Guernica

 This isn't a Painting. It's a Prophecy.

A child admiring Guernica by Pablo Picasso at the Reina Sofia Museum

In 1937, Picasso painted Guernica to immortalise the bombing of a Basque town by fascist forces. 

He painted suffering - systematic, senseless, state-sanctioned genocide. And today, Guernica repeats itself. In the form of Palestine. 

As Israel continues its assault- on hospitals, on homes, schools, refugee camps, on an entire community- this painting becomes more than art. It becomes a mirror. 

The bull. The horse. The mother. The child. The soldier. 

Each tells the same story in a different tongue. We've seen this before. And yet we let it happen again. 

If art is meant to awaken, let this post stir the ones still asleep.

Watch through each frame. Read closely because silence- just like war- kills. 

For those who are so moved by the systemic murder of the oppressed, more conflict is not the answer but peaceful retaliation is. We can start by pressuring the UN to cut economic ties with the oppressors. We can vote with our wallets and our clicks, putting pressure on brands and global organisations assisting in the genocide. We must do so relentlessly, until change is rael. Stop the genocide. 

Ode to Art in the Age of Ai.

No Matter What Your Art Is, Create It. Relentlessly.

Our gfhx posts (on LinkedIn) are mostly populated, punctuated or adorned with art. Mostly human created visual art. That’s because all idea generation is built upon the bedrock of human creativity. 

Humans beings' innate ability to create beauty has illuminated & inspired mankind's journey through the ages, helping us endure the harsh realities of life. Only Art and its exquisite beauty can offset the ugliness of human suffering brought about by conflict, conquest and change. Man must create art as naturally as they destroy in war. 

Think the ancient pyramids of Egypt and the splendour of the center of creativity in Alexandria. Imagine Greek architecture, art, antiquities, politics, sports and theatre replicated in Roman civilisation. The classical and renaissance artists of Florence, and Venice spread across the Bosporous to Constantinople and beyond, created art not only in the name of religion but out of a deep, innate need for expression.

In the far east, for millennia, the insular Chinese in their jade kingdom were quietly pioneering art in painting, porcelain, silk and tea in harmony with nature till this day. 

Human beings birthed creativity including Ai. Staying the course in the creative field today demands that humans stay on top of Ai inputs, managing output and promoting safety. Navigating today’s complex landscape of creativity, we use Ai to augment and enhance human output creatively. 

Our manifesto - Live By Design, is a clarion call to wake up from past and existing structures of work models that no longer work or are soon to be annihilated in this exciting yet ominous age that the metaphorical 'shifting sands of time' are happening in real time. 

Ai upgrades in improvements and capabilities are being detonated on the Ai battleground in intervals of weeks and months. The fallout is perhaps too soon to be fully felt or imagined. 

While awaiting the imminent fallout, no one really knows what real implications could impact lives or livelihoods. The best anyone can do is embark or join the exodus in seeking higher grounds for human footing in the age of Ai infestation. 

In preparation we implore you to tune into your creator mode or right brain thinking to uncover authentic human creative endeavours which is probably the only resource left for us to thrive upon. 

There will be few roles and job functions created by the advancement of Ai and the new ones would require a higher calibre of human inputs and supplements bordering on creativity and adaptability. 

Human ingenuity, creativity and adaptability, may have been sacrificed long ago in the sterile corridors of corporations and work places but nonetheless they’re still there if you’re human.

So here’s a reminder of who we truly are, laid out in a harsh poetry of five stanzas as an urgent anthem to Live By Design. 

Rethinking Valentine's Day

 Happy Valentine's Day.

gfhX

February 14th arrives, and we are told that love must be expressed through expensive dinners, overpriced flowers, and grand gestures. 

But isn’t love, more than just a commercial spectacle?

Love isn’t about a day of forced romance. It’s about showing up every day—with kindness, respect, and consistency. 

It’s about the moments that don’t make it to Instagram. The silent support. The thoughtful gestures. The everyday grind.

This goes out to those who pretend to be saints for a day but act otherwise the rest of the year—Happy Valentine’s Day, @$$holes.

