The Usual Place

The Usual Place

By The Straits TimesNewsNews CommentaryPolitics
Download on the App Store

The Usual Place episodes

  • S1E16: With all the talk about mental health, should we be in therapy?

    With more people conscious about mental health issues, is going to therapy the solution to deal with inner mind and emotional struggles?

    Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.

    These days, conversations about mental health - and content about it - are everywhere.

    Within that space, therapy often comes up as a way to deal with mental health issues. People write about it in personal essays, it’s bandied around in memes, and on TikTok, there are therapists who create short-form videos about boundaries, trauma and coping mechanisms.

    But should everyone be in therapy?

    To answer that question, The Usual Place’s host Natasha Ann Zachariah speaks with Raquel Ang, 35, co-founder of telewellness platform IHearU App, and singer-songwriter Layyi, 28, who was featured on a song called Lovin’ Me.

    (The track, led by local singer-songwriter Haneri (Daphne Khoo) and also features Whylucas, is part of a youth mental wellness initiative by McDonald’s Singapore.)

    Raquel, who has a Master’s in Counselling, has been in therapy for about two years, while Layyi started in September 2023. Both of them experienced a “breaking point” in their lives which pushed them to explore therapy.

    Natasha discusses with them about whether therapy should be a universal experience or a deeply personal choice. Together, they unpack how therapy has changed them, their initial concerns about going for it and why it’s one of many tools for mental health.

    The Usual Place Podcast will give away 10 sets of exclusive McDonald’s merchandise to be given away. Each set consists of a tote bag, a sticker sheet, four postcards and a pack of F&B vouchers (expiring on Dec 31, 2024).

    Here’s how you can win them: Subscribe to The Straits Times Podcasts’ YouTube channel and leave a comment there under this video - Is therapy only for those with mental health issues? - about what’s the best way you’re taking care of your mental health. The team will select 10 winners and get in touch with them. Good luck!

    Highlights (click/tap above):

    2:57 Openness and eagerness for change - considerations for therapy

    6:47 When is the right time to go to therapy?

    11:01 The stigma of therapy

    14:38 “Only the problem kid goes for therapy.”

    25:03 Picking a counsellor or therapist

    30:54 “Therapy speak” being a part of daily conversation

    38:52 Going to therapy is like going on a date with yourself

    Host: Natasha Zachariah ([email protected])

    Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav

    Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

    Read Natasha's articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

    Filmed by: Studio+65

    Edited by ST Podcast producers: Eden Soh & Teo Tong Kai

    Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

    Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

    Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

    Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

    Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

    YouTube: https://str.sg/wEr7u

    Feedback to: [email protected]

    ---

    Follow more ST podcast channels:

    All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

    ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

    ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

    ---

    Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

    The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

    Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

    #tup #tuptr

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    42 min
  • S1E15: Going Ga-Ga Over Labubu: Why?

    The Labubu craze exploded earlier in 2024 thanks to Blackpink's Lisa. What's keeping the love for Labubu going?

    Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.

    Inspired by Scandinavian folklore, Labubu was created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung as part of his Monsters character series in 2015.

    How do you know when a toy is a big deal?

    When people are brazenly committing crimes to get it. And when hundreds of people queue overnight to be the first to get their hands on it. When fans get into shoving matches and the police have to be called.

    Bakers make cakes in its image, while enterprising sellers offer product customisations like braces, make-up and custom identity cards.

    Perhaps the true hallmarks of a product’s popularity are a hot reseller market and the existence of fake versions.

    In a nutshell, these events describe the months-long craze over Labubu – the fanged little elf that everyone around the world is going gaga over.

    Even though Labubu has been around since 2015, her star skyrocketed earlier in 2024 with a little bit of help from a popular K-pop star Lisa of Blackpink fame.

    Distilling it for the people who don't get the hype, Natasha finds out what the hype is all about and why collectors enjoy these art toys so much.

    To give her the download on all things 'LBB',  Jeremy Lee, 44, the business director for South-east Asia at Pop Mart International and Yumiko Kayahara, 35, a KISS92 FM DJ, join her on The Usual Place to explain the current craze.

    Pop Mart is the international brand that owns the exclusive rights to the Labubu intellectual property (IP).

    From being a “kidult” to how Pop Mart is keeping up with the demand, they chat with Natasha in this wide-ranging interview on why this plushie has people going ga-ga.

