[Quote of the post] "Just keep it to yourself."
[Song of the post] -
So let's all shut up now. Even if it's wrong, or we don't believe or agree with it, keep it to yourself. Let the unjust go unspoken; let the problem go unsaid. Children should be seen and not heard. Everything that is disagreeable, or contrary, or different, just keep quiet. Silence for survival; survival above all.
...
The Edna Man
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Vive la Revolution
[Quote of the post] Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a bygone vexation stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it's my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V.
[Song of the post] Anything, really
Remember, remember, the 5th of November
The gunpowder treason and plot
I know of no reason
Why the gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.
This is the last straw.
School socks.
As if we weren't already branded enough with our school crest. There's school ties, school badges, school jackets, school everything, and now school socks. Soon, school shoes, school spectavles, school underwear. So that the crest can be emblazoned on every piece of living fabric and marketed to the entire world.
I'm not even going to start about the irony of them dissuading us from buying branded goods.
Am I a crazy person? I believe they will say so. They already have said so. I half-jokingly shouted, "Support the revolution! Don't buy school socks!" when I entered class today, and as luck would have it, my teacher heard. Of course, being the nice person she is, she just gave me a small talk about how a person of my position (pointing to my tie) shouldn't be saying things like that, and that even if I didn't like it, I should keep it to myself.
Not that I am against her viewpoint. But I am not that sort of person. Very much soon, we're going to have to keep everything to ourselves, like it or not, because that's what we're supposed to do these days.
Right.
I'd rather die behind the chemical sheds.
Maybe it's just the Asian, Eastern upbringing that many people here have. I have been influenced to a lot of Western culture over the past few years which could explain this outburst. But if you look at it logically, there is absolutely no reason at all why someone like me should conform to the enforcements of the higher power, because I have nothing to do with it. And on the Internet, I have no position to care about.
Here's the background information. As I understand it, the implementation of this rigid new rule is so that the problem of ankle-socks will be properly contained. By and large, I don't get what this problem is per se, but if the school says it looks unsightly and ungentlemanly, then fine, alright by me. But when you start to generalize everyone as wearing these ankle-socks and forcing the entire school population to buy four pairs each, even those who have never flouted the rules and continue to wear socks well above the ankle line, how is it fair for them?
The problem I have with people who shrug it off and say, "Life's unfair. Deal with it.", is that these people are unwilling to break out of their boundaries, just because it is too difficult to do so. Sure, life's unfair, but does that mean you HAVE THE RIGHT to perpetuate it in an educational facility? Since life is so unfair, can't you, just for once, make it LESS unfair? People in power are always in the position to do so, just that they don't want to. Because of time. And money.
A sock is a symbol, as is the act of not buying it. Symbols are given power by people. A symbol, in and of itself is powerless, but with enough people behind it, not buying a pair of socks can change the world.
You know how simple the solution could be? Maybe, once a month, you can have a sock-check. Everyone pulls up their trouser-legs and the teacher stands the sight of hairy legs long enough to see who's not wearing ankle-socks. Then, whosoever has naked ankles would be required to purchase aforementioned school socks. Punishment for crime. Isn't that what we are taught all the way from kindergarden? You are responsible for your actions. Not punishment for all, just because a few people think they are above the rules. Justice. If I'm not wrong, that was the original plan for the socks. To be a punishment, a disincentive. Not a moneymaking machine.
Of course, everyone could say that it's just socks, it's just ten dollars worth of cotton, why make all the fuss? The fact is, that it is not the sock I care so much about. It is the meaning behind them, the motive behind the act. The potential of what they will do next. Already I am being criticized for my not wearing of school jackets. I know one teacher supports me; the same one who asked me to keep my ideas to myself. A friend tried arguing that it was for school pride. We've got enough shield-shaped objects all over our body to not know about school pride.
I caught a snippet of Recess: Taking the Fifth Grade a week ago, where T.J. refuses to go to school because they took away their playground, proper canteen food, and lockers. He brought it up with the principal, but the principal says that "Up against the Board of Education, I'm just a little guy. And as a little guy, I can't do anything." T.J. then refuses to go to school the following day, resulting in a revolutionary movement which reveals that the Board of Education didn't want to go through with the school changes at all, but instead all kept quiet because they thought everyone else like the new ideas.
Sometimes, the little guy can do something. And I'm going to do something.
What do I think will happen? What happens when people without power stands up to people *with* power.
Because behind this mask is an idea, and ideas a bulletproof,
E
[Song of the post] Anything, really
Remember, remember, the 5th of November
The gunpowder treason and plot
I know of no reason
Why the gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.
This is the last straw.
School socks.
