Can justice and mercy co-exist?

I think that justice and mercy are not mutually exclusive. Both justice and mercy are virtues, and virtues generally are not supposed to clash. Justice is about matching people to their fair desserts while mercy is about forgiveness and kindness. A society without justice is corrupt and inefficient; a society without mercy is stifling and restrictive. We can see that both virtues are contrasted with the vice of cruelty. Justice can be served within the boundaries of mercy. For example, the law prohibits a criminal from being tortured and treated inhumanely. The humanity of the criminal is taken into consideration, while equity and fairness is sought.

Justice should not be viewed as retribution – an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth – but rather a resolution. The “tit for tat” concept is only for revenge, and justice is not revenge. While justice is built upon a foundation of ethics recognised by both the victim and the offender, revenge is outside the boundaries of ethical conduct. The aim of revenge is to inflict greater pain onto the offender than that originally inflicted onto the victim. On the other hand, the purpose of justice is to ensure the well being of the society and more often than not, this can be secured through mercy rather than punishment.

An example of mercy in justice is the recent example of the Iranian woman, who was blinded and badly disfigured in an acid attack, stopping a retributive blinding sentence from being carried out on her attacker at the last moment when the acid was about to be applied by a doctor. The victim’s magnanimous act has saved her attacker from the cruel sentence, but we cannot deny that justice is not served – the attacker would probably have to be jailed for a long, long time.

Mercy provides the offender with the opportunity to change over a new leaf, while giving peace of mind to the one who gives mercy. It is possible that mercy may embolden criminals, but most of the time it emboldens virtue by giving people a second chance. For example, Singapore’s Yellow Ribbon Project has given ex-offenders a second chance at life and inspired concerted community action to support them. Rehabilitating a criminal to make him a useful member of society is more effective than punishing the harm out of the criminal.

In conclusion, justice and mercy can co-exist, perhaps in different spheres. Both justice and mercy are required for a good, functioning society. The key is knowing when to show mercy and when to show justice as an excess of either may threaten the stability of our society.

Term 3 Week 5 Assignment

Shylock is the most vivid and noteworthy character in The Merchant of Venice and one of the greatest creations of Shakespeare. However, no consensus has been reached on how to read Shylock’s character, on whether Shylock is a man “more sinned against than sinning”. With The Merchant of Venice being a romantic comedy, Shylock is basically portrayed as a comic villain, a clownish Jewish stereotype, and also a bloodthirsty usurer.

Shakespearean England was prejudiced against Jews, considering Jews as the incarnation of the Devil (they were thought to have horns). Shakespeare grew up in a prejudiced world and presumably shared its prejudices. Shakespeare probably wants his audience to perceive the merciless Shylock as a religious contrast to the generous Christians.

Shylock is depicted as cunning as he craftily gets Antonio to sign the bond (Act 1 Scene 3, 138-146), “This kindness will I show./Go with me to a notary; seal me there/Your single bond, and, in a merry sport,/If you repay me not on such a day,/In such a place, such sum or sums as are/Expressed in the condition, let the forfeit/Be nominated for an equal pound/Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken/In what part of your body pleaseth me.”

Shylock is also money-hungry and mercenary as he seems to value money more than his daughter (Act 3 Scene 1, 78-84), “Why, there, there, there, there! A diamond gone/cost me two thousand ducats in Frankfort – the/curse/never fell upon our nation till now; I never felt it/till now: two thousand ducats in that – and other/precious, precious jewels. I would my daughter were/dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear!Would she/were hearsed at my foot, and the ducats in her coffin!”

Shylock is inhumane and cruel too as shown in the trial scene where Shylock was all ready to remove a pound of flesh from Antonio (Act 4 Scene 1, 121-123), Bassanio: (To Shylock)Why dost thou whet thy knife/so earnestly?/Shylock: To cut the forfeiture from that bankrupt there.”

Shylock is murderous and vindictive too as he wants Antonio’s pound of flesh just because he wants to (Act 4 Scene 1, 43-62), “What if my house be troubled with a rat,/And I be pleased to give ten thousand ducats/To have it baned? What, are you answered yet?/Some men there are love not a gaping pig,/Some that are mad if they behold a cat,/And others when the bagpipe sings i’th’ nose/Cannot contain their urine; for affection,/Mistress of passion, sways it to the mood/Of what it likes or loathes……/So can I give no reason, nor I will not,/More than a lodged hate and a certain loathing/I bear Antonio, that I follow thus/A losing suit against him. Are you answered?”

However, Shakespeare portrayed Shylock as a human with feelings, not a flat character. Shylock is also the tragic victim of religious persecution. Shakespeare manages to go beyond the stereotype of the grasping Jew and create a credible human being with deep feelings and the power of thought. We may sympathise with Shylock to see how the persecution by the Christian society shaped Shylock’s character.

Leah’s ring, for example, is a strong symbol of Shylock’s humanity, his ability to love and grieve. Leah is Shylock’s late wife, and when he hears that Jessica has traded it for a monkey, he laments that, “I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkeys. (Act 3 Scene 1, 114-115)” The lost ring enables us to see Shylock in an unusually vulnerable position and to see him as a human being capable of feeling something more than hatred and revenge.

Hatred is a cyclical phenomenon. Prejudice breeds prejudice. Shylock’s entire plan to harm Antonio seems to result from the insults and abuses Antonio has inflicted upon him in the past. His reasoning is that he is simply applying what years of abuse have taught him (Act 3 Scene 1, 54-68), “I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew/eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions,/senses, affections, passions; fed with the same food,/hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same/diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and/cooled by the same winter and summer as a Christian/is? If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us/do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die? And/if you wrong us shall we not revenge? If we are like/you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew/wrong a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge./If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance/be by Christian example? Why, revenge. The villainy/you teach me I will execute, and it shall go hard but/I will better the instruction.”

