic necessity


to make this err debate or this discussion a meaningful one because if we're discussing about things like bread and butter, access to access to sanitary access to toothbrush for example


these things I think we don't need to discuss because there there is no need to discuss I agree that these things are more essential than experiences, because I need to first be able to survive, before I can talk about possessing material other material goods or other experiences


so there is no no no point in arguing about whether the is better to have a experience, or or whether you want to spend money on experiences or whether you want to spend money on toothbrush


because I I think the comparison is very clear uh I will definitely choose toothbrush because toothbrush is a necessity, but I do want the the to to to make it more uh , meaningful I will want to compare them experiences versus uh maybe goods


that are more than material basic necessity I mean I can agree that speaker is not, a basic necessity but I think the grey area lies that, possessing a speaker will make you happier


because you get to experience the music for example so, it it will be very grey in that sense uh when it comes to to to that lah, so maybe you want to talk a bit more about other things for example travelling


so I I think that it is more valuable, probably not in monetary sense, uh because, according to many many surveys experiences usually result in longer lasting happiness than a material possessions


let's say when I want to spend money I I choose to spend it on let's say either experiences or LV bag , research have shown that spending on travelling will have a longer lasting happiness and impact


as compared to buying a LV bag buying a LV bag the happiness derived from this spending is very short lived, and it's probably only uh only at that moment that you feel this happiness maybe three weeks down the road you will lose the sense of novelty


and you'll no longer feel so happy carrying that LV bag out which is why we feel that experiences are more valuable, also uh just just do uh rebut on your point on people who lost their memories, shouldn't these uh statement or shouldn't these scenario prove that experiences are more valuable


because when you lose your memory I can probably still buy a LV bag , but I can never retrieve back the experience or the memory that I lost, and and let's say for people who uh become disabled etcetera


the person can still buy an LV bag but the person can no longer travel, uh because of medical conditions etcetera so so I I'll I I think that experiences are actually more valuable in that sense


okay a few points to point out regarding whatever you just mentioned just now I think we have to be very clear here that we are actually comparing experiences, versus the material possessions that are no longer talking about basic necessity


for example just now your example on, uh comparing whether to go down to buy food or to go down to to the shopping mall etcetera we have to agree that, whether you go down to buy food or whether you go to the shopping mall to buy food you will eventually get the material possession so I'm not essentially comparing


having not having this back verses the experiences of doing that that would be a very unfair comparison because I'm not compare because right now this, this statement you have to make a trade off so if the the comparison should be if I don't go down or I didn't don't leave the house


okay sorry the this this comparison they did when when this statement right they should be a trade off, but your example of going down to pack food or going to the mall or not there is no trade off because eventually you will get the material possession because you want to buy that thing


so I don't think that is uh a good example because it is actually irrelevant to this statement, so on your second point on GDP right , uh it is an unfair statement again because like I mentioned earlier on the assumption is that we shouldn't be talking about bread and butter issues because


well I agree I agree that bread and butter is definitely more important more valuable more essential than experiences , that's why all countries it originally they're all measured based on GDP because first thing is tangible


measurable second thing it is essential for survival, but then that's why when we recovered the basic necessity part , all the countries especially a develop ones they're looking at things beyond that they're looking at, happiness level how do I measure the happiness of my citizen that is actually more important thing to to say


and then the other thing about the, person who uh lost their memory you cannot be giving me examples whereby experiences or memories are not important because, as a opposition you have to prove that these are more important than my material possession so who to to somebody who lost their


memory for example right how is material possessions more important experiences this is not actually proven based on that example lah, yeah uh yup that that that that's about it yeah


part three debate topic three, okay so I'm the uh proposition so


I would agree that , countries experiencing conflict uh should be left to sort out their own problem, uh and oh why why do I agree this is because firstly


different we we have to agree that everyone is different and definitely every country is different as well, so so if I extrapolate this this question to


for example me I am experiencing conflict or I'm experiencing a problem, of course I shouldn't be expecting you or other people to to come and resolve my problem


and I I should I should be responsible and uh I should be the one resolving, the conflict on my own and secondly , I am the one who understand the situation the problem and also the conflict uh most so


