Is Loyalty Overrated

Posted on March 10, 2023 by memoriesandsuch

Over centuries, loyalty is a quality that has been highly regarded. It is defined as being faithful and devoted to someone or something and has long been considered a virtue. However, in recent years, the concept of loyalty has come under scrutiny, with some people questioning its value and suggesting that it is overrated. Loyalty is considered a desirable trait. To the beneficiary, a couple of serious errors will not end the relationship and to the bestower, it feels good to be able to count on someone who will have your back unquestionably.

Loyalty is better viewed as a phenomenon of other traits and virtues including trustworthiness, empathy for fellow humans, investing in a relationship in good times and bad, and variations of the golden rule. These are constitutive virtues of loyalty. At the same time, loyalty should not trump independent moral judgment.

In a fast-paced world where everything is constantly changing, the idea of being loyal to one person or thing can seem outdated. Some argue that loyalty can limit personal growth and hold individuals back from pursuing new opportunities. For example, if a person is loyal to a company that is not providing opportunities for advancement, they may miss out on opportunities for growth and development elsewhere. Similarly, if a person is loyal to a relationship that is not fulfilling or healthy, they may miss out on opportunities for happiness and fulfilment in other relationships.

On the other hand, others believe that loyalty is essential for building strong relationships and creating a sense of stability in an uncertain world. For example, in a romantic relationship, loyalty can help to build trust and create a sense of security. Loyalty to a cause or belief can also help to create a sense of community and shared purpose. In both cases, loyalty provides a foundation for growth and development in a way that cannot be achieved through change or unpredictability alone.

The value of loyalty is subjective and depends on individual perspectives and experiences. For some, the benefits of loyalty are undeniable, while for others, the drawbacks are too great. One thing is certain, however: loyalty can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, it can provide a sense of stability and security, but on the other hand, it can also limit personal growth and prevent individuals from pursuing new opportunities.

But loyalty is overrated.

Loyalty encourages complacency. Some people will behave well even if there’s no accountability. But we all know of that one person who will choose to play around the edges if they can get away with it, be it at work, school or at home. Sometimes a change in the situation or the level of attachment or investment will change a person’s loyalty.

One of the key factors that affect the value of loyalty is the context in which it occurs. Loyalty to a person or organization that is unethical or harmful can be damaging to both the individual and society as a whole. In such cases, loyalty can be a form of enabling and can perpetuate harmful behaviour. On the other hand, loyalty to a cause or belief that is just and moral can have a positive impact on both the individual and society.

Another factor that affects the value of loyalty is the level of attachment or investment. For example, a person who has invested a significant amount of time and energy into a relationship or organization may feel a greater sense of loyalty than someone who has not. However, this attachment can also make it more difficult to let go of the relationship or organization if it becomes harmful or unfulfilling.

Loyalty has benefits but also under-discussed liabilities. The concept of loyalty is complex and multifaceted, and whether it is overrated or not depends on individual perspectives and experiences. Loyalty can provide a sense of stability and security, but it can also limit personal growth and prevent individuals from pursuing new opportunities. Ultimately, the value of loyalty is determined by the context in which it occurs and the level of attachment or investment. Whether or not loyalty is overrated, it is important for individuals to consider their perspectives and experiences, and to make informed decisions about when and how to be loyal.

In My Hands Today…

Posted on March 9, 2023 by memoriesandsuch

The Happiness Project: Or Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun – Gretchen Rubin

Gretchen Rubin had an epiphany one rainy afternoon in the unlikeliest of places: a city bus. “The days are long, but the years are short,” she realized. “Time is passing, and I’m not focusing enough on the things that really matter.” In that moment, she decided to dedicate a year to her happiness project.

In this lively and compelling account, Rubin chronicles her adventures during the twelve months she spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, current scientific research, and lessons from popular culture about how to be happier. Among other things, she found that novelty and challenge are powerful sources of happiness; that money can help buy happiness, when spent wisely; that outer order contributes to inner calm; and that the very smallest of changes can make the biggest difference.

International Women’s Day 2023

Posted on March 8, 2023 by memoriesandsuch

Today is International Women’s Day, a day which brings to the fore the women’s rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.

