HS Jazz Band

Wednesday 23rd September:

Now I have attended one of the jazz band sessions and my second one will be tomorrow. This is an exciting opportunity that despite having the restrictions on the number of wind and brass instruments (as well as the mandatory of practising in sections and not as a whole ensemble), I am quite excited for this ensemble and what we will be doing.

The piece we are working on right now is “Don’t you worry ’bout a thing” by Stevie Wonder and the bass part is quite easy now (especially when compared with the bach pieces in Chamber ensemble) so it is a nice and easy start. I think the biggest difficulty is just the rhythm if anything because I have noticed, just like with the orchestra piece, that sometimes, I have difficulty switching from the classical way of thinking and the 20th American century music (or rather African American as jazz, blues and rock all originated from African American culture and was “stolen” by white American musicians). This is because classical music includes baroque and romantic have an emphasis on the one and three of the beat while jazz emphasises more on the two and four so switching from that to that is a bit difficult. Also the switch from the swing style of eighth in jazz and the tight and articulated notes in classical.

The rhythm isn’t complicated, but it has happened when I practised that I mess up the syncopated rhythms (as the 2 and 4 make it feel more like syncopation). But really, my main emphasis is having fun with this piece and with the people around me. An interesting thing about this piece is that has the feeling of Latin rock and a little bit of bossa nova. Anyways, I will aim to develop my skills in music including in jazz and continue learning on my relatively new instrument (though with experience in the cello and piano has helped me with the double bass).

#LO1, #LO2

Thursday 12th November:

Today we had our recording session for a jazz piece we have been working on called Fables of Faubus by Charles Mingus. It is a politically motivated piece that was written n as a direct protest against Arkansas governor Orval Faubus, who in 1957 sent out the National Guard to prevent the racial integration of Little Rock Central High School by nine African American teenagers, in what became known as the Little Rock Crisis. The piece is played sardonically and there are even elements of cacophony that makes this piece not only difficult to channel the right emotions but also a very unique and different piece. The jazz bass piece wasn’t too difficult in terms of rhythm and I guess the only most difficult thing was the notes which are in F minor which has a lot of flats.

Now because my instrument is an accusing piece and is very quiet when played pizzicato (using plucking of the fingers rather than bow) I usually have some pickups plugged into an amp so I can hear even when the drums, guitar and all other instruments are being played. When we did the recording piece, we didn’t have the amp but a speaker plugged in so that in the editing stage, the bass will be heard. However, that meant I could not hear my self-playing so I was playing blindly and had to rely on muscle memory (there are no frets). This made it quite difficult. Despite this new experience of recording and playing without an amp, I still had lots of fun and it was the first time I wore a suit so that was interesting. I hope that soon, we can play as a live performance but for now, because of the coronavirus, recording sessions will have to suffice.

#LO2

Thursday 17th December:

This was the last session for this year and I am truly grateful for the experience. I will still be continuing Jazz band next year and I will definitely keep playing jazz and the double bass in the future, hopefully in University. Below is an image of one of our recording sessions for the Fables of Faubus piece which we showed to our community through a streaming video. It was great and fantastic to share that experience and I will not forget this experience. I have been able to improve on my listening skills, my walking bass lines, new double bass techniques like slapping, and playing with others effectively without any need for a conductor, just by listening. It has been so fun to play music and one way I have shown this passion is that recently I have used LogicPro to record my own jazz and funk pieces playing all the instruments like a one-man orchestra which has been really fun. I will continue playing music for the rest of my life and I will never forget this experience.

#LO1, #LO4

Running Club

Monday 1st September

Investigation:

Today, I had my first running session with the running club and ran 6k around the school. It was a bit tough but not too bad, and through this activity, I hope to get better at running. But more specifically on my stamina. I don’t run particularly slow or fast, but at some point, I do feel very tired and need to walk which was what happened after 4k today. But by pushing through (so for instance when I do get tired run slower rather than walk) I should be able to improve my stamina.

#LO1

Tuesday 22nd September

Today  I had another running session which was a bit more interval training in away. In the sense that one circuit around the school was an easy 4-5 RPE (Rating of Perceived Exertion) and the other a 6-7 RPE. It was slightly difficult but I know that through this activity I aim to improve both my speed and my stamina, and through stamina, I will improve my speed so it works hand in hand. To really improve on my running, I aim to run at least twice a week or even more in order to build that momentum. It doesn’t have to be very difficult and could just be 3k, but even then, it is good practice and regular running sessions will help me to run quicker and longer.

