i had to stop writing few weeks ago due to numerous reasons that include my hectic working schedule and experiments, second year presentation, reports and meetings with my supervisors. plus i received critics from my significant other to not just write about my hedonistic obsessions with very limited budget and short notes on traveling. he wanted me to write on people's life and times, my empathy at surroundings, my view on capitalism and also the mundane life at the nice, stupid playground.
the economic outlook in the uk is worsening, inflation stays at 5% and unemployment hits 2.6 million, more and more business are closing down, benefits are at stake and the elders are made into redundant, instead of supposed to sit and relax from 30 years of working.
welcome back to the era of 1930, where economic slump hit the hardest - leaving millions out of job and left to struggle with lives.
when i was in amsterdam three weeks ago, i saw the anti capitalist slogans 'occupy amsterdam' just like the same protests in big cities across the world. these 'occupy movements' emerged from the occupy wall street that began two months ago, have highlighted the inequality in economy, high unemployment and agonizing austerity measures that will ravage middle class and below - who are actually not the culprits who brought down the problems in the first place. it's the bankers with their subprime mortgages and unscrupulous business ethics.
i cheered for the occupy movement! we need to lock down the wall street banks and associates - then bring in binary economics. (free interest and preventing the creation of money out of nothing). or the Islamic way of economics. (as mentioned by rodney shakespeare yesterday in an interview when the police tried to move the protest in wall street).
hence, understanding the struggle with the occupy movements, i am also supporting local shops and market and trying to reduce my shopping at conventional superstores. at least, that will help to create economic activities and improving the lives of surround people. it is understandable that in this grievance and economic downturn, every little cent counts. but the authorities should play a good part to protect local stores and markets -as otherwise, we will all back to the feudalism. only the king is now not as powerful as owners of banks and corporations.
on youth unemployment, often majority of the critics will land on the lack of skills and the wrong choice of courses which are less likely to make money. there is some contradictory there, what are the false choices? you need educators, historians, it technicians as much as you need engineers, doctors and lawyers. otherwise, everyone should be given a piece of land for free to work on their food to make their lives sustainable. all in all, everyone needs opportunity and help to make a living.
a friend once told me, 'life is cruel, the world doesn't owe you a thing, you have to work for yourself.'
well yeah, and let the leeches drain your blood while you have to beg or do heavily jobs for cents an hour? screw yourself!
i also understand that there are some people who are not academically excellent. these people unequivocally have equal rights to be treated the same without injustice. they should be given guidance to pursue their lives that will later be benefited to themselves and their families. which the ultimate responsibilities for which fall to the authorities and academicians.
according to malaysian local newspaper recently which i don't remember the date & which paper, most crimes were committed by under performed students who felt useless at learning and had the thought of bleak futures ahead.
it struck me to the chest when reading this article about the boys who were prevented from taking an examination due to fear of lowering the school's overall performance.
i don't mind on their score, considering how isolated the place of this nearly 30,000 population from modern amenities and education facilities. but what are the contingency plans for these kids. certainly, the last laugh are not the kind of words i would choose.
BINTANGOR (Sarikei) They were once deemed too stupid and were prevented from taking an examination by their teachers but the trio yesterday had the last laugh when they scored a pass.
Read more: 3 boys have last laugh with UPSR pass - Top News - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/top-news/3-boys-have-last-laugh-with-upsr-pass-1.7621#ixzz1e07dvk5z
although this year upsr result is better than previous year, how far is the gap between rural and urban areas? and if we solely based on academic performance in the perimeter of excellence, we might lost real talents.
then think again, we breed 'creme de la creme' and endowed them with study-at-oversea scholarships, yet, some of them refuse to come back to serve or help to improve the lives of impoverish people.
(education is not a laughing matter, neither economics. we all need money to buy food).
