okay ya they they might have something on them okay they should they will have lah they will have something on their mind, but, their country is going through a problem and I my country can solve it, so


at that point you don't think about when K when you actually need their help you don't think about what agenda they have, you will be thinking how am I going to solve the problem, a neighboring country wants to solve my problem, whatever else the price that they have to pay will be later


like at that moment


but what if the problem is like people are dying or yeah people are dying


and their own country can't do anything about it, for any reason lah maybe like you say like you say lah racial, religious or, disease or, famine like any of this, the country can't solve its own problem


ya so, okay talk just advancing from your point of view ah, if let's say I come and help you do your homework ya I'm not teaching you anything, but, you will have a price to pay


the price maybe it can be monetary, it can be I can tell you, help the other help another person, do their homework, so in this context it means I my country, my country solves your country's problem


and then the price that you have to pay is you maybe you have to solve another country's problem, or you just have to pay us, but we help you solve your problem


ya because you can't do it by yourself


now most countries are quite modern like quite


are really up to date most countries are really up to date okay if they have a problem, and then we don't step in, doesn't it look bad on us, if let's say your country has some, like a problem on


ya but then if let's say you don't do uh if I don't step in and then in your country people start dying, and maybe, few months later people start dying few


one year later a lot of people are dying


this is similar to how, your boss gives you a task to do okay you you have a task to do and you don't know how to do it


someone more experienced will just come and take over your job correct or someone and more experienced will come and solve your problem correct, so if country if a country is facing their own conflicts or problems, a more experienced country, shouldn't they be coming in to help them because they know how to solve it because they have experienced it


and they know what to do, brighten the issue


but what ya lah like from what he said, what if the country can't solve its own problem


if they can't solve its own problem by itself do you think is the right thing to do just leave them alone or like


when they are helpless and, we can offer the help, to solve the problem ASAP, instead of coming waiting for you to ask me I need your help if I can see your problem already and I can solve it for you shouldn't I just come in step in to say I have a solution for you would you like to hear it


and after that maybe some, additional measures have been taken ah


that they are not capable of solving their own problem so another country has to step in to solve their problem because I mean after a certain point if you see a lot of people


let's say certain country lah you see a lot of people are dying due to starvation, do you think that, every country is gonna stop, all eating okay example your country people are dying from starvation


are you gonna stop every other country from coming to help you, because, no matter what practically you cannot say no every single time, eventually you see the suffering, and then you have to solve it, and when other countries are coming in to help you solve it


you have to take it, that's why I said that, when an country when a country is experiencing, like problems on their own


they shouldn't be left alone, because everyone is living in a way living in this earth, and if we can help each other neighbouring countries, then why not take the help


ya, so example the rich has to be rich the poor has to be the poor has to be poor right, and the poor not doing well, or has its own problem this is small scale lah and the and the poor is not doing well the rich should step in to help them right, so same for if a third


yeah that is later that comes in later


but it's okay, at that point you needed the help


ya that's the thing maybe what I went through or what my country has went through, is more than enough, to help your country which is experiencing it for the first time, maybe for some virus outbreak


my country has experienced it already and we know how to, maintain it and solve it, but your country is experiencing it for the first time, shouldn't we just step in, and just tell you what to do, yeah I mean they like I ya you are right there is a price that the your country will pay lah


but then, at that point the you need the help, are you going to say no even though people are dying are you gonna say no that, any issues that's happening right now, are you gonna decline the help


yeah it yeah so, in that sense also so if I say, if you don't take my help, one million people are gonna die, in your country are you going to still say no


ya so, even example like what like our, no I'll I'll give you in relation ah to what you say


let's say I, your okay your country a million people are gonna die, if I don't help uh and you need my help, and I offer you the help and you say, yes, but you know the price to pay is, in a way I will own your own whole country


but are you gonna say no at that point when you know that one million people are gonna die


I mean do you have any suggestion for a smaller scale example, like because why there is no small scale


like what


in yeah I mean in certain cases yeah you cannot step in, but, if let's say it's a race or religious issue, and then people are killing each other, don't you want another country to come and step in and tell you how to solve your problem if I already went through it


(hmm)


(hmm), ya in that sense ya like you won't just like you see someone fall down and you are not and you it's like, nature of, us to go and help the others


so similar in that small scale if a country is really facing a lot of issues, and they can't solve it by themselves, what's wrong isn't is there any issue in another country stepping in to help them solve


ya lah ya if it if if it does, cause that's how the solution will come in, I will have a solution for you and this is how it will be mandated, so in that sense wouldn't it be a bit more beneficial when someone else steps in to solve your problem


part one debate topic one


tena if you want to start, like I'm good, , wait so there's a proposition and the opposition start first, you start first is it oh okay


uh do you want me to start first or you want to start, okay so the question is are certain types of writing superior to others so I'm taking the opposition site which means that I disagree I feel that like , every writing is so diverse and complex because


they have like different ways of expressing writings right it could, be like on, it will be like simplistic and ineffective if we like judge them based on like the same set of criterias because each of them have a unique function so therefore I disagree that certain types of writing can be more superior to others I think it's very subjective because


it's very it's very dependent on the type of genre right so there are , so when they are applied to and it will be like ineffective to judge them more on like the same set same set of criteria, so example like if you judge a news article to a poem it like it is illogical because


the both writings appeal to like different audiences with like different agendas, then , as mentioned above, like, it in the like in news articles the primary objective would be to provide like a clear and light direct source of information and like


the like the the writing is like if it's more concise than is more effective, but when you look at like poetry or music it'll be really different because you are not getting any like information from it what you you are just listening it do it for like the sake of like feeling entertained and it's like a form of like expression


so it it will be really difficult to say that oh okay one writing is more superior than the other because of this, and , so like, every writer has that their own set of writing skills like let's say if you are looking at someone who's writing a children's book using like simple kind of english well like


uh someone who's writing his own like autobiography then then it's is different what you cannot say that someone who is writing a children's book is less superior because he's using more simple english because that's the audience that they're trying to reach


ya and I mean right now in the modern days right like, people would say, news will be like the most superior because everyone gets it and uh in this like globalized world like, less people are like


reading poems and everything but we have to make sure that like it's writing is still like a form of art and we should not like discredit that lah, and uh ya so, oh no how how many minutes already


okay wait sorry ya so , yup so that's hard that's what I feel about it that uh there are no writing that are like more superior than the other so I I disagree, ya thank you


, ya so I agree that like you're like writings are very subjective but like what you mentioned as well like they're there are different types of audience right they are different types of all on uh target audience which is what you say persuasive and I I forgot the other but like


ya so how how do you, judge like so you are saying that a target one target audience is more superior than the other because it's more relatable in this modern world is that what you are saying, but


ya, ya


(mmhmm), but how do you determine which is like


which is more superior like which is more relevant like what if you fall under both categories like if you enjoy like both types of writing because like, you you were saying like if the aging population then uh you want more information like rich text but then it like for me I I do enjoy both


so like, I wouldn't be able to like compare which would be more superior because I go to the like different writings for like different like reasons, ya,


oh my gosh you just opening another loophole


, ya, , I guess like just my overall like argument for this whole thing is that each writing have their own like


purpose so like you you can only compare, like, I don't think like each genre of writing like you cannot compare which genre of writing is more superior than the other because it serves different purposes ya that's my that's my argument


ya, (mmhmm), ya , but what do you feel about like if you're comparing to the same genre of writing


like if you are comparing the same like persuasive writings of like different kind of, ya cause like, I will feel that okay there may be stronger like, writers in the same like category right but


each writer will have their own way of like writing thing so, like, it's truly subjective and that's why I think the question is like, I don't know lah like I would even if I don't put opposition I mean even if I'm not in the opposition I would still disagree.


ya ya,


, no that that's what I'm saying it's not, like, both are superior I'm saying that like none of them are superior because it's very objective what it's based on the how the reader feels about, it right like , like what you mentioned that both of them are different


categories of writing so is like, you as a reader will not be able to be like objective enough to say that oh like this writing is like more superior than the other because is like


!huh! what is your framework for for for, judging like these two different types of writing, that's what I'm saying because each of them would be effective in its own ways like like why why the reason why you get the that the the information from this article ah like example you're reading a storybook you're not trying to find information what


then if you are reading uh a news article you're you're you're looking for information so you cannot say that oh the storybook doesn't give me just like sort of information so that's why is less superior, ya


(mmhmm), ya


, I guess like both of us feel like the this question is very subjective right, ya


but none of us none of us sway either way right, , okay wait do you have like examples


ya, ya


no but sorry, no I I just enjoy like your example of like, that influences writing like, why would you feel that it would be more superior today you know


