Dear reader,
The US is a tinder box following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the incredibly popular right-wing Christian commentator, whose youth outreach immeasurably helped close ally Donald Trump at the ballot box. The impact has been felt in Singapore. Conservatives, including a number of Christian pastors, have published tributes. Others, perhaps shocked at the whitewashing of his legacy and comparisons to MLK Jr, have decried, among other things, his harassment of liberals, racism and misinformation (for instance on Covid and the “stolen” 2020 election), which is often masked by his plain-speaking, open debates on campuses. I’ve just been told by a Singaporean in New York City about growing tensions amidst gun threats. Wherever you are, we hope you stay safe. The rest of our work can seem trivial at such moments, but continue, each of us must.
One-week merch sale. To commemorate our third birthday, we’re reducing prices for a week. Totes are now S$19 (from S$26); and our two print issues are now S$29 each (from S$36). Prices include domestic shipping. The sale ends next Friday. Whether for yourself or friends, now’s the time to grab them.
Jomrade updates. We’ve thrilled to have hired Stephen Jacob as strategy advisor and Ahmad Zaid as community manager. Stephen’s work is invaluable though mostly invisible to you, helping us improve the product and grow our revenue. Zaid, by contrast, is going to be your main point-of-contact with the organisation, addressing concerns from login troubles and subscription issues to tickets for events. Expect to hear a lot more from him soon. Check out their bios on our team page.
Lastly, Faris Joraimi, our history editor, will be writing a little less for us. He’s entering the fourth year of his PhD programme and needs more focused time. He’ll contribute two History blurbs a month, rather than every week. I’ll miss Faris’s writing, though I’m glad he’s chosen to retain his position rather than give it up altogether. It’s important that Jom continually shapes roles to accommodate the seasons of each individual’s life. Separately, it’ll give the rest of us a chance to hone our popular history skills, as Abhishek Mehrotra, our head of content, has done this week.
- Berlin celebrates artist Charmaine Poh
- Why tribute bands are enjoying a renaissance
- The Auditor-General uncovers lapses and improprieties in the government
- Singapore’s latest attempt to promote collective over individual responsibility
- The tireless efforts of suicide prevention practitioners
- Helping people work after cancer
- Why we must create and promote exercise time for all
- The rise and fall of Hotel Miramar
Essay: “Postcard from Catalunya” by See Yong Feng
I’m always fascinated by Singaporeans who engage in unorthodox disciplines in uncommon places. Yong Feng has started a Master’s programme in political ecology, environmental justice and degrowth at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. How the heck is he ever gonna get a job?
Singaporean uncle jokes aside, I love how Yong Feng takes us through the basics of degrowth and then, against that backdrop, explores the civic and community action and organising occurring in Catalunya.
“Today, Can Batlló continues to be self-run and has expanded to host many spaces and activities including a library, climbing gym, bike repair shop, carpentry workshop, print studio, childcare centre and even a housing cooperative, with the city providing funding to make the building habitable. To justify extending its lease, the group estimated the monetary value of all the unpaid work carried out by its volunteers between 2012 and 2017 at 4 million euros. Dividing this by the amount that the city had already spent on the project, they found that the social return on investment was at least 500 percent, meaning that the city received more than €5 (S$7.5) in benefits for every euro spent on the project.”
As we describe in one of our blurbs in “Singapore This Week”, there is much talk in Singapore now, spearheaded by the prime minister and president, about the need for “we” over “me”. While I don’t expect that we’ll be importing models wholesale from Catalunya soon, the only way for us to truly realise our own potential is to broaden our imaginations, to pontificate about the range of possibilities, which is what Yong Feng helps us do. Read his essay now.
Jom fikir,
Sudhir Vadaketh, editor-in-chief
Jom
Behind Jom’s art with Tsen-Waye Tay
In a reimagined scene at Can Masdeu in Barcelona, Spain, two banners rise in defiance. Held aloft, the Catalan Senyera dominates, an emblem of national identity, protest and celebration. In the distance, the Palestine flag signals solidarity across resistance movements and struggles for independence. Illustrator Marie Toh, known for our Postcard series, captures the spirit of community, irreverence and kinship in these bold strokes. Her palette is vivid, poster-like, and expressionist, charging the dancers with freedom and joy amidst lush gardens nourished by collective care and growth. The fiery sun recalls the sacrifices of past revolutions but also promises renewal. A deep pink sky suffuses the setting with warmth. These saturated elements are contrasted against a muted architecture that grounds history, suggesting both continuity and the possibility for change.
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