Do you dare to speak up?

Mass media has been playing a big part in our daily life. Its impact and significance is something we are unable to deny. I feel that the spiral of silence theory is one that amazes me. This theory states that people have tendency to refrain from expressing unpopular ideas or views.

First, let me talk about why this theory amazes me. In general, most people are more than willing to provide their own opinions on certain issues. For instance, most of us would not hesitate if we are asked to comment on a new movie XYZ. XYZ may be a very lousy movie and not worth watching. However, if magazines reviews wrote that it’s a fantastic movie and not watching it will be your lost, what would you tell your friends? In most cases, people either follow what the magazines say (due to their credibility), or just choose to keep quiet since their opinions belong to the minority group. Why do we choose to hide our opinions even though what the reviews mention is wrong? Is that self-denial or?

So, why do we choose to keep quiet about our opinions? In my perceptive, I feel that there are various reasons. We, humans, fear isolation. “No man is an island.” Who would want to be the odd one out and stand against the crowd? I believe that no one wants to be the centre of attraction in the negative aspect. People often view another person as “weird” if his or her views are different from the majority. To avoid being the “special” one, we would shun ourselves away ourselves instead of follow the views of the majority.

Another reason is the fear of authority. Who would actually go against the government and criticise them? Who would actually dare to voice out their opinions and say that the government’s plan is wrong? To encourage certain behaviours of viewers, most of the time the media would only report the positive side of the government. In addition, which media company would actually go against the government? Our fear to commit crimes has stopped us from expressing our views that will offend others.

So how should we solve this? I feel that the media should not only report about the positive side of certain issues. Neither should they only acknowledge the views of the majority. Very often, it only through knowing the different perspectives of people, then only we realized what is wrong or we can find ways to improve certain things. By ignoring certain views become a disadvantage instead. Maybe it’s time we open up ourselves and be readily to accept any criticisms.

After all, the media should not only entertain us. Exchange of ideas and information is very important as well. Maybe we should not keep num about certain things but stand by our views and voice it out. The minority views should be acknowledged all together. What do you think?

How successful is health campaigns?

Breath of health for youth in healthy lifestyle campaign.
Website: http://www.todayonline.com/pdf_open.asp?id=1010NSL014
Date: 10 October 2008

In this generation, I guess everyone would agree that mass communication plays an important role in our life. It provides us with information, entertainment etc. And most importantly, the mass media has been trying to instil certain values and ways of life into us. For instance, the anti-drug campaign.

I came across this article in TODAY. It talks about how Health Promotion Board aims to create a healthier lifestyle for youths. We can see that HPB is trying to influence the habits of youngsters in both physical and psychological ways. Most of us would agree that the cultures of Singaporeans, especially teenagers, like to dine in fast food restaurant. It is an eating habit that is ingrained in many kids nowadays. The association is trying hard to break the monotonous way of introducing a healthy lifestyle by conducting new and interesting games, and also the use of television programmes to promote this campaign.

Now, the question is, will it be successful?

For many reasons, I think that this campaign would fail instead. Firstly, let me ask you, how many of you would actually go for this campaign even if you know about it? I guess not many would make the effort to.

I feel that mass media has a very great influence on us in many ways. Be it fashion, education or any other things. However, when it comes to health, not many would actually abide the rules. Who will want to forgo their delicious and yet unhealthy food? Your coke, McDonald’s, KFC etc. Isn’t that ironic? Although we know that it’s unhealthy, we still choose to go ahead and eat it. We will only start to regret when illness strike us. Isn’t that too late? I guess our taste buds are immune to all kind of influences, except good food.

Another reason why I feel that it will not be very successful is because not many youngsters would be aware of this event. Unlike the anti-smoking campaigns and anti-gambling campaigns, this Healthy Lifestyle campaign is not mass broadcast over the television etc. Because of this, the message did not reach many of the youngsters around.

Eating healthily seems to be quite a difficult task in Singapore. With the fast moving pace of society, with both parents working, who will have the time to whip up some dishes at home? For the sake of convenience, many would choose to “da bao” in food centres or fast food restaurants. In this case, how can we healthy?

