and ladies and Gentlemans ......now for the much awaited workpiece by CHEN ZHENGXIAN!!!

In today society, the television and other forms of mass media have become increasingly important in structuring the lives of people. It is this independence on the mass media for information that has led many people to believe that the mass media have desensitised our generation of people towards acts of violence and brutality in the world today.

There are many ways in which the mass media have desensitised people towards acts of violence and brutality. One of the reasons as to why the mass media are responsible for the prevalence of violence and brutality in the world today is the mere fact that people are dependent on the mass media for information, education and entertainment. Generations of youths have grown up watching educational programmes and reading books. The mass media have imparted knowledge and moral values to them. Imagine if these television and books were to sensationalise acts of violence and brutality. Would the children not grow up thinking that acts of violence and brutality are perfectly acceptable methods of expressing themselves? Unfortunately for us, this scenario is already happening in the world today. Many comic books and animated films aimed towards our children blatantly glorified heroes who resort to violence as an alternative to anything at all. Take for example the comic book hero, Batman. Many avid readers of this comic book read it not because of Batman's exemplary behaviours toward the elderly or his contributions to charity, but because of Batman's ability to knock out criminals with a single punch. Is it any wonder that televised wrestling event such as the world wrestling entertainment's have one of the highest number of viewers.

the advent of the internet has also caused the mass media to play an even larger role in the prevalence of violence and brutality. The internet allows everyone and anyone to find whatever their hearts desire in a matter of seconds. Images and text such as pornographic pictures and sensitive government documents are easily obtained through the internet. Furthermore, with government intrusion kept to a minimum, the internet has become a haven for people seeking to satisfy their curiosity or desires about things as repugant as self-mutilation. The internet has essentially allowed people free access to whatever information they seek, whether or not the information is suitable for them.

The media's acceptance of explicit song lyrics, movies and television programmes featuring blood and gore has led to an increasingly violent society. The influence of the mass media is great. For many people, if the media approve of acts of violence as method of expressing anger, then it is becomes perfectly acceptable for them to do so as well. Many songs featuring themes on sec, death and violence can be heard on radio today. Just twenty years ago, these songs would have been considered appalling and socially unaccepetable. Due to the influence of the mass media, we have become highly desensitised towards these expressions of hate and violence. It has become perfectly acceptable for a song to be about violence and hate.

man y youths today feel that it is highly desirable to be in a gang or a secret society. Movies, television programmes and books portraying gangsters as unsung heroes help to foster this desire. Most of the time, the advertisements from the media withhold certain information from their target audience in order for to attract more people and to ultimately sell products. Our belief that everything the media portrays is true and inevitably fractured our ability to judge right and wrong. People tend to be without checking for themselves to see if it is ethically and morally acceptable. Thanks to the media, our moral values have eroded greatly over the years.

Yet this prevalence of violence cannot totally be attributed to the mass media alone. Tribes of aboriginal people living in Papau New Guinea fight among themselves. Territorial fights break out often. Most of these people have never even laid eyes on a television set or a book, much less be able to read. Yet, they resort to violence to settle disputes. Other tribes of people are actually cannibals who eat the body part of fallen enemies. While we may find such behaviour shocking, they believe that such acts grant them strength. violence has become ingrained in their lives without the presence of mass media.

It has become clear that the mass media are gently responsible for the violence and brutality in the world today. The question is not to find out just how responsible the mass media are in desensitising people towards acts of violence and brutality but how we can amend these changes to our moral and social values.

i am who i am
8:38 PM

What are the threats to the family unit in our society?

formation of nuclear families: Nowadays, more families are becoming nuclear which means there are one or two generations not living together and each partner( husband and wife) has equal power.This becomes a threat because there will be a loss of traditional values that results in familes not being close to each other.Youths will be more self-centered as their parents cannot spend enough time with them and they are usually alone at home.

Lack of communication: In modern society, it is natural to see both parents working for long hours.Teenagers are just as busy with their schoolwork and co-curriculum activities.Hence, family members have lesser time to bond with each other,for example, going out to have dinner together or window-shopping etc.There will be a lack of communication which is the main problem families are facing today.Media influence is one of the cause of lack of communication as well.

Financial difficulty and commitment: As the country develops further, people will become more affluent.However, with the rising affluence, the cost of living also increases such as electricity bills, price of vegetables and housing etc.These become a burden for working adults in the family as they have to pay for other expenses too such as their children's education, insurances and many more.Unbearable financial commitments of families can lead to misunderstadings.

Geok Li (12)



i am who i am
12:13 PM

Topic: Family

The family is one of the most basic and cohesive units of our modern society. A family provides a sense of security and extends a network of help to its family members in times of need. Family life is important as it instills important values such as filial piety and respect in young children. But due to changes like globalization , advancement of technology and the influence of the media, family ties have weakened considerably.

Examples of weakening family ties:

1) In our present society, there is a shift towards nuclear families rather than extended families.

Advantages: More privacy and convenience

Disadvantages:

v Living in a nuclear family may lead to generation gap between the older and younger generation. As families live further away from each other and due to their hectic schedules, there will not be much opportunities for family gatherings. Thus the younger generation may spend less time to interact with the older generation. Thus the younger generation and older generation may not understand each other well thus leading to a generation gap.

v Besides, the younger generation may lose sight of important values. Eg. Family values.

v Younger generation may not have an in-depth understanding of their ethnic culture and traditions.

v Difficult to inculcate traditional values like filial piety and respect for the elders.

2) In the 21^st century, due to higher standards of living, it is quite common for both parents in the family to go out to work. As parents spend long hours during weekdays working, their children are usually left in the care of domestic help or in childcare centres. Parents spend less quality time with their children, interacting with them and finding whether they are coping well in school and their well-being. Thus this may lead to a gulf between parents and their children, which may lead to problems such as communication breakdown.

Steps taken to ease communication breakdown between parents and children:

v Having dinner together as a family everyday

v Family outings during the weekends

v Visiting grandparents regularly

v Parents setting some time aside everyday to talk to their children and find out what is happening in their life

When the importance of family is not emphasised, children may not feel a sense of security and belonging thus they may turned to alternative sources such as joining a gang .

Xin Yi (13)

i am who i am
11:34 PM

Question: What are the benefits and disadvantages of watching the television?

Definition of the word Benefit: Something that promotes well- being, useful aid.
Definition of the word Disadvantage: An unfavourable. inferior or prejudicial condition.

Almost every household in a developed country has a television(TV) and it has become an important part of our lives. We feel at a loss when our television breaks down or when we are in a certain condition that disallows us from watching it. This is because we are so used to watching the TV that when we suddenly do not or cannot, we feel that a part of us is missing. Whether we like it or not, we have to acknowledge the fact that the television has become a part of our culture.

