Longform

Esports. What feeling does that conjure up in you? The thrill of the rush? Excitement? Or perhaps somewhere at the other end of the spectrum like disdain? Whatever it is, you’re probably either on one side or the other, with fewer people sitting in the middle on the subject. As a multi-million dollar subset of a billion-dollar industry, there isn’t any doubt that esports isn’t huge. The sport itself has attracted a worldwide audience of around 400 million – close to competing with traditional sports – as well as garnering close to a billion dollars in revenue, mostly through brand…

With the press of a single button, a piece of film slowly makes its way to the world from the inner workings of my camera. It is exciting, the brief 15 seconds that follow. As I wait for the image to develop, I take the time to try and create a connection with the person I’ve just photographed. I crack up a short conversation. Within 15 seconds, I establish an easy doorway to a potential friendship. That is the power of an instant camera. There is beauty in the imperfect nature of processed instant film. As the world in 2019 raves…

With the advent of technology and resources, we have evolved from passive to active consumers. Growing concerns over the environmental impact and sustainability of the meat industry have got many meat eaters realising that cutting back on meat may have more benefits than they previously considered. The proportionate – if not significantly higher – rate of meat consumption to the rise in population means that eventually, demand for meat will surpass that of its supply. The answer to all – sustainable meat. Plant-based meat was met with resounding success, despite its limited accessibility. Meanwhile, cultured meat looks to be the…

The Mother Tongue has always occupied an awkward position in Singaporean society. A simple search on the official Ministry of Education’s (MOE) website leads to an expectedly idealistic dictum: “The learning of Mother Tongue Language (MTL) is a lifelong endeavour. The MTL policy seeks to nurture our students to become effective communicators in MTL and supports our students to study MTL to as high a level as possible.” At the same time, however, with different races in Singapore, the English language asserts its dominance as a common ground to facilitate communication. Easily observable on a societal level, English — as…