    Highlights (click/tap above):

    4:55 The celebrity endorsement effect

    13:10 The reseller market and fakes on the market

    20:15 Customisations and copyright of Labubu - will Pop Mart do something about it?

    26:24 Who is a “kidult”?

    36:21 Will Pop Mart have another toy that matches Labubu’s popularity?

    6 things you did not know about Labubu: https://str.sg/dNhY

    Host: Natasha Zachariah ([email protected])

    Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav

    Read Natasha's articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

    Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

    Filmed by: Studio+65

    Edited by ST Podcast producers: Eden Soh & Teo Tong Kai

    Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

    Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

    Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

    Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

    Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

    YouTube: https://str.sg/wEr7u

    Feedback to: [email protected]

    ---

    Follow more ST podcast channels:

    All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

    ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

    ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

    ---

    Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

    The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

    Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

    #tup #tuptr

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    40 min
  • S1E14: Getting death plans in order: Our young guests discuss

    Should young people be talking about - and planning for - their deaths?

    Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.

    In this episode of The Usual Place, three millennials under 35 get candid about mortality and what changed their perspectives on death.

    Ho Hui Sze, 30, a counselling psychologist and host of Being With Grief podcast, G. Kethlyn Gayatiri, 32, a freelance educator, and Muhammad Alif, 28, a financial advisor and content creator, are no strangers to talking about death. 

    They feature on Let's Talk About Death - a five-episode docuseries by The Straits Times, which premiered on Oct 23, 2024.

    From choosing a casket to protecting their passwords for their online accounts, each of them explores different aspects of end-of-life planning and dying well.

    Kethlyn is filmed in Episode 2 with her mother, Irene Koh, while Alif appears with his wife Liyana (@financewithliyandlif), in Episode 4. 

    As for Hui Sze(@beingwith.grief), she chooses to memorialise her own bedroom in Episode 5.

    Natasha wants to find out how discussing death can be liberating, the misconceptions that often come up when planning for death, and how thinking about dying has made them live life differently.

    Highlights (click/tap above):

    1:36 What made these millennials change their perspective of death?

    6:16 Hui Sze talks about the pain of death and the gifts of grief

    17:19 What if I die first? Kethlyn recounts talking to her mother

    23:12 Alif gets emotional when creating his will - his “last love letter”

    31:25 A ‘Dabao Kit’ and and Death Cafes to talk about death

    39:32 How has talking about death made them live life differently?

    Watch ST's "Let's talk about death" video series here: https://str.sg/a4Ey

    Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav

    Host: Natasha Zachariah ([email protected])

    Read Natasha's articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

    Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

    Filmed by: Studio+65

    Edited by ST Podcast producers: Eden Soh & Teo Tong Kai

    Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

    Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

    Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

    Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

    Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

    YouTube: https://str.sg/wEr7u

    Feedback to: [email protected]

    ---

    Follow more ST podcast channels:

    All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

    ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

    ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

    ---

    Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

    The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

    Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

    #tup #tuptr

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    46 min
  • S1E13: Confronting suicide: The conversations we need

    The conversation in this episode dives into suicide prevention, stigma, and the changes needed to get to Zero-Suicide.

    Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.

    In Singapore, suicide remains the leading cause of death for young people aged between 10 and 29. 

    A 160-page white paper report called Project Hayat (meaning ‘life’ in Malay) was launched in conjunction with World Suicide Prevention Day on Sept 10 by advocacy group SG Mental Health Matters.

    Project Hayat outlines a national suicide prevention strategy for Singapore, and laid out its own research findings and 23 recommendations for addressing the gaps in suicide prevention here.

    In this episode, host Natasha Ann Zachariah finds out how we could talk more openly about suicide matters among young people, and what more can be done to address the gaps in support.

    Her guests on the show are the project’s co-lead Dr Rayner Tan, 35, who is from the National University of Singapore’s Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health. 

    Shantini Sathiyanesan, 38, calls herself a “wounded healer” for her journey through suicidality, and also for having experienced the grief of losing someone to suicide.

    Highlights (click/tap above):

    2:55 Has Project Hayat’s data studies shown unique barriers specific to minorities in society? 

    5:30 How to tell if someone has suicidal thoughts; passive and active suicide ideation; what is psychache (psychological pain)? 

