reflections from st

These are my resolutions, reminders and reflections for the new year.

1. Don’t take life too seriously. Most times, it is only my ego that is hurt. And that may not be a bad thing.

This resolution forces me to examine myself often. I have come to realise that a lot of issues I struggle with are the result of my pride, which is easily bruised by words and actions. That is often the source of my misery and self-pity. I need to remind myself that not everything is about me.

2. The “likes” I get on Facebook do not affirm who I am.

This is a reminder to not base my self-worth on things that are transient and superficial. It also reminds me to live a life that is not driven by the whims of the latest fad.

3. If we want to change for the better, stop making excuses.

I aim to stop procrastinating. If something is worth doing, and you know it is what you have to do, then do it. Don’t stand in your own way to achieving personal breakthroughs. Like Nike says, just do it... already.

4. Overnight changes last only one night. True change takes time.

Nothing worth doing is easy and I have to give a life enough time to change. I learnt this the hard way when my three children went through their PSLE. I saw them through my own myopic lenses and focused only on the grades. But they all eventually bloomed in their own time.

And my son recently gave a good wrap-up for the year at one of our family gatherings. He reminded us: “Everyone is on their own journey, and it is okay to go at their own pace and give them the space to run their own race.”

5. True success is never allowing success to change us.

The best version of us is before success happens. This is to remind myself of where I come from, and not let achievements go to my head.

American medical researcher Jonas Salk once said to give our children roots and wings. I take roots to mean our humble beginnings. Never forget where we come from, and the struggles and the tears shed to arrive at where we are today. Once the roots are firmly entrenched, we can soar with wings confidently spread out to take us much farther.

Success then becomes about building character, rather than accumulating and flaunting wealth.

6. Never underestimate the power of choice.

When it comes to facing adversity, nothing is as bad as it looks or feels until I decide how I respond to it. It was the Stoic philosopher Epictetus who said that “people are not upset by events but rather by their opinions about them”.

7. If we can’t afford the time to understand people, then don’t insult their intelligence by trying to change them.

This is a wake-up call to listen intently for what is not said, because it is important that I put myself in the other person’s shoes rather than impose on him what I think is right for him. 

Everyone is going through a different journey. Be kind always, and seek to understand and lend a helping hand. At times, the best encouragement is simply silent company, to be one who listens more than he speaks.

8. Life may be short, but the journey is long. So always remember to live our life short on hate and long on forgiveness.

I trust this last point is self-explanatory.

Have a great 2025.

Michael Han is a father of three and managing partner of a legal firm.

qoo10 down fall

In late 2015, a founder of an e-commerce operations company I was advising confidently declared: “The future of e-commerce is in Qoo10. It’s more engaging for consumers, and our sales there are much higher than on any other platform.”

At the time, his optimism was well placed. Daily deals platforms like Groupon were faltering, the future of Singapore e-commerce early entrant Lazada was uncertain amid rumours of a potential Alibaba acquisition, and upstart Shopee – launched earlier that year – was little more than a Carousell copycat.

Qoo10, the daddy among them, was founded in 2010 – Lazada came along two years later – when the Singapore e-commerce industry was in its early stages. And yet, five years later, it still stood out. It was cool, innovative and ambitious, even building its own logistics arm, Qxpress, signalling a long-term commitment to Singapore’s emerging e-commerce market.

The company had quickly become a darling on the scene, appealing to both buyers and sellers with a user-friendly platform, aggressive marketing, an efficient loyalty programme and a focus on low prices and variety. 

But ever since Shopee and Lazada started firing up their growth engines, Qoo10’s glory days were over. The hammer in the coffin was the Singapore High Court ordering Qoo10’s liquidation early in November, highlighting a stark reality: Once a promising player in Singapore’s e-commerce scene, Qoo10 now joins the list of fallen early movers.

It is the end of an era and a cautionary tale. But it is also a reminder of the dynamic, ever-changing nature of the e-commerce industry in Singapore.

Bright beginnings

When Qoo10 was founded, it was well positioned to capitalise on Singapore’s nascent e-commerce opportunities. At the time, Amazon and eBay dominated the West, while Alibaba’s Taobao was already fairly established in China. These platforms gained some traction in Singapore with cross-border shoppers. 

Locally, companies like 65daigou (later Ezbuy), also founded in 2010, helped consumers access Taobao goods, and start-ups like RedMart were beginning to explore niche markets like grocery e-commerce.

Qoo10’s ability to seize trends early on was a significant strength. It launched campaigns that resonated with consumers, engaged sellers effectively, and built a reputation for offering great deals. Its investment in Qxpress streamlined logistics to ensure better service.

Perils of the first mover

In the technology ecosystem, being an early mover can be as risky as it is rewarding. Late movers can learn from their predecessors’ successes and mistakes and adapt quickly. First movers often become too entrenched in existing processes to pivot effectively, especially in fast-evolving industries like e-commerce.

Qoo10 faced a similar fate. While it initially succeeded by focusing on selection, price and savings, Shopee entered the market in 2015 with superior execution across these same areas.

Shopee’s gamified shopping experiences, coupled with targeted promotions like free shipping and seller engagement strategies, resonated deeply with consumers. Shopee began to capture the mass market, squeezing Qoo10’s relevance.

Lazada solidified its position with consumers as their preferred platform for branded goods, and Amazon also claimed a premium segment, both areas Qoo10 found itself ill equipped to serve. As a result, Qoo10’s position in the market eroded, slowly – then quickly.

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Momentum matters

As Shopee and Lazada gained traction, Qoo10 struggled to compete for resources. Bright university graduates flocked to Shopee, drawn by its rapid growth and ambitious vision. Investors favoured Shopee’s bold strategies over Qoo10’s seemingly more stagnant approach.

This wasn’t unique to Qoo10. Early movers here like Ezbuy and RedMart also failed to deliver on investor expectations. Foodpanda, once dominant in food delivery, steadily lost ground to Grab, which started its delivery services six years later but benefited from better execution and integration into its ride-hailing app.

For Qoo10, the loss of momentum to Shopee probably sealed its fate. Without a differentiated value proposition or extraordinary leadership to execute a turnaround, its decline became inevitable.

A perfect storm

While Qoo10 initially captured consumer attention with its deals and variety, cracks began to show in how it managed relationships with both consumers and sellers. Sellers increasingly faced delayed payments – in early 2023, reports surfaced of sellers not being able to withdraw their earnings.

This eroded trust and prompted many to shift their focus to competitors, who provided not only faster payment cycles but better tools and support for sellers, enabling them to scale their operations effectively.

Qoo10’s reliance on its digital tokens, known as Q*coins, also became a double-edged sword. While these tokens, which acted as a form of currency on Qoo10’s platform, encouraged loyalty and repeat purchases, consumers became increasingly frustrated with the tokens’ lack of transparency and usability.

Many consumers struggled to redeem the tokens or found them to have limited value, especially as competitors rolled out simple, gamified reward systems and enticing cashback schemes. As a result, Qoo10 gradually lost online shoppers to platforms that provided clearer value propositions.

Qoo10’s financial mismanagement further deepened its troubles. Reports of fund misuse and mounting debts undermined its ability to invest in critical areas like marketing, technology and logistics – areas where its rivals were pulling ahead. Shopee, which was buoyed by heavy investments from parent company Sea Group, executed aggressive marketing campaigns and built an ecosystem of gamified shopping experiences that kept users engaged. 

Qoo10’s failure to modernise its platform and innovate beyond its early successes left it stagnant. The logistical advantages of Qxpress, once a key differentiator, became less compelling as competitors developed more robust delivery systems. 

This combination of poor financial management, declining consumer trust and seller dissatisfaction created a perfect storm for Qoo10. 

An unpredictable landscape

The demise of Qoo10 underscores how precarious a lead can be in the ever-changing e-commerce industry. Indeed, while its internal woes were significant contributors to Qoo10’s downfall, it was the relentless competition in Singapore’s e-commerce landscape that played a decisive role.

With Singapore having a small consumer base relative to other South-east Asian markets, and one that is highly discerning yet price sensitive, I believe that while its e-commerce industry may be open to a disruptor, it has room for only a few dominant players. 

And as the bar of offering a drastically better value proposition becomes higher, it will be more difficult for new entrants to the industry to break through.

So far, consumers have enjoyed the benefits of the e-commerce evolution – better selection, faster delivery, improved quality and greater savings – as platforms vie for their attention. 

But a market dominated by a few giants could theoretically reduce competition over time, potentially leading to less innovation and higher prices. 

The future of e-commerce in Singapore remains unpredictable for now. But history has shown that the industry thrives on disruption. Whenever the dominant incumbents start to slack off, new players will find cracks in the wall to redefine the game with fresh approaches and unique value propositions.

Today, the e-commerce landscape continues to shift. Shopee’s logistics arm, SPX Express, is poised to overtake J&T Express as the largest logistics provider in South-east Asia, solidifying its dominance. 