Spurred on by the universal female suffrage movement that had begun in New Zealand, IWD originated from labour movements in North America and Europe during the early 20^th century. The earliest version was purportedly a Women’s Day organised by the Socialist Party of America in New York City on February 28, 1909. This inspired German delegates at the 1910 International Socialist Women’s Conference to propose a special Women’s Day be organised annually, albeit with no set date; the following year saw the first demonstrations and commemorations of International Women’s Day across Europe. After women gained suffrage in Soviet Russia in 1917 which was the beginning of the February Revolution, International Women’s Day was made a national holiday on March 8; it was subsequently celebrated on that date by the socialist movement and communist countries. The holiday was associated with far-left movements and governments until its adoption by the global feminist movement in the late 1960s. International Women’s Day became a mainstream global holiday following its adoption by the United Nations in 1977. The UN observes the holiday in connection with a particular issue, campaign, or theme in women’s rights.

International Women’s Day is a day when women can imagine a gender-equal world, a world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable, and inclusive an a world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together and collectively, women’s equality can be forged and equity embraced.

And Embrace Equity is the theme for this year’s IWD. Equity isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have. A focus on gender equity needs to be part of every society’s DNA and it is critical to understand the difference between equity and equality. The words equity and equality are often used interchangeably. Etymologically, the root word they share is aequus, meaning even, fair or equal – which led to equity being from the Latin aequitas, and equality from aequalitas. Yet, despite these similarities, equity and equality are inherently different concepts, and the IWD 2023 #EmbraceEquity campaign theme seeks to help forge worldwide conversations about this important issue and its impact.

So, what’s the difference between equity and equality – and why is it important to understand and acknowledge this? Equality means each individual or group of people is given the same resources or opportunities. Equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances, and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome. Equity can be defined as giving everyone what they need to be successful. In other words, it’s not giving everyone the same thing. If we give everyone the same thing, expecting that will make people equal, it assumes that everyone started in the same place – and this can be vastly inaccurate because everyone isn’t the same.

We can all truly embrace equity. It should not be just something we say or write about. It’s something we need to think about, know, and embrace. It’s what we believe in, unconditionally. Equity means creating an inclusive world. All of us, irrespective of gender can play a part in creating an inclusive world by actively supporting and embracing equity within our sphere of influence. We can and should challenge gender stereotypes, call out discrimination, draw attention to bias, and seek out inclusion. Collective activism is what drives change. From grassroots action to wide-scale momentum, we can all embrace equity. Forging gender equity isn’t limited to women solely fighting the good fight. Allies are incredibly important for the social, economic, cultural, and political advancement of women.

Over at the United Nations, the theme for International Women’s Day is DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality. This theme highlights the need for inclusive and transformative technology and digital education.

The United Nations recognises and celebrates the women and girls who are championing the advancement of transformative technology and digital education. This IWD will explore the impact of the digital gender gap on widening economic and social inequalities and will also spotlight the importance of protecting the rights of women and girls in digital spaces and addressing online and ICT-facilitated gender-based violence. Bringing women and other marginalised groups into technology results in more creative solutions and has greater potential for innovations that meet women’s needs and promote gender equality. Their lack of inclusion, by contrast, comes with massive costs. As per the UN Women’s Gender Snapshot 2022 report, women’s exclusion from the digital world has shaved $1 trillion from the gross domestic product of low-and middle-income countries in the last decade—a loss that will grow to $1.5 trillion by 2025 without action. Reversing this trend will require tackling the problem of online violence, which a study of 51 countries revealed 38 percent of women had personally experienced.

A gender-responsive approach to innovation, technology, and digital education can increase the awareness of women and girls regarding their rights and civic engagement. Advancements in digital technology offer immense opportunities to address development and humanitarian challenges and to achieve the 2030 Agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals. Unfortunately, the opportunities of the digital revolution also present a risk of perpetuating existing patterns of gender inequality. Growing inequalities are becoming increasingly evident in the context of digital skills and access to technologies, with women being left behind as the result of this digital gender divide. The need for inclusive and transformative technology and digital education is therefore crucial for a sustainable future.

Lets us all celebrate women’s achievements today and raise awareness about the discriminations we face. Let’s take action to drive gender parity and embrace equity.

