Article 5: like Tomboys and Hate Girlie Girls?

That’s Sexist
Why is this happening?
- The society has internalized a kind of sexism that values masculinity in both boys and girls,
just as it devalues femininity in them.
- Influenced by children’s books, films and TV shows in which tomboys are protagonists,
while feminine boys and girls are problematic characters.
- Developed during the attempt to free women from the history of women’s oppression.
Its effect
- Tomboy is generally considered as a positive label of girls.
- Femininity is more reviled in boys, as the term “sissy” is used to describe a boy with
negative feminie traits.
- People think that masculinity carries prestige and femininity carries the whiff of subjugation.
What can be done?
- Strip gendered associations from lipstick, dresses, soccer ball, etc.
- Stop devaluing anything that is associated with women or girls.
- Stop describing both girls and boys as "girlie".
My opinion
-Some gender associations may be true in our current society, however, both males and
females should be given the choice to do what they think is suited for them.
-Unless the mindset of people is changed, it will be hard for some people to do what they
think is suited for them without feeling pressured.
Article 6: Singapore’s growing generation gap
Why is this happening?
- Young people are more likely to use new methods (social media) to champion issues of
social justice.
- Physical interconnectivity has helped expose younger generations to global issues.
- Younger generation blames the “baby boomers” since they have to shoulder the
consequences of the excessive post-war luxury that baby boomers enjoyed.
Situation in Singapore
- Baby boomers in Singapore were the one who built the nation to its current affluence.
- The affluence and comfort that the younger generation enjoys allow them to increase their
capacity to engage in issues of social justice.
- Young people want to have a voice over governmental plans and issues.
- Older generation needs to catch up to the vision and ideas of young people.
Looking ahead
- Rifts in views about issues like same-sex marriage will only widen.
- However, difference in opinion may not necessarily be a bad thing.
My opinions
-Older and younger generations should learn to understand and respect each other's
differences. Being born under a different environment, our opinions regarding certain things
will definitely differ, but it does not mean that we should completely deny or all other views.
-However, it is true that it would be hard to change the mindset of people, especially older
people who have sticked to the mindset for several decades of their life.

Article 7: What Future for the Family?

What a family is meant to be
- It invites reproduction, harnesses strong human instinct to socialize and empower the next
generation.
- It helps to meet, as best as it can, the physical and psychological needs of all its members.
- The man is the breadwinner and viewed as head of the family. The man’s career takes
priority over the women’s.
- The man and women support and complement each other.
What is changing?
- Women are becoming more empowered, and are often the main breadwinner in the family,
while the man takes up the opposite role of being a househusband.
- Voluntary childlessness is more common.
- Rising number of cohabiting couples, as well as same-sex couples.
- More households that only contain one person.
My opinion
-The "definition" of family is changing, and i feel that it is not wrong for same-sex marriage or
childlessness. However due to several religious reasons, a big part of the society may be
unwilling to accept it. It is much harder to change religious views as compared to an
individual's mindset.
Article 8: China’s chief conundrum- how to look after the world’s fastest ageing
population
Effects of a notorious population control
- One-child policy was implemented to lift millions out of poverty.
- It was believed that the Chinese population is rising too quickly and will overwhelm the
agriculture sector’s ability to feed the entire nation in decades to come.
Effects of the silver tsunami
- Four in 10 Chinese will be over the age of 60 by the year 2050.
- One-child policy has placed parents at a greater danger of living in isolation and ignored by
their families..
- This isolation leads to increasing cases of suicides by elderlies.
- Younger generations now prioritise their career over marriage.
Solutions
- Subsidies to mothers, state-sponsored maternal and infant healthcare, etc. can nudge
couples to have more children.
- China plans to harness new technology, encourage enterprise and invest in education.
- Automation can help to lean out the workforce.
My opinion
-The one-child policy is definitely an effective way to control the population in the short-term,
in order to lift the burden on the agricultural sector of the society and to focus more on
developing other sectors.
-China's economy is still growing at a rapid rate despite of the growing aging population,
hence i feel that this issue is not at a state of crisis yet, especially with the new measures
implemented in the past few years to alleviate this issue.

Own article: Fake news

What and why is happening?
- Real and fake news are now being presented in a similar way that it can sometimes be
difficult to tell the two apart.
- Chain reaction caused by spreading these information on social media.
- Big money can be made from creating fake news and spreading it on the internet, hence
enticing people to do it.
Solutions/efforts that tackle this issue
- Fact-checking websites that fight online misinformation.
- Citizens are taught how to identify fake news.
- In Singapore, laws have been introduced to tackle the rise of fake news.
Limitations
-Fake news can be spread by friends and family, and people tend to believe the people they
trust.
-It is hard for the government to regulate all websites to prevent or minimise the spread of
fake news.
My opinion
-The fact that it sometimes takes several days after the spread of fake news before they are
deemed as false information makes it very difficult for it to be regulated.
-It is hard for government to solve the issue of fake news, since it mainly depends on the
citizens to play a part in helping this issue.