Feed you like a baby

The problem with our society is that they expect someone to feed them with information. They never really try to search for that piece of information. Well, one can totally understand why they asked to be fed, it's just so god-damn convenient and time-saving. 

But, it is not a wise decision to be fed. Why can't you find your own information? Why do you waste someone's time to do your own work? If only people were cruel, you will be lost, literally. 

In this modern era where technology seems to advance way too quickly, we are continuously fed with information unconsciously, leading to establishment of a bad habit. If you are an avid Android fans, Google Now will be no stranger to you. Google Now basically feeds you with information that they think you will need (after analyzing the terms you searched before, using Google Search) and appear it in your phone. Facebook and Twitter basically does the same thing, indirectly. Now you know that, didn't I just fed you with a piece of information?

We constantly want to find the answers, be it the where "x" or "y" is or the three Newton's Law. We simply find the answers for the sake of finding the answer, and because we are instructed to! Which leads to the culture of spoon feeding.

I am not as great as you think I am. I sometimes like to be spoon fed too. It is just so convenient to find information with just a snap of a finger. But there is really no learning curve swinging up or down when you wish for feeding (see Learning at it's best). It will remain stagnant. Like a baby, parents will feed them simply because they are unable to do so themselves at that moment, but as time goes by, they will have that strength and skill to do it themselves. Why? Because they LEARN (and grow too)!

The culture of spoon feeding should stop; no, not tomorrow, but now. 

When there is a question that you want to answer, look for it as a whole instead of just at the fruits. Read, read and read. It is the only way you will absorb enough information for interpretation. When you have all that information interpreted, it will automatically stick to your head and stays in the storage. That way, you will be have be knowledgeable and knowledge is a priceless asset.

The art of curiosity is marvelous. You will look for the things that interests you most. Those are the knowledge that you genuinely learn. Simply because they attract you. I find myself searching for vast range of information ranging from animal species to plane crashes (besides MH370). Some of them were very interesting indeed, at least to me. Although me myself I don't really remember half of what I read, but I do get the other half of it, which is still a plus, I guess. Jack of all trades, master of none. 

"Always remember, what you do is for yourself and not for anyone else so don't be bloody lazy."

Always remember, what you do is for yourself and not for anyone else so don't be bloody lazy; one day you probably just might thank yourself for reading an article about signs of tsunami and got your bloody ass off the coast quick enough to survive the continuous high tide of salt water. You probably won't get that by asking someone, right? 
Balance of probability. 

If you have any comments that either contradicts to mine or heads to the same street as mine, let me know below, through the comments section of course. It'd be good if you have any suggestions to improve/correct my posts. That's how we learn, right?

Learning at it's best

Everyday at school/university we thought we are learning, but the truth is we are not. 

Learning is a cognitive process where the brain processes things that we see and feel and identifies them to make us understand how things happen. The brain itself is a marvelous gift from God and/or your parents, depending on how religious you are. 

Let me first show you how a brain would work when it is not learning, but merely absorbing the information. 

dots representing the information absorbed by the brain, as if they are non-related to each other. 

On the other hand, let's take a look on how does the brain perceives as it learns. 

dots are interconnected between themselves, showing great deal of relation.

I'm sure you know the feeling of when you figure something out and you'll be like having a working lightbulb over your head. That is what I call learning. We could stuff our brain with literally anything given the time and patience. Yes, sure, definitely, it can do that. But what's the point? You'll forget it later. Can you recall the names of the Residents in the four states? Well, I know Birch's one at Perak.

What I am trying to say here is that we should change our perspective of how learning should be done. It is not by memorizing, but by understanding. My CNC (Computer Numerical Control) lecturer once said in his first class with us; "You don't need the results (of some operation). What's important is the process. Once you understand the process, you can produce the results anytime.". That's more or less his words. It is just like how PhD and Masters students roll. The answer is not important, what is important is the steps working toward that answer. Damn, how I like this idea. 

"Memorizing is a short term solution, a battle winner; not the war hero."

One thing that always made us back down from learning is time. It is much more convenient to just memorize instead of putting real effort and real time in understanding to learn. It will take more time to really understand a concept, but just matters of seconds to memorize it. Nonetheless, we loved to take the easy way, don't we? Memorizing is a short term solution, a battle winner; not the war hero. 

By all means, I am just sharing my opinion on how things should be done. I have seen too much people, unable to put their brain in a proper learning process (including myself sometimes). I am too, working towards my way to obtain a proper learning process whenever I could. Learning takes time, but the reward would undoubtedly be handsome. 

[opinion] "Walking on a straight line"

Let's imagine the world is run by fools who set a rule that whoever that is able to walk a straight line successfully without falling or tripping over is considered a successful man. 

Great, now we as the ruled, will be brainwashed to try our best to walk a straight line. Those who can't, will be despised and those who do anything beyond the fools' rule will be considered inept. Parents will teach their kids to walk a straight line since at a young age and do countless things to aid them. That isn't wrong, because we all know that the parents' intention were to ensure that their kids will be successful and possibly try to be the same with the rest of the kids in the society. We as filial children will certainly do what our parents wished simply because sometimes we do not have a choice, and we know exactly what they want us to do, to walk a straight line. In other cases, it is because we can't make our own decision. 

If it isn't obvious enough, the example that I gave is what depicted in our current society. People who are able achieve excellence in studies (walking a straight line) are obviously smart (that's what we usually address them, true, but to what extent?) and we often regard them as someone who are superior than us. Those who think that they are not as good will have the mindset that they are dumb and stupid. True, you are right. You are probably dumb in studying in whatever you are studying right now. So instead of continuing to being dumb, dump whatever you are doing and try to find something you are good at. 

I happened to be someone who are able to walk a straight line quite well (I had mixed feelings when I write "quite well", people will often regard me as cocky of which most of the time I am, but not now). I honestly don't really feel that proud to boost on my results anymore cause I begin to realise that it no longer bring any sense of achievement. True that you need to excel well to get yourself a job and that is particularly why we all went into university anyway (90% of us, I'm afraid). But we are forgetting something here. Something crucial.......right! It is called SKILLS and EXPERIENCE.

To be able to talk and present well has always been one of the skills I wish to obtained later in my life. I would want to give speeches and talks to all around the world, possibly giving info and motivating the younglings. Good presenters are able to persuade people, change people's mindset, insert good humour at a right time and in extreme cases, would change a person's life entirely. 

Every now and then, we will need people to enlighten our mind. We need people to broaden our mind. We need people to put us into a critical thinking moment. That is how amazing a good presenter could do. I have once came across a talk by Michael Teoh, the talk's topic was "Youth To Market". He talks about how youth are useful to market, or something like that, I totally forgotten the content. He can talk very fluent in both Bahasa Malaysia and English. He can even joke in Bahasa Malaysia. Hats off for this guy right there. But that's basically what he do for a living, motivating people. 

Let's not get derailed, LOL and get back into topic. Experience is important too. Hands on experience and real time experience is crucial. There is a Chinese proverb saying;

"Tell me and I'll forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I'll understand."

The key here is that we need to be involved in something to have a first hand experience on something to fully understand it. What is the use of learning thousands of theories but you can't apply them later on in life? It is fucking redundant. 

What I'm trying to say here is that, studies are only a small part in life. Getting yourself equipped with necessary skills and experience is the only way to be successful. 

Disclaimer : This post only reflects the author's opinion. You may or may not absorb it into your brain.  I will not hold any responsible for your grades dropped or marks lost in your studies. 

P.S. I stopped midway on this post. Sorry for the lack of photos.