The Cycle of Addiction

Introduce a specific thing or experience as exclusive, inviting or of curiosity.

Offer relief from the drudgery of routine or regime.

Package it to captivate the senses, or that particular personal sensitivity ignored or not aroused for a rather long time.

Allow entry or experimentation at a rather low cost or with seemingly no harm sampling it.

Remind on a regular basis, at cleverly selected times of day aimed at the target market.

When and where the sweetness sets in, reveal there is more.

Begin a process where dopamine like sensations seep in stages, varying doses or more to structure and embed regular usage.

Escalate usage and dependency.

Vary the flavours, choices, upgrades and engagement options.

Make users unavoidably incorporate the service or product into an essential pace and factor of life - without them realising it.

What are examples of such addiction?

It all starts when we are most impressionable.

That drink, that movie, that snack, accesory, toy or that other thing to be seen with - when we are children.

It may come from influencers, an ad, social media or peer pressure.  It propels on ego, a sense of belonging or not to be left out.

It embraces us with comfort, calmness and an apparent safe space - even when they are inherently and truly not.

It provides momentary escape.  It includes binge watching, binge obsession with thrills run by software and repetitive hits.  The reward is more than visual, it can be physical, physiological and pyschological.

It elates the ego, the uniqueness and elevation of one's self.  The product or service makes one feel special, even if in reality it is indeed for the masses. It implies constant and regular usage.

Reflect on examples of fast food, streaming, depreciating vehicles, hyped up supplements, additives, devices, frequent usage points, must have beverages and hidden ingredients. 

Many are convenient diversions or distractions. Some are obvious, many are delusions. 

It affects various ages, straddles across cultures and is truly accessible.

Such are the essense of addictions.  It alters our mindsets that indeed we cannot live without it. 

#yongkevthoughts

Musings, Passing Conversations and Observations

Diners go out for a meal and expect socialability.   Interacting with eatery staff is part of that experience.   Instead in more and more places, we are encouraged to order and pay on screens, get used to robot delivery and clear out of our meal table as soon as possible, as multi eating sessions are the order of the night.  Customers can feel as part of the churn.

Public transport terminals and interchange stations are ideally where passengers need not walk far to change train or bus platforms.  These hubs are usually not final destinations for many, but only a vital transition from one part of the journey to another.   Smooth connections like automated walkways are still rare outside of city airports across Australia.  Escalators and elevators are definitely useful for an aging demographic and families with child seated prams, but they can also reduce the opportunity for exercise and movement for many who need such activity.

Blood donation can be a most useful factor in population hubs.  Preassessments are understandably made of donors but these exercises can involve voluntary answers on several personal matters.  Of course these are asked to help develop and understand a profile of the blood  donated.   Questions are asked on travel places visited in recent three years - but also include on whom one has slept with,  the medicines taken, any relevant illnesses experienced and blood pressure measurements taken.   The burgeoning growth of populations means a need for blood supplies to help other human beings.

Purpose at different stages of the journey of life is the constant as one passes through the decades.    Society provides the structure in education, training and other development imperatives of children and teenagers until adulthood.  Adults embark and work on careers, family, 

personal changes, habits, passions and inner growth.

The crowded pressure of time management, commitment and achievement takes a different kind of pace after middle age.

Suddenly the new found apparent freedom for the elderly may transform from initial pleasure to finding more meaningful routines and ritual, away from work, obligations and holidays of the past.  Such new found purposes, in the view of third parties, can be prejudiced by perceptions and reality of slowing down in physiological and mental acuity and flexibility.

Does leisure travel fulfil all the inner wishes of any one who has more time and ability to do so?  Gen Z and Millennials tend to go overseas earlier than Baby Boomers and Generation X in peacetime.  Older folks these days generally do the big caravan trip around Australia or spend weeks cruising at sea after retiring. Tourism aimed at customers are rather structured for older demographics, while younger travellers of various nationalities prefer more independence, more parties, more influencer environments, more spontaneity, more social impact and more networking.

Contemporary communication, even for unimportant transactions as well as more significant matters, are increasingly all recorded on screen - and all executed on portable devices.  The capacity of awesomely huge databanks seem to grow virtually each year, with the electric costs in maintaining and expanding cyberspace often not publicised.

Is there a need to publicly verbalise and vocalise our personal positions in the stormy seas of politics, religion and sexual matters?   More people are hesitant to speak of such matters when physically gathered and present, but less so when using app messaging, making quick electronic postings and writing up opinions on websites.

Articulation and expression best echoes in a healthy debate, where ideally every individual who participates keeps uppermost in mind and discussion that although one may not agree, one respects differences in thinking and opinion.  Problems arise when dichotomy appears in supposedly being right and wrong.   There really is no right or wrong, only the effect of different perspectives in belief, philosophy, preference and approach - especially in heady matters of politics and religion.

#yongkevthoughts

Northern Hemisphere Still Holds the Key

 "There will be great trouble in the North", so goes the quote attributed to Nostradamus, who occasionally is brought up in the media as one from the past who made predictions about a future world.

