Argue but still being concrete evidence

每一個人絕對有言論自由，但所謂的評論都應當要有所謂的'evidence'來支持其言論本身。
這是我在英國學術生涯中學到的其中一課。

為何談及這個，因繼上回商周(Business weekly)發表了《張大春：台灣人不讀書，成天把「吃什麼」掛嘴上》讓我極為感冒外，這次的《牛奶駭人事件》，讓我定調商周真的成了「商業」刊物。它開始追求為了吸引消費者的目光，同時卻少了該有的嚴謹態度、驗證基礎，更不用談及企業本身對於社會大眾的責任(CSR)。

我所要評論的並不是食品安全的相關問題，而是討論「公眾人物言論及公眾傳媒報導的嚴謹性」。在我的看法裡，身為一個公眾傳媒或大眾人物，他們理應有義務在所表達的任何言論及報導做更嚴謹的把關，而不是用誇大的標題，不嚴謹的內容，來引起消費者的注意。確實，短期商周賺到了高知名度，但實質上，商周這樣不成熟的做法，賠掉了長遠的企業形象。

或許商周本身想探討的是食品安全的問題，出發點是很好的。但為了「利」，商周做了一次最糟的示範，而商周這樣的媒體只是眾多台灣媒體中的一例。此外，雖然常常聽到許多評論政府負面的聲浪，政策不力導致台灣在國際上逐漸失去競爭力。不可否認，公部門有更重要的責任及義務去反思檢討所有的政策及執行面等問題。但另一方面，訴求民主、言論自由的台灣人，我們真的該思考對於「民主」及「自由」二詞做一更好的定義。過度的民主及自由，就像一匹脫彊的野馬，亂了秩序，是不可能成就大事。進一步延申，大眾都會說，教育很重要，但想想台灣孩子所處的傳媒環境也很重要(在現今社會了傳媒無疑是整體社會環境中的一個重要環節)，這是相輔相成的。但依目前的傳媒環境，我想未來的台灣孩子要有國際競爭力是相對困難。

最後，當然我不是媒體人，我不知其中所承受的銷售壓力，但我想強調，大眾傳媒應該回到其意義本身，進而成為民眾充實知識、資訊的媒介。這樣的新聞及評論都應有合理evidence, 而不是因為有所謂的「言論自由」權力，就濫用。


《張大春：台灣人不讀書，成天把「吃什麼」掛嘴上》http://www.businessweekly.com.tw/KBlogArticle.aspx?id=3800&pnumber=6
《牛奶駭人事件》http://www.businessweekly.com.tw/KWebArticle.aspx?id=52485

Getting into international development sector

Obviously, I am lost when trying to figure out which opportunities I should seize. Perhaps I should say even I almost lost the way where I should go for it. academor or practitioner. 

For the past few days, I was randomly looking for jobs and volunteering in different types of iNGOs, however, I found that I am really in a kind of position that I have neither relevant experience in the international development field  nor a rigorous academic background in terms of research related. More seriously, discrimination is really a sad reality in the international development field, although some engines clearly state that they do not discriminate any potential talents. This is not a fact when experiencing job searching. Many iNGOs post on the requirements for vacancies with the request of different nationalities even though I agree with some points that many NGOs are keen on building capacity of the target beneficiaries, thereby leading them to look for some professional from the field not international. As a Taiwanese, I don't have any advantage even more disadvantages to compete with other international professional since political influence is the main concern when deciding hiring a person in the international development sector. 

Several facts make me feel stressed whether I still have an opportunity to engage in the field of international development. Perhaps the best way for me is to change my nationality to be a real Chinese or within other nations. 

With this understanding, I would like to state some actions to remind myself as long as I would get into the field of international development to enhance my competency working in the field of international development . 

First, writing one article with the subject of international development (1000 words) per week. This article should form my argument with the proper use of reference. In other words, it looks like an essay. The purpose of this is to let myself involve either in the practice or academia since these two sectors are strongly related to each other.

Second, keep in touch with development professional to strength my network. International development is definitely a field which requires people who know how to network with others. Otherwise, it is getting hard to get resources, funding and opportunities. 

Third, volunteering as free as I can. This is an essential part to contribute my time and professional in the society where I live. 

continuous....

Reflection during a period of dissertation writing

Somehow I feel it is really a shame that I did not learn anything about international development before coming to the UK for a Master study.

While most people and politicians argue that China continues to reinforce the pressure of the international society, as a result, this is why Taiwan encounter great difficulties to be independent even as a member to join any international events. 

Now I am doing a master dissertation in the UK and also seek to understand the current trend and essential issues in the international development field. At the same time, there is another attempt is to figure out any issues or linkages between Taiwan and international development. Unfortunately, I encounter greater difficulties to attain this objective in my dissertation purposes because data access is the first obstacle when I communicate with the central government. 

