Author Archives: Jonathan Tsang

Torture: A Symptom of Imperfection

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The Rose Cafe talk on torture was not a lighthearted one. Much like the talk on cowardice, this harrowing talk, made by Nick Cheesman and his human rights activist associate from Thailand highlighted a controversial issue that still plagues autocratic and democratic countries alike. Dr. Cheesman’s talk offered no easy solution, but instead provided a thorough interrogation into the phenomenon of torture using examples from Southern Thailand and from other experts who have done research on the topic before.

His associate talked about how the socio-political situation in Thailand led to the escalation of the instances of torture in the country and how it is used as a tool to speed up the bureaucratic process as well as maintain national security. According to his associate, while the Thai government claims to condone torture, police officers employ torture in order to quickly (often sloppily) solve high profile cases such as rape and murder. The use of torture allows the authorities to easily create a scapegoat which appeases the media and superiors of the authorities. The instances of torture has also risen in the past few years due to the attempted coup in 2014 in the south of Thailand. Because of this attempted coup, the Thai government put many cities in South Thailand under martial law, thus allowing the military to exercise unconstitutional means to obtain information for the sake of national security. Dr. Cheesman’s associate’s description of the torture was as mortifying as it was enlightening; illustrating that even with the advent of modernity, torture is still considered a just mean to an uncertain end.

I later asked Dr. Cheesman about the efficacy of torture as a way of extracting information from a suspected criminal. His response was surprising and demonstrated why the issue of torture is still so fiercely debated to this day. According to Dr. Cheesman, my questions was in fact a loaded question that presupposes torture functions as an instrument, rather than a result of political ideology. My loaded question necessitated an affirmative response (yes it is effective, but should we use it?) that much of academia is currently wrapped up in debating yet the debate seems to lead to no useful answer, precisely because the premise is flawed. Instead Dr. Cheesman guided me to think about torture as an inevitable result of political ideology and as a natural result pertaining to the nature of the state as an institution. Only after have we thoroughly interrogated the purpose of the state can we begin to fathom how torture arises out of political ideology. Torture, in effect, is a symptom of an imperfect ideological system. Understanding under what circumstances torture arises can we then be able to prescribe means to reduce the causes of torture and prevent further atrocities that we see occurring in Myanmar, Thailand, and China from happening in future generations.

Identity Through Competition

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The Rose Cafe that I attended last Wednesday was quite different from the rest than i attended before. This cafe was more akin to an open discussion with Professor Hill about the history as well as the future of Flora Rose House and the west campus system in general. Professor Hills most pressing concern, one I share with him as well, is the lack of identity of the different west campus houses. Judging from the types and frequency of events held at Rose House, I personally think that Rose House is the more academic house focused on intellectual development while a house like Bethe focuses more on developing its social aspect through fun events like smoothie making and frequent trips to see broadway show in New York City. This is only a personal opinion and whether or not this identity should be further pursued is up to the house professors and staff at Rose House.

As a method of promoting house spirit, I believe that competition is necessary in order to give residents a reason to be proud to be part of a particular house. While intramural sports competition between houses was attempted before in the past, competition can perhaps be encouraged through less physical yet still enjoyable and enriching ways. Some suggestions include having a house food drive for donation to the needy to having board game competitions such as Chess and Go. Another way to encourage competition is by having students participate in community and service events throughout campus. Points can be awarded to the house based on how many residents contributed to each service event. A house cup can be awarded at the end of the year and additional benefits can be given to the winning house such as meal vouchers or free food. The west campus house system in Cornell is still very much a work in progress and I would like to see a much stronger sense of house identity be developed within the time that I reside on this part of campus.

Cultural Differences Through Sport

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Yesterday I had an opportunity to listen to a talk made by Mr. Paul Wilcox about the Transatlantic Series, a track and field series which was first contested 2 years before the olympic games with contestants from prestigious institutions in England and America. It was quite fortuitous that I stumbled upon this talk as earlier in the day I noticed a group of athletes speaking with English accents and assumed they were at Cornell for a track and field meet. Little did I know that that night I would be able to learn more about and partake in the rich history of this event with a long and rich tradition.

