How to Be an Existentialist or How to Get Real, Get a Grip and Stop Making Excuses - a book review

Philosophy is not easy to dumb down - or at least a sophisticated and complex philosophical world view like existentialism. Nonetheless, in this brief work, Cox has done an admirable job in simplifying existentialism. 

To be sure, there are paragraphs which require rereading to be understood but, by and large, Cox succeeds in explaining authenticity, bad faith, freedom and other critical aspects of existentialism succinctly. 

Cox's work is a nice recap for readers familiar with the existentialism of Sartre (and others). For newbies, it's a good place to start though some knowledge of the existentialist world view will help.

Pakistan in 2023: optimism is hard to find

 

It's hard to be optimistic about Pakistan these days. The country's multiple crises are coming together to bring about a perfect storm. (I can't remember when the country was last in non-crisis mode?)

Credit: Unsplash - The Artist Studio

The two main political parties contending for power - Nawaz Sharif's (now Shehbaz Sharif's?) PML-N and Imran Khan's PTI - are playing a savage game of musical chairs in Islamabad and several provincial capitals. There is even less focus on governance than is usually the case.

And governance is what is required to pull Pakistan's economy back from the precipice. Ordinary Pakistanis are already struggling under the weight of 30 percent plus food price inflation (officially) pushing food insecurity to a level not seen in several decades. Moreover, electricity brownouts and gas shortages have expanded such that Islamabad seeks to implement policies to encourage reduced consumption (increasing suppy to keep pace with demand is much too difficult as it requires strategic planning). Foreign exchange is in such short supply that each day we receive news of more factories suspending production due to lack of imported raw materials. It's a mess even before one mentions the 'circular debt' plaguing the energy sector – which gets worse with each passing day.

All this while the security situation deteriorates alarmingly (let's talk some more with the Taliban?!). Afghanistan's Taliban government has reinvigorated, many would also say supported, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to carry out a series of high profile attacks especially in the western border province of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa (KPK). These attacks have laid bare the state's claim that terrorism, particularly the TTP, had been defeated. No, the various groups were simply biding their time while regrouping. This time – and space - was provided to them by the recent attempt to negotiate. Releasing tens of militants from Pakistani jails by the authorities as a confidence building measure preceding the talks was simply icing on the cake.

Credit: Unsplash - Hassan Anwer

But wait, the bad news isn't finished yet. There's another open wound which has been festering for several decades and the infection looks to be spreading, i.e. the Baloch separatist movement. Despite the secular, republican nature of the Baloch insurgent movement there are whispers of collaboration between them and the revitalized religious extremists. The enemy of my enemy is my friend right?

Moreover, a nascent Sindhi nationalist movement has recently turned to violence - with the support of Baloch insurgents. Though it's a tentative, cautious shift at the moment, if a tight Sindhi-Baloch nationalist nexus is formed in future it spell more trouble (and violence) for Pakistan. Such violence, particularly if it emerges in Karachi, the country's commercial hub will further damage economic growth prospects. (Already business confidence within the city has been affected by a post-COVID resurgence in street crime.)

Unfortunately, most of these issues are systemic and cannot be wished away without sustained reform. (To be sure, having six, or was it seven, Finance Ministers in the last 4.5 years across two governments is not conducive to reform efforts!) Nonetheless, Pakistan has to start somewhere in order not to break more promises to its citizens.

Stay tuned (i.e.please follow!) for future posts in which I take a closer look at each of these subjects, including my suggestions for tackling these issues.

NB - I will be traveling to Pakistan in the next few weeks and will get a better understanding of ground realities following my visit.

Ukraine: a fight to the death!

As we head closer to the six month mark of the Ukraine war, the military confrontation is locked in a virtual stalemate. Despite Russia controlling about twenty percent of pre-war Ukraine there is little likelihood of a military victory by either side anytime soon.

NATO / US will fight until the last Ukrainian and the Russians are in no mood to talk either. The implications of this stubborn desire to fight are severe.

 Source: Pexels

1. Ukraine will suffer more widespread and intense destruction while Ukrainians will continue to be displaced as internal and external refugees (at least the Ukrainians can move freely to other countries!).

2. In a stalemate, NATO is tempted to escalate the war to achieve its aim of weakening Russia, i.e. more advanced weaponry in larger quantities will be sent to Ukraine. In turn, this will increase the likelihood of Russians attacking NATO supply lines within Ukraine but possibly also in Poland. Whether NATO starts protecting these vital supply routes inside Ukraine with 'disguised' NATO personnel (say as foreign mercenaries from the Ukrainian Foreign Legion) or contractors is an open question? Another potential flashpoint.

3. For its part, if Russia believes the war is shifting decisively away it will fall back to a long standing Cold War strategic doctrine, i.e. threaten to go nuclear. Subsequently, NATO will have to play 'nuclear' chicken over Ukraine and call Russia's bluff or threaten escalation itself.