, , ya


okay


you're throwing me a trick question because I don't find any writing superior here ya like so like personally you enjoy reading like blog posts and everything which like like for me I don't but like I do understand like, the like


the attractiveness of reading it because you, uh, interested in like a celebrity's life, but like from if you look if if I tell you that oh I enjoy like reading reports of companies and then you'll be like, like, uh I don't I don't see like what why because I wouldn't so like


but like, because both of us are different so like, you I wouldn't feel like your writing is, less superior because I feel like oh it it it doesn't I I'm not interested in it right ya


cause I'm saying, okay wait so what's your definition of superior, that's the definition of superior what,


so you think you think influences, uh power is more strong there like


news articles like like on the news,


, ya, ya, ya


but like what you are referring to is kind of like tabloid news for entertainment right like it's more of like I wanna get a reaction out of someone so there the way the the words that they use is very like


very like try to very engaging try to made trying to make like the readers like, like angry or feel a certain type of way, so ya like to me lah I feel like tabloid news is ineffective but it does work in its own ways because it garnered a lot of people's views also so as much as I feel like okay personally I don't feel like the this information would benefit me in any way but it does


give like the message across that okay like ya people do read it what because it's entertaining and that's effective in its own way so, like, that's why I cannot say the the reading that I like I read is superior than this one even though I don't feel like okay it's worth like anything like to me


ya, !huh! what no you're supposed to be the proposition


ya definitely


like, for me like when when you mentioned your arguments I think that you are relying or like oh based on the number of people that are reading and the influence that it can have is makes it makes the writing more superior right that's what you meant


ya, ya,


ya, okay wait ah one minute left, so, ya wait so , what, are you still very strong on like your your your your position


oh, okay wait we can pause


fun right okay, part two debate topic two, leanna you can start first okay


not really ya,


, ya


okay


, , ya


ya, oh uh ya , so I, I absolutely agree with like like the reason why we're getting all these tiff like foreign film stars because of globalisation and I do agree with


like, the impact that it has like given us lah and it has influenced the way we live today but like do you feel that with all these like different types of, like, like films it actually like also


path like negative behaviors as well like let's say you were mentioning about the korean dramas right then we, we start like romanticizing that oh all these types of guys are, like in this way like I'm not saying that, the korean culture is like superficial but like what you mention like in singapore we we we actually like thought of like all of relationship is like very different compared to like when you see in your k drama but is is actually a good thing like


we know that like koreans are like stereotypically very pretty and very handsome right and then like we tend to seek that from like the singaporean men today and you know that that is like very very little here so how ah how ah like you can tell that that


obviously gonna be a negative impact because we start feeling like, , like this kind of superficial things really matter and we didn't feel that way if we didn't had that as well and like one, like, like more like serious like


factor for me is that because in a it asian society and like the western society is very different like you will feel that in the western culture like people like kids grow up faster than, than than than in asia lah and there are like so many taboo topics here compared to like


in the western culture way like you know they can take a talk about sex freely and then you can talk about like drinking and everything and that like many of this, films like really sexualized like kids and then like like this like very like children not children not


children like maybe teenagers like fifteen to eighteen like, in the in asia sorry oh sorry, eh you never say anything hello can you hear me now can you hear me now


oh shit ya


hello can you hear me now hello hello can you hear me now, can you hear me now, hello hello can you hear me now


but can you can you hear me cannot, oh shit okay give me a moment


but I cannot, he did just now but couldn't


ya, hello, hello


hello can you hear me, oh wait they can hear but I I can't I can't hear them now hello can you hear me, oh yes okay I can hear you all too


okay, okay I'm so sorry, I don't I


the recording no but the part two, oh dear it off when I went, down, okay oh my gosh


ya it is, okay


the project number is, three eight seven five MR


okay yup, ya has been resumed, yup, okay okay sorry okay


okay, sorry leanna, so (uh huh), so I was saying that like nowadays like is like


the things that like we find taboo in asia is like not the same as in western culture where they they're able to talk about like certain like, like topics like sex and like alcohol very freely lah and this is not like our


like our our conservative way of thinking and like so, in asia right their like very impressionable minds like in when you are like in your teenage years between like probably like twelve to sixteen and then you think it's okay but like maybe some of this kind of like


waste the lifestyle may not be like a healthy kind but because is normalised in like the the media now, people think it's actually normal when it's not so it's it can also be like a form of like negative influence right because like it is very clear when like for both of us we are already like twenty plus right and then last time there wasn't like this this whole like tiktok and everything which is


which is like where a lot of them like get like their their content from and then they think that oh actually you looking like like twenty years old when you're fifteen is like normal or like like like acting a certain way that it's like not


healthy is also normal so I feel like these TV programs are actually reflecting that and like it causes like us to have like these things that we like this kind of culture that we actually


may not like need and then like another factor is that because of globalisation we lose touch of our own culture as well like we can both agree that like we would prefer like like international films compared to the suit the local made films like I I


I don't even know what films are there in in singapore now so like it's kind of sad because like we are, not only losing touch with like oh our our like, sick ah like local kind of talent uh our local kind of like media but like


culture as well, because how will international films reflect our culture here in singapore it does not so like nowadays like these kids lose touch of like their culture because, they feel like oh acting uh like acting as certain way like like maybe


the americans is like better than acting like an asian or a singaporean ya


I do agree, ,


like I can't deny that it has affected us lah and maybe the way we think as well even though we may not know but like, I'm just saying that how, as like viewers right, we take in so much things but we don't even know whether it's like good for us and like for like like what I mentioned like impressionable minds


teenagers, they don't even know where they don't even know how to sieve properly and anything oh okay I can be doing this now and think that it is so cool and then like they might regret it after awhile because they are taking like sources that are that might not be like


the best lah so, ya some of us but, ya so I I'm honestly very concerned with like the younger generation like the few years younger uh people now because


I honestly I don't know what what they're doing because, from what I'm seeing it's it seems like they're just trying to grow up, as fast as they can and act mature in, like, a way that is not healthy for them and


I think I would believe that, like our like foreign films and like TV programs are, the main culprit for that lah because they that's, that's that's where they're they're getting their source from, ya


actually never thought of it that way that like the character of being outspoken is influenced by that but I do agree the thing is that these people will feel like oh they have the they they're encouraged just speak up and everything but there's not


that may not be a good thing as well like if you are looking at the protest in america, it it's it can be also sort of counter productive because they think that that is the only way of solving solutions instead of like maybe implementing policies or helping out your community in a less violent way so


at the same time I also feel that these foreign films are also encouraging like aggressiveness of like, of, of of, age of asians and like maybe the uh typical age group would be for us because you feel like maybe violence is the only way of doing things and the the political climate in singapore and US is very different and


I disagree with though uh the example of the the GE I felt that ya it's it's important to speak up but, personally I still feel that voting is secret and the way that like, the young generation especially the first time voters handled the situation was very uncalled for and very like


immature because you can have your own views but you cannot like push it down someone's troop as well right and like this sort of influence is also like what you mention from from maybe seeing how US do that their voting and everything but


it's so different because the political climate is very is very different in these two countries right, so ya like, it's very it's very very good that people are speaking ya but you need to have like, depth to it also you cannot just be


angry and like not have like, your your points and the objective of like of of of conversing in this in this, ya, ya exactly


ya , ya but I feel like the most concerning point is when kids are do not act, that act their age like, especially twelve to fifteen year olds trying to act like twenty year olds and sexualising themselves on media because so many films so many international films do that and the reason why they do that is because like they they want to get the views right and like


it may not be a good thing because international films are form of entertainment and it may not be true it could be like glorify and it could be, dramatic and, ya so it it affects us negatively lah I feel


like you don't have to dress a certain way to feel confident and sometimes the moral of this stories in like this international films is like oh if you are pretty and if you are like like by boys then that that then you're you're successful you know that kind of simple simple stories that can be very like


can like imprint on very impressionable people lah and then, like oh this is this beauty standards of what I'm supposed to be but I'm not and then it it makes you lose the confidence also because you see so many, pretty and handsome people uh like, in foreign films so it I think it really affects us more negatively than positively but I do agree with