As if we weren't already branded enough with our school crest. There's school ties, school badges, school jackets, school everything, and now school socks. Soon, school shoes, school spectavles, school underwear. So that the crest can be emblazoned on every piece of living fabric and marketed to the entire world.
I'm not even going to start about the irony of them dissuading us from buying branded goods.
Am I a crazy person? I believe they will say so. They already have said so. I half-jokingly shouted, "Support the revolution! Don't buy school socks!" when I entered class today, and as luck would have it, my teacher heard. Of course, being the nice person she is, she just gave me a small talk about how a person of my position (pointing to my tie) shouldn't be saying things like that, and that even if I didn't like it, I should keep it to myself.
Not that I am against her viewpoint. But I am not that sort of person. Very much soon, we're going to have to keep everything to ourselves, like it or not, because that's what we're supposed to do these days.
Right.
I'd rather die behind the chemical sheds.
Maybe it's just the Asian, Eastern upbringing that many people here have. I have been influenced to a lot of Western culture over the past few years which could explain this outburst. But if you look at it logically, there is absolutely no reason at all why someone like me should conform to the enforcements of the higher power, because I have nothing to do with it. And on the Internet, I have no position to care about.
Here's the background information. As I understand it, the implementation of this rigid new rule is so that the problem of ankle-socks will be properly contained. By and large, I don't get what this problem is per se, but if the school says it looks unsightly and ungentlemanly, then fine, alright by me. But when you start to generalize everyone as wearing these ankle-socks and forcing the entire school population to buy four pairs each, even those who have never flouted the rules and continue to wear socks well above the ankle line, how is it fair for them?
The problem I have with people who shrug it off and say, "Life's unfair. Deal with it.", is that these people are unwilling to break out of their boundaries, just because it is too difficult to do so. Sure, life's unfair, but does that mean you HAVE THE RIGHT to perpetuate it in an educational facility? Since life is so unfair, can't you, just for once, make it LESS unfair? People in power are always in the position to do so, just that they don't want to. Because of time. And money.
A sock is a symbol, as is the act of not buying it. Symbols are given power by people. A symbol, in and of itself is powerless, but with enough people behind it, not buying a pair of socks can change the world.
You know how simple the solution could be? Maybe, once a month, you can have a sock-check. Everyone pulls up their trouser-legs and the teacher stands the sight of hairy legs long enough to see who's not wearing ankle-socks. Then, whosoever has naked ankles would be required to purchase aforementioned school socks. Punishment for crime. Isn't that what we are taught all the way from kindergarden? You are responsible for your actions. Not punishment for all, just because a few people think they are above the rules. Justice. If I'm not wrong, that was the original plan for the socks. To be a punishment, a disincentive. Not a moneymaking machine.
Of course, everyone could say that it's just socks, it's just ten dollars worth of cotton, why make all the fuss? The fact is, that it is not the sock I care so much about. It is the meaning behind them, the motive behind the act. The potential of what they will do next. Already I am being criticized for my not wearing of school jackets. I know one teacher supports me; the same one who asked me to keep my ideas to myself. A friend tried arguing that it was for school pride. We've got enough shield-shaped objects all over our body to not know about school pride.
I caught a snippet of Recess: Taking the Fifth Grade a week ago, where T.J. refuses to go to school because they took away their playground, proper canteen food, and lockers. He brought it up with the principal, but the principal says that "Up against the Board of Education, I'm just a little guy. And as a little guy, I can't do anything." T.J. then refuses to go to school the following day, resulting in a revolutionary movement which reveals that the Board of Education didn't want to go through with the school changes at all, but instead all kept quiet because they thought everyone else like the new ideas.
Sometimes, the little guy can do something. And I'm going to do something.
What do I think will happen? What happens when people without power stands up to people *with* power.
Because behind this mask is an idea, and ideas a bulletproof,
E
Friday, April 06, 2007
But I didn't have the time.
[Quote of the post] GEP is dead, and they have killed it. --Xi Min
[Song of the post] Music is just >_>
It's almost midnight and I have to get up early tomorrow.
Sorry I haven't been blogging in a while. I haven't had the time.
GEP camp has been over for a week. I was supposed to blog about it last week but I didn't have the time.
The GEP really is dead. We've got less GEP teachers, more "GEP" students, and they're thinking of scrapping the programme in a couple of years time. I guess that I really felt kinda special, being the the programme. Not because I was supposed to be smarter than the rest, no. It was because the people were better, not in studies or exams, but in morals, friendships, abstract concepts and I guess... better people. I guess the mainstream has these sort of people as well, but the majority of them, when I look at their classes, I laugh everytime I hear the school boast about their awards in "character development". I guess being in the same classes year after year, you get to know everyone very well, and the ostracized tend to stick together, y'know? I guess I really felt special, and when I see some people who are in the GEP but have totally rotten attitudes, like and and and, it's like a taint, I guess. I don't know. GEP is dead, and they have killed it.