However, while we know his motivation, Shylock’s pledge to behave as badly as the Christians is no excuse his intended murder of Antonio. Shylock, being the symbol of selfishness, must be defeated in this comedy. Despite his admirable dignity, we must eventually condemn him. Shakespeare intended the audience to sympathize with Shylock at times and loathe him at others. Shakespeare's genius manipulation of our emotions is truly remarkable.

Shakespeare may have intended to make Shylock the anti-Semitic caricature of the grasping, merciless Jew, but, perhaps unconsciously and out of his conscience, he also managed to humanise Shylock. Shakespeare has created a character that is human and powerfully drawn, perhaps too powerfully…

Do you think Shakespeare is biased in terms of portrayal of the main characters in The Merchant of Venice?

I do not think that Shakespeare is biased in terms of his portrayal of the main characters. Shylock, the play's antagonist, is twisted and menacing in his single-minded pursuit of his pound of flesh. However, he is a product of racial persecution, being an alien in Christian society and a social outcast treated with scorn and prejudice. That can explain his cynicism, spitefulness and obsession with money as he feels insecure and resentful. Therefore, Shylock is not just portrayed as a ruthless, hard-hearted villian, but also a lonely, misunderstood victim.

Antonio, the merchant of the play's title, devotes himself to his friend which leads him into the ill-considered bond with Shylock. However, he is also vehemently prejudiced towards Shylock. Thus, Antonio is not just portrayed as a generous, faithful friend, but also a morbid racist. Bassanio, the protagonist of the play, is an extravagant spendthrift at the beginning of the play, but his choice of the right casket shows that he is thoughtful and sensitive. Thus, Bassanio is not just portrayed as a shallow socialite but also a generous gentleman.

Term 3 Week 4 Assignment

The main point Mr. Jim Roger is trying to make is that with rapid globalization, the future generation must develop a global perspective and stay connected to the rest of the world. And with the rise of China as a global superpower, it is now important for the next generation to learn Mandarin in order to reap the benefits of Asia’s economic growth. If not, they will not be comfortable with foreign people, foreign languages and foreign lands. Jim Rogers sees that America’s global competitiveness will continue to decline, and his solution is to immerse himself in the countries and cultures that are ascendant. In order to make sure that his daughters get the most conducive environment to study Mandarin, he moves from America to Singapore and the measures he taken will let Singaporeans ourselves feel ashamed. In the Rogers family’s household, there is no television. Instead, there are more than a dozen globes and maps, a nanny and a maid who speak only Mandarin to his daughters, and a new karaoke machine so that they can learn Chinese songs. Both of them now speak Mandarin as fluently as us. Mr. Jim Rogers thinks that this is the best skill he can give his children.

I agree with his argument. As Mr. Jim Rogers once said, “If you were smart in 1807 you moved to London, if you were smart in 1907 you moved to New York, and if you are smart in 2007 you move to Asia,” the fact that China is steadily replacing America as the world’s superpower is undeniable. Although Singapore has a natural advantage over the rest of the world due to our bilingual education system, many people feel that they should not spend so much effort on learning Mandarin. One may not necessarily need Mandarin to survive in the Chinese economy, but to really thrive and succeed, one has to speak the language fluently. This loss in interest in learning our mother tongue may strangely be attributed partly to the bilingual system itself.

This system, first adopted in 1966, aims to promote English as the link language among the ethnic groups and to facilitate Singapore’s integration into the world economy, at the same time to encourage the use of Mother Tongue to prevent us from losing our historical and cultural roots. However, English has been the primary mode of instruction, leading to greater proficiency in English at the expense of Mother Tongue. What we must know is that language is part of culture. By learning Mandarin, we are learning more about ourselves, but more importantly we are learning the traditions and values of our five-thousand-year-old Chinese culture. Mandarin can be translated into English, but our Chinese culture cannot be explained fully in English. Learning Mandarin has more than economical value, it has much cultural value too.

In conclusion, with the whole world actively learning Mandarin, we must go with the flow, especially so when Singapore has a geographical advantage as the converging point of Western and Chinese culture in the 21st century. To ride the waves of China’s economic success, it is inevitable that everyone at one point or another have to learn and master the Chinese language.

Term 3 Week 3 Assignment

Singapore’s education system has been traditionally viewed as rigid, competitive and demanding, which focuses heavily on meritocracy where the crème de la crème of the student population would be sieved out each year. Although the government’s investment in education has paid off and our education system is now ranked one of the best in the world, Singaporeans ourselves do not think so. This can be seen from a letter to the Education Minister Mr. Heng Swee Keat, written by a Secondary 4 student at Nan Chiau High School Janalle Lee.

One reason for the failure of Singapore’s education system she cited is that schools do not teach their students to ask ‘Why?’ The inquisitiveness and curiosity of students is often discouraged, even suppressed, by rote learning, memorisation and regurgitation of facts, just for the sake of doing well in examinations. Without the seeds of imagination and creativity, how can talent be grown? Although grades may be a criterion to the passage into the working world, if youths are go rigid that they do not know how to apply the knowledge they have learnt, it is as useful as learning nothing. It is a frightening thought that our leaders of tomorrow are immune to reform and cannot think out of the box to formulate new policies. The priority of schools is not to ensure that students get good grades, but rather to ensure that they enjoy the process of learning. The basic goal of education is to bring out the best in each individual, not moulding children into products on a factory line.

Pure academic excellence does not guarantee success. Our education system needs to move beyond its traditional pragmatism. Take Bill Gates for example. The wealthiest man in the world for more than a decade was formerly a college dropout. But he stuck close to his passion and founded the multimillion-dollar company we all now know as Microsoft. Failing an examination is not the end of the world if the child recognises and puts his talents into good use.

Another flaw Janalle pointed out is that schools are ineffective in developing a student’s character. Youths nowadays often care only about themselves and not the society. This is no wonder as for a child to have a healthy character, he needs a conducive environment that teaches him moral values. Although students are taught Civics and Moral Education, examination preparation is the first priority in schools. And with examinations come fierce competition. Students are taught from young to fend for themselves in a competitive environment. The result? A generation who excels in academics but remains apathetic to the less fortunate in society.

