After an extremely long period of time... I return to blogging.

Not exactly a long period of time.. but I broke the chain of posting every month, a tradition I have carried out for a few years.

But... it was the O level examinations... and something as significant as that certianly justifies my absence. Not that many would read during such testing times, anyway.

There is much I shall discuss.

I am thoroughly amazed.... at my ability to brainwash myself. Death is certainly a very complex issue, but it was surprisingly easy to delude myself into thinking that the O levels were more significant than that.

Then again, that is possible, is it not? Under present circumstances, it would certainly seem so. The current culture is that of mindless (or passionate, maniacal) studying, and it seems to have implications all the way to your retirement.

Think about it. There are many stages. And should you falter at any stage, the life you are expected to have, is completely ruined. That is the propaganda which they would have you believe, yet it is not false because it is true in some respects.. or possibly all, in which case it would not be considered propaganda in the sense of the word.

This brings us to the question. What is life? It is a question which nobody has real answers to. I always remember this question - how can you prove that you exist? How can you objectively and qualitatively prove, that your life is an experience which you, as a being, is experiencing, and not part of some complex computer program (the closest real object, or system, which I can think of which would illustrate my point most clearly) controlled by beings which exist on another plane, in which case, you would not be a being at all? How do you know, for sure, that something exists?

It is precisely because there are no easy answers to these questions, which brings us to one possible conclusion - that "life" is simply what we are able to perceive, or what we choose to perceive. Why do people desire to get into the best universities? To get the best jobs. Why? To earn money. Why? Because with money, you can have a "good" life.

But the point is that what defines a "good" life? If I am satisfied with living in a one-room flat with three basic meals a day, why do I care about the "good" life which is supposedly the exclusive life which "successful" people have? If one is able to convince himself that he is happy and satisfied with his life, and that he cares not about others, then is he not already having a good life? After all, it is hard to qualitatively and quantitatively measure a "good" life, considering that everyone is different, and a "good" life is subjective.

But why does it seem that a "good" life is objective, rather than subjective? Is it because of societal pressure? Is it possible to create an impenetrable mental barrier, where we are able to convince ourselves to believe only in ourselves and our ideals and beliefs? I do not know. I would think that you, too, do not have any answers.

So in that case, it can be seen the greed is, to put it in the style of a structured essay, the root cause of the current situation. Greed, pure greed. Hence, moral values are actually of no importance in education, and I firmly believe so, because since the driving factor for education in the first place is knowledge, knowledge and ethics are separate realms, which do not touch each other in any way. It is most foolish to believe in such propaganda which only serves to separate those who fail and those who succeed.

Then again, it is not always propaganda. Even without it, why is it that, when you see pictures of starving people, especially children in rags, you feel "sympathy"? I am trying very hard to rid myself of such emotions as necessary, and yet be able to recall these emotions when it suits your purpose. Selfishness would be the word, but there are more significant things to consider, such as your own life, and the life of those you consider important. That is, if "life" is truly as it is, and not something beyond human sentient comprehension.

There are those who believe that "what goes around, comes around". Of course I believe in this concept. Now, this brings to mind the topic of discrimination.

Why do people discriminate? For themselves? For in believing that one is superior to others, one has security for he knows he will not be challenged.

Such issues... are issues which are only relevant to those who believe in them, and do not apply to those who do not, unless a physical manifestation occurs (such as racial attacks) and when it really affects you... physically, perhaps, then your life is terminated, and what next? Alas, it is death, but what is death? Can we ascertain what is death? Of course. Death is the opposite of life. But are life and death the only sides to.... all that exists?

My mental state is not very clear now.. I do not know why it is easy to think complex thoughts in your mind, but when you try and put them down in writing, they disappear. Elusive things.

Well... one's mental state can be affected by physical factors.. and hence one's perceptions, or what one thinks he perceives, can be altered. What I have written, thus far, is what I have tried very hard to write... and achieved a state of temporary separation between the mental and physical realms, if such realms exist. These writings are but a small fraction of what I have been craving to put down in writing... but why crave?

Now, it is time to indulge (linked to greed, because greed is desire of something good, and pleasure is one of them) in some games... these days been doing nothing but playing badminton/com games/sleeping.

Thus my revival of my blog is complete. Hahaha...