haha
Showing posts with label culture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label culture. Show all posts
Monday, December 02, 2013
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Big Bang!
My wife and I enjoy watching Big Bang Theory on our lazy nights. Already finished season 4 and still wanting more.
Our favorite character? Sheldon of course!
Sheldon: That's no reason to cry. One cries because one is sad. For example, I cry because others are stupid and it makes me sad. - From the episode "The Gorilla Experiment"
Monday, June 22, 2009
Arty Farty People Normally NOT Cultured
I was out with my folks on Sunday aka Father's Day, brought my dad, mum and my lil' sis who just got back from New York, to taste some fine Chinese cuisine and dim sum brunch. We were brunching near Tanglin and decided to get replacement pots for our water feature at home. A friend who does pottery lessons suggested that we can head down to this pottery place at Tanglin Place, and perhaps get them replaced - little did I know it almost spoilt our wonderful day. Here is what took place as we stepped into Bxxx's Pottery:
Mom: Wondering if you do pottery? Do you have such pots?
Man: (Looking at our sample pot) We don't do custom pots. Our pots here are made like art.
Mom: So you cannot make such pots?
Man: Yes, I can but we don't do it. Anyway this is low temp, ours is high temp.
Mom: So you don't make such pots?
Man: Can do but we won't make custom pots?
Mom: But if we ask you to do, how much do you think it will cost.
Man: We don't make custom pots, anyway.. (picks up a small pot) anyway this here cost S$180, your pot size will cost at least double.
Mom: So about S$300 odd.
Man: Yes and we normally need to do 3 at one time. (Me thinking here - thought you don't do custom pots? So if I throw money at you, you will lar)
Man: Anyway ours is art, our clients are Ministers and celebrities. (Pointing to some Minister photo, and Wong Li Lin doing pottery photos) Yours is low temp mass produced pots.
Mom: Do you know where else I can go to get it replaced?
Man: Very few people will do it.
I was already walking out with bated breath, rushing out of the shop to curse with greater ease.
Pot is similar to this size, and ours is just about 4 times the height.
From what I experienced on Sunday, I realised arty farty people aren't cultured at all. No display of gracefullness observed but a air of "atas" (snobbish) attitude is whiffed instead. It is easily deduced how their "air" came about.
Let's take an example, where back in the 80s, the rich plays golf because they need it for business and it makes sense having corporate country club memberships. For some, doing well in golf is a matter of keeping up with appearances. And they often speak about golf with respect to the expensive equipment they purchased. Recent years of lowered barrier of entry to golf courses with advent of sprouted places in Johor Bahru, Bintan etc allowed many to enjoy the sport. Many friends of mine have managed to indulge in the sport with great passion and totally without "atas" air - they mostly speak about the distance they can hit and where is the best value for money golf range to practise.
Similarly, with new wealth coming into families quickly in the past decade from enbloc sales, to stock market, we start to see a new class arising where perhaps they think their new found status is much to be envied. They think that buying art makes them feel cultured (see my previous post on defining culture) akin to playing golf, makes them think they are of a higher plateau. And with that came the arts tradesmen who think they are of a higher status over the other trades. I remembered studying about local sculptor Ng Eng Teng to pioneer female artist Georgette Chen in my secondary school days. The struggles they go through, the road less travelled was a beaten and weary one.
So how could art which is suppose to infuse culture into oneself become so displaced? Such haughty behaviour is strange somewhat as I do not see any offence done from my aged Mom's point of view. Were we in any way being disrespectful or could we have been better redirected?
Anyway, I do hope its just one black sheep that we have met and this will not be a sweeping statement for all Arty Farty people. Like golf, it will be just a matter of time before art is available to the masses, and there will be more pottery places, galleries etc. For more information on Singapore artists. Go to Singapore Art.
Mom: Wondering if you do pottery? Do you have such pots?
Man: (Looking at our sample pot) We don't do custom pots. Our pots here are made like art.
Mom: So you cannot make such pots?
Man: Yes, I can but we don't do it. Anyway this is low temp, ours is high temp.
Mom: So you don't make such pots?