However, is an ideal education possible? An ideal education system is one where teachers teach out of their love for teaching and students learn out of their love for learning. In this education system, schools would focus more on the process of learning and less on the end result. The emphasis will not be on obtaining academic achievements but rather on developing the students’ abilities and life skills. Ultimately, education is to prepare for the future. Students from this ideal education system will seek careers that will not only contribute to society, but they will also enjoy. If the authorities can reform the education system swiftly and drastically enough, I believe an ideal education system is entirely possible.

Term 3 Week 2 Assignment

Water is essential to life. Without water, crops fail, organisms die and ecosystems crumble. Throughout history, many battles were fought over the control of water, even today. The threat of “water wars” remains a pressing problem in international relations. Within countries, there is heated debate over whether water should be treated as a human right or as a commodity. In my opinion, water should be treated as a human right.

Man is completely dependent on water for life. There is no substitute for water. As such, water has a special place in our world, especially in our culture. Water is a universal symbol of life, as countless civilisations have developed and flourished along waterways, be it the Nile, the Amazon, the Mekong or the Ganges. Thales, who is regarded as the first philosopher in Greek history, believed that water constitutes the principle of all things, and this rejection of mythological explanations became an important idea for the scientific revolution. As such, water is not like other commodities and must be regarded as a right.

Currently, about 1.1 billion people in the world do not have access to clean water. However, it may not be overpopulation that is causing this water crisis. Instead, as shown in the 2006 United Nations Human Development Report, “the scarcity at the heart of the global water crisis is rooted in power, poverty and inequality, not in physical availability”. And as quoted from Maude Barlow, “A mere 12 percent of the world’s population uses 85 percent of its water, and these 12 percent do not live in the Third World”. It is more of a water management crisis than a water shortage crisis, and the main reason for this is the commoditisation of water. This increased control of water by multinational corporations has led to reduced access for the poor as prices of water have risen.

Some may argue that privatisation of water brings business efficiency and prevents wastage. For example, the Singapore Government uses the market mechanism to let the pricing of water show its true economic value, but also subsidises low-income households. This policy has worked well, but Singapore has a market where people can pay for the service. For universal access, treating water solely as a commodity may not be appropriate.

Beyond the pricing of water, the change of public mindset is key. As Prime Minister Lee said, “You almost have to make it a religion, so every drop of water counts.” We should actively conserve water and not take our access to clean water for granted. If we continue to treat water as merely a commodity, our future would be at stake. With money being the religion of the 21st century, who knows, in the future, clean air may also be priced…

Term 3 Week 1 Assignment

On June 19, speaking at a community sports festival at Singapore Polytechnic, Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports and veteran labour leader Ms Halimah Yacob called for the legislation of weekly days off for maids. And if a rest day a week is not possible, she suggested that maids should at least be compensated in cash. This has sparked heated debate amongst Singaporeans. In my opinion, the giving of weekly days off for foreign domestic workers should be made mandatory in Singapore.

Ms Yacob’s comment came after member states of the International Labour Organisation adopted a treaty that offers domestic workers a full-day rest each week. Singapore was among the 63 countries that abstained from voting on the Convention on Decent Work for Domestic Workers, saying that Singapore would sign the treaty when it was sure it could implement it here. In other countries like Hong Kong and Taiwan, maids have mandatory rest days. If employers do not change their mindset now, they may find it costlier to hire maids in the future as supply of maids to Singapore decreases.

Maids should be treated equally like other workers. All workers, including maids, have a right to legal protection to ensure that they are not abused and overworked. However, some Singaporeans have the mindset that maids are inferior, that they are paid to work and not to rest. If their work is not recognised and appreciated, what difference is it from servitude or slavery? They must be acknowledged as humans, not properties. Some may argue that Singaporeans work long hours and are stressed at work, but that does not give us the right to deprive the maid of a weekly day off – a right that we have – just because we want some rest for ourselves.

Some also argue that it is the maid’s duty to take care of the elderly parents and children. However, do our parents and children belong to the maid? Is it not our personal responsibility to take care of our loved ones for just a day when the maid is away? This over-reliance on maids is worrying. With Singaporeans facing an aging population, we cannot expect maids to solve this problem for us. It is our utmost responsibility to take care of the aged. Also, children should be taught responsibility and how to look after themselves. With maids taking care of their every need, children will be spoilt and grow up thinking that everything will be done for them. Children at school-going age should help with the housework for the day without the maid’s presence.

In conclusion, a happy worker is a good worker. Maids may become resentful and irritable without sufficient rest. Will you trust a tired maid to take care of your loved ones? However, the government can review the current policies placing financial liability on employers for wayward maids. Although this legislation may face public backlash, it is in the interests of both the maid and employer. It protects a vulnerable group who often suffers in silence in the unequal power relationship between maid and employer. This will go a long way in safeguarding the basic rights and dignity of maids.

Term 2 HBL Task 2

Point of View

The writer offers a social point of view. As he personally experienced the devastating effects of America’s herbicidal warfare, his tone is angry and accusatory, as seen in the exclamations “potpourri!” and “spray!”, as well as the uppercase word “WILL”. He probably felt that he was “betrayed” by his own country after serving it for so long. As he is directly involved in what is happening in the poem, he is reliable in interpreting the situation. The purpose of the poem is to highlight the atrocities of the war and to evoke empathy for the victims of the war.


Situation and Setting

The historical setting is that during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971, during the herbicidal warfare program by the U.S. military. The tension is produced through the use of strongly negative diction such as “death potpourri”, “deceit”, “omnipotent”, “nefariously” and “execrable”, finally coming to the climax “Generations untold WILL pay”. This shows that there is no resolution to the conflict. The function of the setting is to reinforce the theme that the “wars aren’t over when the wars are over”.