Even as populations have increased and economic activities have been enhanced in the past 200 years across the Southern Hemisphere of Earth, societies here are relatively behind and still seemingly trapped in seemingly colonial platitudes, industries of the past with surprisingly low value add and with immature political structures.

South America and southern Africa have not shaken off the quagmire of governance and social revulsions, pulsating along a political spectrum of rule by socialist, dictatorial and right wing governments.

Australian governments are still content with exploitation of their raw resources, providing a key supplier of energy and mineral needs of nations pumping away in growth but located north of the Equator.

Australia, with one of the largest land masses for territory, has still not emerged to assert her own strategic interests and continue to perpetuate a mentality of being dependent on another Western nation.   She has not seized the oppprtunity to realise the huge advantages of her geographical location near the world's fastest growng area. 

New Zealand likewise has to break away from plucking the easier and low hanging fruit of tourism and agriculture.

No matter, both Antipodean countries do still attract migration from Asia, in waves from different countries due to a variety of economic, political and social factors.

The Northern Hemisphere however remains where the most relevant action occurs.

Innovation and research hubs remain in both Bay areas on both sides of the Pacific -  San Jose- San Francisco California and the Guangzhou-Hong Kong-Macau-Shenzen region.   London, Washington-Baltimore, New York, Boston-Cambridge, Seattle, Chicago and Los Angeles shine for Anglo nations.

In north east Asia, Tokyo-Yokohama, Seoul, Wuhan, Hangzhou, Nan Jing, Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto and Beijing propel like the bright city lights they exude in vibrancy of relentless growth.

Most growth centres encompass a profile of being financial, advanced technology, higher education and business investment hot spots.

It is no surprise that China and the USA lead in this respect.

Contemporary world events have also cast these two very same large nations in the speculation, dynamics and tensions for conflict.   Is it a clash of civillisations and ideology? Is it a time of the dominant old having to give way to a rising new?  Whatever it is, whatever the constant noise emitted, underlying reality and whatever the public is not told, in the end outcomes speak for themselves.

The "great trouble in the North" in so many ways can refer to a future drawn out conflict by the USA with Russia and China.  The world wars of the 20th century saw great divides between two groups of countries - for example, the Allies against the Axis powers and nations joining one side or the other accelerated the geographical spread of battles and destruction.

After the traumatic experience of massive, intense and widespread loss of lives and damage, there arose a non- aligned movement in the 1950s in which mostly African, Asian and South American nations chose not to be involved with the Western club of war winners from the European and Asia Pacific theatres of war.

As the 21st century approached, the momentum of this Non-Aligned Movement seemed to fizzle out.

Roll forward to 2025, eighty years after the Nazis and Japanese Imperial Army surrendered - and the world is once again regrouping into two sides - those who follow the lead of the USA and another who do not.

Significant changes since 1945 highlight great technology advances in societies once downtrodden and vulnerable; falling standards and quality of life in others once deemed superior; the greater mobility of migrants to enter nations once closed off;  the dearth of manufacturing in places that started the Industrial Revolution due to comparative labour costs; and rising educational levels which increased social and economic expectations and reality in so called previous "third world" countries.

Europe in the Northern Hemisphere has always been on the move from the Renaissance to its current nurturing of the European Union.

Geographically, continental Europe is relatively a smaller place than the expanse of land one travels through in the USA, China or Russia.  Unity and social cohesion remains a challenge for the various cultures and states of Europe.  Europe led in world affairs, colonised the rest of the world and had a confident heritage until the Second World War.

The lands lying between Europe, India, Africa and Central Asia have witnessed tumultous change of empires, birth of important religions and throbbed through aggressive cultures.  Several political entities here have been blessed with the world's dependency on petroleum - but this can come along with interference by foreign powers, violent disorders and instability for the unprotected. 

South east Asia and India have geopolitically entered a new era that is way past colonialism but are still riding the waves of political and ethnic nationalism.   Their populations for a variety of reasons contribute a large share of migrants to other parts of the world.  Politics here can be a mixed bag, attracting various versions of democracy, dictatorship, communism, royalty and socialism.

Standards of living, business dynamism and future growth do face risks from geopolitical turmoil.   Wartime means the further bloom in arnament sales but destruction and holding back of peace time share markets, inter cultural understanding, quality of life, supplies, public infrastructure networks, freer trade and economic returns.

Are conflicts fought over access to natural resources and food supplies?   Do troubles break out due to excess hormonic tribal pulses, in the name and push to uphold history, religion or culture?   Are battles fought with sacrifice of lives just because we are on the opposing sides of some imagined political spectrum or deeply rooted religious passion?

Are internal matters of a society interfered by outside parties instead of being allowed to be resolved without the manipulation by others?

Social upheaval can arise from ethnic tensions, divisions in multi-racial economies and changing governance arrangements.  Orders of the old world like royalty are diminishing.  On the other hand, when there is too much personal freedom, human instincts can long for being under personal political control.  History can repeat or rhyme for human societies.  New generations can forget, yearn for the past or experiment with drastic radical politics.