Meanwhile, Temu, the global offshoot of Pinduoduo, is rapidly expanding in the region and may soon set its sights on Singapore, bringing with it a model of aggressive price competition and hyper-localised offerings. Cross-border platforms like Taobao are also gaining momentum.

The next wave of disruption is always just around the corner. Ultimately, the market’s capacity for fresh competition will depend on whether newcomers can differentiate themselves and avoid the pitfalls of past players.

Li Jianggan is CEO of Momentum Works, a Singapore-based venture builder and research firm.

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meritocracy

Parents do a lot for their children in Singapore.

Many go to great lengths to secure places for their kids in coveted primary schools and send them for private tutoring. Such competitiveness means that families spend more and more time and money, just to outdo each other.

More recently, the north-east region has witnessed the proliferation of “dedicated enrichment zones”. These have now expanded their offerings to cater to pre-school children, opening up a new frontier in the educational arms race.

As a mother of two young children myself, I’ve been in countless conversations with other parents about schools and extracurricular activities. In my experience, while most parents would personally agree with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s assessment that the definition of success should go beyond academic and material achievements, many may nevertheless choose to stick to the old formula when it comes to their own children.

Yet amidst all the competition, many are unhappy with having to be more kiasu, literally “fearful of losing”, than one would otherwise like to be.

A culture of hyper-competitiveness

So what exactly are parents fearful of?

Perhaps the most obvious answer is that parents fear seeing their children at the bottom of the heap in a system that concentrates rewards at the top. To get up there, one must outperform peers in assessments from classroom to workplace.

In the past, parents would receive school report cards that clearly indicated a student’s exact ranking in class as determined by exams that started as early as Primary 1. This information, which indicated how far a student was from the top, likely compelled some families to get more heavily involved.

Today, primary and secondary school students no longer have to sit mid-year examinations, and the youngest would also be spared from testing until Primary 3. Moreover, starting this year, academic streaming has been removed in secondary schools in favour of subject-based banding. By diversifying from the use of single metrics, these moves have reined in the stressful practice of student ranking.

Although these institutional shifts can take some of the edge off the pressure on parents, some families have got around them by sending their children for mock examinations at private centres. Similarly, when primary school registration rules were amended in 2021 to double the number of places reserved for the most competitive phase, parents’ chat groups and forums immediately discussed strategies to get ahead of the competition.

These responses suggest changes to the educational system and rules can do only so much. As long as parents feel that some schools and pathways are more prestigious than others, they will continue to feel the pressures of a hyper-competitive culture.

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Parental obligation and uncertainty

One reason that parents are so competitive is that they feel their children are vulnerable and depend upon them to provide help and guidance. Driven by a sense of duty, they find it difficult to defy crowd wisdom because, in future, they might be accused of being irresponsible parents. This also accords them with the moral authority to override any childish protestations as the adult “voice of reason”. The forces at play are especially intense if the stakes are determined at younger ages.

Another problem is that parents have to take decisions today without full information on their children’s future preferences. Uncertain where their children’s passions will lie and what their material aspirations will look like, parents are more likely to avoid risky choices in favour of safer options, which is doing what everyone else is doing.

These dynamics restrict the choice sets of parents, often at the cost of the well-being of the students themselves. Stress levels among Singaporean children have increased and academics play a big part. This is likely linked to why children have been reporting more mental health issues, with one study estimating that children lose 24 days of school per year on average due to depression or anxiety symptoms.

While experts warn that busy parents may not detect issues or be equipped to provide support for their children’s mental health, a separate set of risks also arises from the opposite direction, where overly intensive parenting leads to anxiety and weakens the ability to face failure among children.

Some parents may feel that these costs are worth it if it means that their children will have a brighter future. But it doesn’t make sense to pursue something at all costs, and yet take a naive and uncritical view of the expected gains, which can be very far from what is imagined as to how far they actually go towards fulfilment and well-being. A culture centred on academic performance and failing to properly value children’s holistic development leads us to short-change ourselves and our loved ones.

Making merit less about relative performance

Apart from academic ability, we need to focus on skills and competencies that contribute towards a child’s holistic development while tamping down excessive competitiveness in a merit-based society.

These must meet two criteria. First, they need to be highly desired by future employers, colleagues and society at large. Second, they need to be observable, measurable and yet, relative to academic performance, less given to competitive pressures that can spill over to parents.

Such competencies should also be independent of socioeconomic background. This can help bolster the institution of meritocracy as an underlying governing principle. This has come under increased scrutiny as some feel the odds of accumulating merit are stacked against the disadvantaged, who are further made to feel undeserving.

What fits the bill are pro-social skills that include diligence, resilience, honesty, humility, kindness, and desire to keep learning and contributing to the community. These attributes are not only highly sought after in professional settings, but necessarily involve individual autonomy and value identification. They also place the onus of learning, as it should be, on the students rather than on their parents.

Moral striving and contributing to the common good are also non-competitive and less dependent on family background, bringing us closer to a fair society, where everyone can make good, regardless of socioeconomic status.

This is in contrast with technical competencies, which are also important, but where not everyone can be a top achiever. By logical implication, the flip side of acknowledging that every child has unique gifts, is that there will be some advantages and talents that not every child possesses.

A broader concept of merit that is more within everyone’s reach can lower stress, improve mental health and embolden individuals to pursue personal interests and strengths. It also promotes proper societal functioning through greater belonging, cohesion, and increased propensity to take calculated risks.

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Arriving at a social consensus

If a decisive shift in parenting culture is to happen, a social consensus is needed. What can help accelerate this process is to increase recognition of the trend towards a softer approach to child development, in which families increasingly care about character and socio-emotional development, and where building environments of support, trust and openness is prioritised.

If such a consensus is reached, parents will not feel compelled to enter the educational race at the expense of their children’s well-being, just because they mistakenly think that’s what everyone else is also doing.

By shifting the bar for merit in the classroom from achievement for personal gain to include contributions to the community, we make it something which everyone, not just the few, can reach.

Tan Poh Lin is a senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore.

get that spot before o level result

SINGAPORE – When Hemavarshnee Saravanan was in Secondary 4, she started a hair accessories business with a friend to sell scrunchies in school-approved colours.

“Students want to look as cute as possible, but it was hard to do that with school rules. So we decided to sell white or green hair ties to give students more options instead of just using black rubber bands,” says the former St Margaret’s Secondary student.

The hair accessories business lasted just 10 months until she had to prepare for her O-level exams. But it sealed her decision to study business and apply to Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) via the early admissions exercise (EAE).

“Since I already knew I wanted to get into a business course, I might as well secure a place through the EAE,” says the 19-year-old. She is now a third-year diploma student in business studies.

The EAE is an aptitude-based admissions exercise that allows students to apply for and receive conditional admission offers to polytechnics before receiving their final grades.

According to the Ministry of Education, applications and admissions via the polytechnic EAE have remained relatively consistent over the past three years. About 13,500 students applied for the polytechnic EAE in 2023 for admission in 2024, and 5,500 received an offer.

The EAE is open to graduating O-Level students, final-year Nitec and Higher Nitec students from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE). Polytechnics have the flexibility to select and admit students based on their aptitude and interest.

For more information on the EAE, go to eae.polytechnic.edu.sg or check out the websites of the polytechnics.

Lasalle College of the Arts is offering this admission route for the first time in 2024 for all 11 of its diploma programmes for the August 2025 intake. The programmes include diplomas in fine arts, design, media arts and performing arts. Applications close on May 24.

The Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Nafa) also accepts students via EAE. More information is available on the websites of the two arts institutions.

How to boost your chances through write-ups and interviews

The EAE is a holistic assessment of what an applicant has done so far. This means students should go the extra mile and find opportunities and activities related to their field to be considered favourably, says Ms Jeanne Liew, principal of Republic Polytechnic (RP).

She adds that the EAE route is suitable for students who know their interests or what they want to pursue as their career.

“They must possess the passion, aptitude and positive attitude towards a field related to their desired polytechnic course,” says Ms Liew.

She adds that in the last three years, RP has seen a year-on-year increase in the total number of O-level applicants who put RP as their first choice.

The application consists of two components: a 600-character course-specific write-up to assess the applicant’s aptitude and interest for his or her selected course, and an optional 1,000-character write-up about one’s talents and achievements.

Ms Liew strongly encourages students to do the optional write-up.

“Showcase non-academic achievements to boost one’s chances. This could include leadership roles, community involvement programmes, national awards, businesses or an IT programme that they have developed,” she says.

NP’s deputy principal, Ms Looi Mei Fong, advises students to approach both write-ups as if they were pitches.

“The stronger the evidence presented, the easier it is for us to shortlist the applicant for an interview,” she says.

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Students shortlisted for an interview would need to prepare a portfolio showcasing relevant works, certificates or documents.

They should also familiarise themselves with the assessment criteria and stay updated on industry trends. For example, if a child is keen on a diploma in information technology, he can read up news on artificial intelligence (AI), generative AI or careers in the information and communications technology industry.

“This will allow him to engage in a meaningful conversation with his interviewers,” says Ms Looi.

The assessment modes could range from taking an aptitude test to delivering an individual pitch to a group interview to assess teamwork or emotional intelligence.

