Year of the Tiger

 

On 1 Jan 2022 Sakurai Reiko, NHK World Special Affairs Commentator wrote an article on what to expect in the year of the Tiger. In retrospect though he is not an astrologer he seemed to have made quite apt statements. Describing the tiger as an animal of courage and strength he remarked "policymakers and market players will be hoping it's an omen that the global economy can shake off the effects of the pandemic and roar back to life. In reality, there are other beasts to be tamed first."

Using the abbreviation of the TIGER, he listed these 'other beasts' as:

T- transition between US and China

I- Inflation

G- Global warming

E- Energy cost

R-Balancing Resilience and Recovery from the pandemic

Though he might not have correctly pin pointed the specific beasts, they certainly have turned out to be more beastly and even harder to tame.

The T that needs to be tackled between US/Europe and Russia  (which replaces China for the time being) seems to be unresolvable. Thousands have died and millions displaced.

The magnitude of the I exacerbated by the supply and price shock is felt worldwide and is especially debilitating for vulnerable countries like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Efforts to lift millions out of poverty over the decades is crushed.

G which he describes as global warming is as crucial as ever. Delhi recorded the hottest March in 122 years with temperature hitting 43 degree. More of the homeless are expected to die from the heat wave.

E Energy costs has spiraled out of control and a full blown energy war may be looming which will cause severe hardship round the world.

The R which he describes as a balancing act for policymakers between resilience and (economic) recovery certainly is one beast China and HK is treading dangerously. 

Through it all I am reminded of the concept of the "butterfly effect" which suggests that the flap of a butterfly's wings may cause a tornado. What more the acts of maniac rogue politicians. 

Would Sakurai's G include a global food crisis and unrest? Food insecurity has exacerbated from the Ukraine Russian war and will be a dire problem for millions of poverty stricken people in poor developing countries. It is a tragedy in the making in this truly interconnected world. 

 A small act of kindness is known to cast a huge rippling effect. Conversely, an act of aggression such as the Ukraine invasion will have a massive rippling effect affecting millions in the globe. 

As the saying goes "A wounded tiger is a dangerous beast". Perhaps this Tiger year is that of a wounded tiger, an omen of a wounded world.

Not by Bread or Breath Alone

 

I was reading a translated version of The Upanishads and came across a passage which reads:

"Man does not live by breath alone, but by him in whom is the power of breath"

I thought it sounds close to the Bible verse: "Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."

Without research into the real meaning of each I feel both point to the need to be aware of something beyond the worldly and physical aspects of our life.

I also feel that all religions try to direct us to transcend the conventional reality of the worldly life. Each religion has its own interpretation of the ultimate truth. 

However I also think that our limited human mind will never comprehend what lies beyond. Much like an ant which does not realise there is a world beyond its own, so too humans do not have the capacity to provide answers to what is the ultimate truth. At most there are only speculations which turn to beliefs to sustain the human spirit and the need for an existential answer.

Nevertheless one should not despair not knowing the Truth. It suffices to know that there is something beyond that connects with each breath we take.

The tough job of fact finding

 

Singapore's sanction against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine has drawn some criticism among anti-West elements in the country. This is exacerbated when US claimed that Russia has turned to China for military equipment to which China declared it is "not a party" to the war. Many pro China elements naturally have anti West sentiments and view this as western propaganda. In a survey in 2021 it was found that about 64% of Singaporeans view China favourably in general. 

Many anti West people think that the US and NATO's increasing military presence in Eastern Europe and their supply of weapons to Ukraine to fight Russia are the real accomplice of the war. Though it is not verified many also believe some media news that biological weapons are being produced in labs in Ukraine with US support. Apparently the Kremlin has embarked on a misinformation campaign using Twitter to justify Russia's invasion. These find easy targets at anti West segments of society in the world.

On the other hand pro West netizens viewing Western media coverage of the horrors of Russia killing civilians and children in Ukraine; and Western countries planning to charge Russia for war crime and genocide find it hard to believe that there are fellow netizens who can approve of such a brutal 'unprovoked invasion'.

At the end of the day it boils down to where one gets information from. There is tendency for people to search or fall for information that aligns with their pre existing views. I cannot believe it when I read that many Singaporeans rely mainly on Telegram App for information.

However with so much fake news and misinformation campaign proliferating, how does one navigate. Does one have to fact check everything one reads? For example many fact checking sites on the Ukraine crisis have sprung up recently. 

Though I am not pro West I do rely a lot on Western and local media for news in general. However having read some justification of the Russian invasion from quite prominent people, I began to wonder whether Western media can be really trusted to present an objective view.

Gosh so much effort is needed just to get a right perspective into anything. I think of 50 years ago when I was in secondary school. To do research on any serious subject I had to go to the National Library Reference section for books and journals/newspapers which could only be read on location. 

The sheer joy of a day's findings and an ice kachang as a reward thereafter. Today if I am serious about finding some true facts about anything, I have to put in a lot more effort navigating through various media, links and websites and then decipher what is fact and what is misinformation. On top of that I have to be aware of my own personal bias. Often I walk away more confused than ever thereby reinforcing my feeling that the World is becoming more and more confusing to me.

Is this an age thing?  Hmmm....I don't know

Conversation with Myself

 

Of late I notice I am becoming a tat too grumpy and grouchy. I seem easily discontented and find easy targets at my husband's 'eccentricities' which have been normal for him anyway. So now I find I have lower thresholds for tolerating his hoarding habits, his frugal ways and his over chattiness. On self reflection I think I am the one who has changed. Am I growing into a grumpy old woman?

Applying mindfulness to my inner feelings, I detect a hidden sense of sadness or maybe anger or something though I can't think of any obvious reasons to feel this way. I think about the commonly perceived image of seniors being grouchy and picky. I have a feeling deep down they too may have some inner angst. Of course chronic illnesses/ pain and loneliness contribute to unhappiness but there may be something deeper and less recognisable.

I think it could arise from the frustration of not fully understanding our human life. 

Researching into this I find a possible explanation from an article "Existential Questions of the Elderly-Alfried Längle and Christian Probst" :

"... if it (life) is seen as something pragmatical - functional, then it slowly loses its last value in old age, it becomes senseless and finally turns into an absurd torture. But this extreme situation can also open man's mind to discover a deeper layer. In old age, man might discover bit by bit that the search for one's own personal attitude to life and the reaching of a comprehensive understanding of human life which includes coming to terms with religion could be the ultimate meaning of life"

"It is all about the question one might never have found the time to ask oneself: "How well can I be with myself? Can I maintain a good conversation with myself?" 

The above offer good leads into further self introspection.

Useful reading! 

https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.541.5555&rep=rep1&type=pdf#:~:text=You%20can%20ask%20yourself%3A%20%22How,existential%20meaning%20of%20advancing%20age.