The British exported their language, government institutions, philosophy, religions and technology when they colonised the world.  Having superior technology in trade, science, arnaments, leadership and historical opportunity can embolden nationalism, cultural imperatives and the course of human civilisation.

The Northern Hemisphere has been saddled with the course of human progress, discord, capacity and impact.  The so called South may have been on the receiving end of initiatives and impact of incursions from the Northern Hemisphere, emphatically for Indigenous groups, but is not without her uniqueness and advantages.

The Southern Hemisphere seems to be an abode of relative remoteness, less pollution and a chance to restart and do things differently.  

Where negatively utilised, like in conducting nuclear testing, sourcing of slave labour and greedy exploitation of resources, these echo the dark sides of human behaviour.

Where positively shown, the Southern Hemisphere has been a refuge for the economically, religious and politically weary populations of Earth, where the atmosphere is relatively unpolluted and where one can still clearly see the stars of the Universe at night.

#yongkevthoughts

Delusions of Society Revealed?

As Earth populates as never before,

Expectations continue to rise and roar,

But not for those in the wrong place and time,

When even basic needs are withdrawn to the nines.

The false hype is that things will forever expand and grow,

When in reality the Universe and Nature of Earth is to be transformed in a gradual glow.

As human made channels congest and stress,

There is value and calm in wanting less.

Do we need to greed for more and chase after things that we do not truly need,

Just for our ego, pride and selfishness to feed.

Is there more inner joy to share and give,

Compared to accumulating more than we can ever need.

The contemporary world nourishes from more kindness, encouragement, smiles and consideration, 

Than obsession with competition, selfishness and aggeessive obsession.

Societies collapse from blatant corruption, ideology and discrimination,

Instead of being nourished by merit, ethics, humanity, proactivity and positive determination.

To shine a true light into the path of individual and collective destiny,

One can see beyond the limitations of supression, confusion, devastation and emnity.

#yongkevthoughts

Days and Nights of Early Hope and Optimism

 I could recite the newly introduced Federal Government National Principles of the Nation ( written by bureaucrats),  thoroughly enjoying the efforts  to unite a society of various origins, beliefs and backgrounds, ostensibly through common values of love for a young country formed from the end of colonialism.

I even won a primary schools award for some competition in the declared national language, even if I cherished the so many other languages to speak and write in, at home, with extended family of relatives, socially and when communicating with people and passer-bys on the road.

In my childhood, I was less conscious of racial differences and already enjoyed the variety of food and culture from residing in a land blessed with the contributions of migrants originating from different places. I was not told much at school or outside school hours of the Peninsular's Indigenous inhabitants, with low numbers living in remote rural corners, not even having an opportunity to see or meet them in real life.

I was born after the British colonists left.   Their influence and heritage were still embedded in everyday matters of life, in the building architecture, place names, significance of rule of law and in the discourse of education.

English language was inherently taken granted by me as an international language of technology, geopolitics, art, science and economic growth.  I  still could not realise the role that Mandarin language escalated to in these contemporary times.  My social networks were on a emphasis of Western civilisation not anticipating the rejuvenation of things Eastern.

American entertainment, news, philosophy and propanganda dominated my growing up years.   The glory of the British Empire, even if she had already dismantled, refused to leave the pyschology and adoration of the adults I encountered.  Overseas, there were strong stirrings of the impact of the Cold War on a stage pitting democracy against communism, of left wing versus right wing, of human rights freedoms versus extremism, of domino collapse theories and surging nationalism.

One evening, the perceived sense of orderliness and improvement in my society was shattered by riots, violence, gas lighting and abhorrent display of divisiveness in a few urban hubs of the country I was born in.

My eldest brother had been on a train to the capital city to attend university.  Police had to escort him and his fellow passengers at the destination rail station for safety from the rampaging mobs.  Rumours, fear, uncertainty and disbelief rose in the hearts and pulse of those who stayed home to keep away from the violence reported happening on the streets.  My sense of innocence about the world and my society was shattered.

How would my society react to this landmark episode?

Would this be grabbed by the horns to resolve the underlying issues, fractures and problems?

Some say the colonists, before granting independence, had already embedded the divisiveness and nurtured the flames of dissatisfaction amongst the different races they ruled over for so long.

If the fissures and cracks were already there, could they have not been repaired?  Or those in power in the newly formed Federation very likely had different ambitions and plans.

And as they say, the rest is history.

My aspirations, love and sentiment for the country of my birth took an inevitable beating in due course.

Cikgu Othman at Francis Light School nurtured my handling of the national language - and I still have find memories of him as my teacher at an important stage of life.

I still recall how happily I rode the bicycle to the Penang Free School each day, with a classmate whose father worked at the nearby naval base.   Green Lane did not have the congested traffic one experiences today.

And my nation of birth is not the same one as in my childhood, changed beyond what I can fathom.

Note - Independence was granted by Britain to Malaya on 31.8.57.  Malaya, with Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore, created the Federation of Malaysia on 16 9.63.   Singapore left this Federation on 9.8.65 and became an island republic.

#yongkevthoughts