Why Do You Do It?

She reckons both. She also has been called a government lackey and an anti-establishment writer with an "agenda". Yet in her 30-year career as a writer and reporter with The Straits Times, her current and only employer, she has remained unfazed and single-minded about her mission, which is to speak up for the underdog and bring balance to public debate. The underdog, by the way, could include the government. She says that being an "eternal optimist" has helped her survive Singapore journalism. This episode contains clean language, hope and lots of pro-social ideas. Follow the show on Instagram at whydoyoudoit_podcast where you get to watch video clips of this interview. 

He is well-known for his poetry and humor. But his notoriety was built on getting into trouble with the Establishment for promoting Singlish as the lingua franca of Singapore. He says he didn't take on this mission deliberately. It came as entirely accidental given his profession as an academic and linguist. 

The irony is that I'm the current Chair of the Speak Good English Movement in Singapore. His views, in theory, are in opposition to mine. Which is why this made for an interesting conversation. 

The founder of Singapore-based The School of Positive Psychology, which has branches in the Philippines and Japan, says it's time for Singaporeans to stop making decisions based on winning. Instead, they need a wellbeing-centered approach to life and focus on positive aspects such as collaboration, gratitude and community.

All this may sound obvious, he says, precisely because Singaporeans know how to talk a good game of teaming, thriving and what not. But often they don't know the "how" and lack the skills to do good while doing well. 

(If you plan to tune in while driving, stay safe and alert!)

Pat Law has run Southeast Asian social media agency Goodstuph for the last decade based on values learned from her "godmother" mentor Linda Locke, an early icon in the advertising world who made the Singapore Airlines ads famous. In this episode, Pat discusses the importance of having integrity with clients, staying hungry and being honest about being gay. Stay to the end if you want to hear her views about the Singapore home-based curry buns business "eatmycb" and whether she will say yes to the COVID vaccinations. This episode contains mild expletives and discusses adult themes.  

Why Do You Do It? meets people who have done their thing — for a long time. Host Jason Leow interviews brave, eccentric or plain old stubborn women and men driven by beliefs and who live them out without fear of ridicule.