A Bit of Culture

What's your Mount Everest - the thing that feels impossibly out of reach but might just be more achievable than it looks? That's the question host Kam Raslan poses to documentary filmmaker Ahmad Yazid and economist Hafiz Noor Shams on this episode of A Bit of Culture, and the answers range from small daily battles to accomplishments already conquered. Hafiz then turns the conversation to queuing, and why something as mundane as waiting your turn might say more about a society than we realise. In the final part of the show, Yazid, fresh off an expedition that took him to Everest Base Camp for his latest documentary, talks about the challenges of capturing a story at altitude, and what he chose to focus on once the cameras started rolling. Three topics that climb higher than you'd expect from where they start, in another episode of A Bit of Culture that leaves you with plenty to think about.Image Source: Clairey Sunshine / Pexels.com

Dhanya Nair and Zan Azlee join Kam Raslan on this episode of A Bit of Culture to talk about doing things solo, chatting with your pets, and South Korea's growing cultural prominence. Dhanya starts the show by talking about certain people's reluctance to do things by themselves, and how that can be a missed opportunity for them. Zan then asks the group whether they talk to their pets, after observing his wife talking to their family pets and feeling bemused by it. In the second part of the show, Kam shares his fascination with South Korea's continuously growing cultural prominence across the globe and wonders when it started. Another episode of A Bit of Culture that has a bit of everything for everyone!Image Source: Oriol Segon Torra / Pexels.com

As the world moves deeper into technological integration and automation, would some people prefer to pay extra for that human touch? That's what Matt Armitage wonders in this week's episode of A Bit of Culture, as he analyses an experiment done by a company that charges a premium for your queries to be answered by a human instead of an AI chatbot. Then, our other guest Sheryll Paul talks about filler episodes in television series and asks why they've become a thing of the past in modern television. In the second part of the show, Kam talks about social media demographics on Facebook and other platforms. Three seemingly unrelated topics that flow together seamlessly for your listening pleasure.Image Source: Christina Morillo / Pexels.com

Bernice Chauly and Sharmilla Ganesan join Kam Raslan on this wonderful episode of A Bit of Culture to talk about magic, Swedish cake culture, and whether appreciating The Odyssey on 70mm IMAX is veering into snobbery. Kam starts the show with a chat on our relationship with the mystical and how there seems to be a reverence towards it, even if we do not necessarily believe in it. Then, Bernice regales the group with the story of how the Swedes love their cakes and desserts, and how they commemorate every special occasion with a cake. In the second part of the show, Sharmilla ponders whether Christopher Nolan's decision to shoot The Odyssey on 70mm IMAX has led some to be a bit snobbish about how it should be viewed. Three fantastic topics to get you thinking about the world that we live in.Image Source: Ann H / Pexels.com

Why do we sometimes have a strong yearning for a past that we've never experienced? According to Kam, that's a phenomenon called anemoia. He unpacks what it means and reflects on a past that he strongly yearns for. Our two guests, Vernon Adrian Emuang and Ong Kar Jin, chime in with their thoughts before sharing their own topics — rethinking literacy and identity politics. Kar Jin ponders the state of literacy, inspired by some alarming statistics among students in the US, while Vernon questions whether there are ways to grow beyond identity politics. Three distinct topics that get you thinking about life — past, present and future.Image Source: Suzy Hazelwood / Pexels.com

Musician Azmyl Yunor comes to this show with a mission: he wants to set the record straight on busking and what it actually is. But before that, another guest on this episode, Michael Gong, talks about the telegraph and how its invention brought the world closer together. In the second part of the show, Kam Raslan reflects on migrating to another country and the complexities that come with such a decision. Another episode of A Bit of Culture that never misses a beat in both entertaining and enlightening its listeners!Image Source: Omran Soliman / Pexels.com

Is rote learning really that bad, especially as people, and students in particular, are becoming more reliant on AI? That's what our guest Hafiz Noor Shams is pondering, as he discusses this with host Kam Raslan and the other guest, Dhanya Nair. The group debates whether children should first memorise facts at a foundational level before developing their critical thinking skills. But before we get to that topic, Dhanya talks about travelling without recommendations and whether that's a more fun way to explore new places, and Kam reflects on getting old after recently celebrating his 60th birthday. A fun episode of A Bit of Culture that hits all the right notes.Image Source: tainah ferreira / Pexels.com

Kam Raslan, Vernon Adrian Emuang and Matt Armitage come together to discuss three different topics. Inspired by the World Cup, Kam talks about the spirit of competitiveness and its appeal to spectators — especially since he himself is not necessarily a competitive person. Vernon then talks about how you literally put a price on art, beyond its figurative value. In the second part of the show, Matt and Vernon try to convince Kam not to just use AI, but to also love it. Another exciting episode that you don't want to miss!Image Source: zheng liang / Pexels.com

Our culture vulture Kam Raslan joins his sidekicks Ong Kar Jin and Zan Azlee to talk about three different topics. Kam, who's currently in London and experiencing the European heatwave, talks about how hot weather influences our daily lives and culture. Then, Kar Jin talks about Soylent — a meal replacement drink — and its appeal for busy people looking to make mealtimes more efficient. In the second part of the show, Zan talks about outsourcing the more administrative tasks in his business to agentic AI programs. Another episode of A Bit of Culture with a bit of everything!Image Source: Beth Rollins / Pexels.com

Documentary filmmaker and regular guest Ahmad Yazid returns to the show after his trip to Everest Base Camp, and naturally, he takes this opportunity to share his experience there with our host Kam Raslan and our other guest, Dhanya Nair. But before we get to the main event, Dhanya shares her harrowing experience buying tickets for BTS's concert in Malaysia, while Kam talks about whether it's possible to tell compelling stories in which nothing happens. Three different topics to tickle your intellect, only on another episode of A Bit of Culture.Image Source: Ahmad Yazid