I I I should be the one who understands the situation the root cause of of the problem uh most, so in the event that I allow other people to come and resolve my problem the person may not even know what is the root cause


what is the correct way to do it uh and and and any solutions uh proposed by these people, may not be the most suitable one for my country because as I mentioned earlier every country is different


so so so randomly implementing , uh solutions that are proposed by other countries or other parties or other organisations which may not know my country best


may may result in a scenario whereby uh we you know it worsen, the situation because by randomly implementing uh a policy so for example , uh


ya then then the third thing is that when they randomly apply a solution they may not have considered the social part of it, so when I mean by social probably mean by culture etcetera so let's say


countries from west uh western country they're generally more open minded more receptive towards a certain uh solution certain , uh problem for example but their solutions may not be so receptive for a very close uh country like cambodia


etcetera which are not so open and receptive towards the western uh influence for example, ya so so I think in short countries experiencing conflict they should be left to sort out their own problem yup


okay a few points to point out ah uh okay so the the the question stated very clearly, countries experiencing conflict should be left to sort out their own problem so as the opposition


your point should be they should not be left to sort out their own problem giving them resources, is still letting them to sort out their own problem because giving them resources does not mean that you get involve in how they resolve the conflict


so so just now when you mentioned about giving resources , to to the to the countries experiencing conflict technically it does not support your point on why they should not be left


so and and and we as the proposition we are agreeable that you they should be given uh resources, if they are of the less developed countries and if they're in need, but we still do agree that they should be then left to solve their own problems


after receiving uh resources this this two are not contradictory and and they are not mutually exclusive, yup then on the second point on time so I I think you pointed out about civil war


or or conflicts they've been going on for very very long et cetera but we just highlight that actually the time element , it's not actually mention in this topic so if be purely zoom in or if we only look at


conflicts they have been going on for years ten years et cetera I think it'll be unfair to to the preposition lah because , they they they can be other other countries experiencing conflict uh in a very short span of time


yeah yup so so then the other point on, this so so to be fair I will not talk about uh conflicts that been going on forever, and also uh I also don't talk about let's say less developed countries for example so so just bring in the latest example on Hong-Kong main Hong-Kong


is obviously experiencing conflict right now, uh it has been going on for a year, so, we we have seen a lot of foreign intervention, for example from the US uh from the UK etcetera so


but honestly how how effective has this been, and in fact because of these foreign intervention etcetera it actually further , agitated uh like the chinese government for example we we should made them more stringent and and I I think this sort of up prompted them to to to you know


have more uh tighten tighten the rules have more stringent security law for example and and and also, uh because of probably this you know because of all these uh foreign intervention


probably the people there it it made them feel there there's this false security, that these people are coming to to my rescue are coming to help me etcetera by nature fact we we have to recognise that


the help or the intervention et cetera from these foreign governments are actually very limited, and honestly I I don't know but just my personal opinion if if without if without all these


encouragement or without all these foreign potential foreign intervention they probably, would have stopped maybe a much earlier, then, they probably may not be so agitated they they may not have engaged in a lot more violent acts et cetera so so I question how


how useful is foreign uh intervention et cetera helpful lah in in helping them to resolve the conflict actually so if it's not, as effective as we think it is then they should just be left to solve their own problems because they will be the ones that know their own problem the most yeah


okay I think we just have to be a bit clearer on on on the question again lah because we we we shouldn't be looking at problem problem , because the the first part of the the question clearly stated out it is countries experiencing conflict


so these problems at the back is actually referring to the conflict, so your example on for example the less developed countries COVID , countries without uh resources et cetera but these are not conflict


these are merely countries with lesser resources, but but but they they it it shouldn't be taken as term experiencing conflict, yeah so so, uh yeah just just wanted to be a bit clearer on on on on on that then the other thing is that


when the country experiencing conflict well you may not know whether the foreign intervention actually have an, ulterior motive or or they have a separate political agenda by getting involved in this


we have seen many many , many many uh probably not so prominent nowadays because I would say the economy is relatively stable and and the countries are are better lah in that sense but if you bring, back all the way to I don't know hundreds of years ago et cetera we can see that actually countries in the past


when they invited foreign intervention to sort out their own internal conflict what happened was the foreign intervention just took over the entire country, for example so so it may not be so prominent in this day and age but actually if you bring time back to hundreds of years ago this is very very common


with because they each have a different political agenda, when they go into support uh or under the under the under the pretends that they're actually trying to help them resolve their conflict ya ya so so ya


debate topic one


uh I have to disagree with you so so with the, since I'm the proposition I'm gonna say that happiness is expensive and the reason why I would say that it's because happiness uh is a feeling that we get when we do something and satisfying and our primal


uh genetic code to say is we're social people we're social animals, so hanging out with people meeting your friends et cetera etcetera is always going to be an expensive endeavour so, for example McDonald's has raised in price from I believe like five dollars for volume into five fifty in just like uh three or four years


