The Importance of Media Literacy - Ep. 18 ft. Darshini Kandasamy of Between The Lines

In part four of our K-Pop series, we're taking a look at the industry-wide misogyny in K-Pop. We touch bases with Day6 Jae's comments on Jamie Park, producer Ryan Jhun's derogatory comment, Got the Beat's weird lyrics, the double standards within the industry, and so much more. 

In this episode, I chatted with Nat of anattynook to pick her brain about meritocracy. Growing up, people have always told me about the supposed meritocracy in Singapore that has allowed it to prosper beyond Malaysia's capacity. I took this as the truth until I thought deeper about it. Because really, is a true, equal, and just meritocracy even possible when we all have different starting lines? In this episode, we discuss the limited and academic nature of "acceptable" merits (in Singapore especially), the need to be exceptional, and more.

Nat's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/anattynook

In Malaysia, "homeschool" might mean something completely different. There is a network of "learning centers" in Malaysia commonly referred to as homeschools where students are expected to self-learn without having a proper teacher guiding them through lessons. In this episode, I talk to four other former homeschool students to ask them about their experiences in such a schooling system. We give a candid view into how our school operated and whether or not it provided us with a good education. We also looked at the religious aspects of the school and the qualifications of our educators. Guests are: Cathryn, Xian, Angelina, and Colleen respectively. With this being a two-hour special, feel free to pause along the way or skip ahead if you'd like. Instagram: @theheadinthecloudshow 

What is media literacy? Why does it matter? How can we cultivate it? In this episode, we answer these questions with the help of Darshini Kandasany, an award-winning journalist and co-founder of Malaysia Information Literacy Education (MILE). Media literacy is crucial in today’s world where we are surrounded by news and media, sometimes even unsolicited pieces of information. That’s why we need to give ourselves the armor of media literacy to protect ourselves.

In the part three of the podcast's K-Pop Deep Dive, we discuss the inadequacies of the K-Pop industry specifically as it pertains to underage idols and talents. In particular, we shed light onto the lyrics of Park Ji Yoon's "Adult Ceremony," question the age of new girl group "IVE," and argue that trainees are mistreated and perhaps shouldn't debut until they're older.  Instagram: @theheadinthecloudshow
Website: www.theheadinthecloudshow.wordpress.com

In this episode, my friend Colleen and I discuss our history of being high-achievers in academic settings, and how that influenced our mentalities about self-worth, academic pursuits, and more. Listen as we talk about how to "game" the exam system, how we feel about about the education system at large, and how mediocrity might be alright, after all. Other fun topics include "pseudointellectuality" and "gifted child syndrome." This episode is a chill, candid conversation between two friends who are just a little jaded with life's circumstances. 

My sister is back to grace the podcast with her wit and humor. In this episode, we're sharing things we experienced from the US, where we studied. We talked about experience culture shock, facing racism and making friends, among other things. Fun anecdotes include the time I got locked out of my room wearing just a robe. 

In the second instalment of the podcast's look into K-Pop, we talked about the beauty standards perpetuated in K-Pop and by K-Pop and how it reflects public sentiment and society. Is plastic surgery feminist? Where does colorism come from? What's up with entertainment industries dictating how bodies should look like? We try to answer these questions in this episode. 

Being a NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) often gets you weird looks. People make assumptions about your character and personality, and traditional society often label such people as shut-ins or just lazy. However, there's more to it than that. The mindful choice to be a NEET can even be a beneficial thing in helping one shape their future and their identities. 

Hello, and welcome to Head in the Clouds - a candid look into the sociocultural problems dealt with today’s youth and also an attempt to articulate, document and share Malaysian sentiments while bringing in global perspectives!