Some advice I’d like to give to valedictorians.

Thu, 4 Jun 2009
2 min read
4 Comments

I personally know at least two people who are gonna be valedictorians in their respective fields this year, so I hope they will allow me to share my views on what I think a valedictorian’s speech should be like.

I’ve never been a valedictorian myself, so it might seem quite impetuous of me to be sharing my views. But take it from the perspective of someone who has studied the craft of writing and has sat as an audience member long enough to at least have some valid views on the matter.

Also, I am usually right, most of the time, so it makes sense to trust me. LOL.

  1. Keep it succinct. Use the recommended rate of 150 words per minute to help you keep track of what you have to say e.g. if you have 5 mins to speak, your speech should be 750 words long. Conversely, if your speech is 1500 words long, you’re gonna take 10 mins to speak; more if you consider all those pauses for breath that you’re gonna have to make.
  2. Keep it sweet. All the speeches which I’ve heard from valedictorians seem to border on nostalgic, mushy, unfocused drivel. Try something different this time: try speaking from the heart about an issue that should matter to the group of people you’re talking to. Think about it in terms of extrapolation: the group of people are at x point in time; paint a picture of what they might be in x + y years’ time if they take your advice to be socially responsible and stop STOMP-ing, for example.

    I want to cheat a bit and use Daren Shiau’s USP Commencement Address 2008 to illustrate my point, but I can’t find it online, so I’ll settle for second-best and ask you to read J. K. Rowling’s “The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination” instead.

That’s all. I’m rather succinct and sweet myself, you know. LOL.

My response to “Singapore on the lookout for new NMP candidates”.

Thu, 14 May 2009
2 min read
2 Comments

I fully support any NMP who is willing to speak up for minority rights, regardless of what the minority group is. We should be fair and provide a platform for a multiplicity of voices to be heard, ranging from groups like Jehovah’s Witnesses, to NSmen (yes – even NSmen can be considered a minority group), and even QLGBTs.

At the same time, I think the people who have slandered Mr Siew Kum Hong should be ashamed of themselves. You have no right to drag anyone’s name through the mud just to fulfill your own agenda.

To these people: stop being selfish. Everyone is as human as you are and everyone wants to be treated justly and fairly.

You are lucky because you were born into a majority group – whether it is race-based, religion-based or the like. The difference between you and the people who do not belong to the same group that you belong to is purely superficial; to paraphrase Shakespeare loosely, everyone’s blood bleeds red regardless of the cut that is made. Let’s keep that in mind when making decisions for the good of Singapore society.

Also, I hope the people who have left comments that are derogatory and/or defamatory in nature will please have the guts to apologise and retract their statements. As mentioned, everyone bleeds too – how would you like it if you were the one being slandered?

~

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