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Monday, February 18, 2008

National Service in Sweden

One of the first things I asked about when I got to know a few Swedish friends was whether they have National Service here like Singapore does it. As it turns out, Sweden still practices the "militaristic independence" I've read about. However, it appears that the people volunteering for military service far outnumbers the slots available within the military.

This could mean 2 things:
1) Swedes are a lot more patriotic than I'd imagine them to be, willingly putting themselves through NS.
2) There aren't a lot of slots for NS enlistees.

It appears that it was a case of the latter. The Swedes I talked to say that the military gets a smaller percentage of the budget each year, so they can't afford to spend so much on conscription.

That's great now, isn't it? As your economics lessons will tell you, government spending is made up of either spending on bread or guns. The less you spend on guns, the more you can spend on neccessities and economic development. What money Sweden saves on guns goes to further the country's already impressive economy and infrastructure. (Have I told you that students here enjoy free university education? Yeap, the perks from having a 25% GST.)

But wait, you ask. If they spend less on their military, aren't they afraid of being attacked? Good question, because that's the next question I asked these friends. Their reply was a very nonchalent one: "Who will attack us? We're (Sweden and her neighbours) are all members of the EU. And even if some other country attacks us, they face the military might of the entire EU."

As another Singaporean pointed out, "Why would a non-EU country want to attack Sweden? There are so many resource-rich countries to attack within the EU."

All these sounds too good to be true for me. Here we have a whole region that is steeped in age-old conflicts like the Anglo-French wars (thus making it home to many impressive castles), but now they're cooperating to bring the entire region to greater heights. Just some of the examples of the close cooperation amongst the countries is the embracing of a single currency and the passport-less travelling between countries covered in the Schengen Agreement.

So why isn't Singapore in the same boat? Why is national service still crucial for our military defence? Why the continuous drilling in Total Defence? Why did we practice our fire movement drills in rubber and oil palm plantations when we know Singapore doesn't have such plantations? While Sweden trusts its neighbours in the EU, Singapore thinks its most probable attackers are its ASEAN neighbours. While Sweden has taken out immigration requirements for neighbouring countries like Denmark, Singaporeans only recently stopped filling out "white cards" for the Malaysian Immigration Department.

What is needed to transform an ASEAN into an EU? For critics who think that ASEAN shouldn't become like the EU, allow me to ask you this: What's so bad about a shared feeling of trust, co-operative growth and region-wide economic growth? I asked an Italian how the EU came about. As suspected, it started with the 2 big countries in continental Europe, France and Germany, joining hands after the end of World War 2.

Both countries were strong economically, have large populations and are basically formidable countries on their own. But placed together, they're a dominant power in Europe. With such strong countries as part of the EU founding members, other countries joined the bandwagon. The smaller countries saw benefits in having a united front with allies like France and Germany. Even the stronger economies knew co-operation with their neighbours was the way to compete against the economic powerhouse of United States of America.

What about ASEAN? The strong countries in terms of economy (GDP per capita) are Singapore and Brunei. Incidentally, they're also amongst the smallest members in terms of land area and population. That makes them pretty weak militarily and do not impose a strong "powerbase" like France and Germany. The biggest members are the Phillipines, Thailand and Indonesia, but they aren't strong economically and still suffer a host of problems in areas like corruption and political dissent. We won't see a banding together of big, strong countries in ASEAN like France and Germany for the EU.

There's also the issue of trust. Theoretically, an economically strong country can band with a populous country to impose a strong "powerbase". But can you imagine Singapore banding with Indonesia, or Brunei with Philippines? There are simply many other socio-political-cultural undertones that prevent such close co-operation on multiple fronts. I'm not being particularly particular here, but heck, Singaporean politicians sometimes make fun of our developing neighbours.

Perhaps there's hope. The Italian girl pointed to a bunch of us within the conversation circle. "You're a Malaysian. You're a Singaporean. You guys represent the future of the region. Make something happen." Indeed, this exchange has shown me how interacting with students from other countries can open us to new perspectives that we couldn't have grasped simply by reading Wikipedia or listening in class. And indeed, we represent the future. If we, as students, started holding hands, perhaps our countries might do the same a few years down the road. -Jimmy

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Flings in a Foreign land

I was early for class last week and the classroom wasn't opened for us yet. So three of us were standing outside the classroom. The other two guys were talking with each other, so I just stood there like the wallflower I usually am.

The French guy was saying how he was at so-and-so party and he met this girl. And that they met again at so-and-so party and that he's been trying very hard to get to know her and "become something" with her but she's been very coy about it. So you get the drift; the guy's desperate and the girl's not giving him anything.

First of all, let me clarify that I have nothing against desperate guys. The year of the rat means I'm 24 and that makes 24 years of singlehood. Which really is fine, but I might end up a desperate guy the next time the rat year comes around. What I have something against is how quickly the guy wants to "get somewhere" with the girl. This is a blog, so here you get a dose of personal opinions: 2 parties hardly counts as being close to getting to know a girl. Maybe a lunch out first, or maybe doing some other activities besides parties.

