Wasted

2007-08-17 11:14 p.m.

I think the last entry sorts of sums it up. As it the entries I wished to complete during this summer break. There just one more entry I think, but that can wait. As you know, I put much planning into my entries before I write them. The content may not be that rock-solid, the grammar and spelling isn’t perfect, but yes, planning takes place. Much like what Karl Polanyi remarked, that laissez faire requires conscious planning.

Speaking of Polanyi, I’ve been trying to explain IPE to those that I’ve met back home here. Not the basic idea of IPE which you can pull of anywhere, but well the Dr. Matthew Watson-ian IPE stuff (again the Birmingham politics students would understand perfectly well what I mean). That (the explanation) has been partially successful and of course, brought about some counter arguments and discussion.

One such person I was trying to promote the Watson-ian idea to was a little stuck up shorty girl (or maybe the peroson should even be considered a typical girl), whom I met yesterday evening. It was sort of hastily arranged meeting, pulling her out on a weekday evening. Good, annoy that shortie further. She came a little late much to my annoyance and we proceeded to the Vietnamese restaurant. Oh ok, it was my pick, and I thought it was quick a decent place (food-wise and budget wise). With two bowls of noodles and one side dished ordered, she proceeded to ask how I managed to secure my present internship. So I told her. Well, it’s not so much of a really secret; still I’m not mentioning it here. The discussion got a bit more upbeat as I told her of the other internships choices and my views on IPS (though of course I’m not in IPS at the moment) which she gave a much contrasting view. Screw that girl. IDSS is the best think tank in Singapore.

Anyway, food came and some how or the other, when I figured out that my choice of noodles wasn’t that great, the topic shifted to Singapore’s economy and growth focus. “Err, so what’s Singapore’s area of focus now arh? Besides the bio-medical stuff…” . Stupid girl didn’t know that. So I gave a short answer and suddenly proceeded to state that Singapore has always had its focus on growth, growth, economic growth, and nothing but growth. I was talking to feverously when that witch of a girl remarked in Chinese, “I didn’t tell you this last year?” Side track here. When she called me earlier, she also said something in Chinese (I hate that switch in language). So I was sort of taken aback with the remark and then she queried that it took me one year overseas to realize all this. “No, no,” I said, then proceeded to present Watsonian IPE to her. Firstly, I tried to spell “chrematistics” to her. (Wasted on her). Then came the questioning, the first was something like are you sure utility maximization is only seen through mathematical terms? I think I answered that then there was a pause when she proceeded into Adam Smith’s idea—or rather her view of Smith’s “invisible hand”. In a way, it was the right view (to a certain extent) but I gave the “proper” idea of what Smith was trying to say.

My dish was half empty when I confessed that I was pro-Polanyian and remarked about Polanyi’s main ideas. We sort of soon came back to the main thrust that Dr. (now Prof.) Watson made, that there is only so much to self-serving, utility maximizing individuals.Stupid girl couldn’t get it at all. Wasted my Watson-ian knowledge on her

. But I was sucked dry that night (Read the lyrics of the Bee Gees “Closer than Close” and you’ll understand). Darn it. Last time I’ll ever do that.

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