The new blogger is... I guess I'll get used to it eventually. It was so irritating for me just to get a Google account. Google is taking over the world, I tell you. Get ready before they start buying your lives. Anyway I guess there are a lot of cool features, but I'm not used to them yet, so. Will take some time.
Homework is. Guh. (In both senses of the word. That's for 'Homework', not the 'Guh'. Obviously.) There's so much of it piling up, and everywhere I turn it seems to be there. And I just can't get rid of it, because everyday, more of it arrives. And there's so much of my own stuff that I want to do, but can't. It's so irritating.
Then there was CMPS today. And Mr Azmi treated us. Again. Again again. I tried to pay him back, I really did. But he wouldn't accept it. Of course he wouldn't. And it was very hard to dissuade him with his sort of argument. That's what you get for trying to be nice, I guess.
This is blacked out because I'm not really sure whether I should be saying it. After the whole fiasco with the trying-to-pay-for-my-meal thing, I was a bit... upset? confused? at the uneagerness of the rest of the team to return Mr Azmi his money. I mean, we agreed on it beforehand, that we should try not to let Mr Azmi spend on us. I was the only one who actually took out my money to try and pay him back. I was upset/confused because I thought that maybe if everyone else did the same it might help persuade him (to a certain extent). I mean it's the right thing to do, isn't it? Nobody seemed very enthusiastic to pay him back. I thought, yeah, maybe some of you are less financially able, but I mean you're not totally incapable o paying for your own dinner are you? Then I thought, maybe I just didn't understand them enough, and don't get the necessity of saving, or of getting the best bargain for set meals or whatever. I just hate money. It's a stupid value system. Or maybe I'm just naive or something. I don't know. Yeah.
Well, gotta be in school at six tomorrow. What fun, eh?
Kinda like this cool idea of signing off every post,
The Edna Man
[Song of the post] Music is just >_>
It's almost midnight and I have to get up early tomorrow.
Sorry I haven't been blogging in a while. I haven't had the time.
GEP camp has been over for a week. I was supposed to blog about it last week but I didn't have the time.
The GEP really is dead. We've got less GEP teachers, more "GEP" students, and they're thinking of scrapping the programme in a couple of years time. I guess that I really felt kinda special, being the the programme. Not because I was supposed to be smarter than the rest, no. It was because the people were better, not in studies or exams, but in morals, friendships, abstract concepts and I guess... better people. I guess the mainstream has these sort of people as well, but the majority of them, when I look at their classes, I laugh everytime I hear the school boast about their awards in "character development". I guess being in the same classes year after year, you get to know everyone very well, and the ostracized tend to stick together, y'know? I guess I really felt special, and when I see some people who are in the GEP but have totally rotten attitudes, like and and and, it's like a taint, I guess. I don't know. GEP is dead, and they have killed it.
The new blogger is... I guess I'll get used to it eventually. It was so irritating for me just to get a Google account. Google is taking over the world, I tell you. Get ready before they start buying your lives. Anyway I guess there are a lot of cool features, but I'm not used to them yet, so. Will take some time.
Homework is. Guh. (In both senses of the word. That's for 'Homework', not the 'Guh'. Obviously.) There's so much of it piling up, and everywhere I turn it seems to be there. And I just can't get rid of it, because everyday, more of it arrives. And there's so much of my own stuff that I want to do, but can't. It's so irritating.
Then there was CMPS today. And Mr Azmi treated us. Again. Again again. I tried to pay him back, I really did. But he wouldn't accept it. Of course he wouldn't. And it was very hard to dissuade him with his sort of argument. That's what you get for trying to be nice, I guess.
This is blacked out because I'm not really sure whether I should be saying it. After the whole fiasco with the trying-to-pay-for-my-meal thing, I was a bit... upset? confused? at the uneagerness of the rest of the team to return Mr Azmi his money. I mean, we agreed on it beforehand, that we should try not to let Mr Azmi spend on us. I was the only one who actually took out my money to try and pay him back. I was upset/confused because I thought that maybe if everyone else did the same it might help persuade him (to a certain extent). I mean it's the right thing to do, isn't it? Nobody seemed very enthusiastic to pay him back. I thought, yeah, maybe some of you are less financially able, but I mean you're not totally incapable o paying for your own dinner are you? Then I thought, maybe I just didn't understand them enough, and don't get the necessity of saving, or of getting the best bargain for set meals or whatever. I just hate money. It's a stupid value system. Or maybe I'm just naive or something. I don't know. Yeah.
Well, gotta be in school at six tomorrow. What fun, eh?
Kinda like this cool idea of signing off every post,
The Edna Man
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