Category: Old age of my youth – 2017

FRIDAY, 31 MARCH 2017

The main idea of the Social Justice Warrior ideology is not to offend anyone. I recently read it is now offensive to say, “Long time no see” and “No can do” because it apparently offends people still learning English. Alternatively it offends Chinese people who say something similar in Chinese and the warriors consider the English equivalent to be a racist rip-off.

Other examples that can be mentioned include the passenger of a Lyft driver who slammed the driver because he had a Hawaiian hula doll on his dashboard. The man’s ignorance of how insulting the doll was to the “continent of Hawaii” was shocking to the young woman, and she insisted on him removing the offensive decoration without delay. Then there was the student who couldn’t spit enough swear words in the face of the Yale professor whose wife believed students were old enough to decide for themselves what is appropriate and what not when it comes to Halloween outfits. Didn’t the professor and his wife realise that the students didn’t want to decide for themselves whether a Pocahontas costume is racist, the young activist inquired with a face red with rage, as about a hundred other fighters were fast encircling the professor.

Being nice to people is usually a good thing. Not offending anyone is also usually a good thing. So why stop at criticising what people say or how they dress?

Here are a few suggestions for the average Social Justice Warrior who wants to go beyond pedestrian, or for whom being just an average warrior is simply not good enough anymore:

* There are lonely people out there who find it very offensive to see couples holding hands and being affectionate with each other. They are also very sad at the thought that these people will probably be having passionate sex before the end of the day. I suggest the SJ Warrior who wants to go radical should offer to have sex at least once a week with people who can’t seem to get laid on their own steam.

* Many religious people find it extremely offensive that other people don’t adhere to their beliefs or live according to their religious prescriptions. If you want to go beyond average warrior, I suggest you convert to preferably a radical understanding of [any religion of your choice] to avoid offending any radical [adherents of this religion]. [Adherents of certain belief systems] seem to be okay with other people not following their religions, but [I am sure you can find at least one other religion where adherents] also seem to be very touchy on the subject. My suggestion is that the ambitious Social Justice Warrior sets a schedule: Adhering to radical [interpretation of Religion 1] on Mondays to Wednesdays, and adhering to radical [interpretation of Religion 2] on Thursdays to Saturdays. On Sundays the radical warrior may apply to have the day off from Social Justice Central. Or, they could always use this day to have sex with lonely people.

* Less affluent warriors also feel ashamed every time their fellow warriors walk around with a new iPhone or other digital device. The true Social Justice Warrior ought to buy a new digital device for an economically less privileged fellow warrior every time they get themselves a new one. It’s the right thing to do.

* Body-shaming is a terrible social sin and people really ought to be punished severely for it. But people who carry slightly more than the average amount of body weight often feel very sad that they don’t look like other, slimmer warriors. The warrior interested in true social justice ought to start putting their mouths where their words are. Just criticising other people for body-shaming shouldn’t suffice. The true SJW should know what it feels like to be – you know? – not perfect.

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TUESDAY, 21 MARCH 2017

I am part of a long tradition of people who packed up their belongings to seek salvation elsewhere, and in the process, in some cases, changing their names and learning to speak another language.

There was the migration from Europe to Southern Africa in the 1600s and 1700s, a slow drift eastwards from the Cape in the late 1700s and early 1800s, the Great Trek into the interior of South Africa in the 1830s, yet another migration out of Natal back to the interior, my family’s repeated up-and-move 150 years later, and finally my own personal migration to Northeast Asia in the late 1990s.

To add some colour to the thought, a few illustrations:

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TUESDAY, 7 MARCH 2017

I have agreements with people to be present at certain times in certain places to help people with their English studies. Other than that, I keep myself busy with four other activities: language study, other ways to make money, reading, and writing projects.

I can easily spend four to eight hours per day on each of these activities. Because there are only 24 hours in a day, I am forced to spend less time on things than I would prefer to, or less time than what I need to achieve certain goals.

FRIDAY, 17 MARCH 2017

I. The woman at my one school messed up, so my work permit can’t be issued in time. That means I will be on mandatory unpaid leave next week. Of course that’s terrible, but I also thought about what I can do in the extra time I will have because of it.

Then I thought: That money I would have earned next week is not free money – I would have paid for it with my time.

