The Decode Diary

In this snippet, Dilip recalls what his parents wanted him to do as a profession. Little did they know Dilip was set to take on a totally different path and he loves what he is doing now.

In many parts of Asia, the advice coming from parents has a huge relevance in kids growing up. While some may have changed the course of a kid's life, turning them into multi-billionaires, others may have unpredictable outcomes on their kids, just like Dilip. I can relate so much to his story because my parents wanted me to be someone else too.

Listen to the full conversation here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3DZKzViCDpnWMPwO1Hhuck?si=oDySSvi1QtSw6x0_iDL2fw

In this snippet, we talked about the growing/shrinking gap between the rich and the poor. During my high school time, we learnt about life in India and the life of a rickshaw-wallah was what you would imagine if you were at the lowest of the caste system. Dilip who happens to have taken a ride from a rickshaw-wallah when he was younger recounts what it was like seeing the huge gap between the rich and the poor.

Maybe this does not intrigue you, but we cannot ignore the gap as it is the same everywhere else. More importantly, we can think of the resultant decisions coming from these families. If they had been like you and me, what would they have done differently?

Listen to the full conversation here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3DZKzViCDpnWMPwO1Hhuck?si=6rzVyVKMTQ6dBmVo_X5TsA

We’ve all been there. In many parts of Asia, our parents dictate our path in life. When Dilip did not know what he liked, he figured he would do one thing: To find out what he didn’t like. 

In this episode, I sat down with Dilip, who had previously worked with me on a corporate video shoot, together with many other talented coworkers, and we talked about his journey into journalism. Now, journalism is not a subject or course an Indian kid would typically pick for college, and if you ask me, he is just like you and me, opting for a choice he knew would leave no room for regret. If you finish the episode, tell me how you find the contrast between the tone in the beginning and the end of the episode. I believe you can clearly tell.

We talked about:

[00:00] His Origin Story, The commonalities between Singapore and India that make him love Singapore 

[07:00] YouTube Singapore needs to do something about this!

[14:21] Google Maps is the worst in Singapore? Of course he’s nitpicking!

[17:03] Growing up in India & Getting showered with sibling’s love

[26:01] The gap between the rich and the poor in India, rickshaw-wallahs and the caste system

[30:46] His parents wanted me to be an engineer, but he wasn’t good in any of those subjects

[35:43] How He got into baking and he vows to be the best Christian baker

[40:58] Visual Communications

[42:37] A day in the course of visual communications

[45:36] Relationship with his family when he did visual communications

[48:20] Giving Up? Low moments during the course because his family didn't support him

[51:24] “You Have A Flair For English” & Taking a student loan for the course

[58:46] Journalism as his first job

[59:58] Different parts of journalism

[01:04:45] Journalism and collecting antiques and B&W photos, writing for the education bids, seeing a tint type

[01:14:02] Journalists do this when they get burnt out 

[01:17:08] Taking a Masters’ degree in corporate communications

[01:19:40] He pitched an idea so good he got the budget to do it his way

[01:30:02] Coming to Singapore for a Master’s degree wasn’t his idea, leaving his best project behind

[01:33:23] Getting into corporate communications in a Singaporean corporate

[01:39:19] What is next for him & reflecting on his purpose

[01:42:51] Working together on a corporate video

[01:46:07] Advice to clueless adults

Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com

In this snippet, Dr Sarah who happens to be a lecturer in a local university in Pahang Malaysia, shares with me how the world today is equipped with AI and students everywhere are increasingly benefitted from it. However, the performance or quality of the graduates are questionable.

Here, Dr Sarah shares how the university and private sectors out there should come hand in hand to produce the next generation of workforce who are able to come up with groundbreaking ideas, capable of persisting through tough journeys to solve genuine problems and eventually be part of a progressive society.

It is not solely the responsibility of the lecturers in universities.

