) or https:// as an added precaution.1. Good afternoon everybody. I would like to share some thoughts after watching today's competition.
2. First, as we were all sitting there, I would confess that I knew only one answer out of the 16 questions on the screen. Did I feel a little bad? Yes, a little. But more than anything, it made me realise that it is impossible to know everything. Therefore, we need to be selective about the sources of news we choose to read, because we have limited capacity to absorb it all.
3. The other thing I wanted to say is that many of us tend to only read things that we're interested in, or that we think would affect us. However, in doing so, we may miss out on things that we think do not affect us, but actually do.
4. I've had the experience of speaking with many students about issues like conflicts in the Middle East, geopolitics, and the political developments in Washington. Sometimes, students say they'll listen but feel that such issues don't really affect them. But if you drill down a couple of layers, you will realise that they affect the cost of your food and energy in Singapore, and that how the Singapore government responds to the world around us determines the domestic implications for us as a country.
5. It may not be easy for students to see the linkages all the time, but I think the more you choose to read things that do not immediately appear relevant to you, the more it will spur all of you to start thinking about how they actually do.
6. The third point I want to make is that there are some habits that I think all of us should cultivate.
- The first is to be curious and to go beyond the headline, because there's always so much more going on beneath it. Many of us open social media and only see the first post. Someone could have done a podcast or an interview, yet all people see could be a five-second clip, or a cropped image with a headline slapped on. Always make an effort to listen to the full interview, even at three times the speed, because there's usually so much more content and context that we may otherwise miss.
- The second habit we should cultivate is to always question the answers we are given. For example, earlier, there was a question about birds and we probably all accepted the answer as it is, that most birds die from crashing into buildings. I would say there are many other possible answers. If you look it up, you will find that many birds are caught and culled each year as a result of intentional human decisions and residents' complaints. So for every question that you are posed, try and ask yourself if there's more than one answer. Quite often, there could be.
- The third habit is to verify before you amplify. We tend to get excited when we see something interesting, and the share button is easily available and very tempting. In fact, sometimes you want to be the first to share it, which may make you feel good. But stop before you do, because what you're sharing may not be accurate, just popular.
7. These are habits we have to cultivate from a young age, and we should encourage the people around us to do the same. If people are sharing information with you that you don't think is right, it is our duty to call it out and ask them to verify before they send it.
8. This is some advice that I would like to share with everyone today. If we as individuals can cultivate these habits more actively, I think as a society we'll be a lot safer from misinformation and influences that may not be so positive to us. Overall, we can become more engaged citizens with a worldview that helps us build a better Singapore.
9. The last point I want to make – and I think this is the only place I can say this – is that occasional "gambling" can be positive. I know all of you felt stressed earlier having to write about the negative effects of gambling as an answer to a question, but we've seen today how some of you took risks and they paid off. Don't try that at home too often, but once in a while, it's good to see our young students take a calculated risk and have it pay off. Remember how that felt, and in the future, when you're considering a possible career step or something that you're afraid to try – calculate your risks, but think about giving it a shot.
10. Thank you very much. I hope to see all of you again next year.