Explore how media coverage of celebrities influences young Singaporeans, from fleeting fandom to shaping realistic ambitions and career aspirations
Category Archives: Culture
The most important aim of a scientist is to satisfy human curiosity about the world. Evaluate this view.
There is a difference between satisfying curiosity and delivering understanding. While an entertainer could fulfil the former, it is the job of the scientist to fulfil the latter.
Assess the view that only well-known works of art can be considered great.
It is easy to conflate fame and popularity in the form of eyeballs, awards and a massive price tag with an artwork’s greatness. But metrics alone do not make an artwork great. Art simply needs to exist — from nothing to something — therein lies the greatness of a piece of art.
‘In a free society, there should be no restrictions on freedom of speech.’ Discuss.
Freedom of speech depends on our audience size. The larger the audience, the more we need to regulate. If not, they’ll regulate us. It’s a free society.
‘An appreciation of music is vital for a fully rounded education.’ How true is this of your society?
Music is an important aspect of life, but determining how much music to include in the school curriculum that purports to provide a fully rounded education is quite an issue.
Examine the view that the scientist is concerned only with knowledge, not morality.
Can science be trusted if popular knowledge consistently paints scientists as insane, obsessed, immoral individuals, while IRL, we know of scientists that have been outed by the media for doing questionable things?
To what extent can any society claim to be great?
Anyone calling themselves ‘great’ opens themselves to derision, dissection, and a diagnosis of delusions of grandeur. Rather, greatness is deserved and is ascribed as recognition of the magnitude the the good they have done for others. For societies, that’s a very high bar to reach.
‘We shape our buildings, but then our buildings shape us.’ To what extent is this true of your society?
Buildings are costly so we only build when it’s worth the cost to us. The decision of what buildings to erect also reflect their builders’ needs and priorities, so our buildings are, in a way, telling on us too.
‘Individuals achieve sporting success, not nations.’ Discuss.
Individuals win games, nations win at sports. Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a nation to raise an Olympic contender. That’s how it works.