Thursday 19th November

Now I have had quite a few training and now two times a week during the mornings. We are no training at Bedok reservoir and we do a mix of long runs, 5ks, intervals, and pace run. So far I feel like I am getting better, already I can control my pace better and I am running a lot faster. However, what I am noticing is that I don’t mind the distance, but my pace is still quite slow, or at least, I feel like I can pace myself slightly faster. I can run long distances but I am very slow and my average 5K time is around 25-30mins. 10km is about an hour and usually more. So I am not that fast at running. If I try pacing a little harder I can get 21 minutes as a 5k time. My ultimate goal is going sub 20 minutes for 5K. It has been difficult because I can pace myself quite hard for 1-2K but after that, I drop down really quickly. This is a challenge I am working on and hopefully, I will be better at running and especially at running faster at the same distances I can run now. So I plan to try and go easy first and go faster and faster towards the end of a run or end of a 5k for instance.

We have a schedule every week so we are always ready and now what our training session will be all about:

#LO2, #LO4

Thursday 17th December

Although I will be continuing with the running club and track and field next year, I feel that the running club this semester has been quite fun and challenging at times which is good. I have been able to run faster and keep my stamina in long distances. Even though I am not a particularly fast and great runner, it is still enjoyable and worth undertaking the many challenges in the club. Sometimes, despite it saying perhaps an easy loop around Bedok Reseviour on the schedule, I still feel as if it is a big challenge. However, that isn’t a problem because I need those challenges to grow as a runner, to build speed and so on. Reflecting on my time, I have been very consistent with my running and have always shown up to every session. This has allowed me to become focused and to maximise the hour in the club two times a week. During this holiday, I will try to run a few times a week to continue that stamina and build up so when I come back I don’t have to start from scratch.  I will continue running in the future and at school.

#LO1, #LO4

12 Angry Men (1957) and ToK

As of this year, I have a new TOK class so it will be a bit difficult to catch up and getting back on track in terms of TOK.
Anyways, yesterday in our TOK class we looked at a film from 1957 called 12 angry men. At first glance, it seems to be a film that represents the attitude we should have in TOK in the sense that we should be open-minded and not assume certain things about a topic for instance. To have doubt and be open to change so that we do not let our own judgements to cloud certain things as in that we don’t just say that is right that is wrong or something similar to that.
However, I believe, there was a deeper sense of meaning in the film in terms of TOK. In some ways, the art of filmmaking was used to describe the transition and the journey that each of the jurors took to go from deciding whether the boy was guilty to not guilty. At first, all of the jurors except for juror number 8 voted, without any doubt, that the boy was guilty assuming that the evidence they heard was undoubtedly convincing and determined. Yet, as juror #8 decides he wants to discuss about the crime, each fo the juror goes from being angry (mostly because of believing that it was obvious that the boy was guilty and felt that they wasted time discussing), to feel a sense of doubt. Art was used to conveying that journey of emotion, for instance, the transition from the weather being hot to rain (hot-headed to more emotional), removing their jacket (the darkness to visibly lighter converting that emotional transition). However, the reason they switched their vote was mainly due to each of their own personal emotional connection to reason.
In the film, many of the jurors used to reason to decide whether the evidence was certain using logical arguments to make their case. In some ways, they use reason along with other ways of knowing such as intuition, imagination, sense perception, emotion and language. For instance how language is used to determine the motive or causation to action (that you might say I will kill but it is only a threat and doesn’t mean you will actually kill). Another point is using imagination to imagine the situation and using the intuition they have and the sensory perception of the past (the sound of the train and voices for instance. Although a minor point, one could argue memory was used by the jurors because using their own past experiences and judgements shaped by their life to argue about the evidence. In one case, the emotion was used by on juror when the 10th Juror and 5th Juror get into an argument over 10th Juror’s citing the boy’s slum background as evidence for his being “trash.” 5th Juror is angered by this, having grown up in a slum himself.
So in that sense, their emotional response to each of their switch sort of brings up the equation if there is an ability to remove any bias because of the fact that they didn’t switch until something personal came up (like the glasses marks of one juror, to the old man to the juror’s slum background and so on). Therefore, in larger more serious cases like this shown in the film, it would be extremely difficult for individuals to be neutral especially when there is an emotional connection. Although a minor point, speaking with a partner about the “illusion of rationality” and how these jurors believed they were rational but only when they were confronted with some emotional connection, that rationality was lost.
Jurors must have lots of reliable facts to make their fair judgements. But ever having enough facts may well be impossible in order to make completely fair judgements (and what counts as fair is a whole other question, but assume the basic values of what counts as fair let say in the UWCSEA community). This is because these jurors were not there at the act nor were they the actual victim and perpetrators themselves. As of right now, it is impossible to know exactly what another person is saying even if they are big as open and honest as they can. Thus, the jurors can not fully believe in the motive or claim the perpetrator says. Of course, they must use the evidence but there is always a certain of doubt in everything so even if the case is ruled out to be completely true and the perpetrator is found guilty, how can capital punishment be a fair judgement. Therefore, not only is the question of what is fair debatable, but also that we can not truly know the whole truth. That brings up the area of knowledge of ethics because in this film the ethical judgement is that the juror’s decision determines the boy’s life. That also brings another dimension to the film. 