    9:25 Shantini shares her own lived experience of suicidality - having suicidal thoughts, ideation, and losing someone to suicide -  despite living a highly functioning life

    13:58 What is the suicide question and why is it important to ask it? Paradox of saying “I don’t want to be a burden”

    20:10 Importance of Project Hayat’s suicide prevention strategies; what can we do better when someone comes to us for help?

    31:23 Dr Rayner Tan on Project Hayat’s bold ‘zero suicides’ target for Singapore; on SOS (Samaritans of Singapore) helplines and the experience it offers

    The Project Hayat White Paper is available here: www.sgmentalhealthmatters.com

    MENTAL WELL-BEING

    • Institute of Mental Health’s Mental Health Helpline: 6389-2222 (24 hours)
    • Samaritans of Singapore: 1-767 (24 hours) / 9151-1767 (24 hours CareText via WhatsApp)
    • Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
    • Silver Ribbon Singapore: 6386-1928
    • Tinkle Friend: 1800-274-4788 
    • Chat, Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health: 6493-6500/1 
    • Women’s Helpline (Aware): 1800-777-5555 (weekdays, 10am to 6pm)

    COUNSELLING

    • Touchline (Counselling): 1800-377-2252
    • Touch Care Line (for caregivers): 6804-6555
    • Care Corner Counselling Centre: 6353-1180
    • Counselling and Care Centre: 6536-6366
    • We Care Community Services: 3165-8017

    ONLINE RESOURCES

    • https://moht.com.sg/mindline-sg/
    • https://fycs.org/ec2-sg/
    • https://www.tinklefriend.sg/
    • https://www.imh.com.sg/chat/Pages/default.aspx
    • https://carey.carecorner.org.sg/ (for those aged 13 to 25)
    • https://www.limitless.sg/talk (for those aged 12 to 25)

    Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav

    Host: Natasha Zachariah ([email protected])

    Read Natasha's articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

    Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

    Filmed by: Studio+65

    Edited by ST Podcast producers: Eden Soh & Teo Tong Kai

    Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

    Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

    Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

    Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

    Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

    YouTube: https://str.sg/wEr7u

    Feedback to: [email protected]

    ---

    Follow more ST podcast channels:

    All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

    ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

    ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

    ---

    Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

    The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

    Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

    #tup #tuptr #healthcheck 

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    40 min
  • S1E12: Rooting for our mother tongues in Singapore

    Your mother tongue can also be your super power - that’s what our three guests on The Usual Place tell us.

    Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.

    In this episode, Zhang Xi Ying, a content producer at HeyKaki, C Aishwarya, a branding and promotions executive from Tamil Murasu and Rabiatul Adawiya Binhan, deputy audience and growth editor from Berita Harian, share their views on what it takes to be bilingual.

    Beyond acquiring another language, your mother tongue helps shape some sense of your identity, and preserve culture and connections with your roots.

    For one, it’s no longer passe to be fluent in your mother tongue, say Xi Ying and Aishwarya. But sometimes, the struggle to pick it up can be real, adds Rabiatul, who is trying to get her two children to learn Malay.

    Learning our mother tongues came up at the National Day Rally (NDR) in August 2024.

    Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, said in his Mandarin speech, that he understood that the Chinese community is “very concerned” about the standard of Mandarin in Singapore.

    In an effort to spur on students who are strong in their mother tongue, Mr Wong announced that those who do well in these languages at primary school will be able to study it at a higher level from Secondary 1.

    Highlights (click/tap above):

    5:59 Why learning your mother tongue brings you closer to culture

    10:48 Clinging to their culture when they can’t speak their mother tongue

    13:42 Mixing English and mother tongue languages to appeal

    21:23 Hating on your mother tongue

    27:26 Connecting with your mother tongue starts at home

    Check out the full vodcast here: https://str.sg/sfG2

    Follow our guests on HeyKaki, Orang Muda Gitew and இன்னொரு day இன்னொரு slay

    Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav

    Host: Natasha Zachariah ([email protected])

    Read Natasha's articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

    Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

    Filmed by: Studio+65

    Edited by ST Podcast producers: Eden Soh & Teo Tong Kai

    Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

    Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

    Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

    Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

    Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

    YouTube: https://str.sg/wEr7u

    Feedback to: [email protected]

    ---

    Follow more ST podcast channels:

    All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

    ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

    ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

    ---

    Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

    The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

    Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

    #tup #tuptr

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    32 min
  • S1E11: Why parents should not see teachers as service providers: Chan Chun Sing

    Can there be respect? 

    Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues of the day.

