Career & Family Balance - The speaker initially prioritized career advancement, becoming the first female HR director in a five-star international hotel and later working in Brunei palaces [6] - The speaker faced a career crossroads when considering a move to Xi'an, China, grappling with the decision between career and family [7][8] - The speaker chose to resign from a high-flying career to focus on raising her children, later returning to work in a different field [9][10][11] - The speaker eventually became the first non-French commercial attaché, receiving recognition from the French President [12] Heritage & Modernity - The speaker emphasizes the importance of heritage in building integrity, hard work, and family unity [14][15] - Heritage provided authenticity and identity, teaching the reward of hard work, commitment, and integrity [15] - The speaker's children embrace both tradition and modernity, valuing family and filial piety [16][17] - The speaker advocates for integrating the best of heritage and modernity to empower the next generation [18] Personal Values & Identity - The speaker's mother defied tradition by asserting her right to raise her child [2] - The speaker resolved to be self-reliant and independent, pursuing education and career goals against parental wishes [5] - The speaker realized the importance of selfless care and love, nurturing her children with integrity and resilience [16] - The speaker concludes that heritage provides emotional strength and resilience in a changing world, while modernity fosters intellectual openness and adaptability [22]

Heritage & Development - The central question is whether to prioritize heritage preservation or accept its loss as the cost of progress, suggesting a need to find a balance [5] - The presentation advocates for a third path: developing differently by integrating memory, protecting what must be protected, and adapting what can be adapted [14] - The talk emphasizes that heritage in Bandar Seri Begawan is a living, moving part of life, not just a static museum exhibit [6] - The presentation highlights the resilience of Kampong Ayer, showcasing how it continues to thrive as a living story of a society [8] Community & Partnership - The presentation suggests mentorship programs where elders teach younger generations traditional skills like fishing, house building on water, and boat construction [10] - The presentation proposes floating classrooms to teach biodiversity and water quality, while also repurposing waste [11] - The presentation emphasizes the importance of partnerships across sectors and generations (SDG17) to preserve heritage [12] - The presentation stresses that preserving heritage requires collaboration between archivists, architects, youth, the elderly, government, civil service, civic society, and small business owners [12] Future & Identity - The presentation commemorates the 55th anniversary of the renaming of Bandar Brunei to Bandar Seri Begawan, emphasizing the importance of honoring the past while moving forward [15] - The presentation concludes by questioning the purpose of progress if it means losing cultural roots [16]

modernity is crazy because it's like "I just drank from a plastic bottle that was left out in the sun. great. now my kids are gonna be born with an extra arm." ...

Social Commentary - Modern communication via texting is perceived negatively due to constant interruptions and pressure for immediate responses [1] - The expectation of instant replies can lead to social anxiety and fear of ostracization [1]

Core Argument - The presentation explores the relationship between tradition and modernity, suggesting they are not opposing forces but rather cyclical and interconnected elements [2][3][4] - It emphasizes that every modern concept emerges from a preceding tradition, and every tradition can be seen as the modern iteration of earlier traditions [4] Allegory in Folk Music - Folk music utilizes allegory in two primary ways: through the allegorical instrumentality of musical instruments and through allegorical narratives within the music itself [6] - Instruments like the *saz* (a stringed instrument) can convey meaning through their construction, such as the number of strings or holes, which may hold cultural or religious significance [8][9] - In folk songs, the *saz* is often personified and used as a vehicle for expressing ideas, with the musician claiming, "I am not speaking, my *saz* is speaking" [9][10] Aşık Veysel as a Symbol - Aşık Veysel, a prominent figure in Turkish folk music, embodies the fusion of tradition and modernity, symbolized by his traditional *saz* paired with a modern fedora hat [11][12][13] - His famous song "Uzun İnce Bir Yoldayım" ("I am on a long, narrow road") uses allegorical language to reflect on life's journey [14][15] Interpreting Allegorical Expressions - Folk music contains allegorical expressions using elements like celestial bodies, landscapes, flora, fauna, and everyday objects, but their interpretation requires careful consideration [17][18] - Symbols such as doors, windows, roads, chimneys, numbers, and body parts may have hidden, esoteric meanings, particularly in *deyişler*, *tevhitler*, and *devriyeler* (types of Sufi devotional songs) [19] The Case of Aşık Sıtkı Baba's "Devriye" - Aşık Sıtkı Baba's *devriye* is rich in meaning and requires extensive knowledge to decipher its esoteric and Sufi content [20] - A misinterpretation of a line in his *devriye*, where "14 years" was mistakenly rendered as "14,000% years," led to extensive analysis by theologians, anthropologists, and sociologists [21][22][23] Re-evaluating Tradition - Re-examining tradition involves not only incorporating new sounds and styles but also correcting errors, distinguishing between genuine folklore and fabricated traditions, and recognizing invented traditions [25] - Tradition serves as a blueprint for the future, and the future is a reflection of tradition [25]