Listen to the full episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/14DlsvJQEM27JLbeDWa8Bn?si=zi-s0DkRTHOm3CiN2DYQwA

In this snippet, Dr Sarah shares with me how young adults these days are less capable of coping with failures. She interacts with enough students to be able to say this, and this is worrying.

However, she also willingly shared the ways we can better cope with failures should they come. As a starter, a lower expectation can help a long way.

If you have encountered yourself even an occurrence of failure, share with me how you overcame it.

Listen to the full episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/14DlsvJQEM27JLbeDWa8Bn?si=zi-s0DkRTHOm3CiN2DYQwA

I’ve always thought being a lecturer is an easy task because all you ever need to do is to prepare the teaching materials and deliver your knowledge with passion and enthusiasm to the students. Little did I know there is so much more to just being a lecturer. 

In this episode, I sat down with Dr Sarah to talk about the challenges of being a lecturer, including the rise of AI technology like ChatGPT. We also went into discussing the root causes of why the graduates of today are not keeping up with the demand of the industries out there. If you ask me, Dr Sarah is just like you and me, but she’s not aiming to be your typical lecturer. 

We talked about:

[00:26] How growing up average taught her to be care-free, her parents let her be anyone she wants to be and the reasons she went into mechatronic engineering, eventually leading her to be a lecturer

[27:39] The challenges she faced when she was in Japan for her studies, getting used to be alone abroad

[38:11] Failures, mental health issues and how she advised her students the ways to cope with them, how social media can be of help but also be a thief of joy

[54:06] How ChatGPT being used among the academia is an ongoing debate, the effort of controlling and containing AI and the many use cases of AI 

[01:13:41] Support from universities vs quality of graduates over the years and how the industry advisors play a role 

[01:30:38] What she aims to change in the university landscape as a lecturer, how the difference in pace between the industry and universities pose a problem for improving the qualities of students

[01:40:35] Her hopes, her decisions and her next steps in her career

Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com

In this snippet, Faye tells me how some women do not dare to stand up for themselves. They simply adhere to the hidden rules and utilize them for themselves, and sometimes against other women. And when other younger women fall victim to cases of discrimination, they shy away from providing the needful help.

Faye doesn't think that way. She wants to live her life as clear, direct and bold as possible. She knows "it doesn't have to be this way”.

Listen to the full episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4r4BziT5pjE6091ZJS983q?si=3UQuAgqBR6-ruCQ-HVaQRA

Have you been in a place where you're not welcome? I think people of any background should be given enough support to allow them to express themselves freely under the notion of not harming anyone.

Just picture yourself as a fresh graduate in a big corporate and everyone on your first day is just as busy as they have been, a mentor comes by and starts showing you around. He then lets you ask any questions regarding the company, the project and the culture. You feel welcomed. We should do that more often regardless of their background.

If you want to know how you can do that, listen to this snippet.

Or listen to the full episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4r4BziT5pjE6091ZJS983q?si=3UQuAgqBR6-ruCQ-HVaQRA

In this snippet, Faye tells me how she got interested in political science ever since she was young. Inquisitive, always trying to understand how things work behind the curtains and generally knowing what she wants ultimately placed her in the most expected course one would know, except in the Asian market. Except she did her course in the U.S..

Political science and government.

She talks to us about prison labor from big corporations like Victoria Secret and Microsoft, how the water in your district is actually political and on a broader perspective, how we can be progressive as a community.

I learnt a lot. I hope you did.

Listen to the full episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4r4BziT5pjE6091ZJS983q?si=3UQuAgqBR6-ruCQ-HVaQRA

When women rise in power and position, they often are faced with oppression and resistance. At least from what I have seen.

In this snippet, Faye shares with me how she has never been met with resistance because of the friend circle she is in. Young people in this day and age are probably doing their very best to support women. And I applaud that. We should do more of this.

How would you be a part of the supportive group?

Listen to the full episode before responding!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4r4BziT5pjE6091ZJS983q?si=3UQuAgqBR6-ruCQ-HVaQRA