so it's things like this and popular hang our destinations when we go to meet our friends meet appears the cost of going out, uh for example MRT fares have risen by like approximately twelve percent,


in order in and then most singaporeans use MRT to go out, so if going and meeting people and meeting your friends are, uh gonna be more expensive and activities that we engage in are more expensive


then happiness the pursuit of happiness is going to be more expensive, so the next part is that most of us always want something more I you you see no one's really happy with where everyone strive towards perfection we're always going to want something more


it's always that next level date that we are trying to reach the, uh we always like a few dollars away from the ideal happiness, because I will be happy if I have a Lamborghini sitting outside but tomorrow the Lamborghini on a yard and in that uh


aspect we're always gonna be striving to have more and more and more, and that will result in happiness itself is becoming more and more expensive, so, the pursuit of the perfect happy of fully content would make us a mode make happiness more expensive


like ten percent of, people's brains and want to go and live in a farm some miles away by themselves, and then like other people want to go live in a suburban neighbourhood with like their families and everything


so it's always something that you don't have but you're striving to get and, to achieve that you will be spending money, so the next part is that , and a certain level of wealth a bucket list items get like really expensive you know we do


lots of crazy awesome stuff, so uh but we get like used to everything you know go on like vacations and then suddenly going to malaysia isn't good enough you want to go to Paris, and in essence that would drive up the price of just achieving that level of happiness that you've seen set out for


now of course as a kid happiness will not be as expensive you know you're happy which is good, play the part with your friends but as you grow older your needs and your, what get your attention it's more and more expensive you see right now


most people like at our age will kill for like nosebleed tickets to the latest game or concert, but like the front row the sky box at premium ticket these are the ones who will get attention of like, people who are striving to achieve happiness because everyone wants to connect and achieve a level


of a status in society uh if you look at some of the highest followed Instagram uh, influence as you look at your, kadarshian's you look at your denver's aliens all of them, debate a very luxurious very wealthy uh


lifestyle in which you it's clear to see that spending huge amounts of money to get, the fastest cars the biggest houses the most expensive ticket uh, debate happiness and that is what most people want to most people strive to get that


you look at luxury brands how the prices have skyrocketed over the past ten to twenty years all because people, crave to have people are happy, whether it's fulfilling or not is one thing but happiness itself in buying something that other people are unable to get


that uh quote unquote limited edition feeling is something that, has gotten more and more expensive and, with that happiness, the pursuit of happiness is getting more expensive and to circle circulate back to my uh


original point about how, uh going out just in singapore is expensive not only, uh now only ah like, simple social venues like McDonald's and cheap restaurants have risen in price the ridiculousness of like other uh


uh social, social businesses that rely on people going there for like happiness have always an implied uh popular nightclubs in singapore zouk has a, twelve thousand dollars a year sorry twenty four thousand dollars a year membership and people are willing to spend that kind of money


just so that they are happy so in essence right the, chase the for that level of lifestyle that influencer like, life is driving the price of happiness out and therefore


being happy would be uh something that is an expensive pursuit ya sure


okay sure the thing is right that it's not , it's not getting is not being happy the the the argument is about the pursuit of happiness now whether or not it's the right but it's how people get there the whole argument is about


what people want to do what people believe that that's gonna make them happy and with, like social norms dictating that being popular being doing what the popular people are doing, and is the route to being accepted and since that feeling of being part of something for most people is


what would give them a sense of happiness or what they believe will give them a sense of happiness, that pursuit of luxurious items at pursuit of their luxury lifestyle is something there is expensive today, so it's not about Shaolin monks who have no connection to uh the western world in which most people right now at our age at least


uh heavily influenced by are not can't, fathom being a uh using materialistic stuff to get there however today for our age uh, age group uh, happiness is something that's gonna o be expensive because doing what everyone else is doing is expensive and on top of that


they're not expensive stuff just chilling with your friends just going to, like movie theatres and stuff have all all their prices have skyrocketed, so you


ya so happiness is an expensive pursuit today


debate topic two alright so


diligence as you said right it it means like careful and persistence work or effort you know conscientiousness so, , now as you said right there are many other factors that, pertain to success of course you need to be doing the right thing that every that the economy itself values at that point or the world itself where a values at that point


uh you need to have the right background for what you doing whether it's like sports or business finance whatever but, the thing is right you need that conscientiousness you need that constant hard work, in order to achieve that level of success you can't be