Summer 2020

This summer has of course not been the best but I guess the best way is to still make it worthwhile. In that sense, I have been doing things that I might not have done or would have done if I were in Sweden.

In Sweden, I probably wouldn’t have done a lot of productive work from school and would instead focus a lot more on spending time with family and doing a ton of activities almost every day. As a result, I have decided to do a lot more productive work from school but also focusing on beyond school. So have I have done a 4-week course in Swedish as I may be attending university in Sweden and thus would need to improve my Swedish and pass the university test (for Swedish proficiency at a university level). I’ve also done a low-key internship at an architecture firm here in Singapore (but working from home).

The Swedish course was great to continue the Swedish learning I have had for the past few years. And it really helped me get a grip and improve my grammar as that is the most difficult part I have with Swedish as I easily mix up with grammar rules in English. If I am to attend university in Sweden I must take a Tisus test which is a Swedish proficiency test at a university level. I feel a lot more ready for the test so it was a really good choice.

Last year I took an internship in Copenhagen, Denmark at an architecture firm and I thought it was a great experience so I decided to try it here in Singapore. Of course, I wasn’t able to attend their office but despite this, I was able to learn a lot. I have done a small (real-life) project doing montages or visual concepts using photoshop and SketchUp. I have also made a small project on the use of concrete. So in some ways, I have both learned a few of the daily and sometimes mundane tasks an architecture might do, especially when not as experienced. Also, I have learned a few the knowledge and skills an architect might need. So in some ways, despite not being the most enjoyable of internships it was at the very least good to get that real experience and not a superficial glance at what an architect does.

It has been a bit difficult seeing videos and images of my family in Sweden, as despite not having as much control of the pandemic situation as in Singapore, they have a lot fewer restrictions. So my family have been meeting up with each other, doing activities like swimming, sailing, hiking, museums, cooking, playing and so much more. It almost isn’t much of a different summer (but there are a few restrictions). So it has been a bit tough to see even for the rest of my family. But the best is to feel happy for them and make the most of it here. So we have visited hotels, museums, skateboarding, sailing, wakeboarding, hiking, cycling, going to parks and so on. And in some ways, I imagine this as a normal holiday, not summer to get rid of any thought of Sweden. Also, even if I cannot meet a lot of people, I have tried ot get in contact with some to do a few activities such as skateboarding or visiting our house and so on. I haven’t had any luck but I have met one friend who is also interested in being an architect and we went to Marina Bay sands to draw a bit that we could use for our portfolios.

I am hoping that I can do a bit more productive work and wish I could go to Sweden, I still feel it has been an alright summer that had a few moments that were great.

TOK End of Year Reflection

TOK has been quite unusual this year in the sense that it has been quite confusing at times. Perhaps it is the difficulty to understand the TOK concepts and so I need to go back to the textbook quite often and look for resources to understand. In the beginning it was really difficult, especially what knowledge questions and statements where but gradually, through self-studying it made more sense.

TOK I guess is the course that allows me and other students to reflect on knowledge and how we know, what we know.  The concepts we’ve been looking at is the Ways of Knowing and Areas of Knowledge

In that, we look at the methodology of each area of knowledge, link to personal and shared knowledge, historical development, the scope/applications as well as the language and concepts.

I kind of enjoy TOK both because I find the philosophy aspect quite interesting but also because it is fun to categorise knowledge into different groups. In some ways, us humans love to categorise and make patterns and links, but of course, there is, unfortunately, a danger to categorise thinks to dangerous concepts like racial categories, or categories people into different groups that could eventually become prejudice or dehumanising these people.

I feel like with knowledge comes responsibility, similar to that with power comes responsibility. Knowledge is also power because in the sense that you have something more useful than others and you know something that others don’t know perhaps. This could be exploited and similar to people having power, one can get consumed by it and eventually has this dire consequences on others of the environment. Using knowledge for good is the key thing and so with knowledge does come to the responsibility to limit any unethical and immoral consequences on others or the environment around us. Knowledge is powerful.

Interestingly, I feel like culture has a huge part in knowledge. In my TOK presentation, he primary knowledge question that I examined is How might culture conflict with the reliability of models in the human sciences? In a way, also can models of human behaviour ever be reliable? Cultural values, which in turn has a large influence on our human behaviour, have played a large role in decision making in politics, communal activities, systems and other models. This is no different to the real life situation of Sweden’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting countries all around the world but each country is experiencing their own epidemic and have used certain models in order to fight back against it. Sweden has been controversial with it’s approach to the pandemic because of the government’s refusal to lock down, approaching the outbreak with a ‘mitigation’ strategy to save lives and to ease the spread. Anders Tegnell, the chief epidemiologist and in charge of the swedish strategy and model, in a quote in the Financial times, described the model as “It’s a big mistake to sit down and say ‘we should just wait for a vaccine’. It will take much longer than we think. And in the end, we don’t know how good a vaccine it will be. It’s another reason to have a sustainability policy in place.”