They may need to respond to scenario-based questions or complete an activity to demonstrate their analytical, critical thinking and communication skills, as well as their awareness of current affairs.

For instance, applicants for the diploma in biomedical science may encounter questions that give them the opportunity to discuss research in diseases and drugs that have been in the news.

“While students will not be expected to have technical knowledge, those who are able to discuss such news with confidence are more likely to stand out,” says Ms Looi.

Mr Sng Choon Leng, director of academic affairs at Temasek Polytechnic, says interviewers are keen to find out about applicants’ interest in a course and how they had pursued this passion.

For example, students could share if they had read up on related topics, participated in training courses, or done some part-time work or community service.

RP’s Ms Liew adds: “Don’t be shy to share about past events and activities that you participated in.”

Miss Jolene Chong, 20, graduated in May with a diploma in applied AI and analytics from Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP). She shared during the EAE interview that she was involved in freelance work during her secondary school days, developing websites from scratch for clients from a job portal.

Miss Jolene Chong, 20, who graduated in May with a diploma in applied AI and analytics from Nanyang Polytechnic, entered the institution through the early admissions exercise. PHOTO: NANYANG POLYTECHNIC

“It gave me something else to talk about beyond my leadership experience, and also showed my interest in the field,” she says.

Her preparations for the interview paid off.

“I asked about one of the projects that the school was developing and the interviewers seemed impressed,” adds Ms Chong.

She topped her diploma programme with a 4.0 GPA and will be studying computer science at the National University of Singapore.

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How parents can guide their child

Parents play an important role in helping their children discover and nurture their aptitudes and passions, says Mr Wee Hau Yap, acting director at the department of academic services at Singapore Polytechnic.

He encourages parents to familiarise themselves with the EAE process, eligibility criteria and available courses to better advise their child.

Parents can also initiate conversations with their child to help him or her discover which way he or she learns best.

Mr Russell Chan, principal of NYP, says parents should ask if their child prefers applied learning or theoretical learning, which is the key difference between a polytechnic and junior college education.

He also suggests that they attend the parents’ seminars held by polytechnics.

“Every polytechnic has its unique selling point and culture. Visit them to experience the feel of the institution and various schools within, and ask questions about the syllabus, teaching model and culture,” says Mr Chan.

He added that four out of the eight NYP Distinguished Award winners at the 2024 graduation ceremonies joined the polytechnic through the EAE.

At NP, five out of the 10 top graduates in 2024 entered via the EAE.

NP’s Ms Looi says parents could consider if their child has the right skills and inner drive to succeed.

“Delve deeper into your child’s motivations, as this will sustain them on their journey towards their dream careers,” she adds.

If a child already has an idea of what he or she wants to pursue, parents can help him or her narrow down his or her options and match them to specific diploma courses.

Ms Looi says it is important to look beyond the course names, to read the course descriptions and module details, and to understand how they will learn.

“Some courses offer a project-based curriculum, while others provide longer, real-world experiences outside of campus,” she says.

Mr Nur Aziman Rostam, 23, entered RP through the EAE and recently graduated with a diploma in sport coaching. He had the chance to do a six-month internship as an assistant football coach from October 2023 at the Bangkok FC Academy in Thailand.

Mr Nur Aziman Rostam guiding a young trainee during his assistant football coach internship at the Bangkok FC Academy in Thailand. PHOTO: COURTESY OF NUR AZIMAN ROSTAM

“Coaching in Bangkok was a very enjoyable experience and I learnt a lot from international coaches about planning each training session,” he says.

He credits his father, Mr Rostam Mohd Hashim, 56, a driver, for introducing him to a variety of sports since he was young.

“My dad triggered my love for sports. I started with soccer, then badminton and canoeing,” said Mr Aziman, who represented Singapore in handball at the SEA Games and Asian Men’s Handball Championship.

He studied fitness training and sport management at ITE before his mentor at the school suggested that he apply to RP.

Despite his busy schedule of studies, part-time work and national handball team duties the past few years, Mr Aziman says he is excited to move closer to his dream of becoming a handball coach.

Mr Nur Aziman Rostam (centre, foreground) taking part in the Men’s Handball Competition at the 2022 SEA Games in Vietnam. PHOTO: NUR AZIMAN ROSTAM

Currently waiting for national service enlistment, he says: “Training six times a week was tiring, but I told myself to trust the process and work towards my goal.”

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plwd biasses

As society ages, efforts are afoot to enable seniors to live dignified and meaningful lives. But ageism – prejudices based on a person’s chronological age – remains entrenched. While ageism in the workplace is not uncommon, is there ageism in healthcare too?

Patient A was a 78-year-old man with mild dementia. A degenerative spine disease meant that he also needed assistance in daily activities.

He was referred to a colleague for consideration for bile duct (biliary) stones, given his recurrent bouts of biliary infection. However, he was told that he was too frail for the endoscopic procedure and that the risks outweighed the potential benefits.

Patient B, with moderate-stage dementia, was treated for pneumonia. She had been physically well and mobile before she was hospitalised. But the attending team told her son that if the 82-year-old woman turned seriously ill, she would not be offered treatment in the critical care unit as her advanced age and dementia would render her unlikely to survive, even with intensive care.

Evidence of bias

There is both anecdotal and published evidence that seniors tend to receive less evidence-based treatments on account of their age and apparent frailty. The World Health Organisation’s 2021 Global Report On Ageism highlighted the lesser known yet widespread impact of ageism on quality of care for seniors. One study found doctors were quicker to write up do-not-resuscitate orders for patients aged over 75, regardless of clinical prognosis.

A close corollary to ageism is dementia-ism, where people living with dementia (PLWDs) are discriminated against. PLWDs have been known to receive lower rates of general health screenings and surgery consultations, and are less likely to be considered for intensive care.

In a large cohort study published in 2023 by Age And Ageing, the journal of the British Geriatrics Society, the one-year survival rate of PLWDs following a critical care admission was similar to that observed in general older populations.

Decisions not to offer resuscitative treatment to frail seniors are often justified on grounds of futility. Similarly, when treatments are assessed to carry a greater risk of harm than benefit, they are typically not recommended.

It is not unreasonable to construe that treatment will be futile in situations where patients are clearly in an advanced state of frailty or dementia. It is more challenging to decide on appropriate intervention in cases of less severe frailty or dementia.

Hence, treatment decisions depend on how futility is determined. An intervention can be deemed futile either because it has little likelihood of succeeding or because it may add little to quality of life.

Such decisions, underpinned by clinical experience, knowledge and personal values, are also susceptible to biases. It has been shown that when doctors are under time pressure, they are more vulnerable to implicit biases towards disadvantaged groups such as frail seniors and PLWDs.

But to base treatment decisions on age or subjective appraisals of frailty does not stand up to scrutiny. Even as patient A was assessed to be frail because his spine condition limited his mobility and independence, he did not suffer from conditions such as heart disease or stroke that would heighten the risk of adverse outcomes from endoscopy.

Similarly, patient B was denied intensive care on account of her advanced age and dementia.

The attending medical team could have unwittingly based their judgment on ableism – the notion that the value and quality of life of a person with a disability, such as dementia, is so low that medical intervention would be too burdensome and hence not worthwhile.

But such an approach could mean that older patients and those with dementia can be discriminated against. How can we prevent that?

Imbalance of power

We would do well to first consider, as a default, well-evidenced and standard-of-care treatment, even for frail seniors and PLWDs. A patient’s age or cognitive function should not be the foremost consideration.

Instead, treatment decisions should rest on the tenets of research evidence, a patient’s state and circumstances, a patient’s preferences, and clinical expertise. Securing the patient’s best interests after carefully weighing all factors is what matters, especially whether the modality of treatment is appropriate and proportionate to the desired outcome.

In the case of patient A, you’d weigh the slight chance of adverse outcomes from the endoscopic procedure against the benefit of resolving the recurrent biliary infections which would inevitably lead to eventual death.

In situations of clinical ambiguity, such as the case of patient B wherein the benefits of intensive care may be uncertain, time-limited trials of treatment can be considered.

It involves an agreement between the attending team and patients or their families to undertake treatment for a predetermined time period. The treatment can be withdrawn if certain pre-defined outcomes are not attained.

This balances the benefits and burdens of treatment, and affords time for the situation to evolve and bring about greater clarity.

In the case of patient B, the decision was taken largely based on the attending team’s opinion, which could have been influenced by ageism. There would be greater equity if the patient and her family could weigh in with their preferences.

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However, power asymmetry between doctors and patients remains. While patients can choose not to undergo a treatment offered, they cannot insist on treatments that are judged by doctors to be of no benefit.

The patients and their families are supposed to make informed decisions, but these decisions are still liable to being nudged by choice architecture – the way choices are presented. 

Moreover, when the attending team does not recommend a particular treatment option, it is unlikely that the patients and their families will want to take it up. In the case of patient A, this would mean not undergoing the endoscopic procedure that might have potentially benefited the patient.