So what can HPB do to create more awareness? Maybe they should teach youths how to cook some simple dishes for themselves? They can advertise more frequently to attract more attention. I feel that it is not easy to persuade youths like us. After all, some of us can’t live without those foods! Maybe mass media may not be that powerful at all?

In your opinion, what do you think HPB can help to raise awareness in us?

Me? Us?

....................................... Group?

........................................Individual?

As the saying goes, “No man can be an island”. Is it true? Will there be more group synergy if we are in a group which we chose to be? Or in a group we are put in?

One of the reasons why we should communicate in a group is because of group synergy. This is true to a certain extend.

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First, let me start with working with people whom you know but have never work with him or her before. Yes, you are right. You do know them. However, are they both good team mates and friends? Or do they belong to one of the categories only? One can be a good listener, but not a good team player. Although group synergy may not be that much, we can learn how to compromise and work with other people. In conclusion, working with your best friend may not help in creating group synergy.

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Next, collaborating with people you know and have worked with in the past. In school, we always have the luxury to choose who we want to work with. I guess everyone would like to work alongside with their friends, who are good team players as well. When such groups are formed, I believe that group synergy is at its maximum. Not only can the group perform well for the tasks given, they are also able to lend support and encouragement for one another since they understand each other. This is the ideal type of group, which is capable of performing the task well, and to take care of each other’s well-being.

Lastly, working with people you do not know or meet before. This kind of situation is frequently seen in workplaces where you do not have the choice to choose who you want to work with. Companies hire people according to their competency. So if you are put alongside with someone else, most likely the group members would complement each other to perform. In such cases, group synergy is prominent. However, we must not neglect that if members do not know each other beforehand, it will be difficult for them to satisfy both their individual and group needs. In such cases, conflicts might arise and hinder the progress of the group instead.

So, joining forces with people who are good friends and team players may benefit us more right?

Before I end this entry, let me share a story with you. I believe everyone has been in this kind of situation before. And from there, we will see how group communication can be a real hassle as well.

Imagine you are out with a whole group of friends, with around six of them. Well, I guess you do not have to imagine this, as it always happen. It is time for lunch, and all of you are standing in the middle of the shopping mall (or anywhere). What would happen?

In the first type of situation, if you are asked about where shall we go for lunch, everyone would say “I don’t know,” “Anywhere also can.” Everyone is trying to “satisfy” everyone by letting everyone make a decision. This is especially common in girls (no offence) and this is what guys hate most I suppose. In the end, we get nothing out from there. And finally, the brave soul stood up and makes a decision.

In the second type of situation, everyone has their own preference for dining. Suggestions came up one by one, from the clockwise direction. Seven different suggestions, including yours. Oh gosh! Which one should the group support? In the end, you will be spending time voting, or the brave soul would stand up again.

We can see that in some situations, individual decision making is much easier as compared to group decision making. Simple decisions can be made if you are alone. However, full support of group is needed if you are in a group. Moreover, you might unknowingly offend someone by disagreeing when you are in a group situation.

So, which is better? A bird or a flock of birds?

Loving you, love me.

Let’s talk a bit about love today! After the lecture on Monday on interpersonal communication, I have decided to “reflect” on it. Here is my take about love.

Being super bias, I would say that what keeps and separates a relationship is about how much you love the other party. During the relational maintenance process, conflict will bound to occur. And one of the most popular reasons people give about the dissolution of their relationship is differences between the two parties. Yes, I do agree that dissimilarity between two people can lead to conflict. However, if the love and bond are strong enough, these differences can be overcome. It is not easy, but not impossible. Isn’t love about giving and compromising, give and take? To give an inch and take a step back is a way to show love. To understand and accept is a way to show love. Everyone is unique, and we should not be expecting others to behave in the similar fashion like us. Moreover, accepting one’s character and habits are not only observed in a relationship, but also during our daily contact with other people. So, shall we start learning?