(ppc), with what you said about like how it could be a competition for like local based like like media media productions as well like they can learn from from the outside and everything but, these are more of like technical skills right so


it it will be great if they can do that like get the technical skills from maybe like like international screen writers or whatever but, maybe like inculcate like our own culture to it because international films are also making uh young people like us today forget what


where we are where we come from and like, the history of like singapore is just like not there lah not as, not as, ingrain in like young people compared to the last time when they all enjoyed sitting around and like watching


local films ya compared to you know our grandmothers time where they really enjoy you know uh I kind of miss that lah, ya and ya


ya, ,


but it's definitely the minority, ya, ya like, what why you mention how


maybe these films also uh influence us to speak, like, speak up and everything right encourage us to be more brave and all but it's like very it it also loses our like community based, kind of like like


is instead of thinking of like oh a team right is more individualistic, ya, as in our values are changing as well and it may not be a good thing because, like international films like especially from the US is more individualistic kind of like thinking while


we as asians are more like community based so it's very different because that's how we grew up with and I, I I, I don't want to lose that lah, ya so , oh it's one minute, okay, so we tap my phone


okay, part three debate topic three, okay , okay


wait now my mouse stop working, okay I think I can start, hold on ah


oh my gosh never mind, no cause I wrote stuff but now I cannot use my computer okay never mind uh


I don't know what's wrong with this computer so annoying eh, okay (hmm), okay the question is nowadays the pleasure of reading can never


compete with the pleasures of visual entertainment to what extent do you agree so I'm taking the opposition site which means that I disagree, I disagree with (ppc) that, the visual entertainment can be can can be more pleasurable than than reading lah and my first point would be that


when you're reading you are it makes you, use your creativity your imagination and it develops like an emotional intelligence as well compared to when you are viewing it when your viewing for entertainment so why I say this is


like when when you're reading you have to simultaneously, uh like had like, uh act it out in your brain right so, it it it's like this, different type of like intellectual like like like use of your brain compared to when you're when you're watching something you don't actually have to oh what's gonna to happen next or you have to like think before like


think of what it is like simultaneously compared to where you're reading a book and it's at your own pace so you are able to like absorb that like feeling like hundred percent compared to like, like less than a one second kind of like seen in a in a movie


and like I feel you you like when you're reading you have like uh, a personal relationship between like the the the author as well you feel like oh I I actually know who this person is and it gives you like a different sense of feeling you know like because you empathise with with with this character and because


taking reading a book is a longer commitment compared to like maybe watching an hour's film so like this this whole like, feeling would develop and then you you tend to fall in love with a book more than than a film like in my opinion


and it, when you are like you know those kind of movies I mean those kind of books that like translate to like film, right so it could be like an autobiography of like maybe like like bill gates example and then uh they want to remake it into a movie and so many things can go wrong because like in a biography you are actually reading this


like, in the in the view of like this person right what he does and everything but like when you're when you're watching it it can like, like mistruth like the the how, how it actually happen and it's based on like external factors which is like it could like be a bad actor


or it could be like a very bad like plot development you know so many like so many of these things can can go wrong in films, when you feel like a book is more personable I mean personnel and like you're able to


use your brain more I guess like that that's my opinion, ya, oh, no you always read what


ya


yeah


now with the subtitles


okay uh like what the points that you have raised lah like really strong , but like to me I feel like right now it in a very fast paced world like a book is like an escape you know like in when you're when you're watching something it's it's still very fast paced and honestly after watching a a movie you will feel so tired but like


compared to a book you can just like put it down and you can like, like come back when where you left off like, from last week, and I think there's a joy of that because it's it's it's really like, it gives you a different uh


oh oh a dimension out of your your own life you know like you could you could feel like oh I am this character and it gives you like this sort this form of escape that a a movie can never do and I know everyone always says like oh a picture speaks a thousand words but


I think words are so much more powerful and impactful especially if you are like reading it and visualizing it on your own like your own imagination and your own fantasy, and and and I think that's the joy of it so that there are like two different types of like entertainment like maybe not entertainment but like pleasure of it


because I don't think I can get that same kind of like, like in like fantasy compared to like in a movie like you could be imagining this and it could be so much better than when you're looking at it in a movie like if you are if you are comparing like a book that we made into a into a movie lah ya that's how I feel and


about the the coming together like to to watch a movie uh, bonding time and stuff there are also a lot of like book clubs that does it as well like people reading the same book and being able to actively discussed with with someone else and I think that's even more like intellectually stimulating


like because when you read a book there are so many like perceptions right your your own perspective to oh why is this why does this writer say this thing then is like, it it is very different because you could be discussing with the same person who who've read the same book but you could have like different perspectives and you are able to like


create a conversation with it and actually it is is definitely more intellectually like stimulating because you are able to get perspectives of like different people compared to like when you're watching a movie and then, like most of the times is like for entertainment purposes right so you will be like oh ya it's really nice like there's a lot of action to it and that that kinda is it


rather than like actually sitting down and maybe discussing it with someone else and that also creates a more like, uh personal relationship like you can cultivate a relationship deeper with like this person


more than like or discussing about a movie about its action and stuff like that ya, that's how I feel,


, ya


they always say that oh the book is always better, and ya, ya exactly so that that's why I feel like it's it's so much better than than


than uh uh a movie lah ya, , no no but I've I've think at I think it's better, ya


but , ya, but the majority of us will also agree that uh the books will always be better than


than a film and I think is very different also because like uh you can touch a book, you know like I really enjoy like like the the process of like buying a book because you are able to smell the pages and you are able to feel it and like


it so I think it's so important because like there's there's one of the joys of my life because like going to a bookstore and like picking up a book and you really have like this connection from from from from the start because you are purchasing this book based on like, how you feel that day and everything so it's


is a much deeper emotion compared to just like sitting down on your TV turning it on and like (hmm) okay this looks good and then I'm just going to click on it instead of like sometimes when I buy a book and it's like, a bigger commitment not not in the not in like, time wise but money also right because books are definitely more expensive than than a than a movie like so you will like do your own research and then you're like okay I'm committed to doing this and then and then you ya you will just have that that that sense of emotion of like okay this


this book is like my baby and like you will always feel like so excited to share it with like someone else, you know, because at the same time is like oh uh ya is is, just more personal I feel compared to like a movie, ya


ya, (mmhmm)


no but I I would never want to like okay if I have kid had have kids next time, I wouldn't like one or just turn on a like just a show and then just let them watch you know because, like what you were saying that if you are reading to them and then


it's just a form of like more emotional allowed more personal kind of connection with them right so, it it can never be replaced like reading can never be be replaced with like ya


ya, but you will say like your hobby is reading would you say your hobby is watching a movie you wouldn't right


so why is that like, as in


ya, but at the same time reading is definitely more information rich than than than a movie itself and not that I'm saying that all movies will always have a moral of the story right but like when you're reading a book and you're going through the whole journey with like this writer you actually tend to see it more


ya and you you feel deeply connected to to the values that like the the the the author holds rather than like, a movie because the movie is always moral of the story is at the end


, , ya that's true but ya lah so, I think it also relies a lot on the external factors when you're watching a movie as well based on like the soundtrack


and, all the actors and the graphics and everything but purely when you're you when you're reading is just words and your own imagination, so people people will get like, different pleasures when they are reading like reading and and watching a movie and I feel that the reason why I disagree that


like, the visual entertainment is is is better is because like, I want to like develop that emotional like intelligence as well as light practice like my creativity so that I'm like using my brain rather than like just watching it for entertainment purposes because entertainment doesn't mean like oh like


pleasure doesn't mean just having fun and everything about it it can be so many so so many more things and that it could be like holistic and in it improves, like your character, as well as your creativity, ya


oh okay ya we are last one, pause four three two one


uh, part one debate topic one


ah , okay sure can try ah


yup yup we start first lah (ppc)


okay uh I think I actually do agree that like with your with your points are uh but I'm as a proposition right I do beliefs like some writing is actually superior to others cause you mentioned a point about uh like news and in this modern days is more superior right so in my terms like superior means like it kind of like attracts


uh, uh the viewer's attention more than others so I believe that count it as superior because like in this twenty first century right there's like things uh for example there's like influences nowadays celebrities who do like persuasive writing so like did a lot of us or not if most of us


like are more interested to know what is what are they up to so when these like celebrities posts up their blog posts or like do advertisements right we are more drawn to what they have to say so I think in this, modern world in this age like I think I we can say that some writing is superior to others only because of the target audience and because there's more like there's more platforms to do all these like writing and reading ya


then uh I I do agree lah I mean like you it, of the like writing you cannot like judge writing based on like which is better and which is not I mean it's to each their own right cause like it's very it's a general perspective to say that, oh this one is like better than this one ya but I also believe that in in my terms like superior means that like oh this type of writing for example like uh for news which is under expository or


and those influences who write about blog post under persuasive writing right is more uh if it's more like popular in this modern world lah ya,


, uh expository ya


ya in this modern world but like what you say I think like , it really depends on like the target audience like if if if you were in an ageing population maybe like news will be more popular than blog posts so like expository will be more will be more like superior to


persuasive because like that expository about news and facts but like persuasive writing could be written by an influencer or a blogger so it's not necessarily facts ya so if like if we were in an ageing population or like in a, more closed minded like uh society then maybe expository will be more


uh superior than the persuasive writing


, ya that's true uh you have a very good point there are uh I guess you can say like uh, that I mean like if if you compare like that then I guess you can say that maybe like if you you're the expository and persuasive is more superior to you than descriptive and narrative


