Tag: Philosophy
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Guest Essay: Buddhism, Emptiness and Nihilism
The most common misconception I’ve seen of Buddhism is that it is a philosophy of nihilism. Nothing is real, nothing exists, and the final goal is to become nothing. While a surface reading of Buddhism lends itself to this misinterpretation, the teachings point to a far more nuanced and subtle perspective of reality. To address…
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The Art of Turning Gangsters Into Friends
I’d never known my grandfather. He passed away after shortly after I was born. Nonetheless, he lives on in my father’s stories. One of them was about how he befriended a group of gangsters. In the early 1980s, the Cheah family operated two shophouses in Singapore, specialising in curtains and interior design. My grandfather ran…
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A Tale of Two Aesthetics
On Monday I visited an exhibition at Parkview Museum with my fiancee. Titled Challenging Beauty, it is features Italian contemporary art pieces taken from the private collection of the late George Wong, founder of the Museum. True to its name, the exhibition challenged beauty by presenting its exact opposite. The fancy verbiage is merely obfuscation. The…
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How to Overcome Mental Resistance with Breathing
I don’t procrastinate. I don’t allow myself to dilly-dally. When I say something, it shall be done. I’ve been told it’s an uncommon ability. But like all skills, it is a trait that can be cultivated and integrated into your being. When you’re on the verge of making a difficult decision, one of great weight…
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The Unnatural World
The modern world is unnatural. Edifices of stone and steel and glass and concrete surround us. Electricity comes with the flick of a switch, water at the turn of a tap. Food is superabundant, and the only predators we need fear are human. Everywhere safety is engineered into every facet of daily living. Life is…
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Stand Tall, Speak the Truth, Never Let Your Enemies Drag You Down
To endure is to win. To endure is to be patient. To endure is to shelter. To endure is to cultivate. That which endures, survive. The inner spirit is untouchable and unbreakable. -Ivan Throne, The Nine Laws Last week my fiancee wanted to write a post about her struggles with eczema. But she was afraid.…