 This is not a herd immunity approach but rather a model that aims to allow society to continue except for high-risk areas, high-risk groups and the trust to abide by social distancing rules. However with that said, Sweden stands alone in Europe in which some schools continue to remain open and restaurants and bars continue with its business apart from minor precautions. As of June the 1st, Sweden has 37,542 confirmed cases and 4,395 deaths. This is much higher than any of the neighbouring Nordic countries and also keep in mind that the number of confirmed cases may be higher as Sweden isn’t as aggressive at testing as other countries, and mainly test those who are very sick. 

Sweden’s government has made a priority to protect risk groups like the elderly and have strongly encouraged them to stay home and others to not visit them. Groups of more than 50 people are not allowed and all universities and Gymnasium schools are closed. Many work from home and restaurants are ordered to close if they don’t follow social distancing rules. Sweden’s model works by placing trust in citizens to abide in social distancing practices while still being able to live freely.

The use of models through influence of human behaviour and culture is best examined through the knowledge acquisition and application in the human sciences because of the use of assumptions of human behavior and prior knowledge in the field to make models and predictions where culture can play a large role in influencing these models and assumptions. Behaviour is never a fixed thing, we can’t quantify behaviour, so these assumptions must be considered carefully.

In the human sciences, the mathematical modelling behind the creation of models that are theoretical and are to be applied in the real world which can be good representations of what is happening in the real world. All models have to have mathematical representations in order to quantity and be able to apply and predict, with assumptions such as the assumptions of human behaviour. However, some aspects of these models are assumptions where the scientists and in this case the epidemiologists have to be honest with the assumptions they make. Although some things are factual behind the models, the assumptions have to be made as no model can be applied to all contexts. 

What I have learned is that the reason why the model could work in Sweden is because of perhaps three things:

  1. Trust. Trust is seen to be a basic component in Swedish society. Trust is mutually reciprocated: Trust in the government and trust in each other. Instead of the draconian laws established in other countries, the Swedish government has trust that citizens will follow guidelines and behave in a civil and considerate manner. About 70% of Swedes support their government’s approach. In fact, there has not been much public debate or organised opposition to the model proposed by the Swedish government. 
  2. Responsibility and independence. Since a young age, the concept of responsibility is articulated clearly and encouraged across the home, school and workplace environment. Therefore, taking up responsibility without the need of micro-management becomes a social norm and is expected of citizens. Most young people live alone and many children are independent at a very young age. In addition, unlike many other European countries, it was assumed that swedish people meet less people on average, especially in greeting where the kisses and shaking is not as prolonged as in for instance France or Italy. However, unlike in Norway where the nursing homes are much smaller, there was a huge wave of infections in the large nursing homes in Sweden which accounted for most of the deaths, especially in the Stockholm region. This assumption was not taken in and perhaps made the model less reliable.
  3. Long-term thinking. Success is very much attributed to the outcome in the long term. A long term and holistic view is the attitude that Swedes have approached the COVID issue. For instance, Instead of just considering infection rates and fatalities, the total long term impact of lockdown on overall health, on the treatment of other illnesses, academic achievement, employment possibilities and other lifetime outcomes has been taken into consideration. Instead of short term personal benefits, citizens have been accustomed to thinking about what is best for the community as opposed to the individual. 

In some ways I do hope that the Swedish model will work but so far it doesn’t seem so. Anyways, it seems to me that culture really does have a huge influence on knowledge.

The Sentimentalism of Sweden

I have always had a deep emotional feeling towards Sweden and even sort of the Nordic culture as a whole. Many do have patriotic or nationalistic feelings towards their countries and even if we don’t choose our nationality in may cases or how we are born, I do still think in some ways, a little bit of patriotism or at least being proud of one’s nation is perfectly fine. It’s only when the nationalistic ideas become too idealised or even worse chauvinism and prejudiced values against others or racist and xenophobic ideas with an illusion that the nationalistic ideas are better for all. Of course, I do acknowledge my political bias that may affect some of the ideas I express and in some ways contradicting to some of the feels I have towards Sweden.  A few days ago I took a political compass test for the parties in Sweden, and not surprisingly the first three parties that came up were the Green Party, Feminist Initiative and the Left Party, all of which are very leftist ideas and the left party used to be the communist party, which dangerously makes me worried. But the Green Party doesn’t sound too bad.