I mean like I mean like like you compare like that lah you compare like between two then like this is, two of your like favourites or like to that you find more attracted to right so I guess that makes sense


that's true, ya I think ultimately it depends on the reader because like okay if I see in my point of view right that it needs superior to I I also use the point that like, uh based on the target audience if there is more people who prefer like descriptive of persuasive then obviously it's more superior than expository and narrative so its really depends on the or target audience that


that like we are referring to when you comes to like uh if we asking like ah certain types of writing superior to others cause if we did a poll right I'm pretty sure like uh if we did a poll with with like children age like five to like maybe twelve they'll probably pick like narrative cause like they it's like storytelling what


but you pick people like me like a age from fifteen to thirty maybe they would like uh enjoy more persuasive writing so it really depends I think this is a very broad topic


like oh like okay , ya that's quite interesting


okay okay so I have a question for you also so okay let's say you are telling me like if they're comparing it it within that type of, like example okay uh, uh expository which is to like illustrate or like explain facts right so uh a lot of like a magazine like it magazine some articles are expository and news articles are also expository so you're like saying that


if I compare it between those two then like you shouldn't be , it shouldn't one shouldn't be superior than the other but what makes it the same like you get it like my question is like what makes you think that it's not one right the writing in the magazine which is expository and the writing in the newspaper which is also expository is the same level with none of them is superior to the other


(mmhmm)


true, okay ya I guess that makes sense, I I think ultimately both our appoints actually mentioned about like uh it's up to the it's up to the leaders like opinion because like the readers like as authors we cannot say that one is superior to to the other because


like nobody can detect what you what use is it to you, , , I think we have both opposition and proposition points to support that ya


quite a good quite good quite a good discussion I never really like something uh, okay lah still have seven minutes do any question


of the oh I was ya I do it like okay you know cause I was saying like just now right I was say like uh some like expository writing now is more popular and more superior to like everything else because like uh usually like news, it falls under expository right then now there's a pandemic so like everybody wants to know about the COVID nineteen everybody wants to know what's going or not around the world cause like uh according to everybody and the way everybody feels alright like twenty twenty is going down the drain so like


they're just like finding out what what could be worse so like they just looking


, I think because like I'm I'm more of uh okay I'm maybe cause two different people so like I'm actually like very interested to see what like celebrities are up to I'm more interested to read about our blog post than to read about


uh than to read a book cause a blog posts can tell a story within like two three paragraphs compared to a book and like it would be far more interesting than reading like a three hundred page book so I think like this persuasive I think that these influences and bloggers and celebrities do right like actually has a lot of uh impact


in these uh modern world, considering we all like uh millennials now so like we want to read like everything online and it's more accessible if rather than read a book or like read something descriptive, ya


do you think like poems and like like uh what's that narrative books were actually like will actually still be like superior in like like, will it really ever be superior or we'll think that do you think like it'll just like it's just something that like people will read if they want to


, , and I think we are we are using superior in a different context also like it's good to know that like oh okay my definition of superior is like better and is like like


, like ya ya like mirror I think superior directly right directly right you means like you are more like Atas more like uh you have a higher position to you have the power to dictate other people's like action or like something with it ya so I'm


err, yes it I do already, I mean like news could be fake like you know like if can if somebody if like if somebody


like for example chris evans like captain marvel say something everybody will be like oh oh my god like he said dizzy through you know like sometimes like if somebody else post it or it's like a not so well known news, blog uh news page post it then like you will be questionable by if like chris evan post it or like if even in singapore it's like Xiaxue post it or like some very famous in singapore post it then you will be like you start to question but if it's like somebody like me saying it then like people will start to question lah ha really meh is this true


ya ya ya ya I agree, well


, ya I I guess I guess it makes sense, oh I know right , , what what would I know


, no I think like whatever we say it's like I think that is both like yes and no but ultimately I still feel that like it's really like up the reader and how you use like the readers point of you as a counter argument to this question


superior


but for you is like oh you cannot dictate what is superior because it the author is writing like is to each their own so you cannot dictate like what what is better than the other because it really ultimately like up to the target audience that the book or the writing is targeted to


, we have to finish this one minute is it oh okay


yes it is now ya I talk about it ah actually nobody that some writing is superior to others it


part two debate topic two, okay you need the three minutes okay lah okay lah no need ah


so uh the question for this debate is access the impact, of foreign films or foreign TV programs on the culture of your society so as a proposition right I would like to say to a certain extent uh foreign films and foreign TV programmes actually have some positive impact in our society on the culture of our society lah


so like these foreign films and foreign TV programs right I'll actually, broadcast all over the world in twenty into twenty first century because of globalisation, so actually watching uh this foreign films can actually even include like american like shows american movies which is like always in cinemas in singapore and and also like korean dramas ya so actually watching these foreign feels right it can definitely give us more knowledge about the world like


even in regards to other peoples culture or about the news that's happening, not within our not within our country or and society lah so it actually widens our exposure, definitely so down the positive impact is that these films and TV programs right may display positive behaviors that can affect and alter the way we think so I think like the like the first thing that comes to my mind is like korean dramas


because like in singapore it's like super popular and like the culture in korean culture in singapore is very different so when we watch this korean dramas right there's always this like picture perfect relationship that is being portrayed then obviously like in singapore culture I uh it


a bit different we don't really have this picture perfect relationship, so you watch this korean drama right our mind kind of like otters is there it was like oh I want like a like gentleman boyfriend when I want like this cute girlfriend you know that kind of thing so I I guess positively it affects the way we like treat other people like you know like you want these things so you act this way which is like a nice thing lah


ya then uh other than that there's also like news from other countries like in the US or even in like in, like uh ya in china and everywhere else like what is happening uh around the world there's like news like that I think the foreign TV programme also include like the PBC news and news from


CNN because these are like foreign films and foreign TV programs ya then I think also , I want to add on that the american films that we watch in singapore are actually like, uh give us a more open mind cause I think honestly the culture of our society is quite uh we're asians right so we're a little bit like


uh more conservative so when we watch is american feels right we get to experience what it's like overseas like oh this is what american so cause in singapore this is not the norm this like if you're living in an asian household this is like not what you're supposed to do when, you're here ya so if you watch american drama or american movies nowadays like oh there's like a crime shows and then there's like war and then there's like romantic movies and style so it kind of like oh this is what uh it's like in america


ya ya,


yes,


here we can't hear you uh no I can't hear sherry suddenly, but I can hear you but I cannot hear sherry


okay


I cannot hear you


, yup


it's okay


it's okay ,


, ya, I think I do agree with your point also you have a very good point that not necessarily like foreign films and foreign TV programs actually bring positive like all positive impact


uh but I want to add on uh to your point about the like how we don't appreciate our own culture I think we can turn it around and say that when life filmmakers in singapore or like local filmmakers right you can actually like use some, uh like ideas or like in get inspiration from all these american movies and that's how they make our like films better ya they can incorporate some like and like uh what's that word like it can incorporate some like points and like some uh creative like filming


uh filming techniques or what an like into our own local films so I guess it does like also it you I mean like you can see in one point or you can see in the other but both is also it still affects the the impact in our society


do you think do you think like like, we wouldn't be where we are now if you were not for these like like it whether it's negative or positive right do you think that you wouldn't you we wouldn't be so like open about it now or like so like daring without these like foreign films


ya some some of us lah , ya,


ya


, , but I also think like the like positively lah what on a in a better light right they are actually more vocal now so like they they want change and they speak up for it like I'm gonna use the like elections as an example


like ya so there's like opposition and and proposition in the elections in our governments so like, the younger generation would like to have some to see some change in the in our political system so I think like this has been influenced from this is being influenced by like the people in the US or in the western countries where they like


protests and like they support like they're more vocal about their thoughts ah so they actually like learn this from like western countries to speak up about what you believe in and to support the things that matter, cause I in generally lah I think singapore in singapore or like in asian countries we're we're we're a bit more like quiet and will be more like oh you know like listen listen to like our elders and stuff but


I think the younger the even like some of, us in our generation like and the younger generation are more vocal and like they're they know how to speak up ya and I think I really think that this is because like they are more exposed to foreign films and , TV programmes from overseas


ya, ,


ya just like just speaking up for the sake of speaking ah , ya totally agree I mean like is like where you say uh nowadays, it like our younger generation ah very impressionable so like maybe they take it overboard and not see the point of actually speaking up