Man: Can do but we won't make custom pots?
Mom: But if we ask you to do, how much do you think it will cost.
Man: We don't make custom pots, anyway.. (picks up a small pot) anyway this here cost S$180, your pot size will cost at least double.
Mom: So about S$300 odd.
Man: Yes and we normally need to do 3 at one time. (Me thinking here - thought you don't do custom pots? So if I throw money at you, you will lar)
Man: Anyway ours is art, our clients are Ministers and celebrities. (Pointing to some Minister photo, and Wong Li Lin doing pottery photos) Yours is low temp mass produced pots.
Mom: Do you know where else I can go to get it replaced?
Man: Very few people will do it.
I was already walking out with bated breath, rushing out of the shop to curse with greater ease.
Pot is similar to this size, and ours is just about 4 times the height.
From what I experienced on Sunday, I realised arty farty people aren't cultured at all. No display of gracefullness observed but a air of "atas" (snobbish) attitude is whiffed instead. It is easily deduced how their "air" came about.
Let's take an example, where back in the 80s, the rich plays golf because they need it for business and it makes sense having corporate country club memberships. For some, doing well in golf is a matter of keeping up with appearances. And they often speak about golf with respect to the expensive equipment they purchased. Recent years of lowered barrier of entry to golf courses with advent of sprouted places in Johor Bahru, Bintan etc allowed many to enjoy the sport. Many friends of mine have managed to indulge in the sport with great passion and totally without "atas" air - they mostly speak about the distance they can hit and where is the best value for money golf range to practise.
Similarly, with new wealth coming into families quickly in the past decade from enbloc sales, to stock market, we start to see a new class arising where perhaps they think their new found status is much to be envied. They think that buying art makes them feel cultured (see my previous post on defining culture) akin to playing golf, makes them think they are of a higher plateau. And with that came the arts tradesmen who think they are of a higher status over the other trades. I remembered studying about local sculptor Ng Eng Teng to pioneer female artist Georgette Chen in my secondary school days. The struggles they go through, the road less travelled was a beaten and weary one.
So how could art which is suppose to infuse culture into oneself become so displaced? Such haughty behaviour is strange somewhat as I do not see any offence done from my aged Mom's point of view. Were we in any way being disrespectful or could we have been better redirected?
Anyway, I do hope its just one black sheep that we have met and this will not be a sweeping statement for all Arty Farty people. Like golf, it will be just a matter of time before art is available to the masses, and there will be more pottery places, galleries etc. For more information on Singapore artists. Go to Singapore Art.
Monday, May 18, 2009
$2 to enter a bookshop
Had a fever over the weekend. Slight increase of temperature, I guess from an overexertion, jogged too much last week.
Anyway bought a Gladwell book called "Outliers" to tide over the idle weekend, good read especially from his previous 2.
Here's some shit to share with fellow "State" Times readers. This joker, News Editor Loh suggested to charge $2 per entry to a bookstore to curb free loaders. Below is a quote of what he wrote, in case the links go missing again.
Loh Keng Fatt
News Editor, Sunday Times
Wanted to leave a comment on the website but not sure why it can't go through, perhaps too many people already left their mark.
This was what I wanted to say:
Seriously I should have just brought a mini stool and go to Borders to sit there to read my Gladwell book instead of paying $30 for it. $2 for entry fee? What if it doesn't reduce the number of freeloaders? Since we still can read countless books and magazines for just $2? Raise the admission to $10? Then I guess I do expect it to be some rental fee, same reason why I paid ERP but only to find myself still stuck in a jam. And do not bother about writing in to complain as we know what will happen, the way the LTA authorities will think, is the same way as ST Editor Loh would do, raise the ERP fees. Is $ the only solution out of everything in Singapore? Have they not thought about how the other parts of the world resolve problems pertaining to upbringing? Is this the very reason why the moral fabric of our society is now in the doldrums?
Where has chivalry, courage, kindness, humility, patience, diligence, justice and temperance gone to these days?
