Focus on (more than just) the Family

Last month, 28-year-old local poet and playwright Ng Yi-sheng launched a Facebook group protesting DBS’s corporate support of Focus On The Family (FOTR), a pro-family group known in the US for anti-gay messages. So far, the group has garnered over 1,000 members, many of them 25 and under. Youthinkers weigh in on the issue of [...]

Encouraging people to clear up after eating

Want me to return my dirty tray? Here’s how, say YouthInk writers.
Merely following the crowd
IT IS interesting to note how naturally I return my food tray after a meal when overseas, yet not in Singapore.
When I was studying in England, it was common practice for students and faculty alike to take their trays to collection [...]

How far should discussions of religious faith go?

Why stop at tolerance? YouthInk writers call for understanding.
Understand, don’t just tolerate

EVEN though I am a decidedly non-religious person, I believe in understanding other religions rather than merely tolerating them.
‘Tolerance’ suggests passivity, while ‘understanding’ implies proactive attempts to seek comprehension.
Besides, the diversity and complexity of religious faiths demand understanding, not ignorance. Even the major Abrahamic [...]

Downturn dampens prospects

With the financial sector in for a rough ride, YouthInk writers contemplate their career options.
Sometimes, less is more
AS A final-year tertiary student, I certainly follow media reports about the current economic turmoil with much anxiety.
With the financial climate as fragile as it is unpredictable, what the local job market will be like next year is [...]

Time to speak up – or maybe not

Who will step up at Speakers’ Corner? YouthInk writers voice their doubts.
Is this real or pseudo?
TO DEMONSTRATE is to put forth a purposeful and visible critique of society, policy or leadership.
People demonstrate where their intended effect will be greatest – in front of iconic landmarks, before the eyes of their leaders and countrymen.
In Britain, I [...]

Voting age: It’s not a numbers game

YouthInk writers share their thoughts on the recent debate over whether the voting age in Singapore should be lowered to 18 and if their contemporaries should be entrusted with the power to choose their leaders.
Opt in if you’re ready

I HAVE always believed that suffrage, or the right to vote, is one of the cornerstones of [...]

Wanted: Heart and soul for Singapore’s next PM

What makes the perfect political leader? YouthInk writers weigh in.
Empathise, be humble
IT IS a given that the political leader of this country has to be of an excellent intellectual pedigree.
But brains aside, there should be a more human face shown by the holders of political office.
Empathy ought to be on top of Singaporeans’ wish list [...]

Should fringe event conform to mainstream standards?

The Complaints Choir aborted its recent public performances after the Media Development Authority said foreign members could not perform. Here’s what YouthInk readers think of the issue.
Dealing with a double-edged sword?

SECURITY, stability and sovereignty are the apparent watchwords of Singapore’s governance.
Sovereignty, I dare suggest, was the issue behind the Media Development Authority’s (MDA) decision to [...]

Soft skills matter – but are they more important than good grades?

Employers have spoken. They want soft skills. Problem is, just what exactly is that? YouthInk writers consider the prospects.
Employers should get creative
I DISAGREE with the notion of soft skills defining the employability of an individual.
Soft skills differ from person to person, as much as talents do. I do not believe there is any one proven [...]