Pocket-sized Essays

I have written these handy (but generic) articles throughout the past June-September quarter. Now they're up for public viewing. Read, criticize or be inspired!
Please note, that these may NOT be as entertaining nor insightful as what you may usually find on my Medium and LinkedIn profiles.

Difficulties Make Life More Meaningful

Imagine this: you have everything that you’ve ever wanted at your disposal. How would you feel? In the beginning, it would all seem very pleasant and satisfying, indeed. But over time, they would certainly begin to lose their value and make life seem more mundane.

This is why we need some challenges to spice up our lives. To bring out the flavors of feeling proud of what we do, being grateful for what we have and staying determined for achieving our goals.

Moreover, as part of human psychology, we tend to evaluate achievements and things we have obtained with our own hands and efforts as being far superior to something that can be found quite easily. As an example, we would hold a hand-baked cake more dear to us than a regular one purchased from the bakery - especially if we had to struggle a lot in the process.

Ofcourse, struggling is not the objective itself but only a mean of transport to arrive at the goal. Just like the way we admire the sunny sky decorated freshly by a rainbow after the storm subsides, we love life more after an episode of hardship has passed by.

Children Learn More From What They See

Young little humans are indeed newcomers to this world. As such, they have a natural tendency to explore everything around them as well as learning things, values and morals from whatever events that happen in front of their eyes.

For starters, babies and toddlers hardly know how to communicate nor to understand the language that we use to speak. Thus, they simply try to observe and mimic the actions and mouth movements performed by the grown-ups near them. Children are innocent flower buds who haven’t yet understood the concept of good and bad; they cannot naturally differentiate right from wrong.

From my own academic experience, I have read about psychological research conducted in the United States of America, particularly about the famous Bobo doll experiment. In that research, scientists had inflicted violence upon a doll in front of several kids, one by one. The results showed that children truly lack a moral compass at a young age and will learn to do anything that is shown - in this case, all of them began harming and behaving aggressively towards the doll.

In a nutshell, children will learn almost anything visually. So as responsible adults, it should be our duty to ensure that they are nurtured in a safe environment, sterilized from any external sources of stimuli, including television and internet activity.

The Skill Of Learning New Skills

Modern life is a sea of opportunities and obstacles. In order to navigate it, we require the right tools - skills and knowledge, particularly the universal skill of learning new skills fast.

For my part, atleast, learning multiple skills at once is an essential asset that I cannot live without. Previously, I have delved into the world of content creation and wrapped my conscious “desire to learn” around numerous digital skills such as graphical and user interface design, web development, programming, 3D modeling, etc. Only recently I have arrived at the nick of time to work on game development.

Indeed, my most recent endeavor would not have been possible if I lacked certain skills that have built up a foundation underneath; nor could it be so rapidly running towards a comprehensive completion if not for the skill of grasping new ideas and concepts at a fast pace. Even now, I have to dig through the trenches of the internet to find the right resources when I need them, including how to fix certain problems when I encountered them, how to program in Lua and use particular paradigms and principles to ensure that my game project is a successful one.

Thus, in my opinion, everyone should nurture their own ‘steering wheel’ skill of simultaneously learning new and unfamiliar skills at a suitable speed.

Online Shopping: A Blessing To Behold

Trade has been a core part of human civilization since the beginning of time. With time, whole economies have been developed to encapsulate the mechanism, in the form of markets. As for us consumers, shopping is the means through which we obtain the right resources and goods that we want from the marketplace.

Recently, thanks to the advent of the Internet Era, people now have the technology to order items and conduct their shopping completely online, via the global network. Not only does it extend the range of products that are available for immediate purchase, but also aids in the convenience of certain demographics of people; we can buy a whole lot more consumable goods from a vendor in another city or state than having to be limited by only the merchandise found locally. Disabled or elderly people reap benefits from having their purchased goods delivered directly to their doorstep, too!

On the other hand, some people with an opposing opinion would argue that online shopping opens up an entirely new dimension for scams. But I do not personally believe that the cons outweigh the pros - people would have been scammed even in the traditional methods of shopping. Thus, what is important is to have a trained eye for spotting potential frauds.

Therefore, you can easily understand and acknowledge the fact that online shopping is a blessing not to be taken for granted!

