1. I am of the view that progress can be made only with collaboration
2. To collaborate effectively, we need to treat each other as equals, sizing up on strengths, appreciating the differences, and looking past imperfections.
3. Progress is often the by-product of a free country. Land of the free and home of the brave – a familiar phrase if you studied or lived/currently living in the USA.
4. I feel that Malaysia's biggest roadblock to progress is the superiority complex. We were taught at school and home that religion A is better than religion B, race A is better at business vs others, etc.
5. The air of superiority and social divide are obvious. Collaboration and unity are rather rhetorical than done; whatever is said remains superficial, concealing the dark side deeply rooted in our society.
6. The recent B&ssku event revealed a more resounding crack – our confirmation bias is so severe it may take decades to reset.
7. It used to be bad, then worsened, and is now dangerous. And this is where I draw the line.
8. You may also be forming an opinion about me by now. If no, then continue reading. It may get darker or brighter depending on your worldview.
9. The thought of free country, equity and equality did not happen in a day. Rather, it was shaped throughout the whole 34 years of my life.
10. I was born and raised the old money way. Music, tennis, arts, swimming, classical novels, you name it. Growing up, I read Rudyard Kipling, Jane Austen, and Mark Twain and was inspired by William of Orange.
11. No, I don’t have a horse – Old money isn’t necessarily wealthy, but within my community, it was a clear-cut superiority. I then went to a private boarding school in 2002, when things levelled up.
12. Moving down the slippery slope from feeling superior to inferior really hit me. I struggled to play catch-up and was often inclined to prove a point. Eventually, I ditched the classy old-money world for the cool new-money bling. I ditched music for computer games and well-cut pants for baggy jeans. It was a full-blown identity crisis that I carried over to my Pre-Uni days.
13. I quickly felt superior again in 2007 because, hey, I’m the private school bloke. Albeit, 2007 – 2012 was my dark age. My vision was tunnelled into one very shallow worldview; I even tried rationalising getting married, and God would shower me with wealth.
14. Get married and leave all worldly affairs. I was ready to work minimum wage to sustain life; it’s okay because marriage will bring wealth. This is without the slightest thought about my purpose of existence and contributing back to the world and society.
15. What an idiot. If there is a time machine, I’d go to 2010 and give Megat Tariq the tightest-ever slap. My then worldview has taught me to pursue predominantly metaphysics without much care for the world.
16. Despite being a complete idiot, I felt superior as hell. I was lucky to quickly recover from this illusion. 2013 I joined a large audit firm; this was the turning point - the age of enlightening.
17. Suffice it to say there were too many valid questions I struggled to answer. There were instances when I got borderline offended – the question was, why was I triggered? Why?
18. It turns out that I was cornering myself with answers that I cannot question. I got offended when further probed.
19. I, however, made the single biggest, irreversible blunder, and it still scares me to date how this can be a dealbreaker to many.
19. Having grown up the old money way means I was also prepped with high self-awareness. I knew something was off, so beginning in 2013, I slowly began to open up. By 2017, I had fully recovered from the superiority complex disease and began to see the world through equal lenses.
20. My progression means expectations began to be misaligned, which is great. Every single change requires thorough cleaning. The opportunity to reset opened a room for me to build my career seriously and accumulate wealth while settling the bad debts of my past years’ idiocy.
21. Progress also means that I can focus on things that matter. Even so, whilst it optically looks good, it feels very unsettling deep down. It went through a few more series of idiocy before I finally contended in Winter 2023 that I would make it right this time.
22. What is that right thing? I don't know. To me, it is important to just look forward and be happy, whatever the outcome May be :)
21. I recommend you go to Bangkok to understand progress in perspective. You'll be able to see what I mean the moment you land.
22. You will be able to appreciate my word better the more you observe and experience what the city has to offer, both socially and structurally. Don’t forget to be mind-blown by its gastronomic experience!
23. You will also be able to observe a picture of progress without sacrificing its roots, progress, and modernisation that is quintessentially Thai.
24. To understand me, however, one must go to Japan :)
25. Or maybe, just ask :) :) :)
Comments
Post a Comment