Language/ Diction

Theme

The meaning of the poem is explicitly conveyed. The central idea raised is that “wars often last for years, and the effects reverberate for decades”. The poem’s theme is significant and universal in its application, in that the destruction caused by wars far outweighs its benefits.

Language

Figurative language is used, such as the metaphor “death potpourri”. “Potpourri” originally means a mixed collection of dried petals, thus signifying the confusion and chaos caused by all the “colourful” chemicals. The language is used to reveal the truth, thus it is quite explicit and straightforward. The strong diction used to criticise the indiscriminate acts of the U.S. military, together with the emphasis on certain words such as “potpourri!”, “spray!’ and “WILL”, is effective in conveying the meaning of the poem.

Sounds

The writer uses end rhymes such as “foresee” and “potpourri”, “price” and “twice”, “unborn” and “mourn”, “dead” and “spread”, as well as “astray”, “pay” and “spray”. The writer also uses the assonance of the long ‘o’ vowel sound, such as “potpourri”, “unborn, “mourn” and “orange”, which sounds like the crying, howling and mourning of the victims of the war.

Style and Tone

The writer’s tone is accusatory, thus making the mood of the poem heavy and serious. However, the title of the poem “Rainbow Death” carries a little irony, as instead of a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, there is death and suffering. This adds some bitter humour to the depressing topic of war.


Personal Response

What qualities does the poem evoke in you as a reader?

After reading the poem, I feel that though wars might be “glorious”, the after-effects of war are almost always detrimental. The rationale for fighting the Vietnam War is to “choose a great evil in order to ward off a greater evil”. However, is spraying innocent civilians with contaminants just?

What is your historical and cultural distance from the poem?

The distance between our world and the world of the poem may not be so distant. We are living in an age of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, where the decision of a political leader on the other side of the planet may take us all to the verge of universal destruction. This brings to question: Are wars even necessary?

Term 2 HBL Task 1

Rainbow Death
Hubert Wilson

America did not foresee
Green, pink, purple and other colors death potpourri!
Expecting others to pay a high price.
Now thinking twice?
Toll on the innocent and unborn.

Omnipotent and disregarding who will mourn.
Reflective about all the illness, birth defects and prematurely dead.
All the deceit continues to spread.
Nefariously America led astray -
Generations untold WILL pay -
Execrable effects of agent orange spray!


During the Vietnam War, between 1962 and 1971, the United States military sprayed 20,000,000 gallons of chemical herbicides and defoliants in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, as part of Operation Ranch Hand. Agent Orange is the code name for one of the chemicals used. The program's aim was to defoliate forested and rural land, depriving guerrillas of cover; as well as to force peasants to move into the city as they would not be able to support themselves in the countryside, thus weakening the rural support base of the Viet Cong.

According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 4.8 million Vietnamese were exposed to Agent Orange, resulting in 400,000 people being killed or maimed, and 500,000 children born with birth defects. Children affected have multiple health problems, including cleft palate, mental disabilities, hernias, and extra fingers and toes. High levels of dioxin were found in the breast milk of South Vietnamese women, and in the blood of U.S. soldiers who had served in the Vietnam War.

The poet, Hubert Wilson, is a Vietnam War veteran who served in the USAF Security Service. In 1970, he was assigned to Shemya Island as an intelligence analyst, where Agent Orange was used extensively. After 20 to 30 years since the initial exposure to the toxin, his central nervous system radically deteriorated with Parkinsonian-type tremors, severe headaches and progressive limb pains. Due to his mobility issues and that his brain is still functioning well, he decided to turn to writing.


References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_Orange
http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/2010warpoetry.html

Term 2 Lesson 4: War - Living Hell

Dear Diary,

I suspect I do not have much time. I can hear the crumbling of my neighbouring apartment as a mortar shell from a German tank hit it squarely. I can hear the angry roar of the raging fire, the shattering of glass windows, the collapsing of wooden rafters, all so close yet seem so remote. The scalding heat radiating from the glowing red-hot walls, make it all the more impossible to write…

It all started three years ago in 1940, when the Nazis concentrated us into the Warsaw Ghetto. Thus marked the beginning of the nightmare we can never wake up. The tall walls surrounding the ghetto completely cut off our contacts with the outside world. People were afraid to leave their homes, but German bullets reached them through the windows. The Jews, spat upon and slaughtered without even the slightest cause, lived in constant apprehension. One was never treated as a human being. I once saw with my own eyes a pregnant woman tripping while crossing the street. A German shot her there and then.

Hunger raged in the ghetto. One can often see six-year-old boys risking a bullet from a policeman to crawl through barbed wire, in order to obtain food "on the other side". Every morning, funeral carts collected more than a dozen corpses on the streets. Spotted fever also became rampant. All hospitals were overwhelmed. Thousands were dying and they were viewed impatiently -- let them die quicker for the next one! The grave-diggers simply could not dig fast enough…

The membrane in my throat feels so dry… No, I must concentrate…

When the first report that approximately 100,000 Jews had died in the Chelmno gas chambers reached us, people tried to convince themselves that it was not true. A normal human being is simply unable to conceive that a difference in eye or hair colour is a sufficient cause for murder. Then the mass deportations to the Treblinka extermination camp, under the guise of “resettlement to the East", began. People were forced out of their houses before being squeezed into waiting railway cars and sent to their deaths. The crowd was so thick that it has to be mashed in with rifle butts. No words of human language are strong enough to describe this mass murder.

We had to fight back.

This morning, platoons of Germans and armoured vehicles entered the ghetto and assembled at the streets. There was a moment of silence. The Germans smirked haughtily. Suddenly, hand grenades began exploding over their heads while machine gun shots rang through the air. Rifle shots sealed their escape routes. From every window bullets sought hated German hearts. Two tanks were destroyed by our incendiary bottles. German dead littered the streets. When the soldiers approached the apartments, mines exploded under their feet. Warsaw Ghetto could not be taken.