4. Militarily the war can only get more dangerous. Both sides will feel the need to escalate if the balance tips to the other party. NATO and Russia have backed themselves into political corners domestically with little flexibility for a face saving climb down.

5. Oil, gas and food inflation will not subside while Western sanctions remain in force. Poorer nations will suffer disproportionately. Sri Lanka and Ecuador are examples of possible outcomes in many other states. Europe will also suffer due to disruptions in its energy supplies. Hence, European domestic discontent over the war will increase the longer the war lasts.

6. Post war (we'll have to think about a post-war world sometime!), the world will be left with roaming hordes of trained and weaponized far right extremists. These extremists, currently extolled as war heroes fighting for freedom and democracy, will pose an immediate threat to Europe's internal security as they transition from loose, individually driven anti-state movements to battle hardened entities with a chain of command (remember the origins of the Taliban?).

Source: Pexels

To be sure, in the current situation an early end to the war is unlikely. Thus, one wonders who benefits more from a protracted conflict, Russia or NATO?

In Russia war fatigue, especially as sanctions start to bite, will grow with time. Russia will also face problems recruiting soldiers as it runs out of able bodied people due to mounting casualties as well as war fatigue.

Similarly, Ukrainians too will run out of people. Perhaps that may precipitate soldiers from friendly countries like Poland, etc. be given 'leave of absence' to join the Ukrainian Foriegn Legion (of their own volition of course!) to supplement diminishing personnel in the Ukrainian army.

Moreover, as the cost of the war starts to hit US / European budgets, support for Ukraine will cool and feed an anti-war movement, especially as inflation hits people's wallets. This will ultimately force political leaders to shift focus from a military to a diplomatic solution. However, that may be many months away.

The Ukraine war has made the world a messy and dangerous place. Many countries will pay the price for what is essentially another European war (great power politics of the nineteenth century come to mind). One can only hope sanity prevails and efforts shift towards a political solution sooner rather than later. Only after peace is restored can the world can begin the difficult process of rebuilding.

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Imran is an adventurer, blogger, consultant, guide, photographer, speaker, traveler and a banker in his previous life. Imran lives in Singapore. He is available on Instagram (@imranahmedsg) and can be contacted at imran.ahmed.sg@gmail.com.

The Singapore Experience revealed through five acronyms!

Hi there! Imran here with a brief 'hello' from sunny (and often rainy) Singapore! 

