A bunch of Chemy (short for chemical engineering) students got together and organized a farewell dinner last night at Casuarina Hotel, Ipoh. I'm currently waiting for the pictures from the official photographer to complete my collection before putting up a post.
To save more time, I’ve shared the pictures on DC++ (the P2P network) instead of transferring them every time someone asks for them. And then a most interesting conversation started when a classmate pm-ed me on gtalk. She very politely asked me to remove any "controversial" pictures that I took. My first reaction was one of shock, like how dare You tell me to remove My pictures that I took with My camera! But then I reflected on her words and of a previous event.
Somewhere last semester a batch dinner was organized and the organizers came under fire when a lot of "controversial" pictures were being shared. Controversial in Cowboy Town uni consitutes of:
a) Girls with very pretty dresses. Literal meaning: not wearing "decent" clothes like baju kurung or tudung aka not covered up
b) Girls and guys in the same picture. Literal meaning: those of the opposite sex shouldn’t be seen together in the same frame
c) Girls and guys in close proximity with "provocative" positions. Literal meaning: standing close with perhaps their arms around each other the way good friends do
d) Innocent games played which may look "suggestive" depending on the angle you look at
These definitions really depends on which eye are you looking through. The management view all these as bad, terrible for the uni's reputation, immature, against moral values, ethics and religious beliefs. I look at it as it was a night of spent with the bestest of friends for a memorable time before we head our separate ways, dressed up all pretty and nice and taking loads and loads of pictures for memories. None of the pictures were even remotely controversial. But then again, these are thru my eyes. Things got so out of hand that the organizers were threatened with possible expulsion. And that’s not even the best part. Some of those “indecent” pictures were even featured in the PAS website criticizing the current generation who are loosing sight of the virtuous path of good versus bad.
So i kindly removed all pictures that could be deemed "unsuitable". Yes, they were my pictures but those pictures include others in them. And I wouldn’t want a night of innocent fun to get out of hand when the extreme conservatives try to find fault and land my dear classmates into hot soup.
We talk about freedom of speech and liberty of technology. Bah. These social barriers and obligations start from now on. I could be selfish and stubborn and go like, I don’t care, those are my pictures and I can do whatever I please with them. Or I can be politically correct, remove the pictures, keep everyone happy and nobody gets into trouble. I choose the latter.
Oh, to look for the pictures on DC++, search under Chemy Dinner 2008 or you could look up my hub frushilgik.
To save more time, I’ve shared the pictures on DC++ (the P2P network) instead of transferring them every time someone asks for them. And then a most interesting conversation started when a classmate pm-ed me on gtalk. She very politely asked me to remove any "controversial" pictures that I took. My first reaction was one of shock, like how dare You tell me to remove My pictures that I took with My camera! But then I reflected on her words and of a previous event.
Somewhere last semester a batch dinner was organized and the organizers came under fire when a lot of "controversial" pictures were being shared. Controversial in Cowboy Town uni consitutes of:
a) Girls with very pretty dresses. Literal meaning: not wearing "decent" clothes like baju kurung or tudung aka not covered up
b) Girls and guys in the same picture. Literal meaning: those of the opposite sex shouldn’t be seen together in the same frame
c) Girls and guys in close proximity with "provocative" positions. Literal meaning: standing close with perhaps their arms around each other the way good friends do
d) Innocent games played which may look "suggestive" depending on the angle you look at
These definitions really depends on which eye are you looking through. The management view all these as bad, terrible for the uni's reputation, immature, against moral values, ethics and religious beliefs. I look at it as it was a night of spent with the bestest of friends for a memorable time before we head our separate ways, dressed up all pretty and nice and taking loads and loads of pictures for memories. None of the pictures were even remotely controversial. But then again, these are thru my eyes. Things got so out of hand that the organizers were threatened with possible expulsion. And that’s not even the best part. Some of those “indecent” pictures were even featured in the PAS website criticizing the current generation who are loosing sight of the virtuous path of good versus bad.
So i kindly removed all pictures that could be deemed "unsuitable". Yes, they were my pictures but those pictures include others in them. And I wouldn’t want a night of innocent fun to get out of hand when the extreme conservatives try to find fault and land my dear classmates into hot soup.
We talk about freedom of speech and liberty of technology. Bah. These social barriers and obligations start from now on. I could be selfish and stubborn and go like, I don’t care, those are my pictures and I can do whatever I please with them. Or I can be politically correct, remove the pictures, keep everyone happy and nobody gets into trouble. I choose the latter.
Oh, to look for the pictures on DC++, search under Chemy Dinner 2008 or you could look up my hub frushilgik.
8 comments:
Honestly, these blardy religious freaks are getting on my nerves.
They're lucky you're the one dealing with them and you're doing it nicely as a favor to your friends. I'd probably call them to come challenge me to remove it. Bite me, sort of reaction. :P
Actually, it's not only the Malays....I've face more or less the same problem with Chinese friends(yes, CHINESE FRIENDS!). Something about me not being sensitive towards their feelings despite the fact that I was asked to take the video.
I used to think like 'sam' but...after the run in I had with my chinese friends, it made me think, yes...we may be "open minded and modern". But are we so modern that it made us arrogant and actually think that we have the right to force change on people who are still proud of their own heritage?
Don't know about other people but...don't you think it's a little childish to complain and make a fuss about other people not doing things our way?
Sam: here are some of the people i have to live with and probably work with when i get out of here. a lil peace will come a long way.
crapped: chinese friends, holy cow! what happened to doing as i please? those are good ol' days now huh.
What to do... when u can't get along with your "own" culture...
I love my country, but am seriously considering migrating the hell outta here if I ever get the chance to. Some people (read: religious/narrow-minded freaks) really get on my nerves =____=
Shira: I hv to agree with you. the once occasional conservativeness could be tolerated but things are just getting out of hand these days.
hey, u look so hot in the cheongsam~this fits u whole lot better than the one you wore to my hse previously, hehe..
lol~u even had 'hang li poh vs chun li'.. cosplaying? haha.. dinner + cosplaying = 2 in 1.. nice 1 ^^
i think your friend just wanted us to be cautious. that's why she asked you to remove the 'controversial' pictures.
but seriously, those conservatives are also getting on my nerves. if any of them exaggerate untrue stories about our chemi dinner (like they did to the batch dinner last sem), i'm gonna easily get burst & shoot them this time! LOL
it's okay ohkulala. we will be leaving utp soon. then we can get rid of those narrow-minded people. oppss..
Hello mate ggreat blog post
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