Then, the Germans began throwing flamethrowers at the houses block by block. Broken glass, together with the pavement, melted into a black sticky liquid. The stench of charred bodies was on every street. We were beaten by the flames, not the Germans!

Oh, the light just went out. The electricity supply must be cut. Let me light a candle… I can hear vigorous banging on my door. My time is running out. If you (if there are any “you” later on reading this) miraculously recover this diary, please, remember the atrocity of the Nazis and keep the memory of our comrades alive, forever. The lock is shot at. I grabbed my trusty pistol. A rifle butt smashed against the door. At this time, I would have preferred being offered cyanide, but I shall fight. We shall hit them just as badly as they hit us. Goodbye, my hypothetical friend…

David
Member of ZOB Resistance Group
Death before Dishonour

Term 2 Lesson 3: War - A Journey In History

World War II is a global military conflict from 1939 to 1945, involving two opposing powers, the Allies and the Axis. It is the most widespread war in history, with over 100 million military personnel involved.

Many view World War II as a continuation of World War I. They believe that the Versailles Treaty, drafted at the end of World War I, failed to establish the parameters which may have prevented the Second. The treaty was neither lenient enough to appease Germany, nor harsh enough to prevent it from becoming the dominant global power again. Hitler also advanced the idea that Germany would have triumphed if not for the German Revolution at home, thus convincing people that a Second World War would be winnable. The 1939 German invasion of Poland led to the outbreak of the war.

Another cause is that Japan lacks extensive natural resources. Japan had been completely shut out from the European colonies, thus to avoid economic strangulation, Japan was determined to dominate the Asian market. Therefore, Japan invaded China in 1937, the largest source of raw materials, and kick-started World War II. The Great Depression in the 1930s also played a part. The depression affected Germany greatly, second only to the United States. Severe unemployment led people to support the Nazis, which had been losing favor, thus contributing directly to the rise of Hitler.

The war ended with the victory of the Allies over Germany and Japan in 1945. Germany surrendered after the capture of Berlin and Hitler’s suicide, while Japan surrendered after the United States dropped atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The United Nations (UN) was set up to foster international cooperation and prevent future conflicts. The Soviet Union and the United States emerged as rival superpowers, leading to the Cold War which lasted for the next 46 years. At the same time, the influence of the European powers began to decline with the decolonisation of Asia and Africa.

World War II is the deadliest war in history, resulting in 50 million to more than 70 million deaths. Many of the deaths were caused by war crimes, including The Holocaust, in which the Nazis killed approximately six million Jews and five million others who were deemed “unworthy of life”. The most well-known Japanese war crime was the Nanking Massacre, in which several hundred thousand Chinese civilians were raped and murdered.

The mass-bombing of civilian areas in the German cities of Dresden, Hamburg, and Cologne by the Allies resulted in more than 600,000 deaths. The nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki resulted in immediate deaths of approximately 200,000 people, mostly civilians. During the following months, large numbers died from the effect of radiation sickness.

No other venue like wars allows people to kill each other in such huge numbers. Wars often take years to develop, last for years, and the effects reverberate for decades.

Can World War II be justified morally? We can agree that World War II is the closest thing to a just war in modern times. However, the means to achieve it were horrifying. The nuclear bombings were justified as taking fewer Japanese and American lives than would have been lost in an invasion. However, is a war fought between soldiers and innocent civilians just? In an age of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, would whatever good that is aimed for, such as freedom, be rendered meaningless through near universal destruction and thus unredeemable evil? Are wars even necessary?

Term 2 Week 5 Assignment

School rules define the expected standards of conduct, but teenagers in general do not like restrictions, and being told what to do is viewed as oppressive. However, school rules are important in maintaining discipline in school and providing a safe and conducive environment for learning. If we give students more freedom when deciding school rules, students will modify the rules to further their self-interest. Thus, I think that in deciding school rules, “student rights” is subordinate to the greater good of the student population.

Students may claim that school rules do not acknowledge their right to freedom of expression. An example will be the compulsory school uniform. By forcing them into conformity and uniformity, students may feel that their personal and social space is restricted. However, uniforms foster a sense of unity, commitment and pride. They also provide a better learning environment by reducing the threat of violence and the sense of inferiority or superiority. From a utilitarian point of view, uniforms are beneficial to students.

Corporal punishment is still remains commonplace in Singapore. Some students regard it as tantamount to physical abuse, and call for the abolishment of school caning or less rigorous enforcement. However, school caning is needed to maintain strict discipline and a last resort after all avenues to correct the students such as detention and suspension have been exhausted. It is an effective way to deal with serious offences such as fighting, smoking and truancy, and protects students from going down the wrong path by teaching them what is safe and what is not.

The rise of the citizen journalist has led to a platform for students to vent their frustration over their “inappropriate” school rules. Due to the prevalence of social media, anything uploaded onto the Internet would be seen by virtually anyone in the world, thus seriously damaging the school’s hard-earned reputation. This issue brings to question if giving students more autonomy when deciding school rules will help solve the problem. However, the posting of irresponsible remarks on avenues like STOMP is already a serious offence. Students need to know that the decision of the School Authority is final, and that any comments should be kept to themselves. If the school softens its stance, it would lead to a vicious cycle of increasingly outrageous demands and concessions.

In conclusion, the consequentialist approach should be taken when deciding school rules, whether it is regarding freedom of expression, corporal punishment or irresponsible comments on STOMP. Freedom may progress to disorderliness, and in the end, everyone shares responsibility for the way things go. Better conservative than radical!

War - A Personal Response

“I am hit! I am hit!” A heart-wrenching wail reverberated among the ruins of the tin roofs from the numerous collapsed houses, where three U.S. Marines were using as a barricade against the incoming Viet Cong forces. I shot one last bullet at the enemy before crouching down to attend to my wounded comrade. Ben was shot in the head and arm, and was barely breathing. Another round of AK-47 bullets riddled our tin barricade. The spine-chilling screams of innocent civilians in the city of Hue, coupled with the deafening boom of houses crumbling to the ground, seemed so far away...