just backing on the fact that, okay I went to school therefore I will be successful or just because I have this I would be successful but you need that concerned hard work you can't you can't find the single person who is successful, who hasn't had who who isn't diligent who hasn't put in the hours who hasn't trained who hasn't done I mean you can look at like michael jordan he said uh


ya what I miss not sure I miss so many free tours but uh the reason I miss this because I kept trying of something like that, and and it just shows the diligent you can't find the single, COE a single


uh top sportsmen who hasn't had diligence in there , in their locker when it comes to the road to success, so, and with that right you can see the key to success is diligence of course you need other other factors you can't you can't expect that err


to do something that's not valued by society and expect to be successful it can be diligent and that would, however if you are not diligent in your in your pursuit for something and your pursuit for success alright you're not gonna achieve it, because it's like as


the sentence is uh diligence is key to success


ah okay sure, you want talk about statistics right so find me a single successful person who wasn't diligent, who wasn't diligent


no but the key the key to success means that you need to have this it's the main part of the achieving success whether or not you achieve success is irrelevant but, in order to achieve success you need to be diligent


you see whether or not the other factors matter the probability of achieving success and all that it's all irrelevant but the one thing you need if you are to achieve success right is diligent, so it doesn't matter whether or not you achieve it but if you are to achieve it, you need to be diligent


sure there are people who haven't been, given whoever been born with a silver spoon and mouth who have achieved success I will give you an example uh everyone uh I'm guessing, here have heard of uh the Mohamed Mustafa the famous


shopping centre at little india, he was born as a and he worked as a, uh used to sell I think Mee-Goreng at the side of a or Prata something, the other side of the street Serangoon road, and yet he achieve success why because he was diligent in his work of course


you have to have a certain level of uh and finesse when it comes to working your way up you need do, need to be on the right track you need to be doing but whatever it is you need to have the minimum the starting part is diligence


of course if you don't have the other building blocks you won't achieve it but this foundation the, the the key is you need to be diligent, and there are so many rise to riches stories right where people achieve success and it's all due to the diligent it's all to their work


of course not everybody will but that's the point of success success is someone who's achieved a status that other people can't it's it's, winning right and to win and whatever you're doing right we need to be working hard nobody wins by waking up and just like


yo I did it no that's like that's winning the lottery man that's not achieving success


okay but why we not focus on people who have achieved success, like the whole point is to the key to achieve success so you have to look at the people who have achieved success, right you when you look up to someone you don't say that oh but like ten thousand other people couldn't do that that's not how it works


no but that's not true though that's not true, alright how about you look at okay there's this footballer he plays for everton football club his name is richard lison, he did not have money for food or anything he he bought he spent all his money on a one way ticket


to a football club if he made it he made it if you didn't he did it and he made it he worked hard and then now he successful, there obviously if you're poorer or if you're uh if you're, living below the poverty line chances of you achieving success is less


however however achieving success amongst your in your in your community is still possible, and it all with hard work like, the thing is right if you work hard of course if you work hard in the wrong direction you might not achieve success, yeah of course but if you are to achieve success right hard work is the minimum requirement


if you ask me if you are unable to eat because you sit in your ass the whole time, then obviously you're not gonna achieve success and yeah of maybe the cards were there against you but the people who do achieve success, it is because of their hard work


you see, the thing is right you can't look at this argument at a oh so many people haven't been successful so hard work is not the key to success it doesn't make sense, you have to look at it at the point where these are the people who achieved it how did they achieve it what is the common uh


the common denominator and all of it all of them right, are diligence, that is the breakdown of it because you you can't you can't spin the argument and like oh because all these people didn't achieve it so therefore, it's not that this is definitely not affected but you must look at it at the way that these are the people who have achieved success and how did they achieve it


okay


so you agree with me


okay so give me an example who is it of a person who's achieve success with a zero when a perfect work life balance, gets drunk everyday, who


ya but then you won't reached the upper echelon of uh success, you see those who did these sacrifice did if you want it okay if you talk in a material sense right, excluding the billionaires who are born into family well, the rest who have achieved their wealth have all put in


long hours if all of course of course in a lot of other factors that went for them they were in the right they were working in the right direction they, they were entering the different sectors of the economy at the right time however, all of them whether it's buffet to zuckerberg they all put in their due diligence they all went in and they all uh works hard is he that is the denominator in this equation it's the main part


you can't you can't achieve success you can't achieve success without working hard whether you're, Shaolin monk whoever you mentioned in the previous debate or you're bill gates you have had put in uh effort, these new political leader