Ableism, ageism and dementia-ism are real, and even seniors may devalue their own lives. To combat this, a whole-of-society approach is necessary. This would entail emphasising the dignity and intrinsic value of people beyond utility. We have to transcend the divides between the old and young, and the able and disabled.

Intergenerational mingling can help, as would initiatives such as the NUS Longitudinal Patient Experience. This offers students in healthcare-related disciplines the opportunity to journey with seniors over time to foster greater empathy and appreciation of the lived experience of seniors.

In his timely ST Forum letter, emeritus consultant Quah Thuan Chong lamented the lack of love in medical practice. Love, according to philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas, involves willing the good of the other.

Treatment decisions involving frail seniors and PLWDs are often complex, nuanced and multivalent. It behoves us to navigate them with wisdom, humility and love, so that no one is discriminated against.

Philip Yap is the chairman of Dementia Singapore. Gabriel Wong is a volunteer and Jason Foo is the chief executive officer of the same organisation.

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property rich cash poor

It’s all very well buying a second property to help fund your retirement, but if you deplete your savings in the process and leave yourself without enough cash to meet expenses, you could be forced to sell the property – a fate that befell one couple here recently.

The couple had owned a condo unit for over 10 years while they still lived in their HDB flat.

The property was rented out, but the income was not enough to live on and they had to sell it in 2023 to reap much-needed cash. It was during the sale process that they discovered a relative had staked a claim on the $1.3 million in proceeds.

While the claim was dismissed by the High Court, the couple’s predicament shows that having an extra property is not a done deal for retirement if buying it depletes your savings.

Another couple featured in Invest recently were caught in a bind when interest rates started rising in recent years.

They had also bought a private apartment with the hope of earning rental income, and continued to live in their Housing Board flat. But soaring interest rates meant most of the rental income went into servicing the mortgage, so there was not much left over for their own expenses.

To make matters worse, they did not plan for medical care and so were hard-pressed to pay for such expenses. They were unable to ask their grown-up children for more support because the children had their own families and expenses to worry about.

As a result, the couple had no choice but to rent out two bedrooms in their HDB flat to supplement their income.

Here are three things you should know before putting your money into an extra property.

1. Recurring costs

If you buy a private home, you will not receive any government subsidy to help you defray property-related costs. This means you have to meet maintenance fees that can be up to a couple of thousand dollars a quarter.

If the estate’s common facilities need fixing or replacing, the costs come from the residents’ “sinking fund”, which must be topped up if it is running low.

If you are late with maintenance payments, you will face high interest charges that could hit 20 per cent or more. There is also the higher property tax to consider if you are not living in the unit.

2. Rental income

You cannot spend your rental income without considering the costs of being landlords. In addition to taxes on such income, you may also have to pay expenses related to the replacement of appliances and maintenance cost.

If your unit has a mortgage, a large portion of the rent is likely to go towards monthly repayments.

Make sure you do your sums properly and that you can still service the loan, even without the rental income, because there is no guarantee that you will always find a tenant.

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3. Sustainable lifelong income

If your purpose in buying another property is to fund your retirement, you should first consider the benefits offered by CPF Life, which offers a better and “cheaper” option to get lifelong income.

From 2025, those reaching 55 can opt to join the national annuity scheme at its highest tier, by topping up their Retirement Account to the new Enhanced Retirement Sum of $426,000. This will provide up to $3,300 monthly from the age of 65.

So couples who plan together can enjoy a lifelong income of over $6,000 a month, tax- and fuss-free, by setting aside about $850,000.

Those who are older can also top up to the new sum, but their monthly payouts will be lower as they will start receiving them earlier than the cohort in 2025. Use the CPF Life Estimator online tool to check your numbers.

Just remember that it is always smarter to plan for continuous cash flows that come without any fuss because the task of managing assets will become more burdensome when you are older.

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no tech for 1 year

SYDNEY – The handwritten letters from our 13-year-old daughter sit on our coffee table in a clear plastic folder.

With their drawings of pink flowers and long paragraphs marked with underlined and crossed-out words, they are an abridged, analogue version of her spirited personality – and a way for my wife, Diana, and me to keep her close as we watch TV and fiddle with our mobile phones.

They would not exist, of course, if Amelia were home with us in Sydney. But she is hundreds of kilometres away at a uniquely Australian school in the bush, where she is spending her whole ninth-grade school year without the Internet, a phone, a computer or even a camera with a screen.

Our friends and relatives in the United States can hardly believe this is even a possibility. There, it is considered bold just to talk about taking smartphones from students during class time.

Here in Australia, a growing number of respected schools lock up smart everything for months. They make tap-and-swipe teens learn, play and communicate only through real-life interaction or words scrawled on the page.

“What a gift this is,” we told Amelia, when she was accepted, hesitated, then decided to go.

What I underestimated was how hard it would be for us at home. Removing the liveliest member of our family, without calls or texts, felt like someone had taken one of my internal organs across state lines without telling me how to heal.

Yet, as we adjust, her correspondence and ours – traveling hundreds of kilometres, as if from one era to another – are teaching us all more than we had imagined. The gift of digital detox that we thought Australia was giving our daughter has also become a revelatory bequest for us – her American parents and her older brother.

Something in the act of writing, sending and waiting days or weeks for a reply, and in the physical and social challenges experienced by our daughter at a distance, is changing all of our personal operating systems. Without the ever-present immediacy of digital connection, even just temporarily, can a family be rewired?

Amelia is at Timbertop, the ninth-grade campus of Geelong Grammar, one of Australia’s oldest private schools, which has made outdoor education a priority since the 1950s.

The idea was to build courage, curiosity and compassion among adolescents, and their ranks have ranged from the children of sheep farmers and diplomats, as well as Britain’s King Charles III. He spent a semester at Timbertop in 1966 and later said it was “by far the best part” of his education.

The year is meant to be difficult.

Before we dropped Amelia off in late January, we received a video from Timbertop showing teachers sitting at picnic tables in the sun, warning that confidence and personal growth would come only with struggles and perseverance.

Within 24 hours, we started to understand what that meant. Not for Amelia. For me and Diana.

A few days in, I also could not avoid tough questions about myself. Was the fact that it was so hard to lose contact a comment on my over-involved parenting? My own ridiculous addiction to tech-fuelled immediacy? Or both?

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“Withdrawal” was a word we heard discussed in Timbertop, or “TT”, circles.

In Amelia’s first letter, arriving after a week that felt like a year, we could certainly see the symptoms. She was anxious about friendships, wanting them to form as quickly as they do on Snapchat.

In her Timbertop interview, when asked about homesickness, she had bluntly said “that is the least of my worries”, but, in fact, Amelia missed us – even her brother. Her early letters to us and to him made clear that she found the intensity of her emotions surprising.

Diana and I wrote back right away with encouragement.

The experiences Amelia told us about, including the occasional mention of a class in positive psychology to identify personal strengths, spoke to the importance of play and pushing adolescents into environments where they can learn they are far more capable of managing risks and taking on tough tasks than they (or we) might think.

But I was also starting to find value in the retelling, in the slow sharing of our lives by analogue means – in the letter writing itself.

Seeking more insight, I reached out to John Marsden, former head of the English department at Timbertop and a best-selling young adult novelist who later founded his own experiential learning school north of Melbourne, Australia.

He laughed when I asked about the meaning of letters. “It’s been happening for thousands of years,” he said. “It is just new for this generation.”

He went on to suggest that what I was discovering in our letters might, in fact, be something significant – what he often tells parents they should aim for in their own families, in their own ways.

He called it a “gradual divergence”.

Amelia’s experience involves not just the luxury of removal – the taking away of social media. It also includes an addition, something the letters capture and embody: the gift of agency.

Far from home at 13, in a messed-up world, she has landed where there is intellectual space and the means to practise a method for asserting and exploring who she is and wants to become. She has found a room of one’s own.

I am tempted to send her a letter detailing my discovery. Maybe this time, I will write it by hand. Better yet, maybe I will let her tell me what she thinks when she gets the urge. NYTIMES

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water

SINGAPORE – Wet weather and cloudy skies provided Singapore some relief recently, but this does not mean your children should put away their water bottles.

Rain or shine, it is important to stay hydrated and it is not just to keep one from feeling thirsty, says dietitian Chong Yan Fong from the Nutrition and Dietetics Department at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH).

A fun fact to share with your kids is that 70 per cent of the human body is made up of water.

When they do not drink enough fluids, they can struggle to concentrate and stay alert in class, which affects their learning. They are also likely to feel more tired and irritable, she adds.

In some cases of mild dehydration, they may feel more thirsty, have dry mouth or skin and suffer from headaches and constipation.

Ms Chong points out that water – the main property of blood – is essential to help carry nutrients and oxygen to cells in the body, support the immune system, digest food and flush out waste materials.

The body loses water throughout the day and it should be replaced constantly, even on breezy days or when a person is not exercising.

During rainy weather, most people tend to feel less thirsty as it seems that the body does not need water to cool itself down.

“But your body is still losing moisture. Not drinking water or drinking less because you do not feel thirsty increases the risk of dehydration,” she says.