, positively


I think in singapore like we have a mix actually we're like okay lah I mean like I I I think we are more westernise than most asian countries like in korea or japan who is actually very very cultured so, I think we are like a mix like uh maybe like sixty forty we like ya so think some of us actually do still stick to like local films and I support our local foreign films and TV programmes


ya cause I think most of us are quite westernised due to the like like movies that we watched in america or like even like korean drama that is like super popular now, yup


like ,


ya that's true, oh ya oh


part three debate topic three, sherry you want to start first or do you need three minutes


why you like this lah


engage your brain ah ha


(hmm)


, ya more often than not


, that's a very good point I never actually thought about it that way cause I'm coming from someone who doesn't read as often no I'm not as often as he stood by it's a good point ah I think like I agree that that you get that personal up experience you don't get when you watch movies but


I think in if if we're like talking about like in the twenty first century I definitely think like for now, uh the players of visual entertainment is definitely like better than the pleasures of reading cause first of all like the first thing that comes to our mind waiting of like


leisure or like and uh like what brings happiness and pleasure right it's actually like visual entertainment uh people rely a lot on visual entertainment now because like it's easier to understand rather than to be ya cause okay I'm just gonna say uh most of us are very lazy so we just like turn on the TV and like we have really have like


entertainment and things that we want a like that make us relax elliptical of our fingers, ya and I think like it it helps that like they increase in, put uh visual entertainment platforms like netflix even hulu or like even now disney has disney plus right even for children ya this like gives us more exposure and that's like so many platforms to tap on if you just what after you had a long day and you just want to like crash in your bed and like watch TV ya


so I think it's more like you were saying like reading a book takes a long time right, ya so like uh in uh my counter argument is that ya it takes a long time so like people who like me who after like we work after a long day like staring at the screen we we don't want to like continue reading anymore like we don't want to go home and open a book and see more words on our like book or or kindle even so like we rather watch


something that we can squeeze in one hour than something with that takes about three two years to to read like minimum ya, then I think like visual entertainment is also versatile, like some of us like are more are are like some of us are like more like


we we think or like we absorb things better visually so like if like movies and t v progress and news is more like uh can help with people who are visual learners, or people who are better at grasping things visually ya so I think it's very versatile lah like you can have like a movie or you can have news


or you can have somebody like or or like a musical or even a concert ya so I think like this is something that it's very like uh a lot of people can actually access this this verse what's that word this like


versatility I don't know what's that word but it's like this versatileness that everybody can access ya then I think also right like, , in terms of the versatile right uh I did some research ah I and I I think that this point came this point came up like one can enjoy a fear without being able to understand a specific language but the same person would not be able to value a book because they can't read it so for example like I can watch I could watch a korean drama


and enjoy it but I couldn't read a korean book and enjoy it so I think in terms, and the subtitles in like like you can enjoy like, oh is that you know visually like this is because visual entertainment actually like shows you the, like what's happening at all so like you could probably watch as spanish like movie without it will not even with subtitled he just watch it and you'll probably like understand half of it or either be okay because like it's visually appealing ya I also think that like


this kind of things right lah I was saying you watch movies watch concerts all these is under visual entertainment right I think it also promotes like bonding like oh let's go watch a movie then like you ask your friend that you haven't seen in like five weeks then you just like oh let's go watch this and go to a concert so I did he promotes like


bonding and like a leisure activity ya so I think now, maybe last time not so not so much this visual entertainment is where popular lah cause it's not very accessible and like people have to pay for like netflix or have to pay for apps, or have to go to the cinema to watch it but now there's like platforms or netflix then like


we're all like we all have some like financial stability and it's not very expensive to just pay fifteen dollars to get everything online so I think definitely in this day in in this day and age like visual entertainment, is better than the pleasure of reading books


, , yes yes definitely


ya


ya that's a very very good point about the like you can actually is a more intellectual uh engagement between like two people compared to like or you watch movie you you yeah the movie was a good movie about but also thing like if like if you watch like certain films that like are more like incomplete if you those like a cliffhanger endings or like those like uh


literature like movies or field on cinematic movies and films, I think you could have like room for discussion like intellectual discussion so like I think it feel ya I think is if like same ah it depends on like what kind of like, book your reading and what kind of movie of watching so it's very subjective but I like that you said that it like it helps you escaped cause like I used to read so like ya when I read it's like on a more personal level compared to


like just watching the show and I think sometimes like the film and the movie I mean the book and the movie it's like two different things so like if you want to get the original like idea of what happens you will read the book ya


ya because I've think there to squeeze everything in like one like one hour one and half hours and the books the book is like it like writings so like you can write in detail what happen ya


but, but you okay lah I think in in my defence right if you did a poll right like, uh would you rather watch like, movie or read I think watching a movie we'll would we ne like for now because everybody's like so like it's so convenient to just like oh let's go to the movies rather than read like I used to read then now lah as I grow older it's just like oh there's no time to read for me because I'm I'm at work for nine to six and then like when I get home I just wanted like watch being watch something on on TV


ya or like, go to a glad I don't want to listen to music on spotify I want to go to the concert itself you know so like I guess like for now like now in this globalised world in this modern world it's like, I'm having visual entertainment as accessibility is something that we cannot compete with you cannot beat ya although I know now that like a kindle has like like instead of buying a book can just buy a kindle which is like I guess it's like more is still reading mah like it still like you buy ya I guess


ya,


, ya ya ya


(mmhmm)


, ya definitely definitely more personal than watching ya I agree but like you were saying also that there's this this this like we are living in a fast paced world right so in this fast paced world I think is more convenient for most of us to just like watch a movie and like


maybe like do the reading later cause like when we have time then we do the reading but line like if I want to like oh I want to go home and just watch watch a movie you know like is like more convenient in this like fast paced like oh everybody's like working nine to five which in singapore is like what busy here busy there and then you know I'm just going to watch TV with my kids and then like instead of read with them


, ya ya it's two different like forms of uh entertainment ah I think


honestly like it can't like compare it directly I think it's very easily lah it's very subjective and it's, it's completely like two different point like reading and visual entertainment is like two different like things that like shouldn't be compared because it's like out first debate is like to each their own like some people just enjoy reading more like people like me or like people like like my brother maybe may not enjoy being reading enjoy more visual entertainment style


ya, no ya actually ya, that's a very good point I wouldn't say my hobby is watching uh movie meh my but I will say my hobby is reading


why is that, I think because watching a movie is like you like everybody does it it's like not something like uh cause like you say reading is personal lah so like watching a movie is everybody does it if I say like I I enjoy watching movie then how makes me think my mother doesn't like watching movie also


right but my said I like reading I'm pretty sure my my mother who's like fifty five doesn't like reading she probably like enjoy like cooking or like sewing or something so like I guess it's like more like subs at it in terms of like if you say like that is like because, like what you say lah it's really more personalised that's why people said that oh I like reading cause it's very like really is something not many people do


it's a like, ,


ya, I think uh, I think a good ya, ya true lah but I I think if it's a really good movie it can also had had feel the journey with the with the actors eh if it's a really good movie and they they choose like there's a there's a good costing ah then like I guess you can feel like oh ya like I think disney movies


are like, like a a like a never fail like it never go wrong so is like you know cause it's like for for children and for teenagers so it's like it's a family friendly thing so I think it can never go wrong like disney movies so like instead of reading a disney book like you wanna watching disney movie cause it's like magic and like


oh it so like disney you know lah it so pretty princess and all that instead of like reading the book, ya,


ya ya


ya, very good point is time up already, it's okay


we need to clap, , okay so the first topic is should there be any restrictions to enjoying the arts in your society, uh


so I'll be the proposition and uh, so okay I, I'm going to start like , how have we come along this far so I I I know you know that


there are restrictions not only here but everywhere you know like everywhere you uh go when you travel there are restrictions and just to share a little bit on my personal experiences that, when I was below and when I was a teenager right


I always look forward to go to places that I know that there are restrictions you know for arts right like want to watch a live show or entertainment and all that and there were times that if I don't understand why so so this is just to to bring one step back


and then now when I am uh you know my age doesn't matter anymore that , that I can watch anything what's the reason actually what other objectives of this meeting so, , ah that's the that's where I'm leaning towards it because I feel that the rating are just there to you know to to to suit different age groups right to practise by many it is practised by many countries and to protect young while enabling adults to meet


form viewing choices so that's just the whole objective which I thought it's relevant you know and then you are, you know about it it's just to inform the audience that, we have all kinds available but these are all categorized


by the readings , so I I don't see what's there's nothing wrong about it, we still have a choice uh no doubt that, right now we are living in his modern age where you know everything is just available online but it's good to be informed


, yeah so so that that's my, my my opinion on this,


(uh huh)