The television though just a little box, or screen for some, is actually a very powerful tool. So many messages are relayed across each and every day. Slowly but surely, even the subtlest messages will be taken in by us subconsiously. So the question we ask ourselves is, are the things we watch on TV beneficial to us? Some say it is, other argue otherwise. But the truth is, watching shows on the TV can bring us entertainment and harm us at the same time.

At the end of an exhauting day at work or in school, we come home with one intention, that is, to rest and relax. Switching on the TV becomes almost routine because we know we can achieve all that by doing so. Comedies screened on TV leave us rolling over with laughter and we yearn for more each day. Drama serials keep our adrenaline rushing and makes us want to watch the next episode to find out what happens next. These shows provide a source of entertainment and we feel relaxed and less stressed out after watching them. TV then becomes beneficial because through it, we are able to relax at the end of a hard day and recuperate.

Because of the hectic schedule that many of us face, we find that we do not have the time to read the newspaper. The TV then becomes a source where we get our knowledge of current affairs. It becomes a place where people are able to learn about what has happened around the world in a more captivating way since all of it is visual and audio. This is one benefit that television has.

The TV also keeps us updated on new products in the market through advertisements. We know if the latest ipod has arrived in Singapore or whether this CD or that has been released. We do not have to go through the hassel of calling up stores to find out if they are being sold already.

Thus, to a certain extent, there are many benefits of watching the television today.

Still, there are a few who refuse to acknowledge the benefits of watching the TV and are tuned towards the negative side of it. They argue that watching the TV is brain numbing. As we all know, shows are screened on the TV at all hours, day or night. If one lacks the discipline to stop watching the buffet of shows spread out before him, he would find that he is at the same position he was at twenty-four hours ago. The shows would have enraptured him so much so that he forgets time.

Though shows screened on TV have gone through some sort censoring, it would still bring about certain messages that are not edifying to a person. For instance, murder, lying, cheating and more. Thus, the TV then becomes disadvantageous as it would be a medium bringing in negative values.

The TV is also the main medium of advertisement. Through certain advertisements, some might be tempted to buy things they know they simply cannot afford. However, having seen the beauty of the product shown on TV, they might be too tempted to say no and find themselves in a pile of debt. The TV becomes negative then because it acts as a source of temptation.

In conclusion, there are both benefits and disadvantages of watching the TV. It can be a source of entertainment but also one that brings about negative values. Thus, it becomes the responsibility of the viewer to protect himself. Since he knows that watching the TV can be addictive and that negative values can be taken in subconsciously, he should make an effort to choose shows which he thinks will be alright for him to watch and limit himself to the time spent watching TV. Since negativity is so subtle and addictiveness come about so stealthily, it is best that the viewer cuts down on the amount of time spent watching TV. There are other ways to relax and to get informed and it is better to be safe than sorry.

Charmain Loy (11)

i am who i am
9:18 PM

In my opinion, they have the right to have a family. They are just only different from us in the sense that they like people with the same gender as their own. They just find a same gender companion whom they want to live together with for the rest of their life. They are no different from us in wanting to have a happy life with their companion. So, why should we deny them from having a family?

If they are able to provide for the children as well as anyone else, they are definitely able to raise children. People may argue that the child may become homosexual because he or she will follows his/her parents. However, I do not feel that it will be that way. The child’s decision will most likely be based on how the other partner is compatible with him/her. If the homosexuals adopt children, it is good as the adopted children will have emotional support, which they will lack of if they remain in the foster home.

I can’t think of any more already. Next time folks! (lol)
from Elton

i am who i am
9:50 PM

"The golden years"What are your views on growing old?<br>


In my opinion,growing old is a part of life and we people should just grow old gracefully.What good is it to add years to life if we do not also add life to years? In fact, unless people learn to enjoy life and to grow old gracefully, the extra years may be an additional burden.

People should recognize and accept the aging process and all that goes with it as a reality, a natural part of the life cycle; it happens to us all. The goal is to change the prevailing view of aging as something to be feared and the aged as worthless. We should reverse our societal attitude of aging as an affliction, and instead of spending billions on walling off the aging, spend more to improve the quality of life among the aged.

From 18 to 30 years is roughly the period of highest physical and mental vigor. The experiences we accumulate from the day we are born help us to conserve and to use our physical and mental abilities more wisely, so that for some time after 30 years we are able to perform increasingly well in spite of slowly slipping vigor.After age 50 the increasing accumulation of experience is no longer able to offset the now more rapidly energy and therefore aging begins to assert itself noticeably and in many ways.A number of things may come about gradually such as people who have not used eyeglasses before may at some time in their forties need them for reading, and in the fifties they usually need bifocals.In the forties, people are likely to put on weight because there is a general slowdown in the oxidation rate of the aging body tissue. Also we tend to do less strenuous work with no reduction in the amount of food consumed.In the fifties,there is likely to be some loss of hearing.A hearing aid may be needed in some cases.Thus,in order to maintain our body's physical and mental wellness i think we should exercise and maintain a balance diet even when we are young.

In conclusion,golden years as shown in the topic are there for us to enjoy and treasure.Treasure each moment,and appreciate the very fact that we get the chance to grow old.Not only to grow old,but to grow old gracefully at the same time.


Done by:carol(06)

i am who i am
10:28 PM

5. Discuss the fear of growing old.

Definition of the word Fear from Websters Dictionary: 1. An emotion experienced in anticipation of some specific pain or danger (usually accompanied by a desire to flee or fight).

2. An anxious feeling; "care had aged him"; "they hushed it up out of fear of public reaction".


Many fear growing old because they anticipate the pain they might face in their old age, be it physical,emotional or mental. As one ages, his body constituition weakens resulting in aching joints, slip disks, cataracts etc. They will no doubt suffer if they do contact these ailments. Thus many people fear growing old because they fear having to go through the pain of these ailments that are associated with ageing.

The fear of being left alone also becomes more evident as people grow old. This is especially so for single parents as they have no spouses to "grow old with" and their children might neglect them due to heavy workload. Some fear that their children might find them a nuisance and send them to the old folks home so as to shirk the responsibilty of caring for them. Others who have spouses fear that the other will leave before them leaving them all alone. Thus this fear of loneliness and neglect makes people afraid of growing old.

Another fear that people have of growing old is that they lose the sense of respect they used to have in the past. As one grows old, he reaches the stage of retirement. He might feel as if he has lost his status and becomes an average elderly. As one grows old and becomes weaker both physically and mentally,his actions and thoughts also becomes slower. Everyone else in his community might start to treat him like a child. Thus, the fear of the lost of respect makes people afraid of growing old.