Ok, maybe I've pigeon-holed the guy to become something he really isn't, I told myself. So class starts and it was an interesting lecture by a young prof in jeans and sneakers and really messy hair (girls, take note that Dutch guys look pretty good) about an innovation system and how it works in a framework of universities, firms and research institutes.

During the break, the French guy continues talking to the Italian. The conversation now shifted to the Italian's side. He was saying how he had an enjoyable time with so-and-so girl. Immediately, the French guy asks, "So what kinda girl is she? Girlfriend? F**k buddy? Complicated?"

Right. That drove the nail into the coffin. The term "f**k buddy" sealed this guy's status as both desperate and horny. Is this what they call flings while on exchange? The way the person talked about it so casually surprised me somewhat. Maybe I don't hang out with people like that back home, but I have never heard of guys call their female friends f**k buddies. Hf will tell you that it demeans girls and she will personally hunt you down and demean your manhood.

Ok, even the guys who talked about their sexual experiences back in army talked about their girlfriends. Not someone they met twice at a party. Man, I feel like I'm harping so much over what may possibly be nothing.

So anyway, the Singaporean friends I have over here were saying what they were going to do for Valentine's day. One couple bought new board games to play together on boring nights. 3 guys sent parcels back to their girlfriends in Singapore with various gifts. (Which, for the purposes of "keeping it special", they're not willing to tell me.) Another guy set aside a few hours for a video chat with his other half.

So this Valentine's day, I hope the world celebrates with the silly little gifts that mean nothing and yet mean everything, rather than with a drunken party and some f**k buddies.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

If a Blog is not for Ranting...

Then what is it for?

1) Kitchen guard

Because I stay in a hostel that has a communal kitchen, I'm expected to treat my kitchen guard duty with responsibility. Kitchen what? Well, the kitchen guard will ensure the general usability of the kitchen for a week. That means for a week, the guards will have to store the plates on the drying racks back onto the shelves, throw out the rubbish, clear the recycling, wipe the kitchen counters and mop the floor. It isn't too much work, and I don't mind doing it because I use the kitchen a bit too.

I was rostered to do kitchen guard with "rum310". That's how things are: you don't do kitchen guard alone. But alone I did it. I arranged the plates alone. I was the only one throwing the rubbish. Even when I came back late from my CNY party, I cleared the plates and the rubbish. (Doing kitchen guard makes it so much more obvious what lousy hygeine habits university students in a hostel have.) I could have knocked on the door of rum310. But somehow I knew I wouldn't get an answer.

Well, I guess I wouldn't have gotten an answer. I met rum310 on Sunday when I was mopping the corridor. She said that she's been out of her room often cos she spends more time at her friends' places. Therefore she hasn't helped out for kitchen duty. Brilliant. When other countries attack Singapore, they won't attack me personally, so I won't serve National Service. When the house next door is burning down, I won't call the fire service cos it's not my house. Perhaps only when it spreads to my place will I call. Hmm...

I hated her soooo much for saying that. And it just so happens that she's this cute China girl who speaks English very well.

2) Exchange finances

During the 2nd Malmo trip, everyone was happily shopping at H&M while I sat there eating my haw flakes. They asked me why I wasn't shopping. So here I'll list the full set of reasons why I don't.
1) I don't find it fun. I see no point in looking around at clothes, randomly selecting a few pieces, deciding if I like them and then trying them on "just to see".
2) I don't need the clothes. Right now, I feel that the clothes I brought in my luggage are sufficient. If I feel that I need a new pair of jeans, I'll look around the jeans section if I happen to be in the area. It's never a forced exercise that I have to buy jeans by that shopping outing, or by 3 shopping outings, or whatever. If I happen to see something I like, I'll buy it. After that, no more shopping until I feel I need new T-shirts.
3) The clothes aren't exactly cheap. Barring the super discounted (50% over the original discount of 50%) items, things generally cost more than Giordano. Sure, they're H&M quality. But they're both made in China, and I don't need a label to define a style quotient. (Yes, I have no style, but I can live with that.)
4) The money that is spent shopping can be better spent on travelling. That's what I came all the way to Europe for.

So Tis was making a general comment that his parents told him to "just go ahead and buy if you really like it" and he was rationalizing it in the context of "the clothes are reasonably cheap" and "they're quite nice, what". And then I realised that every one of them there was on exchange on scholarships. So they didn't pay for the plane tickets. Nor the accommodation. And to a certain extent, textbooks and living expenses too.

Me, every week that I spend here is taking away a hundred dollars from my parents' accounts. I know my parents want me to experience living on my own, to learn more about a foreign land and its cultures and basically enjoy myself travelling around Europe. They willingly took out the money and set it aside for my exchange budget. If that budget is not enough, I'll be paying from my pocket. (That should be around the time I start doing my crazy "Around Eastern Europe" tour.)

So every cent I save from not shopping will go to me enjoying my travels, thank you very much.

Well, rants aside, I'm enjoying my time here a fair bit. I had to minus some points cos I'm starting to miss home and home-cooked food. I probably won't miss these things when I'm travelling around Europe! -Jimmy

Thursday, February 07, 2008

Massive Multiplayer Online. Massive entertainment, massive lessons.