If fluids are not replenished in time, dehydration can progress from mild to severe, leading to rapid breathing, increased heart rate, dizziness, seizures and loss of consciousness.

Parents and caregivers should be mindful to get the younger ones, who cannot verbalise if they are thirsty, to drink regularly, especially if they are sick or out in the heat playing.

Children are more prone to dehydration, as their bodies are not as efficient at cooling down as those of adults. Encourage them to take water breaks every 20 to 30 minutes when they are active outdoors.

How much water should kids drink?

The amount of fluids that children need daily depends on various factors such as age, weight and physical activity levels.

They may also need to drink more when they are ill, for example, when there is severe vomiting or diarrhoea, and when they take certain prescribed medications such as diuretics.

Generally, the colour of kids’ urine can help determine if they are drinking enough.

“If they are urinating several times a day and the urine is pale and odourless, it is a good indication that they are well hydrated,” Ms Chong says. “Medium-dark yellow urine which smells suggests they need to drink more water.”

While needs vary between individuals, here is a recommendation of how much fluids a healthy child should take daily. One cup is 250ml.

One to two years old: four to six cups

Three to six years old: five to seven cups

Seven to 12 years old: seven to nine cups

13 to 18 years old: nine to 12 cups

Adults: eight to 10 cups 

Sugar-sweetened beverages, including bubble tea and sports drinks, are best avoided. They are not as effective at hydrating your body, do not provide nutrition and can contribute to excess weight gain and tooth decay.

“Encourage your children to choose water instead of sugary drinks. It is extremely important to adopt healthy eating habits from young,” Ms Chong says.

But what if your kids do not like the taste of water? Here are five simple and healthy ways to encourage and increase their fluid intake.

1. Infused water

Add fruit to water to give it a boost of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. PHOTO: PIXABAY

Add natural flavours to water by adding fruit, vegetables or herbs that your children like.

Try different combinations of ingredients to give water a boost of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

For example, try adding sliced strawberries and basil leaves; cucumber, mint and lime; grapefruit, orange and rosemary; or passion fruit and pineapple. Serve the beverage chilled.

2. Frozen fruity cubes

Freeze diced fresh fruit or 100 per cent fruit juice with no added sugar, and add the cubes to a cup of water.

The cubes give the water a hint of fruity flavour and provide small amounts of vitamin C. The variety of colours will also entice children to drink up.

3. Yogurt fruit popsicles

Add diced fresh fruit into small containers or popsicle moulds, fill with plain low- or non-fat yogurt and transfer to the freezer until set.

An alternative method is to puree your choice of fruit – for example, berries, banana or mangoes – with yogurt and divide them evenly into the moulds before freezing.

Get creative with your children and involve them in the preparation.

These popsicles will not only cool them down, but also offer a good mix of protein, vitamins, minerals and probiotics.

4. Fresh fruit

Offer fruit such as watermelon, oranges, peaches, papaya, pineapples and strawberries, which have high water content.

Whole fruit has fibre, vitamins and minerals. It is preferable to fruit juices which contain concentrated sugars and less fibre. Fruit juices can also be acidic, which can increase the risk of tooth decay.

If your children crave juices, look for those labelled with no added sugars or are freshly squeezed. Consider diluting them with water to reduce the acidity and sugar content.

5. Milk

Calcium is the key building block for strong, healthy bones and teeth, and is especially important during childhood and teenage years.

Low-fat milk as well as unsweetened, calcium-fortified dairy alternatives such as soya, oat and almond milks are good calcium sources.

Drinking milk is a good way to ensure adequate calcium and fluid intake.

Enjoy it chilled to beat the heat. Depending on your child’s age and needs, include two to three cups of milk a day as part of a balanced diet.

However, milk-based beverages containing added sugars, such as malted drinks, milkshakes, smoothies and iced chocolate, should be limited.

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Sun protection a must, regardless of weather

Apply sunscreen with an SPF level of at least 30 and broad spectrum protection when heading outdoors with your child. PHOTO: ST FILE

Sunscreen is not just for sunny days. You and your child should apply it even when the weather is cool as the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays can still cause damage.

“Being geographically located one degree from the Equator, Singapore receives a large amount of sunlight throughout the year,” says Associate Professor Mark Koh, head and senior consultant from KKH’s Department of Dermatology.

UV radiation is a part of the sunlight spectrum and is made up of three parts – UVA, UVB and UVC.

UVA and UVB can reach Earth in significant amounts, as opposed to UVC, which is mostly absorbed by the ozone layer.

Prolonged exposure to UV rays can lead to sunburn and cause premature skin ageing.

In the long run, frequent sunburns are known to increase the risk of developing melanoma, a cancerous type of mole, as well as other forms of skin cancer.

Apart from its effects on the skin, excessive long-term sun exposure can lead to eye problems, such as cataracts, and suppression of the immune system, which reduces the body’s ability to fight infections.

Prof Koh says sun protection should ideally start at birth.

Infants below six months old should not be exposed to direct sunlight, as sunscreens are generally not indicated to be used on them.

Babies older than six months need sun protection measures when they go outdoors. Choose a sunscreen with SPF level of at least 30 and with broad spectrum protection that covers UVA and UVB rays. Reapply it every 30 to 60 minutes.

If your child’s skin turns red and itchy after using sunscreen, it is best to consult a doctor.

During extreme hot weather, children with eczema should avoid going outdoors as excessive sweating can irritate their skin condition.

Prof Koh says they can take short cool baths twice daily, but avoid using harsh soaps and bubble baths. Follow up with applying moisturiser.

To further relieve the itch, consider using a moisturiser that contains low concentrations of menthol or place the moisturiser in the fridge.

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Muhammad Fathullah Asfa Muhammad (Rmps) <muhammad_fathullah_asfa_muhammad@students.edu.sg>

gen z richer

Generation Z is taking over. In the rich world, there are at least 250 million people born between 1997 and 2012. About half are now in a job. In the average American workplace, the number of Gen Zers (sometimes also known as “Zoomers”) working full-time is about to surpass the number of full-time baby boomers, those born from 1945 to 1964, whose careers are winding down. Gen Z is also grabbing power: America now has more than 6,000 Zoomer chief executives and 1,000 Zoomer politicians. As the generation becomes more influential, companies, governments and investors need to understand it.

Pundits produce a lot of fluff about the cohort. Recent “research” from Frito-Lay, a crisp maker, finds that Gen Zers have a strong preference for “snacks that leave remnants on their fingers”, such as cheese dust. Yet different generations also display deeper differences in their personalities, in part due to the economic context in which they grow up. Germans who reached adulthood during the high-inflation 1920s came to detest rising prices. Americans who lived through the Depression tended to avoid investing in the stock market.

Many argue that Gen Z is defined by its anxiety. Such worriers include Professor Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist at New York University, whose new book, The Anxious Generation, is making waves. In some ways, Gen Zers are unusual. Young people today are less likely to form relationships than those of yesteryear. They are more likely to be depressed or say they were assigned the wrong sex at birth. They are less likely to drink, have sex, be in a relationship – indeed to do anything exciting. Americans aged between 15 and 24 spend just 38 minutes a day socialising in person on average, down from almost an hour in the 2000s, according to official data. Prof Haidt lays the blame on smartphones and the social media they enable.

His book has provoked an enormous reaction. On April 10, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders echoed Prof Haidt’s arguments as she outlined plans to regulate children’s use of smartphones and social media. Britain’s government is considering similar measures. But not everyone agrees with Prof Haidt’s thesis. And the pushing and shoving over Gen Z’s anxiety has obscured another way in which the cohort is distinct. In financial terms, Gen Z is doing extraordinarily well. This, in turn, is changing the generation’s relationship with work.

Consider the group that preceded Gen Z: millennials, who were born between 1981 and 1996. Many entered the workforce at a time when the world was reeling from the global financial crisis of 2007-09, during which young people suffered disproportionately. In 2012-14, more than half of Spanish youth who wanted a job could not find one. Greece’s youth unemployment rate was even higher. Britney Spears’ Work Bitch, a popular song released in 2013, had an uncompromising message for young millennials: if you want good things, you have to slog.

Low unemployment

Gen Zers who have left education face very different circumstances. Youth unemployment across the rich world – at about 13 per cent – has not been this low since 1991. Greece’s youth unemployment rate has fallen by half from its peak. Hoteliers in Kalamata, a tourist destination, complain about a labour shortage, something unthinkable just a few years ago. Popular songs reflect the zeitgeist. In 2022, the protagonist in a Beyonce song boasted, “I just quit my job”. Olivia Rodrigo, a 21-year-old singer popular with American Gen Zers, complains that a former love interest’s “career is really taking off”.

Many have chosen to study subjects that help them find work. In Britain and America, Gen Zers are avoiding the humanities, and are going instead for more obviously useful things like economics and engineering. Among those who do not attend university, vocational qualifications are increasingly popular. Then they go on to benefit from tight labour markets. Young people, following Beyonce’s protagonist, can quit their job and find another one if they want more money.