Anyways, the real reason that I want to talk about Sweden is that this year, I will not be able to go back to Sweden over the summer. It is the first time in all of my family, even my parents, that we don’t go back to Sweden over the summer. We always go back and for me, it is the highlight of the year. My family (actually, I’ll refer to my family in Sweden has Sweden Family from now to limit confusion) we’re not all exactly from Sweden, but we all have ties to it in some ways whether it is a relative, immigrating to Sweden or being born there. I am incredibly lucky and incredibly privileged to come from an amazing nation like Sweden, that like it’s Nordic neighbours values sustainability, equality and human rights as fundamental in their politics and culture. I know that comparing too much can bad, but for me personally, Sweden is one of the best countries, perhaps not the best, but definitely among the top 5. There are of course many things that Sweden needs to work on and could learn from other countries and I honestly believe there is always something a person can be proud of their culture or nation. Every nation has something good and perfectly fine to feel proud of it.

In my extended essay, I wrote a world studies essay with a focus on the research question: How have design principles of Tesla car designs and its fundamental environmental ideology, been so successful in Norway despite the influence of fossil fuels s on politics and our society?

For me this was the perfect research question, not only was I utilising the concepts from my two favourite subjects, ESS and DT, but also focusing on the Nordic culture and looking into one of my favourite companies—Tesla. In some ways, this really related to the sort of career I am interested in.  I want to live life but also to help others and especially the environment around me. I want to feel that I have importance and that I am giving back to the earth while still enjoying all the wonders of life. However, I have a ton of other interests like design, the humanities, science, music and art. In some ways, architecture with a focus on the environment can incorporate humanist and most importantly environmental principles while still being able to express and learn many of my interests. I hope this is the right choice because the only things I can think of that would make me feel in some ways worthy and giving back to the earth and to our societies would either be some sort of environmental activist or somehow have a huge influence in politics and society like being a politician or something similar. But for now, architecture seems to be the way to go because I can give the platform for profound change in terms fo the environment and also to our societies as well. 

It seems like I am rambling but all of these things relate to Sweden. I have such an emotional and sentimental attachment to Sweden that I am actually worried about how it may affect me later on in life. I am considering to take a Gap year and the possibility of working and living in Sweden greatly interests me and even studying in Sweden. I am even willing to learn Danish to study at an amazing art and design school in Denmark to be close to my family. KADK, a university in Copenhagen, would be my first choice because not only is it an amazing university, but it is the university that is closest to my Sweden family. We all live around a province called Skåne except for my family in Singapore and my aunt in France. I could literally after class take a train over the øresundsbro (the bridge connecting Malmö and København or Copenhagen) to my cousins that would take me about an hour or less. That possibility makes it so, so attractive. 

Not going to Sweden this summer is really tough for me than perhaps other people. Of course, I do acknowledge there are people who have it significantly much worse (which I will focus later on in this post because it is important!) than me and my family. Some people live alone and can’t visit their family or even friends and others may be in a more difficult emotional struggle. I am not saying that I haven’t tough and you should feel sorry because you shouldn’t. What I am trying to say, is that the attachment I have to Sweden is so strong that it can blind me sometimes and puts a heavyweight on my but in no way makes other people lesser than me or that pity should be felt. My whole family here in Singapore are all very sad about this, even my father who normally is able to look forward and not dwell on the past or nostalgic attachments. I cry very often nowadays and sometimes even to the smallest things. For instance, I talked to my grandmother and in the background, I heard her radio play the music for P1 i Sommar which instantly made me collapse in tears and bawling for several minutes. Just that little song in the background can affect me so much. I watched a Danish documentary on the SVT or the Swedish national public television broadcaster, funded by a public service tax on personal income set by the Riksdag. Even hearing danish makes me feel sad. Why? Well, perhaps it is because of the fact that the Danish language along with Norwegian is very similar to Swedish so that it is almost just dialects (in fact, it is difficult sometimes to distinguish a dialect or a different language in Scandinavia because they are so similar. A Norwegian and Swede living on the border would understand much better than that Norwegian understanding another Norwegian on the coast). So it reminds of my Sweden and thus makes me sad. Or perhaps it reminds me of the Nordic culture and how every summer, we fly to Copenhagen and take the train to Sweden and since I hear danish all the time, that makes me feel sad.

My Sweden family on my father’s side has a WhatsApp group called the Familjetråden or the Family Thread. There, they often post pictures and comments about things happening around the neighbourhood and so on as with any social media. Usually, it made me feel happy to scroll through sometimes, longing for going back to Sweden and a great chance to connect. Actually now we weekly have Zoom meetings to catch up on things, but to be honest it is more a fun thing for them and a necessity almost for us in Singapore, my aunt in France and my grandparents (as they are not allowed to go out as much as other people in Sweden, which I will get back to). But now, my family and I are wondering if we should even be on this thread because how often we might get angry or sad.