In conclusion, many fear growing old because of the factors that are associated with growing old. For instance, having to go though the pain of ailments, losing respect and the loneliness they would face. This dislike for how others will view them ones they grow old makes many afraid of it.

Done by, Charmain (11)

i am who i am
11:43 AM

People usually divorce because it is the only way out for them and the final solution to the souring relationship they have with each other. It usually happens when one has opposing views about a particular matter and they get upset over it. It may also happen because one person is abusing the other. The couple would have tried all means to reconcile their arguments. They will also try to back off and give leeway to the other party or look at the situation from the other party’s point of view or another perspective.

However, some people divorce because that is what they have wanted or planned from the very beginning. They just marry either for mutual convenience of accomplishing something like obtaining an apartment (Singapore HDB) or just to obtain the other party’s properties. (Luckily, it is rare)

It is bad because children get affected. The child will lose either his/her mother or father if they divorce. The child will become miserable because he/she has lost his/her mother or father, whom he/she has bonded with. The child will lose the stable family life, the emotional support that he/she would have. He/she may even end up thinking that it is all because of his/her presence and that it is his/her fault. Then, the child would end up becoming bad, as his/her mind will be out of kilter and he/she will become more susceptible to bad influences of his friends or acquaintances.

I want to go sleep already. I cannot think of any more points. So I will post this first and attempt to edit even further. Give some comments!!!

Done by: Elton

i am who i am
11:41 PM

Topic: youth culture
"The life of young people today is worse than that in the past. Do you agree?"
As the world advance into a more developing countries, education becomes more demanding. Pressure within young is building up. Young today face competition and thus have to work harder than before to proceed with the society. Other aspects we are looking at are their social life. It was believed that there is a dramatically rise in crimes committed by young over the past few years. However, I do not totally agree to the sentence.
Why the life of young is worse than the past?
-both parents have to work now, leaving youths to be independent.
-youths have to handle stress alone.
-relationship between parents are strained which led to troubled home life
-this might branch out to various effects on young like poor attainment at school, truancy and school exclusion.
-they might lead astray by friends.
-drug or alcohol misuse.
-peer group pressure.
-involvment in gangs.
-all these contribute to the chances of young committing crimes
-crimes like extortion, stealing and gang fight
-stated that number of teenager invovling in sex keep increasing.
-have as young as 15 years old.
-lead to unintended pregnancy and childbearing.
-following an increase in abortion.
-thus showing that young today are leading life worse than that in the past.
Why are young leading a better live now
-we get more materialistic life and living in a high-technology environment have make things more convenient for us.
-young in the past have to help out with household while studying.
-young today are living in luxuries
-in the past,the young have more responsibililty to hold eg.taking care of siblings etc.


done by : vivien 16

i am who i am
5:51 PM

-Not everyone has the right to be a parent.
-The parents must be reponsible enough not only to take care of their children, but also teach and guide them to do the right things.
-Couples may become closer because of children.However, conflicts can also happen if not enough love is given to the child.
-Parents must have the commitment to spend time with the child so that they will not be left out. Those couples that are very busy all the time do not have the right to be a parent.
-parents also must have the responsibility to raise a child up with stable moral values.Those that do not have have good character themsleves should consider being a parent again.

By:RONRICH

Labels: crap above pls dont read

i am who i am
9:40 PM

-Not everyone has the right to be a parent. The parents must be reponsible enough not only to take care of their children, but also teach and guide them to do the right things.
-Couples may become closer because of children. However, conflicts can also happen if not enough love is given to the child.
-Parents must have the commitment to spend time with the child so that they will not be left out. Those couples that are very busy all the time do not have the right to be a parent.
-parents also must have the responsibility to raise a child up with stable moral values.Those that do not have have good character themsleves should consider being a parent again

i am who i am
8:27 PM

Topic : Birth Dearth
Q15)"The decline in birth rates is due solely to the increasing number of woman at the workplace." Do you agree with this?

Nowadays, women are having less children than in the past. I disagree that having more women in the workplace is the only factor affecting the birth rate, because there are other more important factors such as the high cost it takes to raise a child, the responsibility of a couple of bringing up children and the implementaton of birth control policies.

In today's society, due to the improved quality of life, the cost of raising a child has gone up. Everything related to raising a baby, from the price of milk powder to diapers has increased compared to the past where the prices were relatively cheaper due to the lower quality of the products. The baby products of today are of higher standards than the past due to technological advances and research that caused them to be produced more efficiently and are of higher quality. For example, the milk powder of today is made up of a special formula that is specially formulated to increase your child's intellect while in the past the milk powder was made from pure milk without being enriched with minerals and vitamins. This increases the price of
production and thus producers would increase the price of the milk powder. This would in turn result in more couples hesitating to have a baby due to the high cost involved. Therefore, I believe that the high cost needed to raise a child is a more important factor that to a decline in the birth rate.

Some couples do not have children as they do not think that they can fulfil the responsibility of a parent to bring up a child with an upright character and stable moral values. Bringing up the children well is a hard task, especially in this hectic world where both parents are working almost for the entire week. Thus the time they spend with their children is cut short, due to this they are deprived of proper parenting. The child may not turn out well and would easily stray away with bad company when he finds that they are the only ones he can share his feelings with and have a sense of belonging within the group. The child may then commit crimes and be sent to a Home depending on the severity of his actions. It is of this fear that some couples do not think of having children. Therefore, I believe that the responsibility of a couple of bringing up children is a more important factor that lead to the decline in birth rate.

If the population increases significantly that a country would not be able to cope in terms of the area of land needed to occupy a family in or if there is negligible land left as the land is over populated, the government would impose a birth control policy to control the situation. As part of the policy, they would educate the general public on the benefits of having a few children and the disadvantages of having too many children. This will result in a change in mindset on having many children and the effects of the policy would be most obvious if it was in effect for a few generations. If the policy was successful, it would result in a decrease in birth rates in the long run as it would take a long time for the mindset to be reverted back to before where it was alright to have more children. Therefore, I believe that the implementation of a birth control policy is a more important factor that lead to a decline in the birth rate.

However, the decline in birth rate is solely due to the increasing number of women at the workplace as more women are getting more career orientated and have a goal of getting into executive positions in their various businesses and the mindset of these women that insist on working long hours.

As more women are getting more career orientated and have a goal of getting into executive positions in their various businesses, they would choose not to have a child even if they were married as in their opinion, they place more emphasis on having a successful career than on having a child. This is because they have a strong passion for their careers and they feel that if they apply for baby leave in their prime age, they would lose out on a lot. These career orientated women also believe that having a late marriage is acceptable as it is when their careers are well developed and they would not place that much emphasis on their careers. But when they are ready to start a family, it would be already too late as when they have achieved their dream of being in an executive position, they would not be as fertile as before and as a result it would be harder to conceive. If more women insist on working long hours for their goals, they would be too tired to think about having children and thus the birth rate would decrease. Therefore, the decline in birth rate is solely due to the increasing number of women in the workplace to a small extent.

