Quora Answer: Who are Some Examples of Important Social Media Influencers in Singapore?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Who are some examples of important social media influencers in Singapore?” 

No one of any worth would likely use “social media influencers” and “important” in the same sentence.  Unless you have a gargantuan following on social media, borne out of celebrity and accomplishments in fields of note, you are not going to influence public policy, or shape a national conversation in areas of public interest such as health and education.  We have no social media influencers of any worth, and no one serious pays them any attention.

Quora Answer: Is Life Insurance a Business Expense?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Is life insurance a business expense?” 

Life insurance policy premiums may be considered a business expense if it is a means to mitigate against loss of personnel, as part of business succession planning, and as a keyman insurance.  For whole life and term plans, this may be tax deductible.  For group health, it may or may not, depending on the nature of coverage.  It would be difficult to justify it for an investment-linked or endowment plan, and the realised gains from such a policy would be taxed as an income.

Quora Answer: How Long Does It Take for a Person to become a Better Public Speaker?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “How long does it take for a person to become a better public speaker?” 

If you are in Toastmasters, all it takes is one speech, and one good evaluation.  The path to becoming a great public speaker is one of incremental growth and improvement.  You need to give speeches, you need to be mentored, and you need to be evaluated.  In every speech evaluation, simply take one point and improve your speaking style and speech structure.  If you improve one point every single time you speak, you are better than your last speech.  That is all you actually need.

Quora Answer: Should You Name Your Trust as a Beneficiary of Your Life Insurance?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Should you name your trust as a beneficiary of your life insurance?” 

You do such a thing when you do not intend your policy to pay out in lump sum to your beneficiaries, or to your estates, if you have not nominated any beneficiaries.  People name their trust the beneficiaries of their life insurance when they intend for the trust to pay out over an extended period of time, perhaps across multiple beneficiaries.  This would be the only reason why you would want your insurance policy to pay out to your trust.

Quora Answer: Does Life Insurance Go to Next-of-Kin?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Does life insurance go to the next of kin?” 

Unless the insurance policy is nominated to the preferred beneficiary, the policy is paid out to the estate of the deceased life insured.  There, it undergoes the probate process, and is paid out according to the will, or failing which, the guidelines of the public trustee office.  To avoid probate and ensure that the preferred beneficiaries benefit the most from the claim, it is always prudent to nominate the beneficiaries for the policy.  This means that once a claim is approved, the monies reach them in a matter of days.

Waging War in the Organisational Sphere

Whether it is corporate strategy, or even involvement in hierarchical organisations, it is man’s nature to wage war.  We seek control, we seek dominance, we ultimately seek power.  That is our nature.  Humanity evolved because we are predators, and even with that veneer of civilisation, we never lost that instinct for blood. 

Publius Vegetius Renatus was a writer of the Later Roman Empire.  He wrote De re militari, “Concerning Military Matters”, a treatise about Roman warfare and military principles as a presentation of the methods and practices in use during the height of the Roman Empire and responsible for its power.  That text could best be summarised as “Qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum”, “Let him who wants peace prepare for war.” 

Whatever we set out to do, there are always others who have an opposing view.  Not all can be coopted, and there are occasions where dominance must be asserted, or in the face on formidable adversary, then subterfuge, or discretion must be exercised.  The goal is to win, and win in such a manner that the victory can be maintained.  It is foolishness to win, and rule over nothing, or win and create the conditions for further conflict.  War is merely a means to an end; it is not policy.  Maj. General Carl Philipp Gottfried von Clausewitz, author of Vom Kriege, famously wrote, “War is a continuation of policy by other means.” 

In hierarchical organisation, in corporate organisations, it is not enough to get to the top of power structures.  The purpose is to stay there.  There is a distinct difference between authority by position, and true authority by influence and power.  The former is easily replaced.  The latter needs to be identified, and is not easily removed.  Authority by power has terms of appointment, and they come and go.  Authority by influence is via patronage, and is more durable. 

In order to build that, it is important to build a team of generals.  Talent must be actively sought our and recruited.  They must be nurtured, equipped, and then unleashed where necessary.  Points of influence must be controlled, and influenced.  People must be tested for their loyalty, and either supported when loyal, or discarded when disloyal.  Their place must be earned. 

Contrary to laymen thinking, when there is opposition, it does not always serve the strategic interest to immediately neutralise them.  It is a strategic disadvantage to revealing the extent of resources and influence at every point of contention.  Competent opposition is a gift.  They can be co-opted, knowingly or unknowingly, towards a greater goal that serves both interests.  Incompetent opposition, on the other hand, is a threat to themselves as well as the organisation.  They should be treated with caution, and allowed the time and means to destroy themselves. 

Ultimately, this is merely a means, and policy is the articulation of strategy at a tactical level.  There is no benefit in being emotionally invested in the organisation or company.  They are merely means to an end.  There is no benefit to being drawn into petty retribution.  That is a distraction.  This is about winning, and winning requires results.

Quora Answer: How Do Countries Who Had ISIS Fighters Punish Them When They Try to Return?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “How would the countries, who had citizens fight for ISIS, properly punish them if they tried to return to their home country?” 

The answer is straightforward: arrest them, try them, and have them executed.  In Singapore, it is to be hung until dead. The crime, in this case, is sedition and waging war against the state.  I do not believe in rehabilitation for these Wahhabi terrorists.  This should be applied regardless of whether they are male or female.  There is no such thing as a lesser penalty for these ISIS brides.  They are not innocents or victims; they are enablers and supporters.  And those below the age of majority, but close to it, the court should be given special dispensation to try them as adults. 

It is only natural that when we have an infection, we address it at the root.  These people will always be a source of propaganda and inspiration, even when they are dead.  The difference is that dead people do not spin new stories.  Hang enough terrorist and the rest of the population will understand that there is no misguided softness when it comes to addressing an existential threat to the secular state.