2012: Challenge Accepted

On April 14-15, 2012 a group of young-professionals and activists came together to discuss a variety of topics, ranging from US security, to climate change, to global justice. The 2012: Challenge Accepted event, a two-day affair organized by the Americans for Informed Democracy, aimed to bring together like-minded people in order to discuss highly relevant topics, especially in the 2012 election season. 

U.S. in the global spectrum

At a panel session on the topic of US in the Global Economy, Patrick Doherty, Director of the National Security Studies Program and Director of the Smart Strategy Initiative, stated that the United States supply chain is brittle and required a new strategy. According to Mr. Doherty, the following are some of the opportunity areas that need to be recognized by the people: 1. The housing industry - in this time and age the image of the "The Brady Bunch" or "Leave it to Beaver" family lifestyle has long past and the young in-fact desire more of a cosmopolitan life, which takes up less land space and is more cost-efficient. 2. Food - we cannot subsist on industrial agriculture anymore to feed the people and need to move to a more organic form of farming. 

Real Hunger Games

Staying on the topic of food, a relevant panel discussion was on the current real world food challenge. The issue of land grabs, which is the unjust takeover of land by well-off organizations for the means of advancing their own interests, has been increasing in the food-insecure countries, such as Ethiopia for example. Roger Thurow, Chicago Council on Global Affairs, who recently wrote a book about the topic titled Enough: Why the World's Poorest Starve in an Age of Plenty, stated that by 2050 the world will need to double its food production, which would most likely be coming from small-holder farmers, most likely from Africa. However, one of the cruelest ironies is Africa's hungry farmers, who struggle to stay alive and feed themselves, let alone have the world population rely on them for food. The fact that the climate will keep changing will make it only more difficult to keep track of the weather pattern in order to ensure that the crops will have high yields yearly. However, along with the food crop instability there is also the issue of human displacement.

Human Security

As the sea levels rise and global weather patterns begin to fluctuate even more, the human livelihood (food and water) will become that much more unstable, which will in turn negatively affect the people that rely on that livelihood, according to Alice Thomas, Climate Displacement Program Manager at Refugees International. The biggest burden will be placed on countries that are politically unstable, since they do not have governments that can respond to their people's needs. Ms. Thomas stated that steps need to be taken in order to ensure that the people are well-taken care of and that their homes are saved, as opposed to having them relocate and become refugees. People need to learn to better adapt to the changing environment and focus on human security.

The look ahead

The event was a wake-up call for people, a chance for them to absorb the relevant information and accept the challenge to do something about the unhealthy state of the planet. Taking action, after all, is the hardest part, but at least now that the awareness has set in, it will be that much more likely that plans for improvement will begin to formalize. 

It is up to us to change the world and the time is now. We have waited long enough. 

Different perspective

Look at things from a different perspective.
Things aren't always quite what they seem.
In this life simply try to be perceptive.
He who tries his best, in turn all the best achieves.
And in times, when things look a bit deceptive,
And the ones around you aren't that receptive,
Keep on keeping at it and always believe -
Those that keep on at it and believe, always achieve.

What gives you wings?

 E&F by fikari 

恭喜發財

Fireworks in Changsha, Hunan 

Year 2012 is the Year of the Dragon, as according to the Chinese calendar. Dragons hold a special place in the Chinese culture - Chinese around the world call themselves "Descendants of the Dragon." Dragons are a symbol of abundance, prosperity, and good fortune. The dragon is also a game changer...so prepare for a year of significant changes. Happy New Year, or as the Chinese say: Gong Xi Fa Cai! 

On to 2012

The past has passed.

New year at last.

Time to explore - 

Let's have a blast.

The Cost of Education

University challenge

Recently a friend of mine and I were discussing the importance of a university education. While we both agreed that it is very important to receive an education, we had different views in terms of a means to an end. I am currently in the process of completing a Master’s online – yes, online. I have chosen this method because, in my view, it is a less costly process as well as a more flexible one, in that you form your own schedule and complete the program at your own pace. So what about the lack of student and professor interaction, as well as classmate connection, asked my friend? Well, what about it? It is what you make of it – you get the same type of interaction online, but only if you chose to spend the time and make those connections with your classmates. One can even say that online school makes you work that much harder on establishing relationships.

Another strong argument for the online education is critical thinking – “the method of thinking that questions assumptions”. Possessing critical thinking is an important characteristics and is required in all fields. However, according to Richard Arum, the author of Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses, over 1/3 of America’s students show no improvement in critical thinking and reasoning after college or university. I cannot pinpoint to the exact reason, but I have a hunch that now people are more concerned about just checking receiving a degree off their list and most care about the grade and how many of their materials are published in journals, instead of taking the time to truly delve into a subject. Then a related question follows suit - why are there so many people getting MBA’s? Could it be because MBA graduates are bound to get better paying jobs that will eventually provide them with a better lifestyle? Do they actually enjoy what they are studying? 

Then, of course, there is the elite factor. The reasoning is that if you attend a top university, then based on the university's status you will be more likely to get a good job. What happened to all of those people who are currently struggling with student debt and do not have a job to help them ease that pain? Isn’t it usually the case that people with good jobs tend to get there due to the connections that they have made in the field? Don’t get me wrong – there is a very good number of people that have gotten to where they are through hard work and by attending the top universities, but a good number are where they are because of their connections.


All in all, I am really not tooting the horn for online education and I am definitely not trying to bash on the elite universities. I am simply pointing out that people should be more driven by their passions and thirst for education, than simply checking a degree off the to-do list and then working all your life to get the looming debts paid in a job that you despise. We live once and being driven by status-quo is not the best way to go - we can have only so many MBA graduates.

For whatever we lose

© Smithsonian Institution

"For whatever we lose (like a you or a me)

It's always ourselves we find in the sea"

- e.e.cummings