    Education Minister Chan Chun Seng recently announced at the Ministry of Education Schools Work Plan Seminar, how parents should communicate with teachers from now on. He said teachers are not required to share their personal phone numbers, and do not need to respond to work-related messages after school hours.

    Instead, they should use official channels like their e-mail and office number when contacting parents, and respond to work-related messages after school hours only in the event of emergencies, he added.

    These guidelines aim to help schools and parents work together more “positively, constructively and respectfully” while also establishing boundaries so that teachers can have “protected time” of their own. 

    In this episode, Mr Chan dropped by The Usual Place to chat with host Natasha and her special co-host Jaime Ho, who is also the editor of The Straits Times.

    Why is this culture the way it is for now? Or is it just down to a seemingly larger issue of over-parenting or parents being unable to go with the flow in general?

    Highlights (click/tap above):

    4:55 Is there a culture of over-parenting? Avoiding a 'crutch' mentality

    9:50 Mr Chan on whether MOE should "over-protect, over-structure or remove all untidiness from life" for children in general

    12:50 Social media impact today: The pressure of being compared, how children and also parents feel it in different ways

    13:50 The 'spirit' of the new rule: why it matters, and how the culture could evolve

    17:25 On the culture of bypassing the system to "get their own way"; on the case example of orientation for parents - not children - at one school

    22:37 Mr Chan on why teachers in Singapore are not here to "service us"

    32:40 Looking at flexibility for teachers too, while maintaining the "ethos of teaching", in a "code of conduct"; respecting teachers, their "private time" to "recharge"

    36:10 Mr Chan's memories of teachers who inspired him

    Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav

    Host: Natasha Zachariah ([email protected])

    Read Natasha's articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

    Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

    Filmed by: ST Video

    Edited by producers: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh, Jamie Koh and Rubeen Raj

    Executive producers: Ernest Luis and Lynda Hong

    Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

    Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

    Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

    Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

    YouTube: https://str.sg/wEr7u

    Feedback to: [email protected]

    ---

    Follow more ST podcast channels:

    All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

    ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

    ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

    ---

    Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

    The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

    Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

    #tup #tuptr

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    42 min
  • S1E10: Bye-bye 5Cs. Hello, purpose: how we redefine success

    Does living a meaningful, purpose-filled life trump materialistic goals and climbing the corporate ladder these days?

    Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues of the day, and finds out about what young people are talking about.

    Talk about the new definition of success has been fronted this year by Singapore’s new prime minister Lawrence Wong, who has called for wider definitions of success.

    But can it be done? In this episode, Natasha asks her three guests how possible it is to run on passion, and in redefining success, what does failure look like now? Also, what is one thing that young people need to do if they want to redefine what success looks like to them.

    Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth and Trade and Industry Alvin Tan, founder and executive director of Access Singapore Clarence Ching, and co-founder of River Valley Irregulars Sheila Manokaran speak about how they see the Singaporean dream moving beyond the 5Cs.

    The question - or is it an existential crisis? - that millennials and Gen Zs grapple with is about how they can make an impact that counts, even in a 9-to-5 job. 

    Highlights (click/tap above):

    1:49 Why is it necessary for us to redefine success now?

    9:52 The stumbling blocks on the paths to success

    18:35 Can chasing passions put food on the table?

    24:54 ”What is the government doing to ensure I have a job?”

    33:20 What does failure look like in this new definition of success?

    40:25 What we need for a mindset shift

    Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav

    Host: Natasha Zachariah ([email protected])

    Read Natasha's related story: https://str.sg/Mieu

    Read Natasha's articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

    Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

    Edited by producers: Teo Tong Kai and Eden Soh

    Executive producers: Ernest Luis and Lynda Hong

    Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

    Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

    Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

    Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

    YouTube: https://str.sg/wEr7u

    Feedback to: [email protected]

    ---

    Follow more ST podcast channels:

    All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

    ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

    ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

    ---

    Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

    The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

    Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

    #tup #tuptr

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    45 min
  • S1E9: Flexibility at work: The secret sauce to more babies?

    We ask Indranee Rajah - Minister in the Prime Minister's Office - to explain the mindset shift aim of the enhanced parental leave scheme, announced on Aug 18.

    Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues of the day, and finds out about what young people are talking about.

    When it was announced at the National Day Rally that the parental leave scheme would be enhanced starting in April 2025, Ms Indranee recalls young parents being happy to hear the news. 