actually no uh that's not a good argument there's no there's no men uh self made success, who hasn't put into it his own diligence


it's the


of course but the thing is right he had to work hard, no if he built he can't he can't he couldn't have meet Facebook what it is without the underlying hard work


and they were successful when Myspace was successful yeah I as I said in my before uh you can't of course, it doesn't guarantee success but it's the minimum required, for success you see what I mean that is the key to it you can't you can't say that ya okay for diligent there's no there's no recipe for success of course but


if you are if you are to be successful if it's in your stars a you're going to be successful the one thing you need to do is be diligent, whether that's doing well in school or doing well in your career doesn't matter but you need to be diligent


you can't tell me that you didn't study for A's right you did and you were successful in is right you tell me someone who, ya did you did you not that do you know any success story any success story where the guy did not put in hard work it doesn't make any sense


there's no there's nobody whether you're whoever right you have had putting out whether or not you show it as a different thing but they've definitely put in, a level of diligence and therefore therefore right diligence is the key to success because without it you're not gonna be successful


with it you have a good chance you have a higher chance no you see the thing is right it's very simple these no direct route to uh) diligence whether, I mean to success like you may or may not get it yeah sure but if you are to get it right


you need to be diligent it's like number one, on the things that you need to have, can you okay can you be successful without diligence, yes or no, who okay so then fine give me a case example of someone who wasn't diligent you have fifty seconds man give me one example in which a guy in which in which a guy achieved success without a diligent


one guy, one person no just tell me one person who was successful without without diligent, if you can find that if you can find one person who made it without hard work, I let you win this round


no you can't it it it's the key because without it you can't be it it is the key it's like saying you I put your leg is not key to playing football you need your leg to play football, like of course if you have a leg doesn't mean that you would be a footballer but without a leg you definitely won't be a footballer it's the same thing or it's like being basketball without arms ya


with arm you might not be successful in basketball, no that's that's the wrong uh do, ,


debate topic three


where you are supposed to say yes, you are democracy is more important your apposition, Sama lah


Sama lah


okay so , I'm gonna start of a case study right so one of the probably the most famous democracy in the world right, freedom and stuff is the USA now let's look at it that democracy pretty much is failing right now and uh their government is completely inefficient right now the republicans uh there can't even decide on a


the new stimulus package of the economy due to the virus, so and you can see that people are suffering I believe I think today uh the previous uh unemployment benefits uh scheme is, uh expiring and the government hasn't hasn't even come up with a solution they're more uh


focused on solving internal political issues and politicising things like mask and, uh to show the wearing of mask or whether COVID exists and nonsense like that and because of that people are suffering now we, cross the ocean and uh be like china and look at china it's not a democracy but the government is highly highly efficient


not only as it experienced like uh status uh uh not only as it achieved uh, insane economic growth but it's also dealt with the virus much much better than compared to the US, so obviously china is communist and the US is democracy and you can see where the efficient government is coming up on top


in today's society where one side, dealing with the virus fantastically was uh the other is too busy politicising and fighting for votes, to be bothered about actually uh improving society or fixing society


ya that's my case study I think I think it brings point two


, no but it's not about fixing society it's it's it's about which is better for the country itself nothing in this debate topic says anything about society, so when it comes to efficient government right countries have always grown


really fast with an efficient government compare to the democracy democracy is, normally, results in uh a lot of internal conflicts a lot of politicising a lot of division and then that results in


decreased uh economic output you can cause, uh nationalism in a country like what's happening in US right now and you can see in countries where democracy is not, one hundred percent like our own in singapore uh when efficient government has led to faster economic growth in the past fifty years of course now it's different but in the past


and efficient government was much more value than a democracy


okay but the thing is right I I don't feel like democracy isn't important I just say I just feel like an efficient government is more important and and we can see right, as much as I mean you know my political views but in the past, fifty years right singapore's growth has been at the cost of having a full fully fledged democratic country


you see with the more efficient government long term planning and long term , uh goods could be said, and that enable the country to just work toward something that and uh work work towards something


which, many thought it was not possible right singapore is beaten most uh expectations in the past fifty years I have to hand it to the government so uh an efficient government, especially in times where times of need like now in a crisis is value much more than a democratic country where most of the time the leaders have to


concerned about getting reelected then actually bothering to uh work on something to benefit society benefit economy because you look at uh US right now the economy stress the, people are dying and it's all because


the leaders are too busy politicising every small, things that happening, so right now in sorry


