My name is Visakan Veerasamy.

I am a Singaporean, born and bred. I am proud of my country despite its shortcomings. I believe that each and every Singaporean can and should play an active role in shaping the nation into something we can be proud of, independent of Government policies. I believe that we have talented, intelligent and capable people in our generation whose contributions will outstrip the expectations of our current leaders- provided that they are nurtured and encouraged properly.

I am of Tamil descent. I am actually rather proud of my heritage, even though I am not very comfortable speaking the language and don’t identify very much with the pop culture. It’s a beautifully elegant language with an extremely rich history and culture, and I can’t help but feel that it’s being bastardized and befouled. I hope this is just a passing phase that will eventually develop into more sophisticated usage, and that there will always be a strong Tamil community which protects its own integrity while keeping itself fresh, alive and relevant.

I read, therefore I am. Well no, not literally. (Hahaha! Sorry.)  I do believe though that reading is one of the most important habits you can cultivate and one of the most important investments you can make in your life. Ask anybody who you consider to be an intellectual superior, and it’s rather likely that they’re more well-read than you. As a child, reading allowed me to explore other worlds and perspectives. It fueled my inquisitiveness and desire for knowledge and understanding. Most great figures of history were known to read extensively- Abraham Lincoln, Alexander the Great, Mao Zedong amongst many others.  When you read, you stand on the shoulders of giants and benefit from the insights and wisdom that countless others have distilled through hard work, toil and suffering. Why would you deny yourself such a lucrative opportunity?

I am a video game geek. My first PC game was Prince of Persia 2, which I found absolutely enthralling- and I’ve been hooked ever since. I believe that video games have incredible value which is only just beginning to be acknowledged. They are powerful as storytelling devices, with an interactive element that allows gamers to make choices and really immerse themselves in the environments, plots and characters. Competitive games provide insights into teamwork, strategy and tactics of remarkable depth. As the industry develops, I believe that we will see developments in video games that establish them as equals to movies, books, drama and other forms of artistic expression. You wouldn’t dare claim that all movies are mindless entertainment- the same applies to video games.

I was from the Gifted Education Programme. It was a wonderful opportunity, but I dropped out as I was too immature and ill-disciplined then to meet the academic requirements. Still, it was a cool experience while it lasted. Many of the teachers along my journey opened my mind to new possibilities and ideas. I believe that the instruction and perspective I received there played a big part in shaping how I think to this day. I believe that every student should receive the attention and encouragement that I received, not just a select few. This is a problem of limited mindsets, not resources. Every student should be treated as someone with infinite potential.

I went to Victoria School, which had a deep impact me. It was at VS where I first started to understand the concept of character. My seniors were the most inspiring group of people I ever met- fit, intelligent, honourable, passionate and successful. It was there that I learnt the true meaning of camaraderie, brotherhood, passion and a host of other things. Above all, I learnt what it means to be a part of something that is greater than yourself. It’s been years since I graduated from there, but I still bump into my fellow Victorians (teachers, seniors, peers, juniors) everywhere I go and we always reminisce about old times. Nil Sine Labore.

Music is a big part of my life. I sing and play several instruments, and I’m not particularly good at any of those things- but that’s never stopped me. To me, music is about expression. It’s created by the artist to be experienced by the listener- be it on record, or live performance. A successful musician, to me, is able to effectively connect with his audience. As a musician and songwriter, it is my ultimate aim to share with you how I feel, and have you take something away from it. As a music lover, I enjoy experiencing this from other musicians as well, whether they are touring professionals or weekend warriors. Why? I believe it is because at the end of the day, no matter how mundane and meaningless life seems to get, music allows us to share something special with other people. It reminds us that deep down, we’re all the same, and that it is a privilege to be alive.

I love people. I have friends from all sorts of different racial, religious, financial and educational backgrounds. I’ve learned some of the most important lessons in life from the people that I least expected to learn anything from. I do have a strong preference for intellectual company, but I do my absolute best to avoid passing judgement before I’ve gotten to know somebody. You never know what treasures you may find in a person that you overlook because of an unhealthy, elitist mindset.

I am an atheist. I don’t care for whether God exists or not- it doesn’t affect the way I live my life. Some people find purpose and meaning in their religion and I have some degree of tolerance for that- but these people are vastly outnumbered by others who exploit and are exploited in the name of gods that probably don’t exist. So what do I believe in, then? I believe that today, I am alive, and one day, I will die. And between now and then, I hope to make as much of a positive difference to the world as possible, and leave it a better place than when i found it. By being a good friend, by writing good music, by teaching, by inspiring, by doing everything I can. I have faith in humanity and I have faith in myself, and that is all I need, really. It takes courage to accept that it is completely possible that our lives have no greater purpose or meaning except for what we choose to make of it.

I am absolutely terrible at Texas Hold’em Poker- and that’s awesome! It is a beautiful game not because of the money, but because of how it emulates life. With poker, as with life, you can’t choose the cards you’re dealt-but you can choose how you play the hand. A good game of poker is intense, like the highlight reel of life with all the mundane bits cut out. It reveals flaws that you might have not noticed about yourself, because you seldom truly put yourself on the line like you do when playing poker. I’ve learnt a startling lot about myself from playing poker. I have a sore lack of discipline. I’m too tight when I’m down, and too loose when I’m up. I give up when I shouldn’t, and yet I dig myself in deeper when I should quit. I worry too much about myself and don’t pay enough attention to other people. I allow myself to be read and manipulated far easier than I realise. It’s amazing.

I have a strong urge to travel the world. It’s extremely tragic how many people spend their entire lives in one place, immersed in one culture, tasting the same food, meeting the same people and living with the same ideas and experiences from birth to death. How can you call yourself an educated citizen of the Earth when you know nothing about how other people think or live their lives? Debaters often say that you don’t know your argument until you know your opponents’. Similarly, I’ll argue that you don’t know your own culture and identity until you’ve experienced others. The world is a vast, beautiful place with so much to see and learn!

If you’d like to know something about me, feel free to ask and I might just include it!