    Employers, she adds, on the other hand, are cautiously welcoming the news as they put forth their concerns about managing schedules and workloads.

    Ms Indranee talks about the need for a well-designed workplace to make shared parental leave work for all, not just parents of newborns. 

    This would mean fathers giving advance notice of when they want to take their leave or compensating those who take on a parent’s workload - with the money freed up by the government-paid paternity leave.

    Natasha asks Ms Indranee why fathers haven’t been so keen to take up the existing provisions - reluctant line managers seem to be standing in the way - and if this would be the game-changing move couples need to support their aspirations to start and grow their families?

    Highlights (click/tap above)

    1:56 Who’s happy, post-National Day Rally?

    6:40 Sending a signal that dads should be more involved in child-raising

    10:57 A mindset change and cultural shift in the workplace

    19:06 Will the enhanced parental leave improve Singapore’s TFR?

    21:42 Making a family-friendly Singapore

    Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav

    Host: Natasha Zachariah ([email protected])

    Read Natasha's related story: https://str.sg/Mieu

    Read Natasha's articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

    Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

    Edited by producers: Eden Soh

    Executive producers: Ernest Luis and Lynda Hong

    Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

    Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

    Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

    Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

    YouTube: https://str.sg/wEr7u

    Feedback to: [email protected]

    ---

    Follow more ST podcast channels:

    All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

    ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

    ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

    ---

    Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

    The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

    Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

    #tup #tuptr

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    25 min
  • S1E1: Why does it feel like Singaporeans are angry all the time?

    What triggers one’s frustrations in Singapore? Even the smallest inconvenience can spark irritation, making it feel like we’re always on the edge of our temper.

    Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah explores contemporary societal choices and youth perspectives.

    Murals and HDB block patterns, poor service, bad food, long queues, queue cutters, ‘undeserving’ seat occupiers on public transport, slow walkers, ‘pawrents’ spending money on their furkids, XMMs — the list of what grinds Singaporeans’ gears seems to grow by the day.

    Throw in social media platforms into the mix, and the rants come fast and furious.

    There's an appetite for it - just look at the existence of Singapore-centric complaint groups online and the number of members they have. Or the TikTok videos that pop up, where people rant about a perceived slight or minor irritation. Or the people who have been caught in 4K acting out on the roads, in malls or restaurants.

    We could go on.

    Natasha goes outdoors to find out if people share this sentiment and what we can do should we encounter the Angry Person.

    Highlights (click/tap above)

    0:45 Anger in comment section

    1:55 The anonymity factor

    4:50 Context is everything

    6:58 Breathe in, breathe out - anger is unhealthy

    Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav

    Host: Natasha Zachariah ([email protected])

    Read Natasha's articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

    Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

    Filmed by: Amirul Karim and Hana Chen

    Edited by producers: Teo Tong Kai and Eden Soh

    Executive producers: Ernest Luis and Lynda Hong

    Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

    Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

    Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

    Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

    YouTube: https://str.sg/wEr7u

    Feedback to: [email protected]

    ---

    Follow more ST podcast channels:

    All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

    ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

    ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

    ---

    Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

    The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

    Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

    #tup #tuptr

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    9 min
  • S1E1: What makes a National Day song a classic? Tell us your favourites

    Is it catchy lyrics, a snappy beat, or is there something else that captures the Singaporean heart?

    Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah explores contemporary societal choices and youth perspectives.

    Why do some songs, basking under the golden glow of nostalgia, come back year after year, and why do others fade from the public consciousness once their time has passed?

    In this new episode of The Usual Place podcast, host Natasha Ann Zachariah takes her show onto the streets of Singapore, to ask members of the public what their favourite National Day theme song is, and what makes these songs so special.

    Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav

    Host: Natasha Zachariah ([email protected])

    Read Natasha's articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

    Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

    Edited by producers: Teo Tong Kai and Eden Soh

    Executive producers: Ernest Luis and Lynda Hong

    Filmed by: Amirul Karim and Hana Chen

    Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

    Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

    Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

    Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

    YouTube: https://str.sg/wEr7u

    Feedback to: [email protected]

    ---

    Follow more ST podcast channels:

    All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

    ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

    ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

    ---

    Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

    The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

    Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

    #tup #tuptr

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    6 min

About The Usual Place

From the publisher's feed

Synopsis: Join host and correspondent Natasha Ann Zachariah every Thursday, as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.