My other comrade, Tom, who had lost his left leg in a mine accident last year, hobbled over and bandaged Ben’s wounds as quickly as his shaky, sweaty hands could. Bright crimson blood contrasted jarringly with the dull grey tin roof his head was lying on. Even though we kept urging him to hold on, we knew in our hearts drearily that there was zero probability Ben could live to see another day. With a trembling, barely audible voice, Ben whispered, “Tell my mother I love her,” before dropping dead on the cold hard soil.

Wiping away a solitary tear, Tom solemnly removed the magazine around Ben’s body, and pried his rifle gingerly from his firm grip. After wiping away his blood and emptying the magazine from his rifle, I ceremoniously planted Ben’s rifle in the ground and left his helmet dangling at the tip of its barrel. After a moment of silence, Tom and I loaded our rifles and continued our firing at the enemy forces, perhaps with a little more vigor than before.

Images of devastated cities, mourning families, bodies damaged beyond recognition, helpless children, bloodied comrades, all flashed through my mind like a horror movie in slow motion, you anticipated the results but the results always surprised you. Hue might be the beginning of the end. Did we have to destroy this town to save it? Is war really an innate part of human nature? A shell flew over our heads...

Term 2 Week 4 Assignment

Due to the world’s energy crunch, the growing problem of global warming and increasing environmental awareness, nuclear energy is by far the most efficient and cleanest energy source. As the supply of oil, natural gas and coal dwindles, and the subsequent environmental problems caused become increasingly serious, nuclear energy can contribute greatly to the sustainable development of the energy supply of the 21st century, and the socio-economic development of the world.

Due to geographical position, land size and population density, Singapore had turned down nuclear energy as a viable energy option in the past. However, over 50 years of scientific and technological advancement, some of the problems nuclear plants faced in the past have been solved, and modern nuclear reactors can be built cheaper, smaller and safer. Nuclear energy can also improve energy security, reduce carbon emissions and lessen the impact fluctuations of oil and natural gas prices bring.

The building of nuclear plants can create many new job opportunities like nuclear scientists and engineers. Also, nuclear technology can also be used in areas such as cancer treatment, thus research and development in nuclear technology can greatly benefit our economic and medicinal advancements.

Another plus-side for nuclear energy is that nuclear reactors need a lot less fuel to produce as much electricity as a conventional power plant. Also, nuclear fuel can now be recycled and used repeatedly for a long period of time, thus reducing our reliance on imported fuel and ensuring long-term energy security.

We can say that most people know very little about nuclear energy. When we hear the word “nuclear”, we panic. The Japan nuclear crisis illustrated our ignorance clearly. Upon hearing that consuming iodine could prevent radiation effects, many people rushed to purchase salt. Maybe we would need quite some time before we could overcome this mental barrier.

Man only started using nuclear energy less than 60 years ago, and the few nuclear incidents have a negative effect on our hope of using nuclear energy safely. However, looking back at our development of technology, we should have the confidence that nuclear safety technology would be enhanced. Although we dare not say that it is 100% safe, the fact that nuclear energy is becoming safer and safer is an undeniable fact.

Term 2 Online Lesson 1: Crisis in Japan

Blk 123, Sushi Street, #01-345,
Sendai, Miyagi, 100-5678
13 March 2011

Dear Ben,

It’s been a while since I wrote, but I desperately want to find someone to share about my harrowing experience when the devastating earthquake and tsunami struck on 11 March.

It was the last day of my school exchange trip to Japan. I was resting in the hotel in Sendai when the 8.9-magnitude earthquake struck. I almost lost my balance as the ground rocked. For 2 terrifying minutes, I cowered under the table while vases, glassware and lamps came smashing down onto the floor. I heard the sound of pieces of ceiling plaster raining down and the shattering of glass windows. The lights flickered and went out. Then, it stopped. The silence was deafening. I dashed towards the door and rushed out of the hotel. A group of people were congregated anxiously outside the hotel, which fortunately survived the quake. There, I found all my teachers and schoolmates. Together, we got into our teachers’ cars and drove towards high ground as the car radio blasted frantic ‘tsunami-coming’ warnings.

Just as we reached the summit of a hill, I noticed that seawater at the coast had receded rapidly. I held my breath. Suddenly, a 10-metre wall of frothy roaring water swept inland at about 20 miles an hour! Fishing boats, trucks and even whole houses looked like small toys being thrown about by a boisterous child. Wherever the monster wave went, buildings crumbled, vehicles overturned and people screamed in despair. A few propane tanks blew up and fire raged across the water surface. Miles of wreckage were swept along towards us. I felt a pang of sadness as I witnessed a town completely devastated by the intense power of nature.

The waters had cut the road to the hilltop, leaving us stranded helplessly. We stayed there for the night until the next afternoon, where we were discovered by rescue workers. We were led to an evacuation centre and were offered food and water. Famished and freezing (at night the temperature dropped below zero), we tucked in heartily. What really impressed us was how stoic the Japanese are. When receiving their food rations, they lined up in an orderly manner. They did not panic of loot. They offered their food to us while they had their own families to feed. The order and generosity shown by the Japanese despite the disaster is remarkable. This is the Japanese spirit.

We were able to get cellular connection that evening, so I was able to contact my families and tell them that I was alright. We were able to travel to the nearest airport intact and book a flight back to Singapore this morning. I will be arriving in Singapore on this evening, so remember to be at Singapore Changi Airport at 7pm, Gate 50. It had been a daunting ordeal, yet I was fortunate to experience the warmth of the Japanese. I do not wish you were there though! Hope to hear from you soon.