In conclusion, I believe that there are other more important factors that lead to the decrease in the birth rate such as the high costs involved, the responsibility of bringing up a child and the effect of birth control policies than the increasing number of women in the workplace that is a less important factor.

Done By: Zhi Wei (18)

i am who i am
11:26 PM

Birth Dearth

Developed countries have been experiencing ageing population, like Europe, Japan and Singapore. Experts say that India will have the largest population in the world rather than China in the years to come, as China population has been decreasing due to the 1 child policy.

Reasons for reduce in the number of births

-Mainly caused by the policy implemented by the government

>Singapore
Ø the 2 child policy launched in Singapore in the 1960s - use of contraceptives was encouraged and abortion was legalized.
Ø No paid maternity leave for third children onwards
Ø No income tax relief

>Japan
Ø Data quoted from an organization state that the actual number of abortions in Japan at two to three times the "official" number of about 410,000 a year in 1996.

-Overpopulation

Ø resulting from baby boom
Ø There will be overwhelming population searching for limited jobs.
Ø If the birth control policies are implement, parents’ resources can be limited to only a few children, so each child can get more attention as well as increased chances of getting higher education.

-Growing urbanization

Øwomen now have education and jobs

-Later and fewer marriages, more divorces

Disadvantages

Ø The countries experiencing ageing population will be less attractive to the investors as the country will not be able to produce enough talents to sustain its development. Also, with fewer young workers who are cheaper to employ and more nimble with their hands and are more up to date in their skills and training. This means that the productivity rate will decrease and this may affect the business of the company.
Ø Fewer men eligible for NS, a great threat to the safety of Singapore.
Ø Great strain on country’s resources, have to channel large sum of money to build infrastructure for the elderly.

Solutions to the Birth Dearth

Ø Encourage citizens to have more children
> Baby bonuses
> Income tax relief
> Delivery charges can be paid through other channel
>An eligible female employee is entitled to absent herself from work for four weeks immediately before and eight weeks immediately after delivery. Where there is a mutual agreement with the employer, the extended four weeks (9th to 12th week) of maternity leave can be taken flexibly over a six-month period after the child's birth. [Singapore]

Ø Support from Family
> Relatives or parents help to take care of the children while the parents go to work
Ø More child care centres are being set up

posted by jin min

i am who i am
9:22 PM

birth dearth

definition ( taken from wikipedia ) : refers to falling fertility rate, often cited as a response to overpopulation.

reasons to falling fertility rate:
1) working women increase
- equality of status between men and women, thus women are more career-minded. Long working hours causes fatigue to women and thus, preventing them from having night activities.
2) late marriage
- late marriages are a common trend nowadays due to career-driven mindset. Late marriages mean lesser children women can conceive, thus resulting in a falling birth rate.

effects on society:
1) lesser labour in industries in the near future. economy may decline as a result.
2) ageing population. In singapore's context, if birth rate continue to fall, ageing population will worsened. Taxes will increase to support the non-working elderly. Retirement age will also increase.
3) Government has to pump in more money on health related industries such as the hospitals and pharmacies to cater to the elderly's needs.

measures taken by the government:
1) incentives such as the baby bonus to encourage women to give birth to more babies. Aims to increase birth rate.
2) government policies such as medishield and medisave. helps the elderly with financial difficulties to subsidize for the medicine and service given by the hospitals if they ever need it.
3) schools are teaching ageing population as part of the syllabus in social studies to create awareness among young people about the drastic effects that could result from the declining birth rate.

[valen]

i am who i am
4:26 PM

TOPIC: Family & Marriage

Question 20: Are fathers important?

Definations:
-Important: marked by or indicative of significant worth or consequence; valuable in content or relationship.
(Defination taken from Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary)

Roles of fathers:
-Usually the person who makes important decisions in traditional families.
-Usually the person who ensure descipline in the children in traditional families.
-Usually the person who supports the family economically in traditional families.
-Usually the person that is able to help the chidren academically in traditional families.
-May also give emmotional support to the children in modern families.
-May also help children to solve personal issues in modern families.

Points that show redundancy of fathers:
-Mothers can take over many of the roles of fathers in traditional families now.
-Some fathers still has the traditional perceptions on the roles of fathers.

My view:
In today's modern society, some people question the need for fathers. This is due to the fact that more women are getting euducated today and also the increse in their social status. This cause women to take on the traditional roles of fathers which they were unable to in older days. However, I do not believe that these reasons eradicate the position of father.

My points above show that there are a lot of important roles for the father that would affect the children greatly. These includes areas such as economic, academic, descipline, decision making, emmotional and helping children solve personal problems. These are all important roles that would determine the outcome of the children.

The problem is, with modernisation, women can can take up the roles of fathers traditionally. So if mothers can do the job, why the need for father? My points above answer this question by showing with the change in roles of mother, so does the roles of father change. If mothers can take on the roles of father, why cannot it be otherwise? Thus, fathers nowadays also cater to children emmotionally. This is also possible because families have lesser children nowadays in average so more attention can be spent on one children.

I strongly believe that children brought up without fathers or only one parent tend to be affected adversly. Reason being that they would get lesser attention from parents and they would feel different from other children. So if there are fathers and mothers, why not share the burden?

Done by: Zhuo Ran

i am who i am
12:01 AM

Topic: The Only Child in the family is a lucky child. Do you agree?

Child: A boy or girl from the time of birth until he or she is an adult, or a son or daughter of any age
Family: A group of people who are related to each other, such as a mother, a father, and their children:
Lucky: Having good things happen to you by chance; fortunate

Adapted from Cambridge Online Dictionary.

In today’s modern society, it has become a common trend couples having only a child. They end it by calling it a family. -Some proves it that the only a child is a lucky child while some argue that it is not. I would argue that the only child is not a lucky child. Being lucky is having a good thing happening to you by chance. Is it a good that you are the only child?

Couples in this modern era, have chosen to keep their family small. This was partly due to the education level they had received. Being more educated, they tend to choose what they preferred. By the different influences, family is no longer ranked in first priority. Career has become their first priority. This has greatly reduced the time they spent at home, underestimating the family ties they had. This mentality would then be passed down the generation. This is shown by the number of child birth per family. There has been an increasing trend is single child family. What would be the effects of the being raised with no siblings?