Greetings from Singapore! It's your friendly host from the Little Red Dot (aka Singapore) with the latest edition of my newsletter.* Any traveler to Singapore will likely come across a dazzling array of acronyms while in the city-state. There is nothing Singaporeans love more than shortening phrases or names. Indeed, one website listed over 100 abbreviations in use across Singapore – and that was before the spate of pandemic related abbreviations entered our daily lexicon. Many of these acronyms form such an integral part of a Singaporean's daily life that simply knowing their meaning reveals much about Singapore. Below I explain five such abbreviations which represent the Singapore experience.  1. CPF or Cenral Provident Fund Everyone worries about retirement finances, right? We all want to travel and pursue our long neglected dreams without a care for money! In Singapore, the CPF is key to a solid retirement plan. All employees and employers are required to contribute a percentage (twenty and seventeen percent respectively) into a CPF account maintained in their name. (Yup, that's a whopping 34 percent of an employee's income!) So what happens to this money? This money can be invested and / or used to pay monthly instalments on mortgages taken out to purchase HDB flats (see HDB) or private condominiums. However, these monies cannot be accessed by us until we reach the statutory retirement age. Moreover, the quantum of withdrawals from a CPF account is controlled. This stops me from withdrawing all my money saved over the years in one go and heading over to the casino to try and double my retirement sum! Given the recent volatility in international financial markets, many Singaporeans now quip that the CPF is the safest place for one's savings as even account holders can't access their funds at will.  2. HDB or Housing and Development Board HDB, which was established back in 1960, constructs all – yes, all - public housing apartment blocks in Singapore. Public housing is a big deal in Singapore as over 80 percent of Singaporeans reside in owner occupied HDB apartments! Consequently, HDB apartment blocks are everywhere. You can't miss them. Take the subway (see MRT) virtually anywhere and as soon as you exit the station you will be greeted by HDB apartment buidings nearby! Singapore's public housing is different from such housing in many other parts of the world. It's high quality and suffers few of the usual issues of crime, neglect, etc. traditionally associated with public housing. Additionally, HDB apartments are individually owned – not owned by the city or state - for a 99 year lease period. Residents of HDB apartments cut across economic, ethnic and religious lines. Indeed, there is a conscious effort to integrate different ethncities in HDB estates via an Ethnic Integration Policy. Sidenote: The current President, Madam Halimah Yacob, expressed a wish to live in her HDB apartment after her election to the President's office. However, she grudgingly agreed to move to an alternate residence after a detailed assessment by government agencies recommended she move for security reasons. 3. MRT or Mass Rapid Transit No city can prosper without an efficient public transport system. Singapore's subway network, the MRT system, is the backbone of the city's transport network. Inaugurated in 1987 with a handful of stations, the system has grown to over 130 stations on 200 kilometers of track (and still growing). Today, Singapore's MRT system logs more than three millions trips daily. Not surprising in a city where a regular family car costs almost USD 100,000/- (see COE)! Be warned there is no eating or drinking (not even water) permitted on MRT trains. What's more, in case you were planning to transport durians – that smelly tropical fruit – on the train be prepared to pay a fine as durians are not allowed on MRT trains! 4. COE or Certificate of Entitlement In Singapore, you can't just walk into a dealership and buy a car ... at least not technically. Anyone who wishes to register a new vehicle in Singapore must first obtain a Certificate of Entitlement (COE). A COE represents the right to own a vehicle and use Singapore's roads for 10 years. In March 2022 a COE for a 1,600 cc car sold for USD 52,500. For a car above 1,600 cc it cost USD 72,500! One study estimates the net cost of purchasing a standard Toyota Corolla Altis (1,600 cc) at USD 91,000/- today (yes, you read that right: almost one hundrend grand for a Corolla Altis!). COEs are made available through public electronic auctions twice each month. Once a buyer has a COE on hand then she may proceed to purchase a car. In other words, a car buyer first bids and obtains a COE, then purchases a car which is linked to the COE for the next ten years. Subsequently, the buyer pays for additional items like road tax, insurance and road tolls on an ongoing basis. As a result of these high costs, car ownership levels in Singapore are low relative to other wealthy nations. Recent estimates suggest about two thirds of households do not own a car. Sidenote: My own back of the envelope calculation suggests it's cheaper to take an Uber everywhere versus owning a car! 5. GST or Goods and Services Tax After corporate and personal income taxes, GST is the third largest source of revenue for the government. What is the GST? Well, the GST is a value added tax levied on all goods and services supplied in Singapore; and also on all goods imported into Singapore. GST is an indirect tax and is currently charged at a rate of seven percent (expected to increase to eight percent in 2023). Singapore runs a tight ship insofar as public finances are concerned. The city-state is assigned the highest 'AAA' rating by ratings agencies like Moody's, S & P, etc. Hardly surprising, given Singapore's two sovereign wealth funds - GIC and Temasek – have a combined asset base of almost USD 1.1 trillion. Pretty impressive for a city-state without any natural resources like oil, gas or mineral wealth! Sidenote: Tourists can obtain a GST refund on big ticket purchases made during their stay in Singapore. Travelers may obtain their refunds at Changi airport at the time of departure. In Singapore, acronyms are like stock tickers: we have so many that it's hard to keep track of them all. Through this selection of five acronyms we've covered important areas such as housing, money, transport and taxation. I was going to add a couple of pandemic specific acronyms like SMM (Safe Management Measures) and ART (Antigen Rapid Test) but this newsletter already felt a bit overloaded and we hear enough about the pandemic elsewhere! And that's the story of Singapore told through five abbreviations. If you still want more information then it's time to book a virtual tour ... or better yet, pay us a visit in Singapore!   Imran May 2022 Book a Virtual or Physical Tour of Singapore To book a customized virtual or physical tour of Singapore please contact me by email (imran.ahmed.sg@gmail.com); WhatsApp (+65 9786 7210); Instagram (@singapore.locally) or Facebook (@singaporelocally). Additionally, you may book my Sights and sounds of Singapore's Little India: from Hindu temples to UNESCO recognized street food and Singapore's old Chinatown: the story of a church, a mosque, a temple and Michelin starred street food virtual tours through Amazon Explore. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to interested persons.  PS – You may visit earlier editions of my newsletter here. * You are receiving my newsletter as you have either been on a tour with me (earlier this century) or we are connected via LinkedIn. If this intrusion is not to your liking, fair enough, it is easy for you to unsubscribe. Simply use the unsubscribe button in the footer of this email. Singapore: the story of a church, a mosque, a temple & Michelin starred street food in old Chinatown   Though ethnic Chinese comprise almost three quarters of Singapore's population, the city-state is religiously and ethnically diverse, and this live tour along the Street of Harmony, Telok Ayer Street, is a great way to see Singapore's multiculturalism.  Along the route we'll also see a street food hawker center and colorful shophouse architecture. Book now» Sights and sounds of Singapore's Little India: from Hindu temples to UNESCO recognized street food   Singapore's Indian community - though small in numbers - is an integral part of Singapore's food, culture and architectural landscape. At the heart of the community is the Little India district where all this and more are on display. Join me as we stroll through the streets and side lanes of Little India and take in the sights and sounds (not the aromas!) of this vibrant district. Book now» Facebook Instagram YouTube LinkedIn Copyright © 2021 Singapore Locally La, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Our mailing address is: Singapore Locally La 363 B Sembawang Crescent #03-727 Sun Natura Singapore 752363 Singapore Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.