Yours Sincerely,
Wei Cong

Comments on Classmates' Posts

Below are my comments for Jiong Wei, Joel, Pius and Alastair respectively:

Point of View in Stories

A Parent:
The headmaster’s speech is inspiring! I am even more confident now that I have chosen the right school for my child. I know what is best for my child. I had it all planned out… First he would go to prep school, then to Harvard University to study medicine, before becoming a successful doctor. Life would be a bed of roses for him then. I am a little worried though… The students in this school are all crème de la crème. Will he survive in this elitist school? Should I send him to military camp to prepare him for university instead? Nah, he could handle it. He always came out tops in elementary school. However, I would not see him again until the end of the semester, after a whole season! I would miss him dearly. The house would be quite empty without him. Wait, did I bring all the necessities for him? Toothbrush… Check. Towel… Check. Clothes… Check…


Headmaster:
The ceremony went quite smoothly, especially when the flags that bear the four pillars of the school, “Tradition”, “Honour”, “Discipline” and “Excellence”, were carried into the hall. I have always followed these four pillars to run the school. The school uses traditional methods focusing on rote learning, where the students are expected to obediently receive the fixed answers. Students that did not learn quickly enough would be failed, and I personally encourage the use of corporal punishment to maintain discipline. Through ‘traditional’ teaching methods and strict ‘discipline’, I believe that the school can achieve ‘excellent’ results and maintain its ‘honourable’ position as one of the top prep schools in the nation. Oh… Better shake hands with the parents before they leave…

Term 1 Week 7 Assignment

I think that the objective of the Language Arts programme is to develop independent learners who can see the relationship between language and how to apply it in life. I have gained valuable writing skills in the LA programme up to this point, such as how to write plot, character, setting and mood effectively so as to capture the reader’s attention. By analysing, discussing and evaluating how writers craft effective stories, I began to notice the connection between literature and our lives, that literature is as big as life or even bigger than life.

What I like about the programme is that we are exposed to a wide variety of texts of vastly different genres. Thus, it not only expands our horizons, but also allows us to look at issues from a wider perspective across multiple disciplines. As mentioned in the school mission, “we nurture leaders in research, industry and government”, the literary skills we have learnt now will be very useful in the future, when we, as leaders, need to communicate effectively with the people, organisations and professionals.

A change I will like to see in the programme is the method class discussions are conducted. In the first few weeks, volunteers are picked to present in class, but unfortunately, I was not in the chosen five. Then, students with low Oral Participation marks were called upon, but again, you “missed” me. I propose that we stick to the volunteering method, but those who presented for three times would have to give the opportunity to others.

A lesson I particularly enjoyed is the online lesson where we were required to do some research on the history of America and present the information in the form of a podcast and mindmap. This lesson provides us with the opportunity to experience Literature outside the classroom. I hope there could be more of such lessons.

Term 1 Week 6 Assignment

As its name suggests, Compass Point Shopping Centre is a world map, with each storey named after the five continents: The basement is Oceania, the ground floor is Asia, the second floor is Europe, the third floor is The Americas, and the top floor is Africa. It is a concrete ship, sailing in the sea of learning. It is an amphitheatre, housing a three-ring circus on Christmas Eve - Admission is ‘free’! It is a battlefield where shoppers invade, their weapon of choice – cash.

The sun shied little golden disks at the glass roof of the shopping centre, the disks skipping from panel to panel until they formed a broad collar of gold. With its contrasting bright crimson and white facade, round eye-like windows, towering spires and a huge glass dome, the shopping centre is a cathedral, where the halls are a wonder to behold, with the most amazing things to offer (and on offer), and where shoppers come to worship. Shopping is a religion. Just a ring of the imaginary bell and worshippers will flock to it to attend its service. Every day, the mall calls out to its followers with its melodious choir, “When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping!” Even if my mother put her hands over her ears, she still cannot resist the compelling voice...

Characterisation: Story Excerpt

He ran. He ran like he never did before. He could feel the coolness of the wind, taste the sweetness of his sweat, hear the exhilarating cheer of the crowd, smell the sweet scent of the field grass… Time seemed to stop. A drop of sweat dripped from his forehead in slow motion. He could see himself reflected in it. A proud Jamaican with a crew-cut hairstyle, a pair of delicate ears, thick eyebrows, penetrating eyes that were black wells of passion, a stubby nose, thin set of lips, a sharp chin, a strong carefree smile, and a toned six-foot physique he maintained with hundred laps a day round the track… Suddenly, it seemed that someone pressed the “fast-forward” button on the remote control. Everything became a blur. All he could feel was his heart pumping hard, his hands moving mechanically up and down like pistons, his feet moving like they never touched the ground… He flew. His knees almost went past his competitors’ faces. He raised both his hands and slowed down, and it was not because he was tired. “Ploosh!” His shoelaces were untied. But he did not care. He knew he had won without crossing the finishing line. When he actually did, the timer displayed the unbelievable numbers “9.69s”. He had set a new Olympics world record! All he could think of right now was, “Whew! That was exciting. Let’s do it all over again!”



Techniques used for Characterisation

I created this character, Bolt, by describing his physical aspects such as facial appearance, physique and actions, and mental aspects such as thoughts and feelings.

Firstly, I portrayed Bolt as attention-catching by describing his facial appearance, as shown in the extract, “crew-cut hairstyle, a pair of delicate ears, thick eyebrows, penetrating eyes that were black wells of passion, a stubby nose, thin set of lips, a sharp chin, a strong carefree smile”.

Secondly, I portrayed him as manly by describing his physique, as shown in the extract, “toned six-foot physique”.

Thirdly, I portrayed him as focused by describing his actions, as shown in the extract, “his hands moving mechanically up and down like pistons, his feet moving like they never touched the ground”, “Time seemed to stop” and “A drop of sweat dripped from his forehead in slow motion. He could see himself reflected in it.”

Fourthly, I portrayed him as enthusiastic by describing his thoughts, as shown in the extract, “Whew! That was exciting. Let’s do it all over again!”

Finally, I portrayed him as proud by describing his thoughts and actions, as shown in the extract, “He knew he had won without crossing the finishing line”, “He raised both his hands and slowed down, and it was not because he was tired” and “His shoelaces were untied. But he did not care.”