Only Child
*Full attention given by parents ( No diverging of attention)
*Parents would dote on child dearly
*Treated with privilege and loyalty
*Siblings rivalry would not occur
*No favourism
*Independent
*Minimize the cracks in the family (Quarrels)
*Able to spend their heart and soul on the only child ( Financially & Physically)
*Reduce pressure on parents
*Able to satisfy child’s ones (Needs & wants)
*Lonely
*No one else to rely on / Sought help on
*Become selfish & self – centered
*Do not know how to treasure family ties.
*Misconception – Privilege has become a must to him
*Will not grow out of the small child in him – because of constantly family ‘guidance’


Many Children
*Family bonding
*Learn how to share things
*Learn the importance of family
*Life Skills to be learn among them
*Competitive environment – learn to adapt
*More siblings makes family more lively and happening
*Understand that things are not always perfect.
*Forgive and forget
*Competition – Survival

In conclusion, being the only child may be lucky as he would able to get what he wants. But he would lose out on many character development, relationships, life skills learning chances. When this child grows up, he would still live in his own world. IN this global society, people need to interact. When he loses these abilities, isn’t it making him a sad soul?

Cheryl Goh (05)

Labels: only child

i am who i am
10:45 PM

TOPIC: Family & Marriage

Question 33: "Marriage is not a word - it is a sentence." Examine people's perception of marriage in a rapidly changing world.

Definitions:
- Marriage : the social institution under which a man and woman establish their decision to live as husband and wife by legal commitments, religious ceremonies, etc.

- Sentence :

1.

Grammar. a grammatical unit of one or more words, bearing minimal syntactic relation to the words that precede or follow it, often preceded and followed in speech by pauses, having one of a small number of characteristic intonation patterns, and typically expressing an independent statement, question, request, command, etc., as Summer is here. or Who is it? or Stop!

2.	Law. a. an authoritative decision; a judicial judgment or decree, esp. the judicial determination of the punishment to be inflicted on a convicted criminal. b. the punishment itself.

As you can see from the above, i have listed two common meanings of the word 'sentence'. It could mean either definition 1 or 2. So, i am suggesting that the question would have two meanings.

a. That marriage isn't merely a word, but has a lot more to it than just the word and that there is much more to a marriage than meets the eye. thus the analogy of a 'sentence' and not a word.

b. That marriage isn't as simple as that, but is somewhat a sentence of maybe suffering perhaps?

Essay Proper

In today's modern and ever changing society, many people have developed different perceptions of what marriage is. Some think it to be the simple act of declaring ones love for another and being with that person for the rest of their lives, whereas some find a deeper meaning other than just being together.

Marriage is not at all simple thanks to the rapidly changing world. In order to have a successful marriage, one has to invest a heavy amount of time and effort. It's not all over after the 'i dos' and the first kiss at the wedding. There are commitments that one has to take up when in a marriage. These include caring for ones spouse and perhaps offspring should they decide to have them. The responsibilities of a parent or just a spouse are almost endless. A successful marriage also requires a lot of emotional consideration for ones spouse. All these factors that contribute to a successful, sustainable marriage might scare you off, but do remember that it is necessary. Marriage is not as simple as a mere word.

Marriage as a sentence? Who would think of it in that way?
Most people dream of a 'happily ever after' after they say the words 'i do' in front of all the witnesses, ride of in the getaway car with their soul mate and live peacefully in their beautiful home with their little angel. But this isn't necessarily the case for a large number of married couples today. Due to the fast pace and competitiveness of modern life, most couples end up devoting most of their lives to their career and work. They sometimes neglect their children who might be negatively influenced due to this neglect. Frequent arguments and disagreements may arise when faced with stresses at home and work and might tear the family apart. Does this sound like somewhat a 'suffering sentence' to you?

Done by: Christopher Lim

Labels: essay essay essay

i am who i am
8:48 PM

definition of 'instrumental'
–adjective
1.serving or acting as an instrument or means; useful; helpful.
2.performed on or written for a musical instrument or instruments: instrumental music.
3.of or pertaining to an instrument or tool.
4.Grammar.
a.(in certain inflected languages, as Old English and Russian) noting or pertaining to a case having as its distinctive function the indication of means or agency, as Old English beseah blīthe andweitan “looked with a happy countenance.”
b.noting the affix or other element characteristic of this case, or a word containing such an element.
c.similar to such a case form in function or meaning, as the Latin instrumental ablative, gladiō, “by means of a sword.”
d.(in case grammar) pertaining to the semantic role of a noun phrase that indicates the inanimate, nonvolitional, immediate cause of the action expressed by a verb, as the rock in The rock broke the window or in I broke the window with the rock.
–noun
5.Grammar.
a.the instrumental case.
b.a word in the instrumental case.
c.a construction of similar meaning.
6.a musical composition played by an instrument or a group of instruments.

definition of 'juvenile delinquency'
–noun
behavior of a child or youth that is so marked by violation of law, persistent mischievousness, antisocial behavior, disobedience, or intractability as to thwart correction by parents and to constitute a matter for action by the juvenile courts.

I agree that 'The family is instrumental in shaping one's attitude and behaviour.'. In the past years, the rate of juvenile deliquency have been increasing. Shoplifting and simple theft account for most of the juvenile offences. Mr Wong Kan Seng, Minister for Home Affairs and Deputy Chairman had once said that one of the reason for juvenile deliquency is the lack of parental supervision and discipline. Broken families, absent fathers and family squabbles lead to tension between the teenager and his family and a lack of belonging and identity; this leads to teenagers turning away from their families, and identifying more with street corner gangs and bad company.

The environment of the family also affects the children. The child often turn bad due to the family environment they grew up in. In a family with parents as a bad example, the children will normally turn to corner gangs when they are outside. The family is an important place where children learn. When the children are young, they learn things fast. If the parents do not teach the children the correct attitude and behaviour, the children will just learn anything they see. In chinese, there is a proverb saying that the future of the child is set when they are 3 years old. This means that what the child learn when he/she is 3 years old would determine the future of the child.

Done by: Peishan

i am who i am
7:41 PM

definition on "golden":
special; wonderful; e.g. golden memories
(Oxford Advanced Dictionary)

Growing old has different effect on different people. Some may look at it as a pain, a misery, while others may choose to grow old graciously. Life's experiences take one to various levels. Growing old will allow one to enjoy the simple things that one once took for granted. One will now notice the cheerful laughters of a child, that will add colour into one's life, the beauty that surrounds one. One will stop to hear the birds sing, spend time with one's family and all other things that in the past, we never did had the time to do so.

