Me & Mine

These statements describe some aspects of “me” and “mine” the existence of which is of ontological interest with which few cares.

** Seek dynamic balance in Harmony.
** Be happy: ( I knew this as a teenager).
** Humanity- view everything from the point of view of the human race. Not my view, not your (singular) view, nor our (you and I two), but Our (all human beings) view. Start from you and I. Seek for the common and leave the difference. In conflict, look at the interest of the total human race.
** Western philosophy looks outward, Indian inward while Chinese looks closely at the immediate, neither too far outward nor inward. How to integrate them?
** Life-long learning is my norm.
** “Change” is the only constant is not to be viewed as a paradox.
** You don’t prove anything, may be you can’t. Verification Theory has to be replaced with Falsification Theory.
** Newton’s Theory was replaced by Theory of Relativity only because of scope of application but Theory of Relativity can’t reconcile with Quantum Physics. Can String or M-Theory replace or include bothTR and QP?
** At human level, we have yet to solve the mind/body problem. Or is there a clear definition of or distinction between mind and body?
** How can we be sure of our knowledge without solving the mind/body problem? Or even we have solved it, still can we be sure of our knowledge?
** Much as I dislike belief, we can’t live without resorting to belief.
@ I asked, in my childhood, funny questions: if my Dad didn’t marry my Mom, would I be here? I have no answer then and I still don’t have one now, for different reasons, though.
@ Born in a village, as second son of family with 6 boys and one girl in Tawau. Walked then rode bicycle to primary school 2 miles away and rode to junior secondary school 8 miles away. Good exercise.
@ Liked sword fighting story books 武侠连环 图 in primary school and read traditional Chinese story books章回小说。In junior secondary school, read Chinese modern literature of the 1920s and 1930s. In senior secondary school, read widely, including philosophy, psychology and literature. Later in life, added computer, acupuncture and acupressure, qi gong, High Energy physics, Yoga and Consciousness.
@ A crucial moment that changed my life took place in 1963. My teacher Mr. Soo苏子升 advised me to go to Sabah College to study Form six (science). From there, I got Colombo Plan Scholarship to study Engineering and became a Government Engineer; I met many Sabah College schoolmates in the course of my civil service. I also stayed in the hostel for 2 years and learned how to live with students from different races.
@ I didn’t know what Civil Engineering was when I took the course. I have no one then to seek advice from. I was an art student ended up in a science school and Engineering school which required engineering students to take non-engineering subjects: I studied Economics and Psychology for 2 years. They proved to be useful in my working life as an Engineer and manager.
@ My art student background and my reading influence me as an Engineer. When I was Branch Chairman of IEM, I got engineers to write in laymen’s language about engineering. I look upon myself as a human first, then engineer. After all I learn most of the time to be a human and only 4 years of intensive training to be qualified as an engineer. Surely I am more qualified as a human then an engineer.
** There might be exceptional leaders or events that made drastic changes to history, but ordinary people like us individually do not matter as much as in a group or team. We have to be organized and to work in team to be more effective and efficient. In any organization, leadership and management are important. Engineers who head organization or a branch of it must learn to lead and manage.
** Purpose, Process and People are the 3Ps that are important to any organization.
** Purpose is the why and should include vision, mission, objective and function statements etc.
** Process is the How. Methods, procedures, guidelines etc
** Core business has shifted from core products or core services to core processes.
** People include training, communication, and empowerment. Anything related to human resources.
** Training and learning is the two sides of one coin. Life-long learning is the way of life of the new generation professionals.
** Communication is important but difficult. A lot of disputes arise out of nothing but miscommunication or communication breakdown. People who have not attempted to learn and practice effective communication will not understand or believe this.
** The line between public sector and private sector will become blurred.
** ICT and globalization is inevitable. We have to pay a price for it. I prefer localization in globalization.
** Dependence and interdependence to be differentiated. Only people who have learned and practiced independence can be counted on for interdependence.
** Professionals work in Teams and on the move all the time. No permanent job. Good Team players will flourish. If both husband and wife are professionals, they may live separately, and meet elsewhere on weekends. Their parents may be asked to look after their kids. 3 generations under the same roof (三代同堂) is not a bad idea.
** Balance these areas: material gains, physical health, emotional and social well-being, mental and spiritual need. I neglected my physical health for too long and I now regretted it. Too bad it is too late!
** Seek commonality and leave the difference aside for future settlement.
** Ancient Indian: 4 phases in life. 1) Learn to live in this world; 2) live well in this world; 3) learn to live in the spiritual world and 4) teach others to live in the spiritual world.
** Do the right thing at the right time. Keep you mind here and now. Focus on the task at hand.
** Don’t waste energy. Recalling unpleasant past and fantasizing the future are wasteful and may be stressful.

By Hiew 2007