The talk was an interesting exploration about the role sports plays in society and higher education. In particular, I really liked how Mr Wilcox talked about how sports can be used as a tool to bridge the gap between cultural and organizational differences. According to Mr Wilcox, when traveling with a group of people who are passionate about a sport, you often bond because of this shared love in an unfamiliar setting. The series is also a great opportunity for British students to learn more about life in American higher education and vice versa, learning more about the differences in culture through interactions with students and faculty. One observation in particular that I found interesting was how the differences in how people great each other mirrors cultural norms. As Professor Hill put it, in America when you ask people how they are doing, people would often respond with “good” or some similar variation. In England, people instead respond by saying “not to bad”, showing that boastfulness is looked down upon in England much more compared to America.

Another difference that Mr Wilcox pointed out that I found interesting is the spirit of giving. In America, rich alumnus are encouraged and sometimes expected to donate to their Alma Mater after becoming successful. In England, quite the opposite belief is held. Instead, the mere act of donating to your Alma Mater is considered an ostentatious act of bragging and is highly discouraged. While English is the official language in both UK and America, cultural differences is an area that people from both countries can stand to become more educated about. Hence it is important for the Olympics and the Transatlantic Series continue to be held in order to bridge the differences that separate nations in this rich tapestry of the world.

The Role of Stability in Socioeconomic Development

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This Wednesday I had the opportunity to sit in a Rose Cafe talk hosted by Andre Simores. Andre is a PhD student who is getting his degree in agricultural economics and is currently a guest scholar at Cornell. In the talk, he passionately talked about the geography, politics, and economy of his home. Even though his talk spanned a wide range of topics, a common theme seemed to unite them all together, which was how stability is the most important driver of socioeconomic development

To my surprise, Brazil’s many states has a wide range of different climates, each with their own unique characteristics which has led to some regions becoming more developed compared to others. For example, the state of Pampas in Brazil has moderate climate and a lot of flat area which has allowed agriculture to develop in the region. By contrast, the state of Caatinga is a dry area with low soil productivity and as a result water often has to be imported into the state in order to sustain its industry and population.

Andre then went on to talk about the political situation in Brazil. Until 1985, Brazil was under a military-style dictatorship but since then has democratically elected every president since then. Just recently, Brazil has impeached Dilma Rousseff due to links to corruption. This made me realize how far Brazil has come from being an autocratic government to one that peacefully removed a president from office.

As the talk winded to a close, Andre explained his research to the cafe and how he plans to use his research to ameliorate the volatile dairy market in Brazil. According to Andre, the relationship between diary producers and processors in Brazil is a fairly informal one and that there is no official contract signed between producers and processors. As a result, this leads to increased volatility in the dairy market and exposes famers to high levels of risk. In America, the price of diary is stabilized through the government buying excess milk and turning it into milk and cheese. Andre is researching a way so that a more formal relationship can be established between the government, producers, and processors in order to lower price fluctuations of dairy products.

This talk made me realize that economic, geographical, and political stability is the cornerstone of any developed society because it allows people and industries to have a degree of resistance to unforeseen environmental and geopolitical threats. In order to prepare itself for the increasing level of environmental disasters, the advent of automation, and geopolitical instability worldwide, the Brazilian government is going to have to start investing in its people, providing them with the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate this uncertain and rapidly changing world.

Gattaca and Perseverance in An Unjust Society

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Gattaca is a firm believer in the potential of the human spirit. The society depicted in Gattaca is not unlike the world we live in today. Even though racial and gender discrimination is illegal in the workplace today, this practice is firmly embedded in the hiring policies of human resource departments in companies all across the world. Likewise, Gattaca’s society has an additional glass ceiling based on the genetic fitness of an individual, encompassing traits such as cardiovascular fitness, probability of developing attention-span disorders, and propensity to commit violence. That is where the protagonist Vincent dares to challenge the status quo.

Since a young age, Vincent has been disadvantaged both in society and physically due to being conceived without the aid of genetic selection. He also has big dreams. As he repeatedly looks up at the stars in awe and wonder, he hopes that one day that he will be able to venture into space as a navigator, despite being genetically disadvantaged. Despite his frail disposition, Vincent believes that he is more than his genetic makeup. And so he struggles against the unfair system, impersonating the disabled ex-swimmer Jerome until he can realize his dreams of navigating the stars.