There is a special talent in each one of us and a past that is worth listening to. Ageing is not such a bad thing. Age can give us perspective on so many things. The things that were so important to us when we were younger do not seem to have the same effect on us as they once did or vice versa. Age also brings additions to the memory book that is in our mind. We may look in the mirror and wonder where the years went, but our feelings are still as strong as they ever were. We will thus, spend more time reflecting, living today to the fullest and planning for tomorrow. Although I know many would love to have the physically younger part of them back, (haha) I feel that they would not trade it for the self-knowlege and contentment that they have achieved over the years.


PS: As I was researching on this topic (Old Age), I found a really old single titled "Golden Years" by David Bowie, and I found some parts of its lyrics quite interesting.

"Don't let me hear you say life's taking you no where"
"Look at that sky, life's begun"
"In walked luck and you looked in time"
"Never look back, walk tall, act fine"

I totally agree with all of the sentences above. Each and every sentence holds a lot of meaning. I truly believe that growing old does not mean that it is the end of the world. Life still goes on! (or) should I say that another chapter of our life has just begun! One should not keep thinking about the past but instead move forward towards a new path of life. Looking back is never a good thing, hence, I feel that everyone should learn to face whatever is in front. Even if its tough to do so, one should try to overcome it and pretend that it's all good! (even if it isn't).


Done by: Kimberly Goh

i am who i am
11:16 PM

When we talk about births and deaths, the issue related would be life expectancy. According to a source, life expectancy is defined as the probable number of years remaining in the life of an individual or class of persons, affected by such factors as heredity(genetics), physical conditions, nutrition, and occupation. In the context of Singapore, we are not as concerned today as compared to the 1980s about life expectancy. An average Singaporean can live up to 82 years old. Due to advancements in medical sciences, life expectancy at birth is not a pressing issue.On the contrary, infant mortality rates are decreased and people are living up to ripe old ages .Yet birth rates remain at a low point.

In my opinion,one of the attributing problem would be the pursuit of career interests over family needs. A larger proportion of women are opting for a successful career than to get married and have children. Then the pressing problem we face would be lower birth rates, meaning a lower replacement rate and inevitably leading to a smaller workforce in time to come. Singapore's fertility rate is 1.06 children born per woman (in 2006), which is one of the lowest in the world. Prior to the "baby boom"period after World War 2, there was a surge in the population levels. To support these people born during the post war period who will form the ageing population in years to come, the workforce has to expand instead of becoming smaller. The strain is on the working population who may have to pay more taxes to help provide the services and facilities required by the senior citizens.

Currently, the goverment is encouraging couples to have children through various schemes, such as income tax reliefs given to the first to the fourth child, paid maternity leaves and housing subsidies. The situation has turned for the better and we are seeing a gradual rise in birth rates. Still, it pales in comparison to what Singapore experienced before and it would take time for the perceptions of people to change once again and be convinced to have more children.

By wei zhang

i am who i am
9:36 PM

i am who i am
7:31 PM

Definition of the word beautiful: (From Websters dictionary)

Adjective

1. Delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration; "a beautiful child"; "beautiful country"; "a beautiful painting"; "a beautiful theory"; "a beautiful party".
2. Aesthetically pleasing.
3. (of weather) highly enjoyable; "what a beautiful day".

I believe that the longer one lives, the more beautiful his life becomes. The simple reason for this is that the longer one lives, the more experience he would have had gained in life. He would have met more people, gone through more circumstances, been through more ordeals and come out a stronger, wiser man enjoying all that life has to give not repeating his past mistakes.

As one goes through life, he would inevitably have to go through many obstacles. Be it in his school life, workplace or relationships, he would have found difficulties in these various aspects. One would ask then how does that make his life more beautiful? The answer is that having been through these problems, he would have learnt how to solve them, coming out as a wiser man. This makes his life more beautiful because for the rest of it he would not make the same mistakes again and even if he faced similar problems, he would know how to tackle them, thus saving himself from the previous hurts. This would make his life later on much more pleasant and enjoyable, in other words more beautiful.

Living longer also means that one grows older. As a person grows older, he might feel that time is running out. Thus, he would want to make sure that he enjoys his remaining years. He would slow down and take things as they come, not getting upset easily by everyday circumstances. This would then allow him to see how beautiful even the simplest things are. Perhaps in his past, he used to be so busy that he did not even have the time to watch the sunset. As he grows older, maybe he would have retired and found time to watch the sunset, enjoying how beautiful it is. Even though the sunset is such a simple everyday affair, he would realise how beautiful it is and be happy.

Some might oppose and say that living longer does not make life more beautiful, and in fact hurts more people. They might feel that having lived longer, one would be jaded by the world having been through so much. But i beg to differ. Living a long life is a priviledge that one must learn to embrace. No doubt living longer also means encountering more problems but it is through these problems that we learn and grow. Life becomes so much more meaningful and beautiful.

Thus I stand by that fact that as one lives longer, the more beautiful life becomes.

Done by: Charmain Loy

i am who i am
4:13 PM

The Family

Function/Role -Provide emotional support > Give love, advice and guidance
-Provide financial support > Fulfil economic needs
-Provide Education > Moral values > Character building
-Monitor and promote health/welfare
-Socialise the child role in the Society > enable child to lean social skills

Marriage
Types of marriage -Arranged/Match-making
-Loved based
-Shotgun marriage
-Re-marriage
>Spouse dead
>Divorce
-Homosexual marriage > same gender> not legal in Singapore
-Polygamy > many partners

Types of Family

-Nuclear Family (Father, Mother, Children)
-Extended Family (Relatives)
-Single parent Family Divorce
>Death
>By choice
>Failed relationship

Challenges to a Family
-Balance work and family commitments
-Sibling rivalry
-Family problems
>Gambling
>Child abuse
>Sexual Crimes
>Maid Problems
>Neighbours
>Unfaithfulness
-Parent-Child Conflict
-Elderly > needs care and support > burden to some
-Economic/Financial crisis

Done By: Kohkiat

i am who i am
12:30 PM

The definition of the "elder" is a leader or senior figure in a community. Since it emphasizes on the word ‘leader’, it means that we should show great respect to them. Elderly generally knows more knowledge than compared to us. They went through more things in life. Thus, we should respect them. The lives in which we today lived in partly depended on them for their past contributions. If not for them, we might now be living in the streets or even those run down houses.

It really hit me hard whenever such topic appears in the news. It simply meant one thing. The elderly are suffering while we youngsters are living in such good environment conditions. The issue on the aging population had always been a problem that Singaporeans are facing in this modern society. Factors such as: The "baby boom" generation, improved medical technology and health awareness, starting families at later age also plays an important part in the aging population.