It may seem weird why I or even my family would have such an attachment to Sweden but I think where most of it comes from, is the summer in Sweden. For most of the year, Sweden isn’t all that amazing, sure sometimes there might be something interesting like Jul or Sankta Lucia in the winter, skiing in the spring, and the small things that are great with each season whether that is the beauty of a forest in autumn or the snow and ice in the winter. Most the year is quite dark and grey and cold, but during the summer that’s when all of that changes. A lot of Swedes have sort of a cultural attachment and tradition in some way to the summer. And this is no different to what happens during my time in the summer. I have made a post about it two years ago here and it is quite embarrassing and awkward at times in the post. But in summary, the summer in Sweden is so action-packed in some ways, relaxing in others, sentimental in one way but also the gaining of new experiences in another. It is also a very shared experience of many in Sweden and the atmosphere is also very mysigt or hygge or the mood of cosiness and comfortable conviviality with feelings of wellness and contentment. It is very difficult to describe, but summer isn’t just a time for like summer camps or sunbathing on the beach or anything like that. I feel like there is something different with summer in Sweden for me personally that makes it so hard to let go of, even if it will be just two years that I haven’t been in Sweden if things change next year. The posts show that it is not something I have felt now but something for a long time. It is really special.

That’s why it makes me so happy to think about Sweden and in some ways patriotic about the facts about Sweden and the Nordic region. Perhaps the combination of the time I have in Sweden during the summer, my sentimental personality and the privileged position of being able to very proud of Sweden because of it’s culture, that makes me feel what I do about Sweden.

I look at what my Sweden family is doing despite the Covid-19 pandemic and it does make me a bit jealous and angry at times. Sweden didn’t have a draconian lockdown and instead placed trust in citizens to abide by social distancing, this largely worked but there were more heavy losses than other Nordic neighbours. Now restrictions have eased a bit and my Sweden family are out an about going to cafes and restaurants, taking a boat to an island to fish crabs or go camping or explore the wildness. Some are going to the mountains to go BMX riding, others are sleeping in a boat. Some may be going to summer camps and others are relaxing on the beach and swimming now that the weather has turned. Some are having parties with friends or with family even at my grandmother’s house. Other are having their final day of school and celebrating with pastries. Some may have travelled north to the woods to hunt animals while others going south to their cabins. Some may be going east to their island retreats and others go west to Denmark to visit family. This is just one of many other things they have and might very well be doing this summer. This may seem a lot, but this is like an average weekend during the summer. It is absolutely amazing and I am extremely lucky to be able to have that experience once in a while or rather every summer. Yes, it does make me jealous but I should not dwell on it. But it also makes me happy that I have a family who is so tightly knit and cares for each other. A family where I can let loose and become almost a different person. At school I am quite shy and closed off, at home in Singapore or home in Sweden, I am as extroverted I am introverted at school. I laugh, play and have fun with my cousins who are of all ages and there is so much more I would like to say, but I’ll stop for now. For me personally, Sweden is absolutely amazing.

I am very lucky as I have said, that I have this experience with Sweden, and along with the privileged nature of myself, not only because of my skin colour and heritage, but also because my family is financially stable and there haven’t been any major conflict is my relationships or learning, I have a feeling it doesn’t truly justify that I should feel this way. What I mean is that compared to many other people, I don’t have it bad at all. Take for instance the black people living in America and even other parts of the world who experience structural and sustained racism throughout their history and by institutions. This injustice and the difficulty that many experience, is something I can never truly understand. My experiences could never be compared to those in fear of discrimination and its death and dehumanisation effects. I stand in solidarity like many in my community and acknowledge the pain and suffering of these effects. This is just one example of many. I absolutely do not have it bad or am in any form stripped of my dignity or human rights. Thus, the important thing is to use my privileged position to give back and help others, not to exploit it. To recognise and be self-aware and to not ignore.

I guess my summary is that I should be proud of my heritage and it is fine to be sad about not going to Sweden. But with that said, this sadness should not drain or consume me and to use my privileged position to give back and help others and the environment around me.

The Extended Essay

The Extended Essay or EE, will be an exciting journey because of the fact of choosing a topic you are passionate about and writing about if in a lot of words. The topic I have chosen is a world studies EE where my interdisciplinary focus is on DT and ESS. The research question is

How have design principles of Tesla car designs and its fundamental environmental ideology, been so successful in Norway despite the influence of Big Oil and auto manufactures on politics and our society?

I might change the wording a bit, but the idea is that I would need an environmental and design perspective to see why Tesla has been so successful in a country like Norway despite and due to the conflicting perspectives between the oil industries that made Norway prosperous and the environmental values important in Nordic culture.