Job Satisfaction Is More Important

When we enter our careers, a majority of people certainly choose a profession that connects with their passion. This is very predictable, due to the basic fact that happiness and a peace of mind are more important than the wages we receive. For which, I would disagree that a greater salary has more priority over occupational satisfaction.

To begin with, if we simply ask ourselves the question of what would be our most ideal job role or what sort of workplace we would like to imagine ourselves in, the common answer would be the point described in the aforementioned paragraph - something that attunes to our own mental qualities and demands. By this case, it would not be surprising to find someone extremely wealthy but also extremely unhappy, and another person who works at an inferior position with a lower income, yet he or she seems very grateful and satisfied with what they have.

In contrast, others may argue that eventually everyone becomes fed up with their jobs in the long term; the wealthier individuals would atleast have more money in their wallets. But I believe that people working at a place they love are very unlikely to lose interest in their employment.

To sum up, “all is well when end’s well”, and the ending for a satisfied employee’s life is better than a depressed billionaire’s.

Smoking Should Be Banned

If you’ve ever smelled the tar and nicotine from a nearby cigarette smoker’s breath in a public space, you are not alone. Almost every day, thousands of people are exposed to smoke from these uncouth sources on the commute to work, travel or classes. The reason is a stubby but straightforward one - smoking being allowed in public spaces.

Indeed, passive smoking on its own can have some detrimental effects on our health as studies show that seven out of every ten people who are non-smokers may develop lung diseases, such as cancer or emphysema, if they are breathing in the harmful fumes for prolonged periods of time.

Furthermore, it seems reasonably unfair for the innocent non-smokers to be afflicted by these ill effects even though they are unlikely to ever smoke, themselves! Despite living a fully healthy lifestyle, a person may have to undergo diseases related to smoking just because someone in a market, train, bus, or on the streets, had been enjoying the thrill of smoking near them. What an unjust fate for us!

Hereby, I conclude that I agree with the decision for the government to abolish smoking in public areas, in order to neutralize the unforeseen threats.

Technology For Modern Education

With the rise and diversity of information technology in the current epoch of time, education ecosystems can certainly be augmented. Instead of limiting ourselves to the traditions of ink and paper, the same knowledge can be obtained and communicated in a fun, creative manner.

Firstly, students will feel less bored if the on-screen text content is supplemented by multimedia such as animated imagery, video demonstrations, interactive quizzes, and so forth. Scientists have described the average human attention span to last for upto 20 minutes. As such, the information technology systems can be configured and optimized for teaching a full 40-minute class in just 15 minutes or less - thanks to how effectively students can concentrate on digital content.

In addition, certain pupils who are ill or injured and currently unable to join in-person classes can definitely opt-in from remote classes and attend everything from the safety and comfort of their homes. What an absolute ‘game changer’ it is for attaining information!

Thus, in a nutshell, technology can revolutionize the entire process of how learning is implemented by teachers and perceived by students. In the right hands, this usage of digital devices can be the key to the world!

Unhealthy Modern Habits

It is worth noting that the current generation of young people are pre-obsessed with consuming a hefty amount of content directly from television screens and computer games. I must agree that such activities are certainly not beneficial for their physical and mental health.

To begin, our brains may get overstimulated to produce hormones related to adrenaline rushes, causing excessive strain on children’s neural networks. If they are exposed to such stimuli for prolonged periods of time, the virtual content may surely begin to degrade their nervous systems!

Moreover, certain features of particular programmes being broadcast over television are not suitable for youthful humans - which can become a serious issue if parents often leave their offspring unsupervised. Some video games are too violent and some television shows are overly tragic or “scary”; children may subconsciously learn such things and apply them later in life when they grow older, or even remain traumatized by what they saw on-screen.

OFcourse, on the other hand, television and video games can be utilized as efficient media for educational content. But this small fraction of a proper use case does not hinder the drawbacks.

Social Impact On Upbringing

Human beings are social creatures, for which we would need to communicate and interact with various people. When the question of which factor has the greatest influence upon the youth’s upbringing arises, it is evident that society plays a major role.

For starters, children would be surrounded by several kinds of individuals - each with their own profound mindset and personalities - across many domains, including the stages of life when they go to school, university and eventually their occupational workplace. No doubt, all the classmates, friends, enemies, rivals and co-workers that the young men and women of the next generation shall have would contribute to the way of thinking that the child would nurture as their own. If they intermingle with optimistic people, the child will mirror that same positive energy; vice versa for them spending too much time with the ‘wrong’ kinds of people.