Government policies are largely to be blamed. The implementation after the “baby boom” is a success. The government’s “2 child only” shrank the whole Singapore population. However, the happiness is considered short-lived. The "baby boom" generation, resulting from a huge surge in the birthrate following World War II and before 1961. This generation is now middle-aged. The question now is that how are we going to afford the elderly when the number of elderly is increasing significantly.

Improved medical technology and health awareness are allowing us to live longer lives. In 1995, men lived on average three years and women two years longer than ten years previously.7 Life expectancy after age 65 is now 15.8 and 19.6 years respectively, the sixth highest in the world behind Japan, Hong Kong, France, Switzerland and Canada.

Opportunities for women have increased, such as employment and travel. Many are therefore starting families at later ages than ever before, with some choosing to forego motherhood all together. Another reason for starting families later is because of the increasing length of time required to obtain a basic education. Furthermore, people nowadays are more career-minded. Money is more important than any other things. A family cannot be started when you do no have enough money. Especially in Singapore, it is even more impossible.

I refer to the Straits Times, 3 April 2007, “Divide over how much help to give elderly poor.”

It is reported that public assistances are only given to those who are too old, too ill or unfit to work. Assistances are not granted to those who fail to reach the required criteria. This simply means that when help is available, not everyone in need gets it. Even if those who gets it, they still cannot scrap through the month. People still eat plain rice drizzled with Soya sauce. So what is the difference of having the assistance when people still suffer? I feel strongly that the public assistance quantums deserve a further review.

Therefore I come to a conclusion that this current aging population is a more to burden than benefit.

Done by:
Annabel lim (10)

i am who i am
6:38 PM

Topic: Birth Dearth

Definition of Birth Dearth:

The lack of the number of newborns a year(below the replacement rate of 2.1 children per woman) to replace the current population.

Some of the countries that are experiencing Birth Death:

1) Europe with a fertility rate of 1.4 according to the 2002 U.N. population report.

2) France and Ireland with a fertility rate at 1.8 children per woman.

3) Italy and Spain, with a fertility rate at 1.2 children per woman.

4) Germany with a fertility rate of 1.4 children per woman.

5) Singapore with a fertility rate of 1.26 births per woman.

Causes Of Birth Dearth:

1) As urbanization occurs, more people will be leaving in the city thus cost of having a child will be higher. People will feel that having children would be a burden instead of an asset thus resulting in more people having lesser children or no children. “As the United Nations reported, people everywhere are leaving the countryside and moving to cities, which will be home to more than half the world's people by 2007. Once there, having a child becomes a cost rather than an asset.”

2) Increasing female literacy and enrollment in school. Women with a higher education and literacy level will tend to be more career-minded than women in the past who have a lower education thus women in present days may prefer to have a successful career instead of getting married and having children.

3) Population control measures that are implemented in the past to reduce population growth. For example, In Singapore, the government implemented policies and measures in the 1950s and 1960s to reduce the rapid population growth. These policies includes encouraging the use of contraceptives, legalizing abortions and introducing disincentives such as no paid maternity leave for the third and subsequent children, increasing delivery charges for each additional child etc.

Countries that are experiencing birth dearth have a slow population growth which results in the country facing an ageing population.

Impact of An Ageing Population:

1) Impact on the economy:

• Fewer younger workers as the workforce becomes increasing older thus fewer people at work to drive the economy and generate growth

• An ageing workforce is not attractive to investors. This may deter foreign investors from investing in the country thus there will be a decline in investment and this will cause a decline in the economy.

• As the population shrinks, there may not be enough talented people to sustain the country’s development.

2) Impact on the society:

• More resources have to be diverted to take care of the increasing number of senior citizens in the country.

• In Singapore, an ageing population would means fewer young men to serve in the armed forces and to defend the country.

Solutions:

1) Government may provide incentives for people to have more children and lower the cost of having children. For eg. In Singapore, the government gives baby bonus and extend the

2) Government may implement family-friendly policies that help women combine work and motherhood. For example, France and the Netherlands have implemented policies ranging from tax credits for kids to subsidized day care. Scandinavian countries have kept birthrates up with generous provisions for parental leave, health care and part-time employment. In Singapore, families with three or more children and given priority to buy bigger government flats, monthly subsides for the first four children attending approved childcare centres, giving baby bonus.

Done By : Ng Xin Yi

i am who i am
6:00 PM

Suggest reasons for the sharp rise in juvenile delinquency in recent years
Family influences: -When parents do not spend enough time with their children,these children may feel lonely and left out.Parental conflict, child abuse and a family history of problem like drug use also plays a part in the sharp rise in juvenile delinquency because these children cannot experience family love.This results in them turning to peers who engage in anti-social behaviour as they find that these gangsters are 'cool' and can 'protect' them.Another reason is that for parents who have criminal pasts, their children may follow in their footsteps since they look up to their parents as role models.

Peer group influences: -Nowadays, youngsters especially gangsters, tend to be strongly influenced to commit crimes such as assaults, stealing etc.This is because they have to prove to the gang leader that they have the guts and courage to commit crimes in order for them to remain in the gang.However,these people usually do not get a choice to back out as they may be beaten up if they do not do what the gang leaders say.Furthermore, they do not want to be labelled as 'losers' so they are more of 'forced' to commit crimes.

Neighbourhood and community factors: -Children in neighbourhoods that are both poor and beset by social problems,including gangs,are often not adequately socialised,especially when their parents are also poor.They fail to develop personal life skills and related attitudes expected in mainstream society.They often develop values and behaviours opposite that of the society.

Media influences: There may be some violences such as murder scenes on tv and killing is the goal in many computer games.This can result in chilren learning aggressive techniques including punching,kicking etc which they may apply in real life.Hence, the juvenile arrests for assault cases had increased tremendously in recent years as well.

Done by: Geok Li (12)

i am who i am
11:13 PM

Singapore is more or less like a developed country even though it is still classified as a developing country. Nowadays, people in Singapore are very busy working and that they usually will not be at home most of the time. Professional parenting will allow parents to have children without the burden of raising them up. They will also be able to put in all their effort into furthering their careers without needing to divide their attention on their children. Parents will also need to move around to other countries, as their jobs will definitely require them to do so. It will be cumbersome for them to do so with their children in tow and relocate repeatedly. With professional parenting, they will be free of the problem of towing their children along with them and relocating repeatedly.

The children can still be able to get emotional support, which their busy parents will not be able to give due to their workload, from the professional parents, whom will be taking care of them. The professional parents may be family units, which consist of multi-generation. This means that the children under the professional parents’ care will have a variety of older people (models) to observe and learn from them qualities that are essential for them to pick up, so that the children will be able to adhere to the conditions that society will impose on them and survive. They will also not have to face the situation that they will have to move around and lose the friends that they make in their schools.

