72 Questions I’m Asking Myself

From plain to straight-up answerable

As I was looking for a banner image for this story, I realised the series is “73 Question…”. Incidentally I couldn’t think of one more relevant to the topics addressed, but I did add a bonus question at the end of the 72 questions, so technically there are 73. Scroll down for bonus question!

Courtesy: Vogue

Because I can’t split numbered lists:

• Questions 1—12, on Fashion
• Questions 13—24, on Activism
• Questions 25—36, on Cancel Culture
• Questions 37—42, on Identity
• Questions 43—48, on Culture Appropriation
• Questions 49—60, on Sexual Harassment, Abuse
• Questions 61—72, on Media

1. Who has seen anything of digital fashion week?
2. How can the industry make sustainability sexy?
3. What textile and wearables innovation are there?
4. Is it genuine to shop part-sustainable?
5. How can we rethink price = value? On both sides
6. Is bro culture good for fashion?
7. Will Raf Simons “destroy” Prada’s intellectual exclusivity?
8. Is “activism” really the new “aspiration”?
9. Will the Vogue Singapore launch consider activist sentiments?
10. How can we uplift our creatives, especially in magazines?
11. Do Singaporeans care about Singaporean designers?
12. Which editors can present Singaporean culture as aspirational?
13. Must everyone be an activist?
14. What is the role of an activist?
15. Should everyone who wants to be an activist be an activist?
16. Is anger a useful part of activism?
17. How can we effectively point out others’ flaws?
18. Does our culture allow us to ask earnest questions anymore?
19. Is the right message from the wrong person the wrong message?
20. When should activists step back? Should they ever?
21. Should activist groups have one or many messages?
22. Are activists too insular/inarticulate to reach outside their communities?
23. When is an opinion simply a lie?
24. Why are many Singaporeans apathetic to activism?
25. What is cancel culture?
26. Does calling out inevitably lead to cancellation?
27. Is there any validity to cancel culture?
28. How productive is cancel culture for social movements?
29. Who decides the consequences of a publicised wrongdoer?
30. Can victims ever ask for too much punishment?
31. Should victims be punished if they “take it too far”?
32. How much leeway should be given for rehabilitation?
33. Should wrongdoers’ mistakes haunt them forever?
34. Should wrongdoers have to apologise to the public?
35. How can wrongdoers be held accountable for their apologies?
36. Is everyone on social media waiting to be inevitably cancelled?
37. How much should someone’s demographics define them?
38. Would it help if we talked about people in the context of majority/minority rather than their race/gender/sexuality?
39. When is a stereotype simply a statistic?
40. Can inclusivity be rated by group demographics?
41. Is eternal misunderstanding a reason not to try?
42. Can someone who is anti-abortion be a feminist?
43. In globalised society, isn’t everything culturally appropriated?
44. Why do we say culture appropriation, not culture misappropriation?
45. Where are the lines between appreciation, inspiration, appropriation?
46. Can creatives only work with themes they’re associated with?
47. Is permission from one permission from all?
48. Can people appropriate their own culture?
49. How do guys vs girls define consent?
50. Are girls’ definition of consent more “valid”?
51. Is Singapore’s law against guy-on-girl, but not girl-on-guy “sexist”?
52. Should sexual predators be outcasted from society?
53. Who are non-victims to “forgive” their predator friends?
54. Do we protect predators more than victims? Why?
55. If not for legal consequences, is a public apology enough?
56. In a he-said-she-said case, should we believe victim more?
57. Does “believe victims” mean they’re always right?
58. Should cases of false victimhood drastically affect the #metoo movement?
59. How can we be better allies to victims of sexual harassment, abuse?
60. Is sexual harassment, abuse much more prevalent than we think? How then?
61. Is the media honest?
62. Is it healthy to distrust the media?
63. Do we fact check before sharing, resharing opinions?
64. Why do we feel like we need to be experts on everything?
65. Is it more important to be right than to learn?
66. How to spot sincerity and bandwagoning?
67. Are our opinions based on assessment or lifted from someone else?
68. Do we spend too much time on digital activities? Isn’t that bad?
69. Why is there hardly any subscription-based media anymore?
70. What is the value of our public content?
71. Do we follow content based on insight and value, or to be associated with them?
72. Do we think first, say later anymore?

Technically 73: Would you be keen to answer any of these questions, or chat with me about the broader issues for my book? DM me on Instagram!