, yeah I I get your, point because you know when I was at that age right I was so angry, to be honest I was so mad like !hey! why I can't enter hard rock cafe because


the live band is there you know I save this money just to go there I totally get it but you know what, I think the reason why this, is there it's because also they want make us wiser they want us to be find out so that's why when that happened


it makes me the rich in me right like search and find out and I read and that's where I felt like oh okay maybe that's the reason why they want they not only one, they want the audience to be aware of okay because of these one this age you know there are few ratings right okay because of advisory uh ratings or PG you know that they want you to be aware


but of course I think you can find other ways to view the movies that you wanted to see online you cans you can find it other source right now right, and it's not only for the audience if I am an artist right you're right that it will curb me because I have limitations I have to follow the rules and all that but then again I also believe that these are also trying to make an artist


to take ownership and be responsible of your content of whatever that your message is you know, that you try to deliver said stood access, yeah


, yeah


yeah yeah and and you know what I also feel that everybody matures differently right different doesn't mean and eighteen years old sitting beside me is the same, as an myself, so I guess yeah I guess you know what in this is like a marriage I feel maybe going forward we could better else you know better the system or how we can uh


in a project our art, society in a better way where we could maybe have another uh, it's at most to say that, yes age by if you're maybe matured enough that were , be different


yeah


I would you know what I would rather like , for the artist right may not, have, lah much restriction but for the audience I think it should be, the same yeah, for the artist I think yes like we don't want to limit their creativity right


so I guess that would be a little bit more lenient on that but for the audience I feel that we still needs to have this, restrictions ratings because, yeah, uh not even children but you know sometimes the an adult


this whenever there's a content on politics or religion and these are very sensitive heavy topics right, , yeah so you just need to just highlight that okay this is what we have acknowledged and then you are an adult at least you are aware so you know


just just be responsible


yeah, yeah we still see new things right we still see new things going on, and we have more uh bands coming in to perform and we see a lot of collaboration we do see that so that's why yeah actually good that you touch on this because that is my summary that I say that there are growth you know


for arts activities, right yeah so, maybe there would be a better change coming forward where you know it's something that we could you know look out for which I think there would be


but, I am happy for the restrictions to stay where it is right now,


(uh huh), yeah


yeah, I do see independent production as well like theaters you see I see a lot of, that and , podcast as well like all these, correct so, yeah I'm


I don't know I I just to be frank I, I am a fan of all these you see I am a fan of all these so I'm just stating on what, I feel that I know that the restrictions are still around, so if we take that out I don't know it could be even way better we don't know right


so , that is why the reason I'm so leaning, towards this is because I feel that things are doing good that's why I feel that eh why not it is doing well and activities are still going around that's why I feel that, may not be a problem or if it is still okay


really , okay , and that that's good I guess there are some kind of , probably their context uh of the understanding of would like to say you know they allow this because I think they understand the objective of it that's why they lifted up


that's why we see all of these are going around and we can still participate and enjoy, so, yeah and hopefully we'll see what's quite more uh change to come, that


so just to touch on a little bit like that have you, have you ever wonder that or or wish that we could change to be like somewhere else like somewhere else as in other countries do you think our, the where we are today right and we wish to be like other


other countries like, no the restrictions like, I've, do you think that we over here are much more tighter uh like more restricted


yeah, yeah


(uh huh), whether we are ready or not, but I think we change because like uh again ah this is based on my experience


it's before I don't have much like what we have right now in terms of exposed to arts, and meeting with talents you see I don't we don't have that so now compared to ten years, , from ten years ago till today right I do see a lot of changes


compared to during my teenager time, so yeah, so like like you know we if I were to say uh how about having a music festival like glastonbury we still far away but at least we used we used to have WOMAD right and uh you know any kinds of that music festival so at least there are progression


, yeah yeah yeah


yeah yeah, yeah true


, yeah


yeah I honestly feel that , I am open to change, to be honest and I do say I am, a fan of art so I do not wish that to go away , no doubt that


it's an non essential but I think it is essential,


well yeah I I okay now we just touching on this current situation right, now I just hope this COVID nineteen is like a reset button especially for the arts uh entertainment industry because they are the one that impacted badly right so


I I just hope that going forward, there will be, in considering about you know, this restriction thing maybe there will be changed that they will come up with, because of COVID so


just just hopefully lah that will be changed


yeah


yeah yeah, to show that there are opportunities there are ways of doing things, not one yeah


yeah, okay so is there anything you, have, like in conclusion , I guess we have to be responsible right you have to be responsible we got to


be aware of what is your content what are your what are your intent I think that's that's overall what it is and you know, and also, credit where it's supposed to be credit when his due and if it's your original works original work


so there's , yeah yeah I I I do agree that part you know what I


think it will only work if you explain because like I'm sure as we growing up right we don't have that we don't get that people didn't explain our parents or whoever and and adult don't explain to us they keep saying don't do that instead of, why


yeah, so then leave it up to them and then make let them make the decision


(uh huh), alright, uh debate topic two, access, says the view that reading books is by far the most wanderers of all past times


okay, yes, I still do so I still believe I am that reading remains one of the most popular pastime


uh a hobby that really never gets old, pay this is not this is not I don't have to go far I think it is self explanatory for uh, I still hold a book regardless whether how much time I have, and


so I just I just wanna use my I just want to use this to to talk about the topic today is there, there are a few books that has impacted my life during growing up teenager and where I am, recently so


decent what's that, when I was on a ship trade, I didn't bring anything with me okay and it just happened that they have a library there, so I I just want to be by myself and I just thought that I want to grab a book and read but then I told myself like I don't wanna read something and then when the day that I have to go back I have to list the book


so, I just said no never mind I just wanna be myself so why I do that is because, a reading to me is a way that I spend time with myself you know I just sometimes want to, just look back at some bring me back to some moments where I I just feel that you know self reflection


and then I read this book and it is a self eh eh sorry is a true story and I love reading true story I just want to know about what's happening you know and then this is about a book of a boy who has been, not treated well with his parent who was bullied who was being tortured so so basically


what what does that what does that means okay it just, it is just an, an escape for me I just feel that , at that time, it suits you see when I read a book, but


that's not everything about reading so reading a book is so much different than I do I do read audio books as well I also read online but it has no it is so different than giving me an experience of reading uh a hardcopy


it can be magazine or a book or even an a brochure, it just feels that I can touch something I can smell it and it also depends on which they are really so so this is this is how I feel about reading


a book and I still buy books and when I buy books online I still see numbers coming up so much everyday people are buying, you know everywhere, so that tells me that people are still reading book,


and of course you know all the famous authors I mean we don't need to talk about that so yeah tell me tell me your views, yeah


yeah, (uh huh)


okay right, touching on you mentioned about it's true it doesn't apply for all society especially third world country, surprisingly, eh I just encounter this as well that there were studies and world atlas website it


it is so interesting because it makes me feel like eh I didn't know that they do this such things so they actually find out top three countries that reads a lot and I thought singapore will be one of them no, the first one is guess what is india


and even they said here this is not my, , I'm just quoting from this website okay india spend average of ten hours and forty two minutes a week considering that, only seventeen percent literacy rate is lower than global average of seventy four percent


so, second let me just finish the first second third second is thailand another country that just close to us which I never thought it would be them, and the third one goes to china so I feel that,


it is possible because you know why there's a lot of movement going on that people share books is not about like you have to buy to read right you can just get it anywhere people are just sharing and even donating books and, looking at this top three countries it just even


occur to me that how do they do it you know there are ways I'm sure there are ways that it this books reach out and I am also knew there are programs where people even have, like you know like when you there's a bookstore when you travel you can just drop your book there and you can share to the next person so your book is actually traveling


and so that's why sometimes I also get the book and then you want to share with someone else, and you know, also another thing that I realized and not really where I learn that reading a book


this is a bit neuroscience kind of thing for our brain is that it actually have this white it says about our some white matter thing where it actually expand your brain , so that, you'll be surprised that let's say today you read about


lavender your brain will know, and focus on this particular topic, and then when you switch to another book that talks about or reads about chair your brain would switch off that and and talk and just you know uh focus on the word chair so actually it just make you more creative it expands your brain


and you will also be , you will learn, the pattern when you read more so you know and I also believe this is so true when I was younger I hardly read a lot of books I was not in an environment where uh my families all why they they they are not an avid reader so I never thought that it is something that I should pick up


but now I understand whenever I I want to know why are these people so rich why are these two successful and one of the habits that they put down right in all the books that I read, they mention reading, and they are not all our all of them are not degree holders


they are some of them, in all those millionaires right some of them are not even who have high medication with high uh education qualification, so, what does this say you know this tell us that actually


that's their phases you know when when you're at that when you're an adult you uh by reading you actually never stop learning and and you just find out more things like you do like what you said just now personal growth book you learn about people experience you learn about strategies and stuff like that so