Secondly, a handful of valuable data exists and even issue for the public. It is really a big shame when we sing a song to say 'we are a democracy and a developed country. We do not have good enough transparent public information so that whether development interventions really benefit form the citizens is the big question.  

Another issue leads me to feel more shame is that there is not strong motivation to encourage our generations (children) to study in the international development is a strategic failure.  Although I do not really ensure how much budget allocate in the international aid each year in the central government of Taiwan. But the fact is that if there is not any talents working in this field, it is very unlikely to expect that there will be one day that Taiwan can have a greater international reputation. 

An article from Business Weekly- reflection

Quickly scan through the article, it gave me a good chance to share some reflection. almost 9 months here, I continue to question myself what things I learnt from the TW education system.

I found it's a bit hard for me to figure out this answer. But one thing I found I did not learn well from the past learning experience is about ' being critical thinking'. Having a critical eye is not about criticizing something that we do not agree with. It's more about how we provide enough evidence to support our argument. The evidence here basically comes from broad reading.
Perhaps some TW friends may say, we read a lot of books. But the question is how we critically read them and transform them into the rationale of our thought. another concern is that what quality of books we have read. Yeah..perhaps u may say i post sth too serious, and u may think i may be struggling a lot for my dissertation, so that I reflect this kind of view.



http://www.businessweekly.com.tw/KBlogArticle.aspx?id=3800&pnumber=6

reflection 1 during a period of dissertation writing

看越多書(international publication)，越來越不清楚我身為台灣人的立足點在哪？光是看East Asia Mircle的相關書，台灣也只是被稍稍討論，更別說廣範的討論台灣的政經書籍，國際上是少的可以數出來吧。我想這一方面的問題是來自國際上的政治壓力，所以得另尋其他字眼，才比較可能有一線曙光。但另一方面，我想台灣的相關主管單位應該要想想，為何'台灣'二字在國際學術界上所發表或所被引用的也是少的可憐？

光是我以一位學生身份想要研究台灣社福政策，在過去的兩個多月，我的鼻子不知是碰了多少灰，可能我個人不夠積極, 也可能我找錯了門路，更可能是台灣政府的發展重心並不是在 international development的相關領域。這過往兩個月的經驗，讓我上了寶貴的一課-認識台灣。

特別是台灣政府的accountability, transparency 並沒有我想像中做的比其他發展中的國家好多少，顯然是我高估了公部門的行政管理能力。因為連立委、教授都無法拿到的政府所該公開的資訊，我想這真的不知該用何來形容。


當許多政官人員在大聲說要讓世界看到台灣時，特別是針對教育這塊，我坦白說我看不到具體的成效。
產官學界的合作很重要，但是實質上又是做到了什麼的程度，我給了個問號？


真的，這是一條難走的路…希望我可以堅持下去

Clear my mind

I did conflict style test in the course, characteristics and skills of development practice in the beginning of April.  I answered the questions according to my recent experience, not really my most likely behavior, thereby the result showing that I was high avoiding and accommodating.

Three days ago I did the test again, however, the result was totally different this time. I answered questions truly based on my most likely behaviour. While I face conflicts, I am really a high competing, high comprising, low avoiding, and low accommodating person.

I know this time, it truly reflects who I am cos I know it is difficult to change my mind when I decide to do sth. In particular, I already have a certain degree of strong believe in some goals with long time. However, I may change my decision only when somebody can convince me his or her ideas.

Another reflection....


今晚時間沒到，突然驚醒的我，突然覺得我為何就讓機會跑走了。還是說我有強迫症，喜歡在壓力下成長。我真的後悔這次我的愚笨及慢半拍，因我的programme director建議我不要找學院的頭頭當論文的指導教授，他說因為stressful, 但我們學院的頭明明就是我dissertation topic的專家.

在一開始的我沒想過有那樣的機會找學院的頭當指導教授，確實也害怕因為這樣，我會天天睡在ALB. 但就在結束完與學院頭的conversation後，我確實真的很想試試，因為光是一次不到30分鐘的conversation及我簡單的一頁pre-porposal ,他就可以看出我的dissertation內容的深度，知道我的perspective, 他引導了我接下來該怎麼做，而不是告訴我, I am doing well, 這是我確實需要的！

我並不是個害怕壓力的人，但我害怕我真的無法達到我想要的。
現在的指導教授人極好，但我卻不覺得這真的是對我好的，因為我是個想要不斷成長的人，而不是一個只期望別人稱讚我的人。

有時候別人的評論對我很重要，這不是因為我能學著順從別人的期望，而是從別人對我的觀感中，重新反思自我，找到自已心中的方向。

我想這首歌真的唱出我的心情。