In America, hourly pay growth among 16- to 24-year-olds recently hit 13 per cent year on year, compared with 6 per cent for workers aged 25 to 54. This was the highest “young person premium” since reliable data began. In Britain, where youth pay is measured differently, in 2023, people aged 18 to 21 saw average hourly pay rise by an astonishing 15 per cent, outstripping pay rises among other ages by an unusually wide margin. In New Zealand, the average hourly pay of people aged 20 to 24 increased by 10 per cent, compared with an average of 6 per cent.

Strong wage growth boosts family incomes. A new paper by Dr Kevin Corinth of the American Enterprise Institute, a think-tank, and Dr Jeff Larrimore of the Federal Reserve assesses Americans’ household income by generation, after accounting for taxes, government transfers and inflation. Millennials were somewhat better off than Gen X – those born between 1965 and 1980 – when they were the same age. Zoomers, however, are much better off than millennials were at the same age. The average 25-year-old Gen Zer has an annual household income of over US$40,000 (S$54,500), more than 50 per cent above the average baby boomer at the same age.

Gen Z’s economic power was on display at a recent concert by Rodrigo in New York. The mostly female teenagers and 20-somethings in attendance had paid hundreds of dollars for a ticket. Queues for merchandise stalls, selling US$50 T-shirts, stretched around the arena.

Rodrigo will have no trouble shifting merchandise in other parts of the world, as her tour moves across the Atlantic. That is in part because Gen Zers who have entered the workplace are earning good money throughout the rich world. In 2007, the average net income of French people aged 16 to 24 was 87 per cent of the overall average. Now, it is equal to 92 per cent. In a few places, including Croatia and Slovenia, Gen Zers are now bringing in as much as the average.

Some Gen Zers protest, claiming that higher incomes are a mirage since they do not account for the exploding cost of college and housing. After all, global house prices are close to all-time highs, and graduates have more debt than before. In reality, though, Gen Zers are coping because they earn so much. In 2022, Americans under 25 spent 43 per cent of their post-tax income on housing and education, including interest on debt from college – slightly below the average for under-25s from 1989 to 2019. Their home ownership rates are higher than millennials at the same age. They also save more post-tax income than young people did in the 1980s and 1990s. They are, in other words, better off.

ST ILLUSTRATION: MIEL

What does this wealth mean?

It can seem as if millennials grew up thinking a job was a privilege, and acted accordingly. They are deferential to bosses and eager to please. Zoomers, by contrast, have grown up believing that a job is basically a right, meaning they have a different attitude to work. In 2023, Gen Zers boasted about “quiet quitting”, where they put in just enough effort not to be fired. Others talk of “bare minimum Monday”. The “girlboss” archetype, who seeks to wrestle corporate control away from domineering men, appeals to millennial women. Gen Z ones are more likely to discuss the idea of being “snail girls”, who take things slowly and prioritise self-care.

The data support the memes. In 2022, Americans aged between 15 and 24 spent 25 per cent less time on “working and work-related activities” than in 2007. A new paper published by the International Monetary Fund analyses the number of hours that people say they would like to work. Not long ago, young people wanted to work a lot more than older people. Now they want to work less. According to analysis by Dr Jean Twenge of San Diego State University, the share of American 12th-graders (aged 17 or 18) who see work as a “central part of life” has dropped sharply.

Another consequence is that Gen Zers are less likely to be entrepreneurs. We estimate that just 1.1 per cent of 20-somethings in the European Union run a business that employs someone else – and in recent years the share has drifted down. In the late 2000s, more than 1 per cent of the world’s billionaires, as measured by Forbes, a magazine, were millennials. Back then, pundits obsessed over ultra-young tech founders, such as Mr Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), Mr Patrick Collison (Stripe) and Mr Evan Spiegel (Snapchat). Today, by contrast, less than 0.5 per cent on the Forbes list are Zoomers. Who can name a famous Gen Z start-up founder?

Gen Zers are also producing fewer innovations. According to associate professor Russell Funk of the University of Minnesota, young people are less likely to file patents than they were in the recent past. Or consider the Billboard Hot 100, measuring America’s most popular songs. In 2008, 42 per cent of hits were sung by millennials; 15 years later, only 29 per cent were sung by Gen Zers. Taylor Swift, the world’s most popular singer-songwriter, titled her most famous album 1989, after the year of her birth. The world is still waiting for someone to produce 2004.

How long will Generation Z’s economic advantage last? A recession would hit young people harder than others, as recessions always do. Artificial intelligence could destabilise the global economy, even if young people may in time be better placed to benefit from the disruption.

For now, though, Generation Z has a lot to be happy about. Between numbers at Madison Square Garden, Olivia Rodrigo sits at the piano and counsels her fans to be thankful for all that they have. “Growing up is (expletive deleted) awesome,” she says. “You have all the time to do all the things you want to do.”

The time and the money.

© 2024 THE ECONOMIST NEWSPAPER LIMITED. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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girl math

SINGAPORE - When a friend attended the Taylor Swift concert in early March, it was “free”.

This was not because she did not shell out over $200 for the tickets, but because she paid for the tickets in July 2023, and hence no actual money was spent on the day itself.

And you’ve guessed it right if you thought this has to be “girl math”.

This was a buzz phrase in 2023, with the TikTok trend’s hashtag racking up views of over three billion. And while we might use the term less now, the sentiment behind it remains – the use of excuses for indulgent purchases.

I find myself indulging in girl math from time to time. If I resist the temptation to buy bubble tea today, I save $4.50, which means I am $4.50 richer and I can happily spend it on something else another day. In reality, my bank account sadly continues to hold the same amount, with no extra inflows just because I stopped myself from spending some money.

But this grows even more dangerous when it comes to bigger-ticket purchases. For instance, I spent $500 less on flight tickets than I thought I would because I got them during a sale. This means I can spend $500 more on accommodation and get a nice swanky place in the middle of town on my next trip.

It seems like I am just one of the many who are girl mathing. The term started making its rounds in July 2023 when New Zealand radio hosts discussed a dress that cost NZ$330 (S$268). Their conclusion was to divide the cost by three because the dress would be worn thrice, meaning the dress really cost NZ$110.

It is all tongue-in-cheek and in good fun, but girl math has its fair share of serious critics who brand it as irresponsible spending, or take people to task for using it to justify logical leaps in spending habits.

Many of us often try to give various reasons to justify our spending, even if these reasons do not make sense, said Mr Ian Tan, a lecturer in strategic communications at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information at NTU. 

Girl math was a fresh spin on this behaviour, resonating with viewers because it exaggerates the quirky excuses we sometimes make for indulgent purchases, he said.

He added that the trend could have gained additional traction due to the post-Covid-19 period of revenge travel and revenge spending by many consumers.

But DBS Bank’s head of financial literacy planning Lorna Tan said that more importantly, it points to the influence of psychology on an individual’s financial choices, and the fact that people cannot separate emotions from decisions around money and investing.

“To reduce this bias, consider your finances holistically. This means understanding what your personal balance sheet is and being able to understand how one financial decision affects another. After all, money is money no matter where it’s from and where it’s lost,” she said.

With greater clarity on one’s financial situation, a person can build a plan that includes a realistic budget to better manage cash flows and achieve saving and spend targets, she added. Set aside at least three to six months of emergency cash, have adequate insurance and invest wisely for the mid and long term.

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OCBC Bank head of wealth advisory Aaron Chwee said that while some social media trends are just for kicks, having a warped or illogical basis for making financial decisions can have detrimental effects on one’s financial goals.

“For instance, if you believe that using cash to make a purchase is ‘free’ because your bank balance doesn’t drop, or if you go to a store and you don’t buy anything, you made money – well, you might need a reality check,” he said.

He noted that financial planning takes discipline and precision, such as consistently and accurately tracking expenses, so you know how much to set aside monthly for necessities.

“Only then will you be able to know how much you can afford to allocate to insurance, investments and other expenses,” he said.

But apart from the psychology of spending, girl math also takes on a social dimension because it plays on stereotypes of women being seen as impulsive and emotional, less able to handle money and unable to understand “cold, hard” finance.

In fact, the word “girl” already infantilises women, by referring to their supposed immaturity and frivolity when spending money.

In a way, girl math only makes sense to us because it speaks to cultural stereotypes that we already hold. It exposes those unspoken ideas and prejudices about gender and finance, but it also reinforces them through continuous usage.

But girl math at its heart is really gender-agnostic and also speaks to examples of “mental accounting” that have been around for a long time, said DBS’ Ms Tan.

For example, a man can say his car is “free” since he plans to use it daily for more than 10 years and it is his preferred choice over the inconvenience of not having a car and having to rely on other methods of transport, including private car-hire services, she said. A man can also say his Patek Philippe watch is “free” because he is merely looking after it for the next generation.

Hence, the term is really just the latest expression of the mental gymnastics people execute when they try to justify spending, and it became codified as a trend, thanks to platforms like TikTok. 

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Looking at data, it is also factually untrue that women’s spending habits differ significantly from men’s.