In contrast, some people may have an objection to the opinion, that parents hold far significant of an effect on raising their children. However, not all children are the same and most often they tend to rebel against their parents as they spend more time outdoors with general members of society than at home.

All in all, we cannot fail to comprehend the aura of subconscious influences brought on by the public to the minds of our offspring.

Remote Work Revolution

With the advent of the internet and modern information and communication technologies, workplaces no longer need to be limited by a physical location. People can indefinitely enjoy the dual benefits of improving productivity while being entitled to the comfort and convenience of their residence - no matter where they are!

Thanks to the remote working ecosystem, the employees no longer have to worry about tackling traffic on their commuting routes, while employers can reap the satisfaction of having a near-zero rate of workers arriving late. Meanwhile, the general economy and municipalities can observe and utilize a lower volume of vehicles on the roads, leaving plenty of room for far more important logistic and delivery duties to be performed .

Additionally, having a ‘work from home’ policy relieves a lot of peoples’ stress by believing in the effective illusion that they are already home, so they do not feel exhausted by imagining the return journey after their shift concludes. One of my neighbors can certainly agree that he holds the same opinion in synchrony. Nevertheless, employees working at such an organization can work fewer hours and be paid more wages since their employer does not have to rent an office space.

In summary, remote working habits have upturned the scales of classic workspaces and may continue to be an ideal mutual perk for both employees as well as employers.

Improving Internal Infrastructure

Mentioning about the keys to mitigate certain issues about the economy, we can all agree on the fact that implementing superior means of transport can vastly improve the flow of traffic and thus lead to a cleaner infrastructure.

Let us contemplate on how much space and fuel would be necessary to suffice for the demands of 50 people on their daily commute to work or classes. Using an estimation based on typical privately-owned cars, they would be producing ten times more pollution to the surrounding air and remain congested within traffic jams for longer than usual by using only one bus or two for accommodating all fifty pedestrians for circulating around town.

Furthermore, relying on public services can be beneficial for the citizens by lowering their costs for fuel, insurance and repairs - but only if the government can agree on improving its public transportation economy.

Thus, without a doubt, there is indeed a direct correlation of the frequency of traffic jams and the net air pollution to subside if the correct segments of urban planning are enhanced effectively.

The Journey Is More Important Than Destination

No matter where we are in life, we will always be on a journey and a race against time. Now, it can be either be a literal trip to a physical location or a metaphorical progression towards a desired goal. Yet, being on that journey itself is more crucial than the place or state of being it leads to!

To start off, no matter where we want to go, or become, there is a high chance that we will be in the midst of the traveling phase for a much longer period of time than the amount we spend ‘being there’. As a result, we must always try to prioritize on overcoming obstacles in order to ease the ‘climbing process’ than to mentally dream about the activities we would perform when we ‘reach the top’.

Furthermore, it is more preferable for challenges and hurdles to exist along our hypothetical route since a long straight road to nowhere is more dull and boring than a curved, intertwined track full of danger and surprises. Risks and hazards are not good for us, no doubt, but without those ‘necessary evil’ agents, even a monotonous journey can seem much worse!

Thus, I must affirm on the opinion that the process is far more important than the results - who knows? Sometimes even a voyage can derail our consciousness into realizing an alternate destination that we’v never imagined!

Gaming Turns Kids Aggressive

In the modern era, especially for the youthful generations of people born after the year 2000, video games have become a staple form of entertainment. From classic arcade-style shooters to open-world story-driven simulators, the variety of computer games are nearly endless. Likewise, are the risks of being a distributor of bad influence.

To begin with, children being exposed to certain stimuli for prolonged periods of time may end up reprogramming their delicate brains into vicious thrill-seeking machines, resulting in elevated serotonin levels - renowned as the hormone for generating stress. If this continues regularly, the young gamers could grow up to be utterly anxious or aggressive about everything! Research has suggested the overusage of smartphones (mostly for gaming) is directly correlated to higher rates of developing mental illnesses and neurological orders.

Furthermore, since people always remain influenced by activities in their childhood and their upbringing, playing video games with traumatic content in them may linger even beyond adulthood when they grow up. Ofcourse, not all types of video games are harmful and it all depends on the age rating and content warnings displayed beforehand.

Therefore, if parents supervise and regulate the amount and quality of the video games, they can potentially mitigate any drawbacks caused by playing games.