Term 1 Week 4 Assignment

(Left) Compass Point, a shopping mall in Sengkang Town Hub. (Right) Sengkang Community Centre










(Left) Sengkang LRT viaducts. (Right) Sengkang Sculpture Park, a green space created below the LRT viaducts


I live in Compassvale, a neighbourhood east of Sengkang New Town. Sengkang New Town is a young satellite town in Singapore, situated in the North-East region. Compassvale has been my home for about 11 years, having moved here since I was three. I am sentimentally attached to this place, not just because it was where I live, it also provides me with an emotional state of “residence”. This is where I feel safe and secure; where I can be together with my family; where I reflect most on my identity as a Singapore citizen.

It is here in the neighbourhood that I discovered our Singapore identity. I think that it is our racial and religious diversity that makes us unique as one nation, which can be seen from the various races interacting and living together harmoniously in a neighbourhood. Why, my very next-door neighbour is a Malay! We are like the various condiments on the kitchen shelf, where each condiment adds a different taste and yet contributing to the whole experience.

Actually, Sengkang means "prosperous harbour" in Chinese. This area was originally known as Kangkar or "foot of the port" as there was once a fishing port located along Sungei Serangoon. In the past, there were kampongs here where everyone knew their neighbours and doors were often unlocked, with chickens running loose and fruit trees growing by the houses. It is kind of sad now that we often find barred doors and people who do not even want to know their neighbours from two doors down the corridor. I guess this is the price to play for Singapore’s rapid economic advancement!

24 Jan Home Based Learning

By wongweicong View this Toon at ToonDoo Create your own Toon

I chose the different backgrounds as they show the history and progression in human technology. The introduction, rising actions, climax and resolution all have different backgrounds to show the movement in time and place, although you have to imagine what happens after the last frame. The comic strip underlines the theme of fulfillment, as characterisation portrays man as not being fulfilled, and the setting describes man as never going to be fulfilled. The plot shows man as never being happy or satisfied, always wanting to have more.

Technology is a double-edged sword. While technology allows economies to flourish, technology also leads to greater social-economic division. Furthermore, the comic strip shows that power, wealth and technology are intrinsically tied together. More wealth means more advanced technology, which leads to more power, which in turn results in more money!
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Comic Strip Narrative Planning Sheet

Title
Scene & Actions That Occur: Humans appeared on Earth.
Landscape & Props: Prehistoric Earth

Introduction
Scene & Actions That Occur: A caveman discovered fire. However, he was not satisfied with his discovery. He wanted more ‘advanced’ technology to live a more comfortable life.
Characters Present: Caveman
Landscape & Props: Prehistoric Earth
Caption: 1,000,000 B.C.
Dialogue: Me Want More…

Rising Action
Scene & Actions That Occur: The Industrial Revolution started. An industrialist, profiting from the wealth generated on the backs of poor labourers, felt that he was still not earning enough.
Characters Present: Industrialist
Landscape & Props: Factories, Piles of coins
Caption: A.D. 1800
Dialogue: I want more…

Climax
Scene & Actions That Occur: The Technological Revolution started. A business tycoon still feels that the billions of dollars he earned are still not enough.
Characters Present: Business tycoon
Landscape & Props: Skyscrapers, Bags of cash
Caption: A.D. 2011
Dialogue: I still want more…

Falling Action
Scene & Actions That Occur: A beggar sits forlornly beside the huge bags of cash, with not a penny on him.
Characters present: Business tycoon, Beggar
Landscape & Props: Skyscrapers, Bags of cash
Caption: A.D. 2011
Dialogue: I still want more…

Resolution
Scene & Actions That Occur: Technology will continue to lead to greater social-economic division. Laborers will still be viewed as commodities.
Landscape & Props: Future city

Term 1 Week 3 Assignment

After listening to the song “Where is the love” by Black Eyed Peas, I think its main message is that in order for world peace, we should think, respect and love, instead of spreading hatred. The song is a lamentation on the different kinds of hatred in the world. Terrorism, racial discrimination, war, selfishness, greed and intolerance, all sprout from hatred.

I think that this song is a message against the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, in particular the U.S. government’s hypocrisy. The Bush administration did not “practice what it preach”, by claiming to enforce democracy while supporting dictators. Thousands of Iraqis were killed in the name of enforcing United Nations resolutions.

I have the strongest feeling for this part of the song:

Whatever happened to the values of humanity

Whatever happened to the fairness and equality

Instead of spreading love, we're spreading anomosity

Lack of understanding, leading us away from unity

That's the reason why sometimes I'm feeling under

That's the reason why sometimes I'm feeling down

It's no wonder why sometimes I'm feeling under

I gotta keep my faith alive, until love is found

This section succinctly expressed our desire for world peace. I like the particular idea that we can use music to promote world peace. I believe that war is not part of human nature; love is, as in the Roman Catholic phrase, “God is love”. Once we established this idea, I believe world peace can be achieved. We just have to wait for that day to arrive…

Term 1 Week 2 Assignment

The novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” has a great impact on my life after reading it. My philosophy since young is that human nature is essentially good. This book explores the essence of human nature — that if people are inherently good or inherently evil. The story confronts the danger that hatred and racism pose to the ‘mockingbirds’ – innocents like Tom Robinson and Boo Radley. The most important lesson that I have learnt from the book is that humans are not simply good or evil - they have both good and bad qualities. From then on, I began to appreciate the good qualities of people around me and acknowledge their bad qualities by trying to “climb into their skin and walk around in it”.

The book also explores the different kinds of courage, particularly moral courage. Courage, as described in Atticus’s words, is “when you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what”. I learnt that true courage is not about carrying guns, but rather upholding virtue and reason. After reading the novel, I have a new-found admiration of the legal profession.

All in all, the novel’s universal lessons about respect, courage and compassion have inspired me to be a better human being.