According to the 2023 OCBC Financial Wellness Index, a study which measures Singaporeans’ financial health, men and women had similar financial wellness scores. There was also an equal percentage of men and women citing “emotional” as their dominant financial personality trait, which measures an individual’s ability to separate emotions from financial decisions and assess whether they regret their choices.

“Thus, this gender stereotype is unfounded – from our index, we found that women ensure that they spend within their means, and they do not differ from men in the amount of unsecured debt they have accumulated,” Mr Chwee said.

He noted that regardless of gender, overspending is a negative financial habit.

“Everyone should spend within their means. It is important to cultivate a strong saving habit, in case emergencies like a job loss, urgent home repairs, or illness hit,” he said.

“But if you can plan your finances well, put aside sufficient emergency funds, invest for the future, buy adequate medical insurance and have some extra set aside to treat yourself to your favourite singer’s concert, then you can spend that extra budget without worrying about compromising your financial goals.”

Hence, my next trip overseas in June is not free just because I paid for the flight tickets last year. But if I have done my budget correctly and there’s money to spare, then the next trip will be guilt-free. And that’s not girl math, it’s just good maths.

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girl math v good math

SINGAPORE - When a friend attended the Taylor Swift concert in early March, it was “free”.

This was not because she did not shell out over $200 for the tickets, but because she paid for the tickets in July 2023, and hence no actual money was spent on the day itself.

And you’ve guessed it right if you thought this has to be “girl math”.

This was a buzz phrase in 2023, with the TikTok trend’s hashtag racking up views of over three billion. And while we might use the term less now, the sentiment behind it remains – the use of excuses for indulgent purchases.

I find myself indulging in girl math from time to time. If I resist the temptation to buy bubble tea today, I save $4.50, which means I am $4.50 richer and I can happily spend it on something else another day. In reality, my bank account sadly continues to hold the same amount, with no extra inflows just because I stopped myself from spending some money.

But this grows even more dangerous when it comes to bigger-ticket purchases. For instance, I spent $500 less on flight tickets than I thought I would because I got them during a sale. This means I can spend $500 more on accommodation and get a nice swanky place in the middle of town on my next trip.

It seems like I am just one of the many who are girl mathing. The term started making its rounds in July 2023 when New Zealand radio hosts discussed a dress that cost NZ$330 (S$268). Their conclusion was to divide the cost by three because the dress would be worn thrice, meaning the dress really cost NZ$110.

It is all tongue-in-cheek and in good fun, but girl math has its fair share of serious critics who brand it as irresponsible spending, or take people to task for using it to justify logical leaps in spending habits.

Many of us often try to give various reasons to justify our spending, even if these reasons do not make sense, said Mr Ian Tan, a lecturer in strategic communications at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information at NTU. 

Girl math was a fresh spin on this behaviour, resonating with viewers because it exaggerates the quirky excuses we sometimes make for indulgent purchases, he said.

He added that the trend could have gained additional traction due to the post-Covid-19 period of revenge travel and revenge spending by many consumers.

But DBS Bank’s head of financial literacy planning Lorna Tan said that more importantly, it points to the influence of psychology on an individual’s financial choices, and the fact that people cannot separate emotions from decisions around money and investing.

“To reduce this bias, consider your finances holistically. This means understanding what your personal balance sheet is and being able to understand how one financial decision affects another. After all, money is money no matter where it’s from and where it’s lost,” she said.

With greater clarity on one’s financial situation, a person can build a plan that includes a realistic budget to better manage cash flows and achieve saving and spend targets, she added. Set aside at least three to six months of emergency cash, have adequate insurance and invest wisely for the mid and long term.

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OCBC Bank head of wealth advisory Aaron Chwee said that while some social media trends are just for kicks, having a warped or illogical basis for making financial decisions can have detrimental effects on one’s financial goals.

“For instance, if you believe that using cash to make a purchase is ‘free’ because your bank balance doesn’t drop, or if you go to a store and you don’t buy anything, you made money – well, you might need a reality check,” he said.

He noted that financial planning takes discipline and precision, such as consistently and accurately tracking expenses, so you know how much to set aside monthly for necessities.

“Only then will you be able to know how much you can afford to allocate to insurance, investments and other expenses,” he said.

But apart from the psychology of spending, girl math also takes on a social dimension because it plays on stereotypes of women being seen as impulsive and emotional, less able to handle money and unable to understand “cold, hard” finance.

In fact, the word “girl” already infantilises women, by referring to their supposed immaturity and frivolity when spending money.

In a way, girl math only makes sense to us because it speaks to cultural stereotypes that we already hold. It exposes those unspoken ideas and prejudices about gender and finance, but it also reinforces them through continuous usage.

But girl math at its heart is really gender-agnostic and also speaks to examples of “mental accounting” that have been around for a long time, said DBS’ Ms Tan.

For example, a man can say his car is “free” since he plans to use it daily for more than 10 years and it is his preferred choice over the inconvenience of not having a car and having to rely on other methods of transport, including private car-hire services, she said. A man can also say his Patek Philippe watch is “free” because he is merely looking after it for the next generation.

Hence, the term is really just the latest expression of the mental gymnastics people execute when they try to justify spending, and it became codified as a trend, thanks to platforms like TikTok. 

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Looking at data, it is also factually untrue that women’s spending habits differ significantly from men’s.

According to the 2023 OCBC Financial Wellness Index, a study which measures Singaporeans’ financial health, men and women had similar financial wellness scores. There was also an equal percentage of men and women citing “emotional” as their dominant financial personality trait, which measures an individual’s ability to separate emotions from financial decisions and assess whether they regret their choices.

“Thus, this gender stereotype is unfounded – from our index, we found that women ensure that they spend within their means, and they do not differ from men in the amount of unsecured debt they have accumulated,” Mr Chwee said.

He noted that regardless of gender, overspending is a negative financial habit.

“Everyone should spend within their means. It is important to cultivate a strong saving habit, in case emergencies like a job loss, urgent home repairs, or illness hit,” he said.

“But if you can plan your finances well, put aside sufficient emergency funds, invest for the future, buy adequate medical insurance and have some extra set aside to treat yourself to your favourite singer’s concert, then you can spend that extra budget without worrying about compromising your financial goals.”

Hence, my next trip overseas in June is not free just because I paid for the flight tickets last year. But if I have done my budget correctly and there’s money to spare, then the next trip will be guilt-free. And that’s not girl math, it’s just good maths.

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failed El 3 times

SINGAPORE – When Ms Ang Li Khim received her O-level results in early 1989, she found that she had failed the most important paper, English.

“When I got the result, I went home, covered myself with a blanket and cried. I didn’t know what to do,” recalls the alumnus of Thomson Secondary School, which was later renamed North Vista Secondary School. 

It was a big setback for the then 16-year-old, but she refused to let failure define her.

The one-time vegetable seller is now DBS Bank’s regional head of technology for the Institutional Banking Group and looks after about 1,000 staff globally.

She steered the launch of cross-border PayNow initiatives that allow Singaporeans to pay for purchases in Thailand, India and, soon, Malaysia.

She is also heavily involved in DBS’ ongoing initiative to strengthen its technology resiliency, which aims to provide a higher degree of “service availability” of key services to customers.

And she did all this without a degree.

Speaking to The Straits Times at 7.30am on a Friday because of her packed schedule, the 52-year-old is jovial and energetic despite the early hour.

Her late father, a Republic of Singapore Navy regular who was educated up to Secondary 2, was the family’s sole breadwinner. Her illiterate housewife mother would supplement the family’s income by taking on home-based jobs, such as sewing or fixing broken toys.

Ms Ang, a middle child with two siblings, started doing part-time jobs from Primary 4, earning $2 a day running errands and packing goods for a neighbourhood bookstore.

She took Chinese as a first language in Peiying Primary School for about 18 months until her parents moved to a three-room flat in Ang Mo Kio. She then switched to Jing Shan Primary School, where English was the first language.

But because her family spoke Teochew and Mandarin at home, she could not catch up and struggled up till secondary school.

Her natural talent leaned towards mathematics and accounting. In her teens, she took apart her family’s fridge to find out the source of the sound emanating from it. Panic set in when she could not get it to work again.

“I was afraid my mum would scold me, so I told her the fridge was spoiled,” she says with a laugh. “I’ve liked to solve puzzles and problems from a young age.”

 Ms Ang Li Khim working overnight with her team members to run system upgrading as part of DBS’ technology resiliency uplift programme. PHOTO: DBS

Her D7 fail grade in English left her at a crossroads. “I was quite lost. All my friends advanced their studies, and I was left behind,” she says.

Not wanting to redo her Secondary 4 year in school, she became a manufacturing operator for about a year while waiting to resit her O-level English exam, which was held annually.

She needed the money for night school fees of around $200 a month, knowing that her father’s salary of about $800 a month was barely enough for the family’s basic expenses.

When she failed the English exam yet again, she worked at her aunt and uncle’s vegetable stall at a wet market. That job gave her time to attend night school to obtain diplomas in computing and accounting over the next two years as she worked out what career she wanted to pursue.