Reflection 1 (May 1):  So today I had a quick catch up on how the EE process is going and the outline as well. Going forward, first steps would have to be to really decide upon the three or four detailed concepts that I will be exploring and delving into and put these concepts in a structured and detailed outline of a plan. So sort of a paragraph by a paragraph of what evidence, topic sentences and analysis/points that I want to add so I have a very clear picture on not only my research but when I start the 1000 words. Other than that, a key thing to remember is to not make too many assumptions (so evidence to back up points), paint the picture clarity of the context and having an equal balance between ESS and DT. It can’t just be ESS and DT side points. So far I do not have any worries but that may change as time goes on. I feel like I have lots of thoughts all whizzing around already, and as I mentioned, the key thing is to focus all this down. My main worry is if I am able to fit everything I want to in the EE all from the case study in Norway and some of my insights on Norway and the rest of the world in terms of EVs, Climate change and even insights on culture, religion, fears and more than critically relate to the world studies issue. Also, since it is a world study extended essay, I need to have a balance between the two subjects. For instance, on the ESS side, I could examine through EVS, politics, pollution, human systems, human resources use, climate change, energy production, atmospheric systems and societies, and lots more topics. On the DT side, I can focus in on green technology, psychological and physiological factors, sustainability in terms of resource management and production, materials, innovation and design, classic design, UCD, markets, commercial production, business and more.  My main worry is if I am able to fit everything I want to in the EE and having a balance between DT and ESS.

EE writing day (May 12th): This was a great opportunity to get headway onto my EE where I did a lot in terms of writing more than my first 1000 words, getting the momentum and for the first time visually seeing how my essay will turn out. The difficulty now is that I realise the 4000 words can come quite quickly and what I need is to really focus on the most important aspects of the topic I want to discuss and make sure to cite the sources while having a clear a coherent structure.

What Lockdown Has Taught Me…

 

Although lockdown has been quite lonely and frustrating at times, I have learned two very important lessons.

Learning in the time of COVID-19 is really frustrating and I realise how much I miss school. A big part of school is the interactions and connections with other people whether they are staff, cleaners, students, friends or teachers. School is very important and it boost both mental and physical well-being. However, I must be grateful for the school I go to in the sense of how much the school pays attention and cares for its students as well as being great school even during online learning. I live very comfortably compared to many other people around the world, so I have to look for the things I have. For crying out loud I even have a small pool. I might not be very rich or have a big house, but I have a great family culture that makes it very comfortable, cozy and relaxing to live in this environment. That is something I am eternally grateful for. I have learned a lot of new things from reading books, gardening, playing and practicing music, improving my flat ground skateboarding tricks and lots more.

The second lesson is more of a worry and hope for change. For me, it seems to be that climate change and environmental issues in general is the least of everyone’s worries in terms of problems for most people.  People feel like they don’t have the energy or time to think about the environment which is unfortunate but in many cases it is completely understandable. I sort feel like this pandemic is a glimpse to what the climate crisis can affect us. Although in some ways, the environment is getting better and that makes me feel so, so happy, people aren’t of course doing anything or have the time to think about the environment because of course, there is a pandemic going around. But I hope that when this is over, people will be more connected after the isolation and solve some of these issues around the world, especially climate change. But my worry is that this is not the case. I have also realised, that we can really help climate change by restricting our consumption and I think that is one fo the most effect strategies.

Anyways, these were just thoughts that have been circling around me and to really summarise, I am grateful for what I have and have learned that this isolation can really change us and hopefully the planet as well.

Body of work 5 Hannah Höch in the 1920s: The ‘New woman’ in Weimar Germany

The New Woman: 

  • The new woman is a multi-layered figure of both cultural and social value. She is the new feminist ideal
  • Shell-shocked population after the aftermath of WWI not only because of the horrific nature of war that saw unseen mass destruction but also that Germany lost the war
  • The Weimar period was perhaps a crisis of masculinity.
  • During the war, many women were in the labour force, working in factories and supporting the economy.
  • During the early 20th century, many western societies of Europe and North America began to have protests and demonstrations to fight for the women’s right to vote.
  • The typical role of women was to stay at home and perform domestic tasks, but during the Weimar Republic, more and more women were out on the streets, which was very unusual and atypical of what was the norm.
  • Many women began to dress more loosely and had more freedom to what they wanted to wear, and at that time was seen as quite sexualised but appalling because women had clothes that revealed more of their body. In addition, they decided to cut their hair shorter and even shave their legs. Engage in more material consumption including driving cars. Some even were cabaret-like and having short haircuts and pencil skirts
  • Many men were physically or psychologically wounded and had a difficult time to go back to the workforce or even to vote. That meant that women could take over some of the jobs men used to do or for instance, they began to fill more jobs that were visible throughout society, such as tram conductor and department store clerk, as well as factory workers, lawyers, and doctors.
  • As women gained more power in both society and government, gradually cofusion of roles for women and men started to confront society as the once sex-segregated workforce (although some professions still had more men than women) became less segregated.
  • The paradoxes of the new woman were that they were seen as both the villain and victim in the new modern age.