One of the wallpapers available from the Eve-Online website. Note the fleet formation and the size discrepency of the ships. Each one of the ships is piloted by a real person logged into the game.

While looking through Gamespot the other day, I noticed the side banners proclaiming the release of the new Eve Online expansion. I've always been a sucker for space themes (Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica and Homeworld), so I decided to find out more about the game. Eve Online is one of the many MMOs out there. Of course, the most illustrious one at the moment is Second Life, which mimics the real world by giving people occupations and entertainment and dating options. Another widespread gameworld is that of Azeroth in World of Warcraft. However, while many of the MMOs are set in fantasy realms, Eve Online is one of the few set in a sci-fi background, which really irked my interest.

In Eve, you play one of 4 races who are remnants of human space explorers in New Eden. New Eden was cut off from the rest of human civilisation when the wormhole connecting the 2 main pockets of human colonisation collapsed. Much of the game revolves around you training yourself up to command different kinds of ships. As you progress into the game, you begin to specialise in several occupations: warfare, trade, mining, bounty hunting and the works.

What really intrigued me was how complex the game world is. Training in the game occurs in real-time and works offline too. For example, you can begin to learn "how to operate a capital ship", log off and when you log on again, you can be halfway through that training. Also, there are huge markets for players to trade raw materials, finished goods and blueprints. While such items can be bought from NPCs, many of the high level items require player interaction to create. Thus, you can only buy them from other players.

As such, Eve has a vibrant open economy. There's lots of trade going on throughout the gameworlds represented.

Eve also features large corporations. That's when players band together and recruit more and more players into their corporation. Each player in that group can specialise in whatever he wants; there is a use for everyone. Thus, the corporations earn wealth from the miners and merchants. Meanwhile, the individual merchants benefit from the economic and political clout the huge corporations provide.

Warfare in Eve comprises of dozens of players, each controlling his own ship, engaged in fleet actions. Each ship serves a function in a battle. The scouts report enemy fleet strength. Black Ops sabotage enemy operations deep within their lines. Frigates jam enemy electronics and increase their lock-on times. Battleships engage one another with massive turrets. The massive Titans destroy entire fleets with a single shot from its cannon. It is a fleet battle on a massive scale. Each ship contributes in some way. Each ship is controlled by one player who happens to be logged on through his computer terminal somewhere in the world.

So why is this enthusing about some online game that I don't even subscribe to over here on a blog that offers food for thought? Well, the world represented in Eve links to the subjects I'm currently studying: Economic development.

Much of economic development arose from specialisation. When farmers were working for subsistence, the nation was generally poor. But throw in technological advancements and they sow more crops than they could eat. So they began selling the crops. People began to move away from farming because they knew that the farmers will sell their excess. With the time people saved from not subsistence farming, they began to work on other things, like research, or trading, or smithing. This led to specialisation and became an economic multiplier. Scientists discovered new technologies that could be exported, or used to improve current methods. This meant blacksmiths could produce more than they originally could. More goods can be exported. The traders were more than happy with the increased volume of goods changing hands.

In a condition where people know that they will be given due credit for their work, trade flourishes. The blacksmith can continue working on his metals without having to touch grain or wheat because he knows his smithing is valued and that gives him money to buy food from the farmer. The farmer plants more than he can eat because his excess crops are of value to others. He needs the money to buy better tools for farming.

This is why I find MMOs with open economies and diverse occupations intriguging. Each player logged on does something he enjoys, but he is contributing to the overall well-being of the corporation he belongs to. The politicians will act to put their faction in a favourable light in the eyes of stronger factions. The tacticians will plan strategies to gain territories that are rich in resources. The navy will fight to gain those territories. The researchers will come up with new designs to increase the fighting strength of the navies. The miners will dig more raw materials to trade and build bigger ships with.

The best part is that you get so much more from the game than if you do everything on your own. For example, the Titan class ships are so massive a person playing on his own will never be able to build one in his lifetime. (Well, prolly not in his lifetime.) However, the corporation has enough resources to build one. And similarly, the corporation has enough resources to improve the mining tools you have, or the research facilities you have access to. And that one lucky person who gets to pilot the Titan gets to show off his fancy new toy. But that person has a responsibility too. The titan is a tool for power projection. You don't mess with a corporation who owns a Titan because that's folly. (Unless of course you have a Titan of your own.) That person has a duty to command the Titan well so that it does not get destroyed in the line of battle.

This is why MMOs are not just games. It's real people using their people logic in a virtual setting. Much can be learnt about the economy, or how technology is diffused or how political clout affects neighbouring factions. All these are real-world issues. All these can be studied in the "laboratory" of MMOs. In fact, Eve Online has a real economist in its payroll studying the statistics the servers capture about New Eden's transactions.

It's not real, it's just a game and there are bound to be erratic behaviour from certain players. However, MMOs still provide a treasure trove of information on human behaviour relating to real-world issues. And that's fascinating. -Jimmy