In your opinion, are the youth or elderly more likely to have a better future in SG?In lieu of Singapores aging population, the government has implemented a slew of measures to mitigate potential problems that could be faced. Likewise, the government has also encouraged the youth to receive higher education, while also making provisions to ensure that they would have some job experience prior to graduating. However, there are still numerous challenges that are difficult to counteract without implementing radical reforms. For example, the problem of foreign talent leading to a shortfall of jobs cannot easily be resolved, as they are irreplaceable to a certain extent; such a problem arises owing to Singapores falling birth rate, which would lead to Singapores economy becoming tenuous in the long run. Consequently, the elderly are better off in the future, as the youths still need to worry about finding a job for their livelihood.

The elderly are much better off these days than in the past, especially with greater welfare. For example, the Central Provident Fund (CPF) scheme, established in 1955, has grown from 55,000 members to covering almost all of Singapore. With a CPF savings account, Singaporeans are able to enjoy an assured regular monthly pay when they retire. Planning for retirement has thus been made easier. Unlike other countries such as China, where the burden of raising the elderly lie on their progeny, the Singaporean government has aimed to enable the elderly to be self-sufficient, as they also actively encourage them to re-enter the workforce after retirement to provide some support for their family.

In addition, the government announced a new island wide national healthcare life insurance scheme: Medishield Life. This is an upgrade from the previous insurance scheme: Medishield, which was optional, whereas the current one is compulsory, at more affordable premiums, and has no minimum/maximum age. This helps to keep medical expenses low, especially for the elderly, who are more prone to falling ill, due to their increased susceptibility to chronic conditions. Although Singapore is fast having an aging population, the government has tried to minimise the impact of rising healthcare costs by also introducing the Pioneer Generation scheme, whereby all senior citizens above the age of 65 are able to receive greatly discounted medical care, as well as Medisave top-ups, thereby supplementing the funds they receive from their children. The Community Health Assistance Scheme (CHAS) aims to extend the support the Pioneer Generation receives to others that have low-income and which are not yet 65. Hence, the healthcare model implemented in Singapore for the aged is one that comprises of government support to enable senior citizens to be able to pay for their medical bills, without relying too extensively on their children for support, as some may come from estranged families.

However, the issue of filial piety remains a problematic issue.

Filial piety has always been a key component of Confucianism, which is a form of philosophy and way of life that has guided many Asian countries for centuries. Although Singapores political model is starkly contrasting to that of China, it has always been attempting to integrate some forms of the philosophy into the daily life in the island. For example, Singaporeans have always been taught about the need to respect their elders, and take care of them as part of their compulsory Civics and Moral Education from Primary school. Filial piety arises from the general belief that children should always reciprocate the efforts the parents put in to raise them from young by supporting them financially as well as socially when they age.

Despite this concept being logical and reasonable, a new generation of Singaporeans are gradually becoming apathetic.

Owing to the exposure of Western values such as individualism and materialism, young Singaporeans are increasingly becoming self-centred, preferring to make their own decisions rather than consult with their parents. This, coupled with the increasing emphasis on rote learning in schools for examinations (rather than a value-driven one), has led to gradual disillusionment with their roots. Our youth are now preferring to live away from their parents to meet their own ambitions and aims, thereby causing the parental ties to weaken. Due to this, many children are now choosing to abandon their parents in nursing homes rather than take care of them, leading to a deprivation of love in their lives. Many senior citizens can retire financially stable, but how enjoyable is wealth when you have no one to share your joys with?

As for the youth in Singapore, they are also beset by problems following their graduation from institutes of higher education.

With a reduction in the birth rate, there has been increased allocation of jobs to foreign talent, thereby depriving the youths of some jobs. The economy of Singapore is now facing stagnation, as exemplified by the weakening of Singapores currency due to over-appreciation by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. When companies face financial difficulties, the first they choose to retrench will almost always be the new blood (i.e. the youngest in the company). With traditional jobs facing increasing competition, youths being increasingly pressured to innovate. However, our society has never been one that rewards creativity, with youths themselves receiving little to no training in this aspect in schools, unlike other countries such as Finland. Many people also are still unable to understand the reasons behind entrepreneurs choosing to take risks, and consequently are rarely sympathetic when they face setbacks. Although there are measures by the government to encourage creative thinking, such as by amending the law to allow bankrupt self-employed individuals to restart business at a faster rate, as well as highlighting successful businessmen in the media, the response has largely been lukewarm. With a lack of support for self-employment, as well as by being unable to find an office job due to stiff competition, many youths now face a dilemma.