Screen Time Affects Mental Health?

(Yeah, no shit, Sherlock!) Usually when people try to juggle their curiosity about whether excessive screen time, in the form of television or gaming, is detrimental for juvenile psychology or not, they are unaware about the root cause of it all. From a scientific perspective, it is advisable to disagree that they are not good for children’s mental health. Rather, due to their deteriorated mindscape, young boys and girls seek a form of distraction.

They find this distraction via the consumption of content and entertainment through those digital devices aforementioned above. Truly a chicken-and-egg concept of what actually came first - their mental disorders and issues or their addiction towards video games, social media, movies and drama series.

Often the kids merely want to escape from reality if theirs isn’t a healthy and tranquil one. Furthermore, the multimedia systems help to build up a rigorous psychic portfolio of knowledge about various topics and themes that may materialize in front of their eyes.

Therefore, I firmly believe that such activities have a neutral influence on their neural garden of thoughts and are simply gateways to rejuvenate their souls attuned to watching the things they love.

Parents - Society’s Teachers

Almost in every society and culture, great or small, the family household serves as the cellular unit making up the overall structure of civilization. And within these ‘control units’, parents indefinitely take on the role of being the rightful mentors and teachers of virtues for their children. As such, it is their duty to ensure their offspring are raised well.

To begin with, newly born humans lack the moral compass we adults possess - something that can be substituted by the guidance and instructions of their mother and father. Since the new generation cannot obviously differentiate right from wrong, parents must discipline them into obeying their orders without any doubts or hesitation. When a nation needs to change its citizens’ mindsets, the spark should be ignited at the household level.

Furthermore, due to the effects of emergent behavior observable on a large-scale perspective for every society, if the building blocks (families) deteriorate, then so does the entire economy. If children misbehave and remain uneducated about civil etiquette, then gradually crime rates and poverty shall soar!

Thus, I believe that parents should be more dedicated towards ‘training’ the citizens of tomorrow from today, no matter the social or financial status they hold. If the children do not listen to their parents, then how will they listen to the government?

Career - Choosing Stability Over Passion

If you have arrived at the crossroads where you have to finally decide whether to chase your ambitious hopes and dreams and ‘change the world’ with your work, or to assimilate and integrate yourself as a mundane new brick for supporting the wall of economics, then you should be informed that the latter is the only viable option. Time to face the music - having a career linked to your passion is a myth!

Firstly, you will never succeed if you try to stray out too far from the path you are destined for. You could find a balance between satisfying your passion and making sure it lasts long enough. Picking a career that has a weak foothold in the economy could mean enjoying your wealth for only a month or two while suffering due to the lack of demand for your skills and services for the remainder of the year. Choosing a career that drives more money through its industry means you can atleast comfortably keep complaining about how you hate your job while sitting in your Ferrari.

On the other hand, a career sector overly stable but paying no heed to your ‘hobbies’ and interests could give birth to potential long-term feelings of distress, regret and depression. But that’s not a problem at all! If you are reading this or writing about it, you were destined to be only one thing - a slave for the corporate governments. Worship your Lord, while they feed you, clothe you, teach you, fool you, rob you, kill you, and bury you. Life is slavery, so pick your master in the form of a “career”.

Welcome to the real world, where all dreams turn to dust and there remains no need to choose who we want to be.

Parents Should Shape Ambitions

It may sound a bit intriguingly confusing at first glance, but studies have shown that juveniles lack a proper sense of identity in their early years of childhood, leaving them fully exposed and compatible with choosing whatever career or goal that their parents may have in store for them.

To begin with, if a child’s parents want him/her to grow up and become a doctor, they should fill every inch of their son/daughter’s mental space with medical interests. They can do this by always bringing toys, books and items belonging to that particular sector or profession. In this way, the child shall nurture a budding interest in pursuing that career or profession in the future without a second thought!

It may be argued, on the contrary, that children have a right to be independent about what dream they choose, what they want to do with their lives, etc. For that regard, I would simply ask you if there truly is such a thing as “freedom” in this world, or whether those instances are just existent as illusions to make our life worth living for.

To sum up, I must agree with the opinion for letting the parents drive and steer their heir’s fate rather than having to risk letting their inexperienced toddler ruin it all and lose the only strand of hope you ever had in climbing up the social and financial rank ladder.