no but nigeria wasn't an efficient government it was, the government wasn't efficient and no was it a proper democracy, if if you look no, ya china and singapore, you must look at countries where democracies won't


not valued as much as an efficient government it doesn't necessarily need to be uh non democracies, and you can see that in every single example right in which a country, uh not rifled in


uh corruption, has succeeded with an efficient government, in growth wise right efficient governments have always proved to be, superior to that of, uh no superior than just a pure democratic country


because pure democracies has great in terms of uh in certain times but in uncertain times and in beards of long term growth right efficient government always come out of door


no but uh once again the thing is not saying that you know but the thing is it's not that democracies aren't important is just efficient governments are more important, than just being a democracy so you can be a democracy but if the important part that you being efficient if you are inefficient right it's all pointless cause you are not a government


to serve the people if you can't get anything done you can ask any american citizens right now what what's the number one problem with congress or number one problem with, uh the country itself it's always about congress doesn't get anything done because it's highly inefficient and yeah of course it built that way so that you have checks and balances and stuff but


you look at it right whenever the government needs to respond to something it's just not there and on top of that the problem with democracies is that it's always causing , a politicising of everything now you can shift shift over across the pond to the UK where the same thing happen you can see that


they have underlying issues with a migrants and everything but because they have democracy they politicised the voting and now suddenly they're out on you, right the whole brexit thing was because, of, how a a democracy can fail where, false information was spread about how two hundred million pounds is being sent to EU and and that money could go to the NHS NHS instead


whereby there was all lies but I believe boris johnson, and because of that the democracy fail essentially and now, uh between on the EU and with there there are so many issues are rising


and you can see whenever country's unable to respond to, a immediate issues that arise the, in the end the citizens themselves suffer and obviously there's no better example of that then, how COVID has affected democracy much more than other uh


has affected full fledged democracies significantly more than uh, country like china, and ourselves actually even though we have an astronomically high number of cases most of them are being contain amongst foreign workers


and like our citizens ourselves the government has protected you with, uh measures implemented so the thing is right an efficient government in times of need is significantly more valued than a a democracy it's why governments and most countries have a


provisions where they can initiate martial law because the the government needs to be efficient, in times and the more efficient the government is the faster you can deal out what he thinks is best for the country and its people, of course of course I'm not saying that we should all move to the communist country I'm just saying that


certain rights can be limited certain democratic rights can be limited in a trade off for more efficient government, because if people are too busy fighting amongst themselves the country's not gonna go anywhere, ya


okay you see the that's a misconception about authoritarian regimes, all of them right in the past and in the present have arise from very poor countries in which they can control, the basically where the highly educated and the


the successful the rich band together and you're able to control the poor with the the really poor a peasant's of society in which, they are too poor and are too dependent on the government themselves to revolt this is seen across african countries this is seen in soviet russia to start this is seen in a at the start of china is well authoritarian regimes only start


when the people are too weak to fight back, so they're able to government is able to control the money and they're able to control the people it is why north korea's , people have not rewarded because they either too scared


or they too dependent on the government to fight back and with control of the education system authoritarian governments, uh, have full control over the country but it's, false to say that they would just arise because of uh limiting uh limiting more and more democratic right because


limitations of democratic rights right will only, piss off the people in essence and eventually once too many freedom has been taken away people are revolt, for example in Hong-Kong even though I know Hong-Kong isn't a country once more and more right when fringed the people's are the revolt


and an efficient government, I'm not saying that democracy is an important I'm saying than an efficient government is more important than uh a pure democratic country, and I I think apart from switzerland it isn't a pure democratic country so most governments agree with


certain restrictions on a democracy so that they can be more efficient, and with the efficient comes, prosperity because, when the government is able to blend in the long term in plan five years and ten year intervals instead of just every election cycle


the country can better gear itself towards a responding to uh changes in the world economy and changes in, a societal trends basically so that's why an efficient government takes precedence over democracy


but, obviously there's still a balanced to be met but I feel like, an efficient government has an edge over democracy, that you were wrong and I was right


but efficient government is more important, you see the question the question says more important, I disagree that democracy is more important


debate topic one, right so, I will be the opposition for they so happiness is an expensive pursuit today how far do you agree okay so


in my view happiness is definitely not an expensive pursuit today it rather it's a quite an inexpensive one, because uh happiness I in my view is a free of mind it's an emotion you feel and


if you are able to control your mind in a manner which are a mix of which gives you can full control over how, your emotions work and how would you feel every moment of your life you would be able to control whether you're happy or not