The fact, that modern parents are already entrusting their children to maids and child care centres, shows that the parents will not be adverse to professional parenting and may even welcome it.

However, I personally feel that professional parenting is not the way to go. It is much better for children’s genuine parents to take care of the children as the children are their own and they will give the personal care and attention. The professional parents are not compelled to do so and may not do so as those children under their charge are not theirs. The parents may want to acknowledge their children when they grow up or the children find out that the adults taking care of them are actually not even related to them. This revelation may cause the children to go haywire, as they may not be able to accept the fact that their parents throw them to professional parents just to further their career. They will develop hatred to their biological parents and they will end up hating the world at large. This is what happens when people find out that they are adopted or their biological parents sold them to their adoptive parents. Lastly, which mothers will actually abandon their children? The maternal love, that mothers have, will compel them to not do so. If they actually do so, the guilt that they will feel will haunt them for the rest of their lives.

Thus, I conclude that professional parenting is not the way to go for Singapore and that parents personally taking care of their children.

Done by: Elton

i am who i am
10:47 PM

“The youth of today have lost their sense of adventure.” Comment.

Define “ adventure”

• From statistic from TIME magazine
  - 36% decline in the number of children injured by falling out of trees who were admitted to English hospitals between 1999 to 2006.
  - 35% increase in the number of children admitted to English hospitals with “repetitive-movement injuries” commonly caused by playing video games.
  These statistics show that less children are engaged into outdoor adventure now and are more into video games.
  
• However, youth today may have a new definition for the word “adventure” and may also find their own adventures in the virtual world.
  
• There are very few entrepreneurs in Singapore. This shows that youth of today lost their sense of adventure and chose more stable jobs like those in the banking sectors.
  
• However, there are increasing chances for students to practice entrepreneurship skills in schools. For example, "Youth for causes" gives students $1600 to start up their own business to earn money.
  

2. Effects on the society

• With youth of today losing their sense of adventure, Singapore’s economy cannot diversify as Singaporeans will not invest on new industries.
  
• It will also cause increase dependence on foreigners.
  

3. Causes

• No time for adventure for youth today.
  
• No forests for outdoor adventure.

Kelly

i am who i am
10:43 PM

EVERYONE PLS RESPOND ON THE MOTION
"THIS HOUSE BELIEVES DIVORCE IS A SOCIAL ILL"
THANK YOU!!!

[valen]

i am who i am
9:23 PM

The life of young people today is worse than that in the past. Do you agree?

Yes, I agree that the life of young people today is worse than that in the past.

In the past, to be educated was not a priority, it was only the rich who could afford it. Those who didn't have interest in school, simply dropped out. There wasn't much pressure on them to stay in school and excel. Nowadays, students are not only expected to graduate with a degree, there are also assumed to excel in their CCA.

Students of today need to be able to juggle both their academics and CCAs. They are often streamed according to their academic abilities and those in the last class are often branded as "stupid". At the end of their Primary School education, they are required to sit for the Primary School Leaving Examinations, in which they'll once again be ranked according to academic abilities and posted to secondary schools.

Once more, in their secondary school life, they will be divided into classes with other students of similar standard. Throughout their 4 years in secondary school, they need to attend their CCA regularly and rake up a certain number of points to achieve bonus points for their O levels results. Students, these days are also more blunt towards each other. Some of their peers may not be able to take such criticisms and feel even more stressed.

They handle friendship problems, relationship troubles, stress from the school and their parents, etc. Even though they maybe more pampered and spoilt, they endure mental hardship, unlike the young people of the past, they cared more about enjoying themselves. We are bogged down with schoolwork and other school related activities, we hardly have time for anything else.

Although we are more satisfied through material wants, more is expected out of our life. We all want to do well in life, end up with a degree and land a high paying job. Failure in doing so will cause us to be looked down by society, hence, extra burden from the society.

Therefore, I agree that the life of young people today is worse than that in the past.



i am who i am
7:58 PM

For centuries, marriage has been regarded as a scared bond forged by the love, respect and devotion of a couple who have vowed to spend the rest of their lives together. the vows, usually made in the presence of god, reflects the importance of being true to this celebration of love until death do they part. However, in today's rapidly changing modern society, many mock this age-old tradition through the legal system of divorce. the word "marriage" has lost its meaning and has been taken advantage of in our society. Young people today consider "marriage" as old-fashioned and complicated. Taking a look at the increasing rates of divorce and co-habitation, one can indeed say that perceptions of marriage in society today has indeed changed.

"Marriage is not a word- It is a sentence" reflects the perceptions of our society that marriage is complicated that carries with it the burden of a life-long commitment. The chase for material wealth has led many people to focus on their careers instead of emotional and spiritual fulfilment in their lives. consequently, many choose to remain single as they do not see the necessity of life-long companionship and often prefer having freedom of choice to be with whoever they want, whenever they want.

This fickle-minded nature of human beings has led to the belief that monogamy is impossible to practise. This fear of responsibility in a life-long commitment has caused people to abhor the notion of spending their lives with one person. This fear of commitment is linked to a fear of ensuring sexual and emotional fidelity has caused people to feel that marriage is complicated and prone to failure due to man's fickle-mindedness. The younger generation in particular feel that they are too young to carry suck a heavy burden on their shoulders and choose to avoid marriage as much as they can.

Another perception of marriage in today's society is that all marriage should lead up to families. Many people feel that the reason for marriage is to procreate. This misconception that a matrimonial union is only complete with children has increased the sense of burden of people associate with marriage.

Mounting divorce rates have also contributed to the changing perceptions of marriage. While some feel that there is no point in getting hitched if it means ending up separated, there are also others who have taken the sacred vows of marriage lightly. The people who do not feel the need to get married are usually the ones who fear that marriage vows will not be upheld in the long run. These people see no point in getting married and prefer to cohabitation instead.

There is also a section of society who will take the marriage vows lightly due to easy divorce rules. They entered a scared union easily without thinking of responsibilities that lie ahead and pull out when their matrimonial bed of roses grows its thorns. Although no marriage is perfectly happy, divorce enables married couples to take the easy way out when the going gets tough.

Although many people feel that marriage has become troublesome, there are still some who believe in the devotion, truth and love that surround a matrimonial union. These people tend to consider all consequence responsibilities before taking the plunge into married life. The seriousness of these vows prompt them to focus on making their marriage work. The changing perceptions of people have resulted in the mockery of this sacred union and the declining importance of traditional values and beliefs.

Nevertheless, "marriage" is still a word withs its connotation of love, honor and fidelity, regardless of people's changes in mindset and perceptions.


CHEN ZHENGXIAN(17)

i am who i am
9:25 PM