The Front Row Podcast

Keith Yap
The Front Row Podcast

Front Row Interviews with experts to expand your mental map of the world. Made in Singapore. For Asia and the World.

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    #23- Confucianism In The New Age of Chinese Politics - Professor Daniel Bell

    Professor Daniel A. Bell is Professor, Chair of Political Theory with the Faculty of Law at the University of Hong Kong. He served as Dean of the School of Political Science and Public Administration at Shandong University (Qingdao) from 2017 to 2022. He specialises in Comparative Political Theories, focusing on Confucianism and Legalism. His books include The Dean of Shandong (2023), Just Hierarchy (co-authored with Wang Pei, 2020), The China Model (2015), The Spirit of Cities (co-authored with Avner de-Shalit, 2012), China’s New Confucianism (2008), Beyond Liberal Democracy (2007), and East Meets West (2000), all published by Princeton University Press. He is also the author of Communitarianism and Its Critics (Oxford University Press, 1993). Bell’s latest book, The Dean of Shandong, is an insider’s perspective of Chinese academia and China’s political system. TIMESTAMPS: 00:50 The Reality of Chinese Academia 06:05 Political Meritocracy As An Alternative Ideal 11:02 Why Scale Matters In Politics 16:30 Corruption and Governance in China 23:20 Legalism in Practice 24:43 The Influence of Confucianism in Chinese Politics 32:58 Marxism in Chinese Politics 43:19 The Myth of The One Man Rule 51:14 China's PR Problems 56:12 Future of Meritocracy and Democracy in China 01:00:04 Critique Of Cuteness 01:04:56 Cultural Insights: Canada vs. China 01:08:49 The Spirit of Hong Kong 01:10:30 Advice for Graduates Entering the Workforce 01:13:03 Where To Find Prof Bell Feel free to mingle in the comments below or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frontrow.65/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-yap/ Website: www.ykeith.com Email: keith@frontrow65.co

    1h 15m
  2. 29 JAN

    #22- Jack Sim : How Clean Toilets Can Save The World

    Jack Sim is The Founder of the World Toilet Organization. Renowned as "Mr. Toilet," Jack Sim shattered the global stigma surrounding toilets and sanitation by propelling the issue into the international spotlight. After achieving financial independence, he retired from business to dedicate his life to social work. In 1998, he established the Restroom Association of Singapore and 2001 founded the World Toilet Organization (WTO), a global network advocating for improved sanitation and public health policies. WTO proclaimed November 19th as World Toilet Day, which has since been recognised as an official UN observance. In this episode, we discuss why toilets matter for global sanitation and how the World Toilet Organization is making a difference. Jack speaks candidly about his journey—his challenges with the Singaporean government and how he has also helped bring clean toilets overseas. Feel free to mingle in the comments below or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frontrow.65/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-yap/ Website: www.ykeith.com Email: keith@frontrow65.co Timestamps: 00:00 How Important Are Toilets 04:55 Why Were Toilets Discounted? 07:06 Founding the World Toilet Organization 10:07 Early Challenges in Public Toilet Cleanliness 10:33 Why Coffeeshop Toilets Are Dirty 15:09 Bringing Clean Toilets Overseas 17:22 The Chinese Toilet Revolution 19:57 Bringing Clean Toilets to India 24:24 Getting Salman Khan to Help With Fundraising 28:23 Guerrilla Marketing and the World Toilet Organization 29:44 Global Sanitation Challenges and Progress 33:16 Privatization of Sewage Treatment in Brazil 35:16 Cultural Identity and National Dress 39:24 Navigating Bureaucracies and Public Policy 43:41 What Drives Jack? 46:51 Living a Life of Purpose Beyond Materialism 50:44 Future Aspirations for the World Toilet Organization 54:45 Life Advice

    57 min
  3. 22 JAN

    #21- Nir Eyal: Reinvent Your Life By Being Indistractable

    Nir Eyal writes, consults, and teaches about the intersection of psychology, technology, and business. Nir previously taught as a Lecturer in Marketing at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford. Nir co-founded and sold two tech companies since 2003 and was dubbed by The M.I.T. Technology Review as, “The Prophet of Habit-Forming Technology.” Bloomberg Businessweek wrote, “Nir Eyal is the habits guy. Want to understand how to get app users to come back again and again? Then Eyal is your man.” He is the author of two bestselling books, Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products and Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life. His books have resonated with readers worldwide, selling over 1 million copies in over 30 languages. In this episode, Nir helps us understand why we are distracted and how we can learn to pay attention to what matters. Timestamps: 00:05 Why Social Media Is Not Distracting You 03:22 Price of Progress 07:40 What Is Addiction 10:42 The Myth of Tantalus and The Human Condition 13:55 Become Indistractable 17:38 Understanding Distraction 26:11 10 Minute Rule 35:53 Timeblocking 42:00 Managing Relationships 46:46 Identifying Workplace Distractions 48:37 An Indistractable Workplace 56:30 Creating A Workplace Culture of Psychological Safety 01:04:04 Reflections on Life in Singapore 01:12:25 Advice for New Graduates

    1h 14m
  4. 18 JAN

    #20- Professor Chua Beng Huat: Is The Singapore Housing Miracle Over?

    Professor Chua Beng Huat is a Singaporean Sociologist and is an Emeritus Professor at the National University of Singapore. He is also currently a Visiting Fellow at the Singapore Management University. He is the author of two books: 1) Public Subsidy, Private Accumulation: The Political Economy of Singapore's Public Housing (https://amzn.to/3Wf6uhz) 2) Liberalism Disavowed: Communitarianism and State Capitalism in Singapore (https://amzn.to/40py26m) This conversation with Professor Chua Beng Huat explores the imperfect miracle of Singapore's public housing. We delved into Singapore's disavowal of liberalism, the nation’s distinctive state capitalism model, and the transformative role of public housing in its development. We explored the implications of government land ownership, examining how public housing serves as both a practical utility and a financial asset while addressing challenges like inequality and affordability in the tightly regulated Singaporean housing market. Chapters: 00:00 Teaser 00:40 Liberalism Disavowed 08:14 Varieties of Capitalism 09:46 Singapore's Approach to Land Management 25:10 Public Housing as a Tool for Political Legitimacy 27:22 Public Housing and Private Accumulation 37:22 The Problem with Public Housing in Singapore 44:03 Political Implications of Singapore's Housing Policies 47:19 Addressing Inequality in Housing 49:42 Why Study Sociology 52:56 Working as a Sociologist 56:34 Advice To The Young

    58 min

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Front Row Interviews with experts to expand your mental map of the world. Made in Singapore. For Asia and the World.

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