Friday, September 25, 2009

Transparency of the WWW

It is amazing how technology is doing wonders in our lives. Whether it’s for work, school or play, more than half of the population in developed nations cannot live with the Internet. Or 3G. Or as it is probably now known as 3.5G? Lol.

Anyway, my point is, almost everyone is addicted to the internet. Emails and text messages from loved ones that we cannot go without, updates of your friends on Twitter and Facebook, not to mention the “kay pohs” who cannot live a day without prying into their friends’ photos on Facebook, Flickr and the such. Yours truly included, of course.

My point is, that it’s scary how transparent our lives are become because of this. You do one thing, and BAAAM!, the world knows about it the next day. In fact, you don’t even have to update your own statuses and the next thing you know, friends are asking if “this” or “that” really happened. And you’d go like... “How’d you know about it?” because you did not publicise it at all. And they’d go, “Yeah, I saw it on FB”. Wtf!?

Talk about invasion of privacy.

There are aspects of my life that I am very open about. Yes. But only to those whom I trust with my life. I don’t expect the world to know my every gritty details, heck, I don’t want them to know. There are things that I’d like to keep private. Things that are personal to me. Yeah, so you’d think that me having a blog kind of contradicts that. BUT, I get to choose what I want you to know. I make that decision. I still have that power. But when someone else talks about me on spaces they shouldn’t be doing, that is not fair. Because I’d never do that to you.

Talk about pride and dignity. What about job opportunities and stigmatization. Just because I did something out of my lack of judgement once does not mean that I did not learn from it. Does not mean that I did not grow up.

Because it so many ways, we are not the people we were yesterday. I’m giving you that benefit of doubt. It’s fair that I demand the same.

Placing something on the internet may mean that you are throwing one’s life away, even if you don’t realise it. Information, false or otherwise true will affect one’s reputation. Therefore I ask you, who are you to do that to a person? Is it your place to judge?..

So, before you make comments or judgements that could affect a person’s reputation, think twice. And when you come to a conclusion that contradicts your conscience and better judgement, think a third time.

Not everyone will have that one chance to make things right again.

Xx.

Friday, September 18, 2009

Media: Friend or Foe?

I haven’t been very interpersonal in my blog. So I decided that instead of the usual carefully thought out topics that I always write, I’d do something more of my life right now. Just for humour’s sake.

So I’m sitting here in my office with nothing much to do. One. Because I have just finished what I was planning to finish for this week. Two. Because I don’t want to begin something and not be able to finish it. Three. I hate letting work hang over the weekend. So, I’m just sitting at my table, hugging my pillow and watching comedies on youtube.

Some of the things that I always, and I do mean ALWAYS watch are “The Nanny” and “Mind your language”. It never gets too old for me. I can watch it over again the next day and still laugh at the same jokes, I cannot imagine being bored with them ever. When in doubt, always search for these TV shows. And it makes me think about how TV shows like these are not popular anymore. No, not the comedy part. The part where there’s still social morals in it. Relatively, at least.

My point is, notice how TV shows that sell are those that are dramatic and scandalous. Grin. Once again, I’m not judging. If you know me, I’m also as guilty for watching TV shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Gossip Girl. But, it only shows how our moral standards are influenced by the media. You don’t see rates of scandals, abortion and suicide as high as they are today in the 80’s or the 90’s, do you? I’m not saying that I’m holier than thou because I’m not exactly doing much to decrease these rates anyway. Whilst I do not condone these behaviours, I’m not entirely against them either. I believe in the school of thought of “it’s really none of my business”, therefore, it’s not my place to judge or condemn you either. Not very Christian, I know. But it’s your choice to do whatever you want to do anyway. If I was living in the dark ages, I definitely would not be the one who will hang you or put you at the stakes. I have strong opinions but just because I disagree with you does not mean that I will disown our relationship, whether family or friend.

Anyway, I tried my best to talk about my day. Worked well the first paragraph then I don’t know what happen. Guess I just cannot help myself. Grin. For humour’s sake.

Well, I’ve been invited to join the photography club. Seems like a good idea, thus, I may pop by their photography session for a bit.

Xx.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

What were U thinking?

It’s been a while since I last wrote, not so much because I stopped thinking. I may have gotten stuck with the writing due to a very long and absolutely divine vacation. Needless to say, much has happened since then and I had to read everyone else’s blogs to motivate me to continue on my writings. I have all these inspirations, just no motivation.

I’ve been thinking a lot about growing up and taking control over my life. Sometimes, being given the autonomy to make one’s own decisions may not be the best achievement in life, but really, it’s gaining the ownership to hold responsibility for one’s own decisions and actions. Something enjoyable at most times, I must say but absolutely too much sometimes. I hardly think myself of mature at all, let alone an adult. But when the situation calls for it, fortunately, I am able to take control of it..

.. Eventually.

But that is just me. What about the many others who were not as fortunate as I was, not given the chance to make responsible decisions?.. I’ve been catching up on news, not just in Malaysia but also in Australia (because I was there for 2 months, what crap excuse) and I am taken aback by the ridiculous increase of crime rates. Sometimes I’d like to tell myself that the crime rates are the same, there are just more people reporting it through the media or various ways over the internet, that’s all. But still, it shocks me that people are making rash decisions, not so much burglary or robbery or the such (although they are as unscrupulous as any other crime) but really, what were these people thinking before kidnapping, raping and murdering people?.. What was seriously on their minds? I can’t help but wonder. Did they know that they’d get into trouble, and be sentenced to life-long imprisonment or worse, capital punishment? Or were they just hoping that they wouldn’t get caught? I was reading the Australian news 2 days ago via the internet and a man was convicted for rape and murder over 20 years ago. And when they were trying to inject the lethal drug into him, they just couldn’t find his veins. For over an hour, apparently. He even tried to help. While crying. Weeping. So, back he goes into his cell (which he has been calling home for the past 20 years) while waiting for his “time” to come. AGAIN.

So, here goes. I concluded that he did regret his actions but, if you already know this could have been the possible consequence, why do it in the first place? I am in no position to judge the rest of us civilians. I am no saint, myself. But the point is not about doing something wrong on a miniscule level, but doing something that is judged unacceptable by society at large and that causes harm to other people.

On a whole other level, I’d like to know what most people think about capital punishment. It is, in my opinion, a very interesting debate. One that has yet to bore me, at least.

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