Gattaca presents a moral dilemma through contrasting Jerome and Vincent’s situations. On one hand, the genetically flawed Vincent has had to try harder than all his genetically superior peers for the sake of even having a chance to become an astronaut. On the other hand, Vincent, practically flawless from birth, suffers from his own insecurities of not being a star athlete, despite being in top physical condition. In a society that unflinchingly categorizes the perfect from the flawed, how should people go about living their lives when the perfect ones fails obtain perfection while the flawed struggle to overcome barriers to even be on the same level playing field? And so Vincent eventually reaches for the stars, despite having struggled far more than his peers have while Jerome self immolates, unable to deal with the cruel fate he has been dealt with.

Gattaca does not offer any simple solutions. As parents, one would want their child to have the best traits possible to survive in an increasingly competitive world. But if everyone has that mindset, then what will society do with the children who have been dealt a bad hand of genetic cards? And what happens to the children who were told from birth that they were perfect but who eventually encounter obstacles that tell them otherwise? And so Gattaca looks to the source of inspiration that has led to greatness for the entirety of human history: perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds.

Balancing Taste and Nutrition

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The talk I attended last Wednesday was a unique experience for me because even though I have had experience with nutrition in the past (having taken NS1150), the focus of the talk was primarily about approaching the field from a historical perspective. Jane Ziegelman’s primary research area was about nutrition during the great depression along with Flora Roses’ contribution to the field of home economics in America. This talk was informative in allowing me to understand how American’s dealt with food shortages during the great depression and the steps the pioneers in the field of nutrition took to ameliorate this crisis.

I learnt from the talk that because access to fresh food was so scarce back during the depression, people often had to consume their nutrients in bland and often very filling ways. The keystone to achieving both these criteria was the Bechamel Sauce. With this versatile sauce, homemakers could make even the most unflavorful dishes palatable. Professor Ziegelman talked at lengths about a dish which involved combining this wonder sauce with spaghetti and ground carrots.

As the field of nutrition progressed as well as better preservation technologies improved, people started to realize the benefits of consuming fresh foods as well as shake the long held belief that food was only a means of subsistence and not meant for enjoyment. In fact now I think people have quite the opposite belief and instead food is fetishized to an unhealthy extend which can be seen from the plethora of “food porn” Instagram and Facebook sites, often extolling extremely decadent dishes. In order to foster a diet which balances nutrition and taste, we need a compromise that does not neglect taste, but also one that is nutritionally dense. To that, I say look to the ancient Japanese, Chinese and Mediterranean food cultures. Only from them can we have a sustainable diet that can ween the millions of Americans off their addiction to corn syrup.

Justice and the Great American Experiment

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The talk I attended last Wednesday with Judge Miller was probably the most insightful Rose Scholar talk I have been to in a while. During this talk Judge Miller talked about his experiences as both a criminal attorney and a judge, as well as the conflicts and dilemmas he experienced in each of these positions. I asked the judge a simple question – “has there ever been a time in which your sense of principles conflicted against the law?” His response was as perceptive as it was honest. He said that there has been many times in which his morals were in conflict with the law but because as a judge and a lawyer he had an obligation to enforce justice, he often had to make decisions that were contradictory to his beliefs.

This conversation continued as he discussed the issues inherent in defending someone that was guilty. To my amusement, Judge Miller took this topic one step further as he conversed about what happens when someone openly admits that they are guilty. According to Judge Miller, if he had told the judge or the jury that his client was guilty, he would have his license removed, even if it was for a good cause. The purpose of keeping conversations with a client confidential is so that the client can have someone to confide in when all odds seem stacked against the client. The law in America is structured in such a way that presumes every person is innocent till proven guilty. “It is better to let nine guilty people free than to convict one innocent person.” I couldn’t agree more with this statement and seeing people like Judge Miller put his personal justice aside in order to enforce something greater is an admirable feat.

Our talk ended on a note that was relevant to our current political climate as Judge Miller discussed some of the Trump administration’s policies regarding immigration. According to the Judge, an independent jury is the greatest weapon to fighting fascism. While the state of the administration now seems bleak, the judge was optimistic because he believes that the justice inherent in every person will be the key to fighting off any unjust or unfair policies put forth by the administration. The Trump administration will be the greatest test to the great American experiment to this date. Only after the system stands the test of Trump can we understand how the systems can be adjusted to face even greater adversity.