I could download or purchase the book online, but I enjoyed browsing through bookshops, turning crisp pages of a book. I enjoy poking my close friends for real, instead of doing it on facebook. I chose to walk or cycle to my destination not because I am saving on parking, petrol or ERP charges, but because it gives me the slow breeze of wind on my face and perhaps I am reducing my carbon footprint at the same time. We do things for a reason, and its so sad sometimes money or the lack of it comes to us like that is the ONLY other reason.
Let's not forget the simple joys of doing what we love or enjoy doing, and do stand up to idiotic, brainless ideas such as an admission fee to enter a bookshop.
Anyway bought a Gladwell book called "Outliers" to tide over the idle weekend, good read especially from his previous 2.
Here's some shit to share with fellow "State" Times readers. This joker, News Editor Loh suggested to charge $2 per entry to a bookstore to curb free loaders. Below is a quote of what he wrote, in case the links go missing again.
BOOKSHOPS should really charge people an entrance fee.
I am convinced that this radical proposal will instantly reduce the number of people who now drop into book stores and treat the place like their own playground or personal library.
Loh Keng Fatt
News Editor, Sunday Times
Which brings me back to the point of levying an admission fee - to get the right type of people to come.
I have always wondered why bookshops operate on a model that literally allows customers the full run of the place - and with little prospects of many of them actually buying something....
...But bookshops play Santa, and everyone’s welcome to browse, read, socialise and hang loose.I think they should charge, say, a $2 admission charge.
This would help the bookshops to earn some income and deter some freeloaders from showing up.
Wanted to leave a comment on the website but not sure why it can't go through, perhaps too many people already left their mark.
This was what I wanted to say:
You must go to the same school as the ERP guys, same school of thought. Go join the PAP, I think they need more people like you to help them earn back USD$4.6billion, a waste of talent at ST I say. Couldn't you have suggested having government create an open concept library where people can go read for free, but kids can wonder and roam and make lots of noise like these bookstores? Bookstores are running a private business and their model is to get as much traffic flow as possible. Who are you to pricing everyone out of places? Shall we soon charge for parks and gardens as well, since kids or families are treating them like personal playgrounds, screaming and running around? Choices such as Amazon and Ebay have already made people live like hermits shopping at their computers via online. The world is getting more global yet isolated at the same time, because people like you exist.
Seriously I should have just brought a mini stool and go to Borders to sit there to read my Gladwell book instead of paying $30 for it. $2 for entry fee? What if it doesn't reduce the number of freeloaders? Since we still can read countless books and magazines for just $2? Raise the admission to $10? Then I guess I do expect it to be some rental fee, same reason why I paid ERP but only to find myself still stuck in a jam. And do not bother about writing in to complain as we know what will happen, the way the LTA authorities will think, is the same way as ST Editor Loh would do, raise the ERP fees. Is $ the only solution out of everything in Singapore? Have they not thought about how the other parts of the world resolve problems pertaining to upbringing? Is this the very reason why the moral fabric of our society is now in the doldrums?
Where has chivalry, courage, kindness, humility, patience, diligence, justice and temperance gone to these days?
I could download or purchase the book online, but I enjoyed browsing through bookshops, turning crisp pages of a book. I enjoy poking my close friends for real, instead of doing it on facebook. I chose to walk or cycle to my destination not because I am saving on parking, petrol or ERP charges, but because it gives me the slow breeze of wind on my face and perhaps I am reducing my carbon footprint at the same time. We do things for a reason, and its so sad sometimes money or the lack of it comes to us like that is the ONLY other reason.
Let's not forget the simple joys of doing what we love or enjoy doing, and do stand up to idiotic, brainless ideas such as an admission fee to enter a bookshop.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Defining culture
I was asked recently on my understanding of culture during a dinner with some friends. And she actually stumped and belittled my short answer when I told her it was about the arts, appreciation of life, and involving pottery, dances etc. Maybe perhaps the fact that she used to work for MICA - Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts. Singapore's Government Ministry in charge of the creative industries, arts, heritage, library, media, info communications and government public relations. So I better give her some credit and do some work on the real definition on culture and have a shot at giving a longer excerpt on my understanding of it.