In all, she took the O-level English exam four times over six years before finally scoring a C6 pass in 1993.

The previous year, she had graduated with diplomas in management accounting from a private school and computer studies from the former Informatics Education group. She reckons that because her diploma classes and assignments were in English, they boosted her fluency and helped her pass.

Along the way, she also worked as a data entry clerk at an aerospace engineering firm, translating physical asset registries into computerised ones, before landing a job as a contract programmer at National Computer Board in 1992.

She later obtained professional certifications from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT based in Britain.

In 1996, she joined Standard Chartered Bank in a system support role. During her 17-year career there, she was posted to its China office to run its country technology department for four years from 2009.

She returned to Singapore in 2013 to take care of her ailing father, who died three years later. The singleton also joined DBS as a vice-president in 2013. She was promoted to senior vice-president by 2016, executive director in 2019 and managing director by 2021.

Not having a degree has not affected her prospects, she feels. “When you love your job, you will be given the opportunity to prove yourself and advance in your career.”

She says she has made the most of each job she had by finding new ways to motivate herself.

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As a data entry clerk, she set targets on how many pages she would finish a day. When she hawked vegetables, she prioritised sales of highly perishable bundles of spinach and kang kong to avoid having to pack them in ice for the next day.

She thinks her “never say die” attitude and “can-do spirit” made her stand out in a sea of degree-holders eager to fill her shoes.

“If you believe in yourself and you have what it takes to succeed, people’s perceptions of you as a non-graduate don’t matter,” says Ms Ang, who does not rule out doing a degree after retirement, just for the experience.

Her persevering nature has not gone unnoticed. Ms Ang was featured in Singapore Computer Society’s Singapore 100 Women in Tech 2023 list. The annual accolade is a partnership between the society, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and SG Women In Tech, an IMDA initiative.

Over the last three decades, she has seen Singapore’s computerisation and digitalisation journey up close, first as a blue-collar worker and then as a technology leader. It has taught her that every role, no matter how small, is important.

“You need everybody to play their part to get things done. Not everyone’s pace is the same, but give them space. People will do good when they’re in the right place,” she says.

The pandemic hastened digitalisation and people’s expectations have now changed, she says. More people are using their smartphones as cashless wallets and digital payments are now a part of daily life, from paying for kaya toast in the morning to using a ride-hailing app at the end of the day.

“Technology is just like water and electricity. It has to be there,” she says.

“What we want is to provide a stable and resilient environment, so that people don’t get caught in situations where they’re not able to execute a task or fulfil their wants.”

This means she often pulls long hours and is on-call for system maintenance on weekends. But she says: “It makes the job more fulfilling because you’re impacting people’s lives.”

At the same time, she recognises that seniors, like her 75-year-old mother, are often intimidated by the dizzying speed of change. Because her mother cannot read, she would memorise the sequence of screens to withdraw money at the automated teller machines, only to be caught out when the screens change and have her ATM card forfeited.

“When I look at her, I feel that for the elderly, we really need time and patience to help them embrace technology,” she says.

Ms Ang, seen here during a trip to Iceland in 2012, de-stresses from her fast-paced job by taking holidays. PHOTO: COURTESY OF ANG LI KHIM

Ms Ang, who de-stresses by playing the Pokemon app and visiting exotic destinations from Iceland to Tibet once or twice a year, thrives on the fast pace of her industry.

“In the technology world, no problem is repeated. It’s always a new problem that you have to use your experience to solve,” she says, adding that she is excited to explore how new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, can help.

She hopes her story will help those in despair because they cannot excel academically.

“It’s never the end of the world. Nobody gave me that advice back then, so I was very lost. So, I tell the youngsters that there are always other ways to do what you want and get what you need.”

This is the first of a limited series on inspiring women.

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money well spent

SINGAPORE – Some parents think that giving the kids a head start in life is to give them an edge in education by loading them with enrichment activities.

To that end, they spend much of the family’s disposable income on enrichment programmes in sports, music and schoolwork.

Unfortunately, there is no data to show that this leads to better life outcomes for the kids.

What if there were something that parents could give children that is proven to help them live healthy and happy lives?

In the bestseller by Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz, The Good Life (2023), the Harvard researchers share that teaching kids the value of good relationships is important. Such relationships are the strongest predictor of whether people will have happy and healthy lives as they age.

Waldinger and Schulz jointly lead the Harvard Study of Adult Development. The study, which has been running since 1938, is one of the longest-running studies of adult life, starting before World War II.

It is funded by the United States National Institutes of Health and focuses on participants’ health, habits and behaviours through time.

Originally, 724 participants were selected. Subjects ranged from disadvantaged families in Boston to Harvard undergraduates. Interestingly, US president John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated while in office, was one participant.

The study recruited only boys at first because Harvard was an all-male school at the time. As the study progressed, it incorporated the spouses of the original men, and eventually more than 1,300 descendants of the initial group.

Over the more than 80 years, the study has found that the warmth of relationships has the greatest positive impact on life satisfaction. Strong relationships trumped good diets and exercise as a predictor of longevity and life satisfaction.

Waldinger and Schulz point out that a review of 148 other long-range studies, involving 300,000 participants, confirmed the findings of their study.

They write that “people are terrible at knowing what is good for them”, spending too much time comparing their wealth and status with what others have.

Such comparisons happen because achievements can be listed on a curriculum vitae. Money can be counted and flaunted. The quantity of social media followers is highly visible. People chase the trappings of money and status because doing so allows them to feel like they are getting ahead.

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On the other hand, relationships are ephemeral and difficult to quantify, leading people to more easily neglect them.

The book relates the story of John Marsden, a study participant who became a highly successful lawyer. He was one of the most professionally successful members of the study, but was also one of the least happy with numerous broken relationships in his life.

Conversely, Leo DeMarco, another subject, lived an ordinary life as a teacher, scrimping and saving in his retirement years. But he is considered as one of the study’s happiest participants.

So how do parents teach their children about relationships? Much of what people expect from close relationships comes from what is learnt at home. The authors write: “Whatever the make-up of our family, it is more than a group of relationships; it is, in a very real way, part of who we are.”

In a chapter on families, Waldinger and Schulz have some advice on building strong relationships.

1. Acceptance

The book acknowledges that while families are foundational in terms of how children learn about relationships, they can also be a source of great pain. It recommends that even if a parent’s “childhood experience was incredibly rough, or even traumatic”, it is important to accept what has happened.

It adds that “a powerful, positive experience will have a corrective effect on an earlier, negative experience”.

It is never too late to work on rebuilding familial relationships and to create powerful positive experiences in the family.

Instead of passing judgment on family members, people should learn to accept them.

I learnt this lesson while my kids were still in primary school. I would push them hard in their schoolwork and assign additional assessment papers. If anything was not done to my satisfaction, I would scream at them and punish them.

My wife counselled that I needed to change course when she sensed that my boys would tense up around me and were starting to avoid me.

After we spoke, I realised the error of my ways. It took some time, but I was gradually able to stop shouting at my sons and came to accept their academic performance. I chose to preserve the relationship with my sons over pushing them to chase after grades.

It took work, but the relationship with them recovered, and they are still physically affectionate with me even though they are now much older.

ST ILLUSTRATION: MANNY FRANCISCO

2. Routine

It is important to establish family routines. Regular get-togethers, family dinners and holiday outings help to establish a rhythm for how a family gathers and spends time together.

The book points to how close families drift apart because of a lack of routines.

It describes how a study subject, Sterling Ainsley, was raised by his sister as a young boy and was very close to her. He fell out of touch with her over the years and they did not talk for 20 years. When the study coordinators asked about his sister years later, he did not know if she was dead or alive.

Where face-to-face contact is not possible, technology can help to bridge the gap.

In an age of WhatsApp and Zoom, there is no excuse not to have a chat group for family members or a regular family Zoom catch-up.

When one of our sons was overseas for a month-long course, we had a weekly call on Sunday nights.

I looked forward to them to get an update on what my son was up to. I thought the calls were a good warm-up for when the boys are at university, whether overseas or staying at a hostel in Singapore.

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3. Buried treasure

The authors of the book write: “Every member of the family has their own store of buried treasure, unique things that only they can provide to the family but that may be hidden in plain sight.”

Taking the buried treasure perspective helped me to be more intentional in my family interactions during gatherings with extended family.

During Chinese New Year, I discovered that my cousin runs a sizeable company selling commercial vehicles. She pivoted from car sales to commercial vehicles five years ago, and started from zero in an industry that is heavily dependent on relationships.

Our conversation would have never happened if I had kept to munching on tidbits while scrolling through my phone.

I was floored by her courage to take a mid-career leap into a different industry. She told me that for six months, she went door to door in industrial areas. She gave out 20 boxes of name cards, braving the rain and sun to establish herself with her new customer base.

I have known this cousin since I was a child, but have never had such an interesting chat with her until I went looking for buried treasure. What else have I been missing out on during family gatherings?

Abel Ang is the chief executive of a medical technology company and an adjunct professor at Nanyang Business School.