As days go by

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Considering what matters to me is a task in concentration and introspection. This task was akin to peeling an onion. With many outer layers, it take time and some pain to wade past the things that don’t matter and consider that which does. After discarding superfluous layers of possessions and accomplishments, I narrowed my focus down to two things that truly matter to me: family and memories.

It really quite amazes me how my parents are still together. Despite their pride, the pain from their childhood, and their differences in temperament. Despite painfully sitting through all the arguments they have had, they still decided to raise me, and that’s how much I mattered to them. These two disagreeable people could have very easily decided to separate, but they decided not to in order to ensure that I had an upbringing with both parents. For this I am truly grateful and one day I hope to repay them in any way I can.

Toys are outgrown, fashion goes out of style, and expensive gadgets eventually break down. Memories however are eternal. Whenever I am feeling depressed, or overwhelmed, or lonely, I turn to my memories of the past. To times traveling abroad with parents, to times when I experienced awe, beauty and serenity. It is often easy to be wrapped up in the midst of conflict and forget that even though the struggle might seem endless, it will all eventually be part of the past, a drop in the bucket in the grand scheme of things. And so at Cornell, my goal is to accumulate as many memories of wonderment and lived-in experiences so then one day when I am faced with greater challenges, I only have to close my eyes and think back to the past.

Dialogue of Patience

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The event that I attended last Wednesday was a noticeable departure from the usual format of the Rose Cafe lecture series. Students attending the event were inviting into professor Blalock’s apartment and were offered to sit on the sofas throughout the room. As a result, the whole affair felt much more informal and more conversational compared to the other Rose Cafes I have been to. I felt that the informal setting was much more conducive for natural conversation to flow, especially with regards to controversial issues, namely the president of the United States and his barely constitutional immigration policies.

Throughout the evening, even though we discussed many issues surrounding President Trump’s polarizing policies, there was a common thread that ran through the conversations I had with the other students in the room. That common thread was finding ways to bridge the gaps of understanding to people with opposing perspectives and the ways in which we can create dialogue, not conflict. The biggest takeaway from this evening was the method of convincing someone of a different perspective of a particular idea which was taught to us by professor Enns. The professor said that the goal of a conversation is not to prove that you have “won”, but to have subconsciously implanted an idea into someone’s mind through careful use of words and through logic. While the other person might not agree with you initially, as long as you have explained your idea thoughtfully with evidence to support your perspective, the idea will eventually take hold in the other person’s mind and will grow on them as time goes on.

In a world divided by politics and ideology, learning how to converse with someone that might have a different perspective is key to creating an environment of tolerance and understanding. Only after we have learned to converse with our minds and not our impulse can we hope to understand how this election came to be.

Fight Club and Buddhism – An Interrogation of Distractions

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Fight club is an ever-evolving beast. Upon each viewing of this film, there is always some new insight to be gained or some small subliminal message that becomes apparent. My viewing of Fight Club on Friday was the fourth time I have seen this film and I was surprised to find out that my relationship with the film has changed since my last viewing. Having studied Buddhism in my own free time, it was interesting to see the similarities in Fight Club’s ideology with buddhist ideology regarding finding one’s true self and how our possessions is what prevents us from discovering our true nature.

The one quote in particular in that film that echoes with Buddhist ideology is “It’s only after we’ve lost everything that we’re free to do anything.” Buddhists believe that in order to discover what one’s true nature really is, one has to discard everything superfluous from one’s life, useless material possessions and other distractions in particular. Buddhists believe that our unfocused minds are like glasses of water mixed together with sand. Through meditation and focusing one’s attention on the things in life that matter can one be able to allow the sand of distraction to settle and allow our minds to be clear like water. Likewise in Fight Club, Tyler Durden believe in living a simple, stripped-down life and through entering a trance-like state by fighting can one be able see where one’s true heart really lies.

“The things you own end up owning you.” Even after 18 years this quote is still relevant to every confused and distracted person living in a capitalist society today. While capitalism has given people a great deal of abundance, this abundance often results in too many distractions that steers us away from the causes worth persisting for. Education, inequality, the environment. These issues are among the many that are complex in nature and if we continue embracing or distraction-prone ways, we will never be able to interrogate the root causes of each of these issues. Like Tyler Durden would have championed, let us stop basking in the light of the phone screen glow and engage with the world without a filtered lens, embracing it in all its beauty and cruelty.