 

The new woman was a crisis of modernity but was she the victim or villain?

  • The new woman was an economic dependant and independent one in the sense that the economy in the Weimar republic and during WWI depended on women in the labour force but they were also independent themselves.
  • The new woman had to balance motherhood and family with work and that could be seen as the victim.  They struggle with a double burden both from home and work. Also, they were expected to be the saviours and salvations of society which was a heavy expectational burden placed on women
  • However, because they had to balance all of this, they themselves were rationalised and in turn more mechanised and machine-like losing, or at least societies fear of women losing their nurture and caring which at the time, many men perhaps needed to be nurtured after the war, which could be seen as the villain. They were the avant-garde of modernity
  • Men were perhaps a bit overwhelmed and feared the power of these women and how they could be both efficient and mechanised yet also nurturing and taking care of both the household and work.
  • After women gained the right to vote, the Neue Frau or the New Woman became a trope in German popular culture, representing new discourses about sexuality, reproduction and urban mass society.  However, despite getting the right to vote early on in the Weimar Republic the urbane, sexually liberated working women who wore androgynous clothes and cut their hair short, were widely seen as very apolitical.
  • These were some of the many social and cultural forces shaping the new womanhood and new woman. Below is a photo demonstrating the New Woman:

This image shows many of the underlying attitudes of the New Woman. The woman is depicted as being both confident and strong because she is not only smoking a cigarette but also wearing an outfit designed for riding the bicycle seen behind her. This would typically by the men’s role or stereotype. However, on the other hand, The man is doing the laundry and is bowed down conveying a submissive pose and perhaps is wearing a bucket. The woman is at a higher pose and so asserts her dominance of the man which would be the complete inversion of what was expected of the role of men and women.


One of Hannah Höch’s works is her photomontage called MOnument one in the series of Aus einem ethnographischen Museum or From an ethnographic museum.

According to MOMA:

Monument I is usually dated to 1924, but the left leg of its figure derives from a 1928 BIZ photograph of actress Lilian Harvey and friends at the beach. (The source for the figure’s other “leg”—as yet unlocated—is an upended reproduction of a bent female arm and hand.) The head was snipped from a photograph of a mask from Gabon (now in the Barnes Foundation) while the torso and arm derive from a reproduction of a stone statue of a Theban goddess. By precisely trimming and fitting these various body parts together, Hoch created an illusion of cohesive wholeness that is nonetheless immediately subverted by the variously colored component paper scraps. The eerie, hybrid figure in this way functions, like the other figures in the Ethnographic Museum series, as a psychological irritant of the first order.

Below is my reverse collage of this painting where I have cut the artwork into different pieces, which of course Höch did but reassembled for contextualization. I have annotated each individual piece on what the image is, what it represents and the significance.

Analytical Paragraph:

Monument I by Hannah Höch is a photomontage that integrates both the ethnographic studies of exotic cultures of women and female or New Woman imagery that results in an eerie hybrid figure. höch creates an illusion of cohesive wholeness using the pedestal, however, that is subverted by the various colour scraps from other contexts. This re-contextualisation brings critique of the New Woman and ethnographic studying of exotic cultures but also perhaps their similarities. During the Weimar Period, museums displayed artworks of exotic cultures but were heavily misrepresented and the objectification of sometimes real people created erroneous representations. The new woman which was a multi-layered figure of both cultural and social value was the new feminist ideal of the republic. The photomontage displays pieces of African culture such as the head originating from a mask form Gabon and the torso from a stone statue of a Theban goddess, and western women with dismembered body parts of photographs from popular magazines. The sort of dance-like poses connects to a trope of the New Woman being a dancer and the juxtaposition of the two cultures creates a fragmented, grotesque and humourous montage of multi-cultural fragments. The pedestal is a framing device to put the scraps of paper into a museum exhibition context and pedagogical context for education and instruction. This is not a religious or social function but rather the plinth or pedestal elevates these figure to a worshipped places and ancient culture to be studied. However, that western object d’art prevents true understanding and appreciation of the object. Through the visual culture of two vastly separate cultures as interchangeable, Höch may have tried to compare this ethnographic studying to the roles of women in which women were expected to be worshipped and be saviours to societies in similar ways to statues. Höch made a critique and ridiculed typical gender roles and racial stereotypes through her photomontage that re-contextualised the vary stereotypes she attempted to look at from a different lens.