Naturally I need to buy a certain amount of money every month. For this purpose I have standing arrangements to spend a certain amount of my time to buy a fixed amount of money.

The thought also occurred to me that I don’t need the money I would have bought next week for something specific. I can, however, think of a few things I can do with the time I now won’t have to spend. Result: No problem.

II. Point I is an example of how you create your own perception, which then affects your reality. Instead of being upset about the money I would not be getting, I now consider the fact that it wouldn’t have been free money, and I now don’t need to spend any time to buy that money. And seeing that I need time more than I need money, I am happy.

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WEDNESDAY, 1 MARCH 2017

(1)

A professional tennis player retires at the age of 33. He did okay for himself. He could afford the mortgage on a three-bedroom house in an nice middle-class neighbourhood, and he could take care of his family.

He peaked when he was about 27 years old. He played in the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament, and the following week he reached his highest ranking ever: 52.

He had a good coach at school, and his parents spent a lot of money to develop his talent. He was a pretty good tennis player – nobody could deny that. But even at his best he was simply not good enough to break into the top 50.

(2)

A young boy has been taking art classes for three years. The classes aren’t cheap, so one evening the father asks if he could take a look at his son’s drawings. He takes his time, and pensively studies every piece of paper that is laid before him.

Then he puts the pictures down and tells his wife he is going to take a stroll in the garden. Would she like to join him, he asks.

Near the rose bushes the man expresses his shock and asks his wife what the heck is going on. Three years of art classes, and those sketches are the best their son can do?

His wife defends the child. Maybe he just doesn’t have the talent for art, she suggests.

“Okay,” her husband replies, “but couldn’t we have realised that two years ago?”

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Examples of tennis players who have played professional tennis for more than a decade, and who have won few or no titles (but who have still made a decent living):

Stephane Robert’s career as a professional tennis player started in 2001. After 16 years, the highest ranking he has reached is number 50. Until the time of writing, he has not won any titles. Total prize money: $2,109,805.

Guillermo Garcia Lopez has been playing professional tennis for 15 years. His highest rank was 23. He has won five titles so far. Total prize money: $7,162,298.

Konstantin Kravchuk has been playing pro tennis since 2004. Highest ranking: 78. Titles: None. Total prize money: $878,386.

Victor Estrella Burgos has been playing since 2002. Highest ranking: 43. Titles: 3. Total prize money: $1,772,334.

Then you get to the pinnacle of success: Roger Federer. His career as a professional player started in 1998. The highest ranking he has reached was number one. He has won 91 titles, including 18 grand slams. Total prize money won: $103,990,195.

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MONDAY, 13 FEBRUARY 2017

This morning I watched a program titled Heart of Taiko, about the traditional Japanese drum. The program follows three Malay-Japanese teenage girls who had established a taiko group in Penang. They are invited to attend a workshop at a legendary manufacturer of taiko drums in Japan. They meet three of the country’s top female players, who will teach them technique and correct conduct. At the end of the few days it is expected of the group of teenagers to perform with the Japanese professionals in front of a select audience.

The younger of the three Japanese drummers take the lead in the young students’ training. She is critical from the start. The girls don’t play together. They show a lack of commitment. She gives them packs of magazines wrapped in paper to practice on, and she wonders the next day why the packs are not in shreds. She looks at their hands. Why are they not bruised? Why are there no blisters? She takes them to a windy beach where they have to stand with their legs apart while holding heavy drumsticks above their heads as they scream something. This while a strong wind is blowing at them. They do okay, but still leave their instructor unimpressed.

The next day they go to a monastery to meditate – they sit quietly on pillows, staring at a white wall. After the session, one girl describes it as a very helpful experience. She says she learned that you have to be fully present in the moment.

They go back to the training centre. They train harder.

The following day they again play their drums for their teacher – the young, professional taiko master. This time she smiles. They still make a lot of mistakes, she says. There’s a lot they still have to learn. But, and this she says with great satisfaction – she could see more dedication in their eyes. She also sees it in their arm movements, the arms being lifted high and brought down hard on the drum skin. And their screams were loud and full of energy.

And they learn: Technical mistakes are one thing; we work on them. Everybody makes mistakes at the beginning. Mistakes can be forgiven. What is unforgivable, what is in fact a great embarrassment to all concerned, is lack of dedication.

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