According to the equity theory, individuals in a relationship seek to maintain a balance of costs and rewards that are relatively equal to those of their partners. To a small extent, it’s true. As humans, we have the tendency to be “calculative”. In another word, “a tit for a tat”. However, if we are going to “count” the amount of effort, love etc being put in by our partners, isn’t that too tiring? A relationship should provide comfort and loving for us. By being overly concerned about the costs and rewards would make the relationship a chore instead. Shouldn’t we give as long as we could? Not minding how much the other party has put in? On the other hand, we have to acknowledge that we tend to expect something in return, no matter how much it is, after giving so much. Those who are under-benefiting will suffer; over-benefiting will rationalise. I feel that this disparity is due to the inner feelings of the “beneficiary” and “victim”. When one is not receiving as much, his or her emotions will rule over logic instead. At the flip side, the “beneficiary” would be able to think logically and analyse the situation since he or she has been the one “enjoying all the luxuries”. In such situation, when the “beneficiary” tries to rationalise with the “victim”, nothing would work out. What matters to both of them are different, they simply do not understand how each other is feeling. And this would escalate the quarrel.

You will never know if the relationship will work out just by standing outside the circle and evaluate it. We can’t accurately predict the future and thus, we have to experience it ourselves. At the same time, having lots of quarrels does not mean the relationship will fail in the end. I believe that after every quarrels, we get to know and understand more about each other. The main thing is to learn, accept and compromise. I know, it is easier said than done!

My views are: you will never know if he or she is the right one for u, till the last day of your life, and you are still spending with him or her. Love him or her the best you can. Love is never smooth sailing, overcome all the hurdles and the bond will be stronger.

Is there forever love?

Effects of comic strips

Date: 15 September 2008
Source: The Straits Times
Title: Winning 4D ticket found in donation box

The purpose of this entry is to show how powerful nonverbal communication can be. Comic strips, a form of nonverbal communication can add more emphasis to the message you want to convey.

On 15 September 2008, I came across an article in The Straits Times. On its front cover, a small article titled “Winning 4D ticket found in donation box”. Beside the title, there is a 2 piece comic strips shown here. Below are my two interpretations of the comic strips before reading the article.

Interpretation 1:

As usual, Singapore, a “fine” city, with rubbish bins everywhere. The man, with a piece of paper on his hand is looking for a place to dispose his rubbish. As shown in the first box, his expression showed us that he is frantically looking for a bin to avoid getting fined. In the next slide, he was smiling happily. He managed to find a donation box and threw the 4D ticket inside. And sadly, this is what some Singaporeans did.

Interpretation 2:

After reading that article, I finally understood what it means. A man, with a winning 4D ticket, decided to “donate” this amount of money to help the needy. Instead of donating cash, he placed the winning ticket into the donation box as a form of donation. The comic strip managed to add more emphasis on the editor’s message. In addition to that, the strip managed to add a little humour to the article, making fun of Singapore as the “fine” city. At the same time, the man was glad to make that donation and was whistling.

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As we can see, both the interpretations are totally different, with two different objectives. One is to show the bad habits of Singaporeans, and the other to show the kind hearted side of Singaporeans. With the same frantic-looking eyes, and the “smile” in his eyes, we can have different interpretations. This clearly shows that nonverbal communication is subjective and has multiple channels. With the right verbal communication, nonverbal communication can work hand in hand to transmit the right message and make a greater impact. In this case, nonverbal messages both repeat and complement the verbal message.

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With Singapore being famous as a “fine” city, I feel that chronemics play an important role as well. From being a small city to a “fine” city, a series of change and events had occurred both individually and socially. What had happened in the past shaped our perception and hence we draw different conclusion from nonverbal communication. The oculesics, which is the study of nonverbal meaning associated with the eyes, play a role as well. Most of us would think that the frantic looking eyes seem to imply that he is busy searching for a bin so as to avoid getting fined. However, that was not the case.

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Hence, nonverbal communication can perform different functions as well. In this situation, to repeat and complement. Just like language, it is a powerful mode of communication as well. It can easily lead to misunderstandings, or better understandings among people.

Table tennis commotion

Title: ‘I didn’t say they would be sacked’
Website: http://www.todayonline.com/articles/272745.asp

Straight after getting the 1st medal after 48 years for the Olympics game, there was a great commotion about Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA). I guess everyone knows about this and I feel that this issue could have been resolved behind the doors among those involved. Personally, I feel that this issue was due to miscommunication between the people in charge and the public. Most people would give credits for winning a medal for Singapore to the coach and the players. Hence, it was the wrong timing for the chairman to announce the news.

