Beauty and the beast: When our obsession with looks gets out of hand

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“At 50, everyone has the face he deserves,” wrote George Orwell. 

Cultural and social forces seem to play a role – including social media platforms which spread beauty ideals, and filters and apps like Facetune, which can digitally modify appearances. These edited and filtered pictures create an alternative reality, and along with it, unrealistic expectations about how people should look and what can anatomically be done by plastic surgeons.

To be sure, beauty is a form of power – the power to attract a partner, the power to kick-start a career, and the power to propel one up the social ladder. 

South Korea holds the record for the highest ratio of cosmetic procedures per capita in the world (parents gift their children cosmetic surgery when they graduate from high school).

The Korean wave of pop culture (called hallyu) has promulgated a beauty ideal that is embraced by both sexes within and beyond Korea, and many are resorting to cosmetic surgery to achieve that elfin, anime-like look of their K-pop idols.

The other side of this pretty privilege is lookism, which is a form of bigotry with its prejudice and discrimination against the unattractive.

The reality is that most people are not beautiful, and physical beauty that is endowed by nature is something that we can’t control. Discriminating against people for something they cannot control (like race and gender) is patently wrong.

Qn: To what extent are people judged more by their physical appearance than by their abilities? (Cam. 2017)

Deepfake video of DPM Lawrence Wong promoting investment scam circulating on social media

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In the video, his mouth is noticeably altered to synchronise with a fake voice-over promoting an investment scam. The voice-over mimics the pitch and intonation of his real voice. The Straits Times’ logo is used at the top right-hand corner of the video.

deepfake technology has become easier to use over the years. “All a scammer needs is a few photos of the target’s face, which can be taken from social media, to create a deepfake. That is scary,” ....“A video clip of the target’s voice, which can be as short as 10 to 15 seconds, can be used to create an audio deepfake.”

Qns: 

1. Should limits be placed on the development of artificial intelligence? (ACJC Prelim 2023)

2. To what extent is authenticity valuable today? (ASRJC Prelim 2023)

Shipment delays, higher rates expected in 2024 as water levels in Panama Canal fall to 73-year low

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Good example of how climate change is affecting shipping routes and global supply chains.....think also how the melting of polar ice caps in the arctic is also doing this.....

For qns on the impact of global warming and climate change....

Deepfake videos raise concern in India ahead of general election

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Qn: Should limits be placed on the development of artificial intelligence? (ACJC Prelim 2023)

Will lab-grown meat ever make it to supermarket shelves?

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For qns on sci&tech and cutting carbon emissions

Swiss village set to vote to keep cowbells ringing

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Cowbells were once seen as indispensable for keeping track of herds grazing on Alpine pastures, and while their usefulness has waned with the emergence of Global Positioning System trackers, they remain a powerful symbol of idyllic Swiss rural life.

But with many urbanites seeking peace and tranquillity in the countryside, within a commuter distance from cities and towns, the charm of cowbells sometimes wears thin.

“It’s about our tradition..Do we want to preserve what our ancestors created, or do we just put that into a museum? The bells are in the DNA of Swiss people, and here in Aarwangen we want to preserve that.”

Qn: How important is it for people in your society to retain a sense of tradition? (Cam. 2010)

COP28 clashes over fossil fuel phase-out after Opec pushback

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differentiate btw 'phase out' vs 'phase down' on fossil fuels; the language here is an important point of contention... 

By insisting on focusing on emissions rather than fossil fuels, the two countries appeared to be leaning on the promise of expensive carbon capture technology, which the UN climate science panel says cannot take the place of reducing fossil fuel use worldwide.

the coalition “is pushing for a phase out of fossil fuels, which are at the root of this crisis.... “1.5 is not negotiable, and that means an end to fossil fuels.”

Qns: 

1. ‘Fossil fuels should no longer have a part in the production of energy.’ Discuss. (Cam. 2023)

2. Assess the view that attempts to control climate change can never be truly effective. (Cam. 2017)

$1.4 trillion lost to scams globally; S’pore victims lost the most on average: Study

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useful Singapore feature: 

The study found that scam victims in Singapore lost the most money on average, at US$4,031 per victim.

“The scammers who target Singapore are mostly based overseas, and our efforts to enforce (the law) and recover (funds) depend critically on international cooperation. This is not an option but a necessity,” 

industry players, including technology firms and banks, to recalibrate the balance between security and convenience....“The equilibrium point between security and convenience is a norm that we can only move together, and every stakeholder has a part to play.

Qn: 'We have become slaves to convenience.' Is this true of your society today? (CJC Prelim 2021)

Facing climate calamity, Vanuatu takes on big polluters at COP28

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“We don’t have the financial capacity to build resilience and to respond to these constant disasters, which makes us continually disaster-prone

Building resilience, such as strengthening roads, homes and key buildings including schools and hospitals, would mean “we don’t have to continually just be building back every few months after every disaster hits us”

In 2015, maximum category 5 Cyclone Pam caused widespread damage. “It cost us 64 per cent of our GDP (gross domestic product).”

Vanuatu historically has been responsible for 0.00016 per cent of global emissions. And yet we are a country most at risk and experiencing right now loss and damage at a much higher rate than we expected

One easy source for Vanuatu would be the tens of billions of dollars neighbouring Australia spends subsidising its fossil fuel industry. Australia is the world’s third-largest fossil fuel exporter...“Just take the subsidies that you currently give your fossil fuel industry and move them to help us build our resilience in the Pacific.”