Furthermore, their university degrees are becoming less and less valuable. Previously, attaining a degree was regarded as the zenith in ones life, as well as being the epitome of excellent studies. Yet, degrees now are so commonplace that companies frequently reject degree holders citing a lack of experience and other qualifications. In this pressure cooker environment to consistently excel beyond the norm just to be employed, many youths are naturally finding this stifling on their own personal lives.

Nonetheless, the government is pragmatic enough to provide for increased job training and experiential learning, thereby making youths more competitive in the workforce. For example, the government announced recently on Budget Day 2015 that they would match all polytechnic and Institute of Technical Education (ITE) graduates with a company for a 12-month to 18-month internship with a monthly pay, thereby ensuring that all graduates will have some basic experience in the sector of their interest, and not just a piece of paper certifying their expertise. Such a move boosts their competiveness as they now are able to claim that the qualifications are not only on paper, but that they also have some practice in their job prior to applying for it.

By considering the challenges faced by both groups, as well as the mitigation measures put in place by the government to partially alleviate these, it can be seen that the youth face more problems as they still need to worry about the rest of their lives, while the senior citizens only need to focus on post-retirement. However, it is still not smooth-sailing for the elderly even after they retire, as the safety net created by the government is not realistically holistic enough to cover all their needs, and some may still face disagreements with their families.

How difficult is it to eradicate sexism in society?Sexism has been a hotly debated topic ever since time immemorial. The womens suffrage movement in Britain in the late 19th century was one of the most memorable and momentous incidents. Many countries proclaim gender equality. In France, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen proclaimed that the rights of man are inviolable and should naturally be accorded to all; this is not limited to Europe. In the US, Thomas Jefferson declared that all men are created equal, and thus should be fairly treated as such. Yet, gender inequality is one of the most pervasive divisions that man has found it hard to eradicate. In every corner of society, be it in the workplace, the marketplace or the living space, women have been traditionally stigmatised and stereotyped.

Regardless of the stance the constitution takes, women have always found it harder to succeed in life, especially in men-dominated jobs. Even though many measures have been implemented by many governments of different political ideologies, but there still remains much to be corrected. In the process of emancipating women from the predominant stereotype of being a housewife, they have also been accorded many civil liberties. However, an unlikely consequence is the creation of sexism towards men, as their rights have ironically been deemed by some to be restricted.

Women have always found it hard to succeed in the corporate world. For many, they remain for a good period of their life as an office lady, with a sticky floor and a glass ceiling hindering further promotions. In fact, the top Fortune 500 companies have only a combined percentage of 4% women CEOs.

The rationale behind the presence of a sticky floor is due to numerous commitments that women have: children, housing, cooking, and cleaning, etc., which draw precious time which could be devoted instead to impress their superiors. Such a scenario arises due to the unequal division of responsibilities in a household, as women are traditionally expected to juggle both the house and their job, while men only need to care about earning money. In traditional China, Confucianism, which was the predominant philosophy, emphasized the need for women to be subservient to men and know their place in the house. Only then, Confucius believed, would there be regional harmony and stability.

Evidently, contemporary China has proven him wrong. By embracing Communism, China has fervently subscribed to the belief that men and women are indeed equal, with Mao famously stating that women hold up half the sky. Despite this, many women also find it unfair that their career ends prematurely due to the belief that they need to stay at home and take care of their children after becoming pregnant. The idea of paternity leave is still a laughable concept, a pipe dream. Indisputably, the more ingrained a belief is, the more difficult it is to eradicate. This is not only limited to China. Even the US, the self-proclaimed upholder of democracy, there exists a distinct demarcation between the roles of men and women in the workforce. Women face a variety of unconscious stereotypes in the workplace that hold them back, such as the perception that women can never be the primary breadwinner, and the opinionated professions from men that they should always behave with a stereotypical submissive role at work. In addition, office cultures are often dominated by norms better suited to men, such as by being insensitive to their family obligations.