In this situation, I feel that readers play an important role. People failed to interpret and evaluate correctly about the situation and immediately jumped into conclusion that STTA president was ready to sack some people after helping Singapore to achieve its goal. This is partly due to cognitive schemata where each of us has our personal constructs, prototypes, scripts and punctuation. We tend to associate the reasons behind certain situations based on the general perception. It depends greatly on how we interpret the cause and effects in a communication interaction. In this case, people have the perception that once someone has no more values, he or she will be kicked aside. Hence, we should learn to improve our interpretation and evaluation skills before assigning any conclusion to any situation.

From this incident, I have learnt that it is important for speakers to design their messages well so as the make listening easier. There should not be any ambiguity in their messages so as to avoid any miscommunication. Although it is important to capture the attention of people, it is equally important that the speaker is able to guide the audiences to interpret correctly. It is important for spokesman to recognise how complex perception is and how easy it is to get things wrong. For instance, in the above incident, I feel that the president had failed to understand that at the wrong timing, it would be easy for the public to get the wrong idea and ends up with the wrong intended message.

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As for readers and listeners, we should learn how to judge information correctly. Being critical listeners, we should never jump to the conclusion. We have to demand for good evidence in order to evaluate the message and understand the exact meaning within it. Clarification is very important. Just as most people say, “When in doubt, ask.” As learned in communication, we should have mindful processing. By doing so, we are always thinking actively and creating new understanding. We have to be careful not to rely too much on person prototypes, personal constructs and scripts to judge individuals and situations. By using these cognitive schemata, we are more likely to conclude abruptly. For the STTA incident, miscommunication would not have resulted if the president had stated the reasons explicitly and if the public are open-minded enough to accept the true information.

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In conclusion, I feel that communication is a two way process. Both the speaker and the listener have to be actively involved in order the send and receive the right message. We have the acknowledge that in most communication processes, cognitive schemata plays a part. Both parties must possess essential skills to eliminate the risk of miscommunication.

Movie review: Money No Enough II

Title: Money No Enough II
Category: Movie
Link: http://www.moneynoenough2.com/synopsis.asp

A famous local production by Jack Neo, the second “serial” after Money No Enough l. Needless to say much, and I guess most people would be familiar with this movie. This is one of the most touching movies with lots of unforgettable scenes. However, if you do not know what the story is about, please do visit the above website for more details.

Jack Neo, a home-grown famous artist and producer, aims to produce movies close to the heart of Singaporeans. His movies are not only showcased in Singapore, but also in various other countries such as Malaysia as well.

This movie is popular not just because it is a local production. The main reasons behind its success is the content of the story, which acts as logos as they are logical and true in Singapore, and the character of the people featured in the movie. The characters were able to stir emotions among individuals, which is pathos. The show has used ideas that are unique and local to gain the attention of Singaporeans. The recent hike in prices is one of the most prominent issues used. In the movie, you can see people “throwing off” the ERP gantry as recently, the government has implemented more ERP gantries. This scene makes use of pathos and logos to show the feelings of most drivers in Singapore.

On the other hand, Jack Neo has used emotions, music, and venue to bring out the idea of rich is not define by having a lot of money, and parents are willing to sacrifice for their children. There were scenarios whereby the head of the family was in a heavy debt and his family members stood by their throughout the whole period of time. The confused emotion, the insecure feelings were all featured very well. Many people have the perception bias of by being wealthy is through the measuring of the amount of money one has. I feel that the idols of the tribe and the idols of the cave play an important part in tis biasness. However, in this move, by showing how people stand by each other through difficult times, Jack Neo managed to convey the message that having a supportive family is the richest thing one can ever have. This message is seen through the actions of the characters, and not through direct conversation. The grandma who was lying on the hospital bed was willing to sacrifice herself for her children and grandchild’s sake. This need not be explicitly stated, but from the actions of the grandmother, it can be seen clearly that she loves her family a lot. She was willing to sacrifice her life for the grandchild. To enhance the effects, sad music were added to show audiences the kind of emotional tortures the characters were under.

Hence, from the movie, we can see that communication need not be verbal. Through ethos, pathos and logos, one can convey any message well. I feel that pathos can be strongly detected here A successful communication will not only bring the message across to the other party, but also has a long lasting impact on people.