In My Hands Today…

Posted on March 7, 2023 by memoriesandsuch

I Was Told to Come Alone: My Journey Behind the Lines of Jihad – Souad Mekhennet

“I was told to come alone. I was not to carry any identification, and would have to leave my cell phone, audio recorder, watch, and purse at my hotel. . . .”

For her whole life, Souad Mekhennet, a reporter for The Washington Post who was born and educated in Germany, has had to balance the two sides of her upbringing – Muslim and Western. She has also sought to provide a mediating voice between these cultures, which too often misunderstand each other.

In this compelling and evocative memoir, we accompany Mekhennet as she journeys behind the lines of jihad, starting in the German neighborhoods where the 9/11 plotters were radicalized and the Iraqi neighborhoods where Sunnis and Shia turned against one another, and culminating on the Turkish/Syrian border region where ISIS is a daily presence. In her travels across the Middle East and North Africa, she documents her chilling run-ins with various intelligence services and shows why the Arab Spring never lived up to its promise. She then returns to Europe, first in London, where she uncovers the identity of the notorious ISIS executioner “Jihadi John,” and then in France, Belgium, and her native Germany, where terror has come to the heart of Western civilization.

Mekhennet’s background has given her unique access to some of the world’s most wanted men, who generally refuse to speak to Western journalists. She is not afraid to face personal danger to reach out to individuals in the inner circles of Al Qaeda, the Taliban, ISIS, and their affiliates; when she is told to come alone to an interview, she never knows what awaits at her destination.

Recipe: Orange Kozambu

Posted on March 6, 2023 by memoriesandsuch

During the Chinese New Year period, here in Singapore, you get lots of different types of Mandarin oranges. I love Mandarin oranges and during that time, on a call with my mum and sister, we started talking about the Orange Kozambu my mum used to make. Inspired by that call and the two cartons of Mandarin oranges I had in the house, I made some of this delicious kozambu. I made it slightly different from how my mother makes it, making it more like my Milagu Kozambu and I felt this was a better way to make it as it kept for more than a week in the fridge. This is perfect with some rice and any stir-fried curry on a cold or rainy day. You can increase the number of peppercorns depending on your spice tolerance.

Orange Kozambu

Ingredients:

2 mandarin oranges
2 tsp Peppercorns
7-8 Red Chillies
2 tsp Urad Dal
3 tsp Chana Dal
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
3 tsp Coriander Seeds
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
Tamarind piece as big as a piece of lime (make sure you remove all fibre from the tamarind as well as any seeds which may be there). Alternatively, you can use 1-2 tbsp tamarind paste
Salt to taste
2-3 tbsp jaggery powder
¼ tsp Asafoetida
2 tbsp Gingelly Oil (if this oil is not available, then use the oil you use for your daily cooking)

Method:

Peel the oranges and remove any fibre from the peel as well as the segments.
Chop the orange peel into fine pieces and remove the seeds from the segments and chop them also finely.
Wash the peel and the segments and keep them aside.
In a pan, heat about 1 tbsp gingelly oil and after the oil warms up, add the tamarind piece, peppercorns, red chillies, urad dal, chana dal, asafoetida, cumin seeds and coriander seeds and fry them until the urad dal turns a golden brown colour.
If you are using tamarind paste, don’t add the paste to the oil, instead, you can use it while cooking the kozambu.
Once the spices cool down, blend them to a fine paste and keep aside.
Heat the balance gingelly oil and when the oil warms up, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter.
Then add the chopped mandarin orange peel and segments and fry for about 5-7 minutes, until the peel is fully cooked.
Then add the blended paste and enough water to make the kozambu to the consistency you require. This kozambu will thicken slightly when cool, so thin it accordingly.
Add salt to taste as well as some jaggery if you find it spicy and let it cook till the orange peel and segments are fully cooked and the mixture becomes thick and reduces.
Check for seasoning and switch off the gas.
Serve hot with rice and any curry. Potatoes go very well with this kozambu.

Memories and Such

Memories of a very ordinary life

Is Loyalty Overrated

In My Hands Today…

International Women’s Day 2023

In My Hands Today…

Recipe: Orange Kozambu