As for glass ceilings, many originate due to the preponderant subscription to the superiority complex of men, respective to their ability to be a leader. There are very few women in the managerial positions. However, I feel that this is an aspect that has indeed shown some progress. In the Nordic countries, many have resorted to radical methods to achieve unprecedented results. Norway implements strict quotas requiring at least 40% of corporate positions to women, where the only alternative available for them is to let the positions go vacant. Although such measures may be decried by some to be extremist, but they have indeed been shown to reduce the gender inequality.

Even in the regions where Confucianism is most pronounced (i.e. East Asia), the wind of change has been evident. The citizens of South Korea, a strongly Confucianist society, had made an unparalleled decision by voting the first female presidential candidate (Park Geun-Hye) into power. Such an action has far-reaching consequences, as it also highlights the resolve of South Koreans to create a more encompassing society, on the issue regarding gender inequality. By affirming a female president, the voters are also showing their tacit support to female leaders from all aspects of society. Females also now have an important role model who can inspire them to take up greater responsibilities.

It can thus be shown that some of the components that define sexism can indeed be eliminated, if everyone is willing to collaborate to turn subjective employment into objective and truly democratic employment.

In spite of some progresses, the media has never changed its outlook on the issue of sexism, as it continues to incessantly pervade the age-old stereotypes. Men are always perceived to be aggressive, and women meek. Advertisements of all forms can be used to substantiate this. For example, a Dolce & Gabbana print ad portrayed the process of several men gang-raping a women to be glamorized and justifiable. Although such ads are targeted to a purported mature audience, but there will still be the possibility of the younger male generation being positively commended through these ads for being violent and forceful towards women. Passing down this stereotype evidently will irreversibly affect their ability to perceive the world with an objective, innocent mind-set, and instead cause them to become subjective. Hence, the media still places a great emphasis on ensuring that the gender inequality remains, which could be counterproductive to the efforts of female activists to right the wrongs.

In addition, sexual objectification of women is still, sadly, a frequent sight. Many companies rely on the sex appeal of women to sell products; they do so by treating women as only accessories to sell to help them sell. Many such ads appeal to the puerile desires of men, while also de-emphasizing the identities of women. In such ads, the womens erogenous zones are the only parts which are portrayed in glorious technicolour, while their faces are either obscured or generalized. Such ads neither recognize the importance of women, nor do they give them the respect they deserve. A dearth of alternative views by the media also accentuates the continued unchanging stance effected by the majority.

Furthermore, many women are encouraged to objectify themselves to become famous in the media. After all, most of the women singers dress in promiscuous ways and sing questionably vulgar songs that appeals to the sexual fantasies of men. The ignominious decadence in our society is progressively becoming more, not less, obvious. Many female pop stars, such as Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga, which have hordes of adoring fans, succeed not because of their ability, but rather their willingness to turn themselves into an object to please the base lusts of their (mainly) male fans. Gender liberalisation in job opportunities most certainly does not always equate to equal treatment in society.

Female activists have invented a simple, yet effective, method of identifying such stereotyping in films: The Bechdel Test. This aims to identify films which contain two or more named women which talk about something aside from a man. It enables filmgoers to rapidly gauge whether a film does indeed understand the depth of regular conversations between women and does not attempt to grossly simplify them. Although this test seems easy enough to pass, but less than half of all Academy Award films actually do. Positively, the negative portrayal of women is downright disturbing.

While some may claim that these have been common enough for us to become numb, many media-influenced incidents of inter-gender violence prove the contrary. The infamous gang rape in India which happened three years ago and led to the death of the victim has been partially attributed to the ease of accessibility to such questionable material which would naturally inflame the lusts of men, thereby increasing the probability for rape to occur. By objectifying women in the media, men would also feel less shame when doing this, which turns leads to them becoming emboldened.

Historical evidences of the unchanging stance of the media have proven that they are the hardest to change. In contrast to the relative likelihood of individuals becoming more objective, the media still remains the bulwark of subjectivism. Consequently, the deep penetration of the media into our lives allows the reinforcement of sexism, which continues to the frustration of activists. Contrariwise, attempts to create a fair and inclusive atmosphere in work have gained some traction, but there is still much to be done.