Wiki defines Culture as (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate,") patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activities significance and importance. And Culture can be defined as all the ways of life, arts, beliefs and institutions of a population that are passed down from generation to generation. Culture has been called "the way of life for an entire society." As such, it includes codes of manners, dress, language, religion, rituals, norms of behavior such as law and morality, and systems of belief as well as the art.
My shot at explaining my deeper understanding of it again - Culture is about the arts, and a whole lot more. It's about all things in appreciation of the finer things in life, history, literature, language, religion and the grasp of the society fabric at points in time where it meant something. Like periods of European Renaissance where we have the best paintings by 14th-17th century artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. The accumulation of humanism, arts, science, music, dance etc. being represented in their forms as they were interpreted by individuals. Where people in the future like ourselves can appreciate it and somewhat grasp that moment it was defined.
So if you ask me..Singapore has no culture. We have no defining moments and I do appreciate the government in trying to promote it. With all the fundings and I hope we have more opportunities to appreciate it, to refine ourselves, so that I won't have irritating people sitting beside me during concerts which talked loudly during Jeff Chang's concert at moments the symphony was playing. Those moments were NOT intermission time for people to go to the loo as well.
I leave you with a painting I saw recently at the Jeff Chang concert (which I will try to blog on the event later and explain how there are paintings to see in a concert) which somehow captivated me and I did up some research not knowing the importance of it. I just love it.
_-_The_Girl_With_The_Pearl_Earring_(1665).jpg)
Het meisje met de parel - which in Dutch meant Girl with a Pearl Earring, also widely known as the "Mona Lisa of the North" by 17th Century artist Johannes Vermeer. The painting is universally recognized as one of Johannes Vermeer's absolute masterpieces. The painting is currently housed at The Mauritshuis in The Hague, which I hope to be able to see it some day just as I've seen the Mona Lisa and watched the Da Vinci Code. In the meantime, I shall go find the the novel by Tracy Chevalier inspired by the painting and watch the film starring Scarlett Johansson inspired by the novel. They bear the same name for titles.
Wiki defines Culture as (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate,") patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activities significance and importance. And Culture can be defined as all the ways of life, arts, beliefs and institutions of a population that are passed down from generation to generation. Culture has been called "the way of life for an entire society." As such, it includes codes of manners, dress, language, religion, rituals, norms of behavior such as law and morality, and systems of belief as well as the art.
My shot at explaining my deeper understanding of it again - Culture is about the arts, and a whole lot more. It's about all things in appreciation of the finer things in life, history, literature, language, religion and the grasp of the society fabric at points in time where it meant something. Like periods of European Renaissance where we have the best paintings by 14th-17th century artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. The accumulation of humanism, arts, science, music, dance etc. being represented in their forms as they were interpreted by individuals. Where people in the future like ourselves can appreciate it and somewhat grasp that moment it was defined.
So if you ask me..Singapore has no culture. We have no defining moments and I do appreciate the government in trying to promote it. With all the fundings and I hope we have more opportunities to appreciate it, to refine ourselves, so that I won't have irritating people sitting beside me during concerts which talked loudly during Jeff Chang's concert at moments the symphony was playing. Those moments were NOT intermission time for people to go to the loo as well.
I leave you with a painting I saw recently at the Jeff Chang concert (which I will try to blog on the event later and explain how there are paintings to see in a concert) which somehow captivated me and I did up some research not knowing the importance of it. I just love it.
_-_The_Girl_With_The_Pearl_Earring_(1665).jpg)
Het meisje met de parel - which in Dutch meant Girl with a Pearl Earring, also widely known as the "Mona Lisa of the North" by 17th Century artist Johannes Vermeer. The painting is universally recognized as one of Johannes Vermeer's absolute masterpieces. The painting is currently housed at The Mauritshuis in The Hague, which I hope to be able to see it some day just as I've seen the Mona Lisa and watched the Da Vinci Code. In the meantime, I shall go find the the novel by Tracy Chevalier inspired by the painting and watch the film starring Scarlett Johansson inspired by the novel. They bear the same name for titles.
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