I resonate the ice I personally resonated because why, where I am today without reading I will never get that I would never have their guidance because why I can't learn this in school I will not get that from any uh I don't have a mentor


so, so that's why I I I stick to that which you want to I will pause I will pause here yeah


yeah


(uh huh)


okay , maybe I will just touch on you know what like nowadays right when do we have time, so when we have the time I think when people pick a book right that would be the time that you know


okay I'm going to dedicate this time and I really need this solitude moment from itself and that's where I feel, if the word wanderers would be fair to use because you know like I don't think people have time right like nowadays you don't have but with


COVID is a blessing you might be able to put sometimes like oh I can I can't finish this book in one week now because I'm, working from home or I'm more at home so the reason why I read I I again agree with this is because you will not peek a book and you when you pick a book you will commit


yourself that you will want to finish this book, so that's why it is gonna be a wanderers pastime time for you because it depends on what is your state at the moment what is your objective of reading that book and I feel that not only for an adult for a child as well they will have their favourite genre of book you know like oh I'm into


a picture book it may not just be a word right words it just would be a beautiful, and they will want to follow and they want to lead on and say okay, but, but you know we do this because we want to, we don't want to tell people what we are feeling is something when okay when you say that is not engaging true but that's where it will say about your imagination when you read a book you will put yourself in the presence of the author's position


you will imagine and that's where you open up that, box of your you know imagination box and, you will, try to, discover right so, I feel that


I believe everyone have gone through these before and , it's just it is just, self explanatory again , also, in our recent study from a research group it shows that print books have continued to be more popular than ebooks and audio books so


on top of everyone is still within, the hardcopies are still the favourites is, yeah, sentimental value


yes ah I like that, , okay let me tell you this missus doubtfire I will remember that missus doubtfire you know I watched the movie first, , and I was so like into it and then I found out they have a storybook that came out a book after that


, I hope I bought the book because I thought like !hey! I want to know, and guess what I'm made a, , comparison if I just watch a movie this is what I get, and if I read a book this is what I get and now I watch and I read


what do I get I get best of both worlds so a a movie, yes is is nothing no doubt about it you will you will enjoy it you will get it and so fast its quick you just put two hours you're there with popcorn and all that fine but reading a book


you can pause you get smile you can like tell yourself yeah my ass that's my ass I'm sorry I shouldn't say that word, that's the that's the that's the one I had that moment, oh that's the boot the boy who bullied me in school, so so the, a book is different the book brings you there slowly step by step whereas a movie


is a compressed of everything and just put it out to the audience this is how it is is a is a short in a way you know the summary so again like I say , I I did not disagree or whatever you said I totally understand then I'm a working person I have no time when I travel I just sometimes want a soft copy you know and depends okay and there's two kinds of reading a work for work or


for leisure so that's why this wanderers will come in for leisure not about that you read because you have to, read no, yeah yes so, correct so I will say I will agree only that if it's for your leisure is for your passion


yes wanderers will be the word but for work no is not wanderers


okay , alright debate topic three excess the view that pop music today is frivolous frivolous yeah, you agree


okay, , yeah it is a very good the topics, I, have to admit I'm public myself I do dance to that music it it it does lightened my day it does uh


what's happening, okay it does lightened my day it has impacted me somehow or another, alright so let's go straight to the point ah okay, not an artist so, any music that brings up mood I'm happy but I do see a difference right


do see a difference , years ago our parents' time and now the music has definitely changed to era, so what I did was, I had an interview I did an interview, because I did an interview with an artist to stay here


with me so I just ask an opinion because I wanna find out right I need valid facts so, exactly because to be frank I'm not an artist so anything that I hear that is beautiful I will say what's what's wrong that song there's nothing wrong with that sounds right


but, this is coming from a different angle if you ask an artist they will know and they will be able to critic and says that, for pop song, the structure of the song is never the same it's not the same compared to a rock song or uh you know or even a jazz song so what does it means you know I said what does that mean it means that


it has own for pop songs they only use four major chords okay never talking about chords, and if you are if you are rock song it will never be four chords it will be a lot more dramatic a lot more of technical words I said okay fine so after hearing all these things I get it


that !wow! this is seriously another level meaning, it takes more creativity, and that's where people will feel that, it takes creativity takes a lot of work if you see all the rock stars right there, they really take ownership of their work they they want to do everything on their own from the start to the end they wanna be involved in the process and all that so so this is talking about the composer or you know people were involved in building the song


so then I was thinking oh, !wow! okay that means, the pop song is easier right will be easier yeah I mean and that means uh, pop song a pop san b or c will have the same courts


and you will think that, so if you have if you an artist right you will know that, these are all the same but it is a different song, so let me just hand it over to you and I'm going to pause and you give me opinion


pop's pop music yeah today but not all I don't think it's all I'm sure there are the general ones is like, yeah it is


yeah


oh really, oh don't mind I know that for me happy happy hormones, ,


yup, ya ya ya ya it's like a you jingles right they do jingles and then you just sing along with it yeah


, yeah, yup


(uh huh)


uh yeah I just yeah, yeah you're right music is is everywhere you know it is uh, yeah it's just something that everyone breath in, and I guess also it also depends on the demographics right like not is for all


yeah so , well we I don't know I just acknowledge his it is because I do have heard of few songs which I know that eh what is he talking about lah like, that's all ah the lyrics you know,


or or you know like uh, just three words and you just hum it like that kind of repeatedly like that so yeah I guess again again it just go down to , how was your day you know how was your day and what is it the your ears are willing to listen to or you you you just feel that


, okay I I just wanna have a pick me up song I just just dance that song, yup, but like again, yeah so this are two things I would put it in this way a listener and an artist when artists will definitely have an expectation


right, they will definitely have a expectation who is their favourite playlist, and what kind of songs so, sometimes I'll be less stress if I were to go to a live show uh or or a concert with a friend or an artist beside me because we will definitely ended up in the debate


the worst that is because I never wanted to be a debate after a good show right or a good gig and I was like why do I have to ask all these things why am I been, back like this because you want to know what do you think of the show and then like ah you normally you will just say it is cool man I like the choreograph like I'm dancing to it you know


but no and artists will not be able to setback, there's like no yes yeah, so it's a very difficult question for me to be honest speakers


I just I I do agree I don't like certain songs I love more songs, but I think we have we this is a very very big big topic and in general I guess, yeah we must have a seen some of these pop songs that doesn't that is frivolous


and , so uh I guess now people would want to, we their smart listeners right nowadays we are all smart listeners and if we put in a little bit more time to find out oh okay what about the song who is the singer who is the composer then you will after you do this research you will understand more about the singer or the song and he could be he or she is the composer to


of the song so that's where they once you relate to that then you, you will get it and you will say okay no, there are creativity in this person she put in effort


(uh huh), yup true true yeah


yeah, yup yup, yeah and


yeah and I think if you go to strip clubs right you will hear these songs, everywhere right because people just want to go in and drink and just want to dance right so yeah they just not a serious day I don't want to be serious on day on today I just want to whatever I want to play I want to dance to the top


number one pop song at the chart , yeah I agree is uh money making , business, and it has done so it has proven so,


yeah I mean depends on the, depends this is a very very again this is a very heavy uh, topic so but I do acknowledge there are there are some that is frivolous and, they, they manage their way I don't know how did do make but they manage their way


so so young, yes it does and that's the funny part right that's where you be label correct and then when you find out a young person actually they're more into classical you'd be like oh my god you are an old soul you know so yeah so uh what I wanted to say just now it is


nevermind, this oh yeah there are some pop songs that are cheesy that one I just feel that you just want attention you just want to get followers you just want to get famous, right that's just ridiculous I mean that's really obvious so again like I said


but then I have to give credit to that person or whoever that is his courage and it takes risks so I liked his two thing actually because like if you don't do this, you don't know and then opportunity come so I have to I don't know I just I just I acknowledge I I agree that there are part of the pop song that is cheesy frivolous but then again I credit on their


enthusiasm determination courage and also, taking risk


yeah, yeah, I guess is no stress kind of thing right like like I said so okay so anything that we can summarize on this than like


we you would wanna see any, change or progression


yeah, yeah, do you do you put in time to like I don't know for me right now I really do a little bit of background,


like I would like to know right yeah I would want to know the artist let's say if I found out someone you oh okay let's find out about her or him, yeah yeah instead of before when I was younger I will straight away like what you say oh rock ah okay lah that means you already have the image of the category of this person how is it like for this kind of age group


yeah


what does what does the artists at home I have to agree , ,


I agree right yeah but, but don't forget I don't forget they can be also , a young people right and they have different ways of projecting their ideas and creativity, so we have to also find out like you know you have to just spend time in find out why is it like that how is it become like that and then slowly we will appreciate their work in you know in a technology manner I guess


correct, yeah


yup, yeah and you know touching just a little bit since we have few more minutes right touching on this right as an artist, when you know when you believe in you're more into technical structure and you know creativity in courts but when you work


you have, to play pop songs because that's where the money is, so, yup


yeah, yeah we need them we need them uh


yeah, just make me wonder now how are the people who you know who just need this kind of social


in a social in, uh mingling right like right now COVID situation I don't know how do they have their pop moment, , being social distancing so yeah let me let me let do you think about what's uh ahead ah right for the future let's say right now in the in the entertainment scene like how are the club's going to continue with the social distancing