Qns: 

1. ‘Fossil fuels should no longer have a part in the production of energy.’ Discuss. (Cam. 2023)

2. Assess the view that attempts to control climate change can never be truly effective. (Cam. 2017)

3. How far do you agree that developed countries should bear greater responsibilities for the climate crisis?

Trending in Shaolin: China’s gongfu monks draw fans online but also raise eyebrows

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While warrior monks with an online following have broadened the reach of Shaolin, some question if it is fitting for them to embrace the Internet, and whether Shaolin is more secular than spiritual.

Shaolin has sometimes come under criticism for being too commercialised....can also get a video of themselves performing martial arts moves taught by a Shaolin disciple, complete with professional lights, along the temple’s periphery for a donation of 199 yuan.

“(Gongfu) training will toughen up my son, train his fitness and teach him to bear hardship. The positive attitude that I hope he can pick up through the training will set him up for life

But some netizens have asked if it is appropriate for the monks to show so much of their bare bodies on social media. Many of the posts feature the monks showing off their muscular torsos as they performed martial arts moves. 

Qn: How important is it for people in your society to retain a sense of tradition? (Cam. 2010)

Friends with uncertain benefits: Lonely Americans seek solace in chatbots

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The impact of the “epidemic of loneliness and isolation” is similar to the harm from smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day and even greater than that associated with obesity and physical inactivity

In Singapore, a 2015 study by Duke-NUS Medical School’s Centre for Ageing Research and Education found that two in five Singaporeans aged 62 years and older are lonely.

While the idea of companion chatbots might seem fun and harmless, some experts see it worsening the problem of loneliness, contributing to the country’s declining fertility and eventually hurting the economy.

The ability to customise a companion is the nub of the problem,...“The whole thing about an AI girlfriend is that she learns what you like and what you don’t like, and gives you exactly what you want. She never has a bad day, she’s never grumpy or tired. “So to have this sort of generation of young men grow up with that, I imagine it’s going to be very difficult for them to transition back into a normal relationship, where there are ups and downs and where there are emotional needs for the other person, and they’re not always there for you.”

In the next five years, there will be AI robots that are able to meet both emotional and physical needs, further fuelling consumer demand....it’s giving people who are lonely an outlet. But I think it’s a crutch, it’s an enabler on a dangerous road.”

For qns on loneliness and AI/technology

Qn: ‘The quality of human interaction is diminished by modern communication devices.’ How far do you agree? (Cam. 2023)

Many US schools require students to take financial literacy classes

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Concern is also growing about financial disparities among racial and ethnic groups. While about one-third of American adults reported having “too much” debt, the percentage is higher – 39 per cent – for Black adults....Requiring all students to take a financial literacy course can help reduce such inequality

Qn: ‘Schools should teach practical skills such as cooking and managing finances.‘ Do you agree? Why or why not? *Cam. 'O' level 2023)

Apps using AI to undress women in photos soaring in popularity

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Qn: Should limits be placed on the development of artificial intelligence? (ACJC Prelim 2023)

Texas high court blocks woman from emergency abortion

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Qn: ‘People should have absolute authority over their own body. Discuss. (NYJC Prelim 2021)

Online ‘likes’ for toxic social media posts prompt more and more hateful messages

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there is a different reason people post hate: to get attention and garner social approval from like-minded social media users. It’s a social activity. It’s exhilarating to be the nastiest or snarkiest and to get lots of thumbs-ups or hearts.

When posters’ toxic tweets got an unusually high number of “likes” from other users, subsequent messages were even more toxic. The more their messages were retweeted by others, the more posters doubled down with more extreme hate.

For qns on how social media spreads hate....

Qn: 'Technology divides instead of unites people.' Comment.

Is work after 65 a 9am-to-1pm gig?

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Seniors drive a growing market for goods and services – a longevity economy catering to the needs of older people. This can significantly boost Japan’s gross domestic product.

It can also mitigate the labour crunch in the world’s fastest-ageing country...Employing more older workers can help plug the labour shortage.

Singapore’s retirement and re-employment ages are being progressively raised from 63 to 65 and from 68 to 70, respectively, by 2030.

The Senior Employment Credit has been extended from 2023 to 2035 and will continue to offer wage offsets and assist employers in recruiting such workers.

For older workers, the advantages of working into their twilight years go beyond keeping themselves occupied or earning some extra money. ..people who continued working beyond the age of 65 were three times more likely to report good health and about half as likely to experience serious health problems, such as cancer and heart disease.

For qns on ageing and challenges plaguing nation or world.... 

The problem with being alone: Social isolation, loneliness biggest enemy for seniors in S’pore

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For qns on ageing; loneliness; and technology....

Virtual floats reduce waste at Thai festival

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Relate to how our Hungry Ghost Festival creates air pollution and fire hazards.....

Consider how technology can be a solution....

Qn: How important is it for people in your society to retain a sense of tradition? (Cam. 2010)

Deflect, delay and deny: How oil and gas giants are waging a PR war ahead of COP28

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Qn:  ‘Fossil fuels should no longer have a part in the production of energy.’ Discuss. (Cam. 2023)

The murky world of ESG

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For qns on lying....

Qn: 'Sustainable development is not sustainable.’ Comment. (RI 2022 J2 Timed Practice)

Shanmugam seeks court orders to identify TikTok users who posted false claims of affair

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For qns on fake news and social media....