I I I don't know I will just talked about it the other day that how it's going to go ahead like people can't drink anymore like before and dance like how they used to be it will, there will be there will be a change right definitely there will be a change in how


yeah that's interesting to see, what's coming up, and how


yeah maybe by a zoom, , they do yeah now they have started doing something like that


or maybe have your own headset and just by yourself


silent disco right, yeah okay, I guess we have how many eighteen eighteen seconds


yes, it is yeah


okay so as I shall disagree with your opinion because I mean


from a personal perspective because I'm a creative person so I believe a lot in the arts so I feel it when you restrict anything you kind of block, people from discovering and being curious because art encompasses every aspect of our lives and the clothes we wear the buildings we live in the music we listen to and even to the medicine that we take or the books that we read


so if it's non existent I feel that you are curbing a lot of creative aspect in capacity of humans, so even like a form of communication of as all as humankind itself art is how humans communicate celebrated recorded and also described in our lives since the beginning of time so


to restrict that even as a child it curbs a lot of your growth as an individual I feel and it's always been a central part of humanity so why wouldn't it be important to like I mean modern day society right and


that's true that's true yeah


!huh! true, but I also feel when you curb that, a person is not fully exposed in like what brings forth modern art or like all art and


it's not merely a tool to just express yeah you're right it is something that we can grow in maybe do research and be responsible about but it makes a lot of sense but it also it I feel it's a lot of happiness that you want to share but if you put a stop to that it's


going to not be able to capture a lot of different emotions from the get go because art is timeless people will pass away then we like faded to pages what if, all this is curb right from the beginning I think it also like put solve a lot of opportunity of finding out but yeah responsibility granted but if you're in an environment where there's people who can explain what this


is about I think it's still okay to not restricted but yeah children I think, art for children also a different kind of art in its own formality yeah


correct, that's true


yeah because that I feel in this day and age I mean modern day twenty twenty uh a lot of there's different kind of family dynamics like there are parents who


are open to their kids being not so much restricted and then you have the very restricted family so if it's important and yes it is but we've we reached to like record capture and also celebrate the future generations I think


society has to work around that and like maybe work in a way that we're not restricting, anything but we are working around as to how we can cater to different possibilities of situations or like ages or like communities I feel


that's true that's true


yeah for children and for different age groups yeah yeah yeah,


there are controversial issues


yeah I agree but I feel that there's a lot of, restriction comes with a lot of controversial topics also like once you restrict people be thinking like what's the reason behind restricting it because is it a controversial is it something that's not spoken about but


maybe like you said educating the viewers and educating the community is very very important so that they're, also, aware of what they're up for like or what they're up against just so that before you're restricting I think we should educate and I mean based on research also like for decades I think singapore has been so focus on like being


a global financial centre right and I'm so glad like finally that actually the devalue the economic development board fine like there's a need to actually add and establish more art in singapore's infrastructure which is also something that, I feared singapore has restricted in a certain extent so like with their sundram tagore gallery gillman barracks a lot of like the design centre I feel has done a lot to limit


all the restriction as in not limit but like expand the restrictions that has been focus on other economic aspects of singapore so I think that's one way that we have been branching out in that art thing


yeah yeah that's true, yeah yeah,


yeah for sure,


yeah I'm happy for it to not realistic that was too like, enhance but I'm just glad singapore's making a lot a huge vast improvement on implicating art in society in different different aspects I mean food in culture and music so I feel it's no longer very much restricted I just feel that it's branching out slowly growing but I mean


COVID kind of stops everything but I just feel eventually we are working to that direction so it's not very much restrict based on the infrastructure that has been built like, the national arts council the different music locations for concerts are all kind of music performances and different concerts like you were saying different of art galleries but I think as sight from the government also


implementing all these I think society needs to put ourselves out there also to understand before restricting you know,


yeah and productions


yeah that's true


I think activities and are still going around because the restrictions have been lifted do you think that if there has no, there has been no lift it will still be the same because I feel it would be different if it's everything's gonna be restricted there's gonna be a vast change in like


the in the art scene I feel but now because I coming from a site where I feel like everything has been slowly lifted so yeah


yeah, (uh huh), yup that's true I hope so too


like in terms of community or infrastructure or, , I think singapore is built in its own way and I mean it succeeded to be where it is today with because of a lot of restrictions also uh but for me because I'm a big pro art lover so I would love to be like somewhere else but I think singapore has its own character for its own reasons


and I don't know if we are a uh island country that's built to be very liberating I don't know if we are capable because we are also a very conservative, society at the end of the day and we are asians I mean asians are known to be more conservative than not so I'm not exactly


sure if we are capable to be a very liberating country if it's not yeah I don't think so ,


that's true, yeah


verify yeah yeah, I feel that is progression but are we like ready to make our own festivals like because all these are imported franchise or recycled festivals right it's not our own creations of


I don't know if we are ready to go on to that scale but like I feel like at least internationally like when Katherine Tarbox wrote in the new york times that like oh singapore has been changing or like, at least we're known internationally to start, something at least little by little by not so much music festival festivals but I feel maybe art galleries independence cinemas or even productions yeah all art houses have been slowly trying to make their own way out into like


the movie from scene so I think definitely you like you said we have, grown and changed maybe from real ten twenty years ago for sure does definitely change and a bit of a lift in the restriction because if not I don't think we will be able to be


leaning more onto the independent side of things because independency is more on like nonprofit but engaging a cult following, kind of society right compared to the mass community here


yeah it isn't I think is very essential for like creatives at because yeah maybe the industry is not as booming as a lot of other like essential industry but I strongly believe and we'll fight for the art so I strongly believe that yeah it's very essential but to each his own right


I yeah I feel like with COVID it's quite an artistic situation because you're trying to restrict yet be unrestricting


if there is even a word of uh yeah because you are trying to be creative ah how you can like work from home or like make do with what situation it is so it is a very restricting situation but you kind of need to use your mind or like you know now we going to do things online as eager to work


outside of the box so I think this is a perfect example of restriction does not very restricted you know but artistic and creative at the same time in my perspective because do you think we would all think about this like five years ago


like oh how do we work from home how do we manage how do we get on meetings how do we now everything's available online like you can live your life on, nine and still so I think that stretches are a lot about our artistic and creative aspects of things because we got to manage and move along right so I think COVID kind of aided us


into that perspective yeah, while being restricted like in your perspective you were saying that you would rather stick to some protective restrictions I think yeah COVID is a good example to say that yup we are restricted but we're not so it's a good balance at the same time we just going to take care of ourselves


, I think we should not restrict ourselves yeah


(uh huh) yeah I agree, that's true but I always feel like to grow credit or to engage unite don't put like it's like don't restrict anyone is they don't restrict uh kid your curbing their growth so I'm feel that


, yeah


yeah I think education and engaging in explanation is very important, yup press stop


okay


do you think do you agree , really


I think reading books has traditionally been a very popular pastime and a hobby for many given it's portability and accessibility of having it like physically in your hand so I think its popularity


can also be attributed to its like ability to enthralled and captivate readers I feel like you said on your holiday or like as a kid different parts of your life you have engaged in the idea of the concept of reading


and especially with true or fiction books with have which have the potential to actually immerse readers in a very completely different dimension or a world, or even like if this day and age with self help books or I think just all kinds of books out there now


but however I feel, against your point with the advent of technology and its rapid progression in this day and age there are newer alternative to reading books like maybe even video games or have emerged into


there's a lot of new possibility that has actually pose a threat to the traditional appeal of books given the, jaws dropping censoring that you can, provide you know like for me I feel like using your sensory aside from just books is what is


engaging society these days and far it's far from what books can do so I feel like as much as the wander of reading books is of wanderers like pastime for many I feel that it also


it doesn't work for all societies like not every society in this world actually can engage in that because it actually came seems to carry a stigma of, reading is actually a privilege for the literate and educated so and not everyone's literate and not everyone's educated so not everybody can make this a very wondrous like pastime and so people in the less fortunate societies right they find enjoyment in much more