For the rest of us, let’s celebrate love in a way that actually matters—genuinely, authentically, and beyond just one day.

Ode To You For The New Year

Happy New Year 2025

Created by gfhX

Ode to You for the New Year.

If you’re like me and most wannabe overachievers reflecting on the year’s achievements or disappointments, you’re welcome to join in the annual ritual of self-congratulations or self-crucifixion.

Before you indulge in comforting or cursing yourself with the year’s hits or misses, know that you have done enough if not too much, in pursuit of those illusive dreams you think your happiness hinges on. Everything happens or does not happen for a reason. Be thankful.

The past year has already been marked by significant global events, from political and social unrest to advancement in technology chiefly artificial intelligence.

If you’re still reading this,(congratulations, most people don’t read) you will know deep down you have done enough no matter how little or much you think you have expended. We have already arrived at year’s end or in a new one.

So sit back, relax and conspire now to contemplate on how much less you should do in the new year and spend more time doing absolutely nothing.

When you seriously focus on doing nothing, which is probably the most difficult thing to do, you'll achieve more.

In essence, if you’re doing too much you’re probably doing the wrong things.

So if you’ll just slow down, sit in a quiet place and spend some time with yourself you will invariably emerge to do the necessary with consciousness and presence.

What got us here won’t get us there.

2024 showed us the rapid advancement of Ai at dizzying speeds. It’s showing us Ai can do almost anything we can. We probably have to discard everything or every tool we used to get us here. The only thing we have left is ourself as individuals.

We are being stripped of our capabilities starting with our thinking, then they will eventually take over our doing or undoing.

As you read this, factories in China running full capacity 24/7 are called ‘dark factories’ simply because they are fully roboticized, no lighting is required save for a man and a dog. The dog’s job is to prevent the man from touching the buttons. The man’s job is to feed the dog. This is not a joke in China. Young Chinese entrepreneur Eric Chen, founder of Kingswills, a materials science company said in the New York Times recently that; “Probably in the future the competition for the US is not China, but A.I. It is coming for both of us.”

Ai is Coming For Us.

As we stand at a crossroads, humanity is faced with the echoes of its past while holding onto the promise of a hopeful future. We are navigating the complexities of progress, and it’s becoming clear: the age of AI is here, transforming the way we live.

In this fast-evolving world, we must ask ourselves: what truly brings us joy?

It is time to pursue those passions with relentless determination.

Now is the moment to confront our thoughts and fears, recognizing them for what they are — often mere stories of regret and anxiety that play on an endless loop in our mind.

Let us release this mental clutter and embrace the present. Our most authentic selves are waiting to emerge,  to create.

Remember, we do not need to chase after more. Everything we seek is already within us.

Whether you connect with a higher power, the spirit of the universe, or nature itself, know that we were equipped for this journey from the moment we were born.

You are enough. We are enough.

As we step into this new year, let it be a choice for creativity, possibility, and hope.

Happy New Year! The future is ours to create.

"Bad things are happening loudly- the injury, the flat tire, the mistake that gets you criticised. Everybody talks about the moments that make things a hassle.

Good things always happen quietly - the completed workout, the healthy meal, the ten minutes of writing. Nobody talks about the little moments that add up."

                             - James Clear 

Jiwa Merdeka - The Spirit of Independence.

This Merdeka, we celebrate the Mah Meri tribe of the Senoi people. The original people of this land aka the Orang Asal. They have lived for centuries off the land in harmony with nature. Their deep reverence for nature has made them renown for their art of carving masks and statues which they use in prayers and ceremonies. Each carving has a folklore linked to natural and benevolent spirits that live amongst us. We're taking a leaf from these people to transcend the physical and political to embrace the spirit that unites us as a nation. 

Much like the delegation of diverse, multiracial and multi-talented individuals who journeyed to London in 1956 seeking independence from the British. 

“Don’t ask, don’t get.”

This must have been the thought driving our founding fathers as they embarked on their historic journey to London in February 1956, determined to secure our independence from British colonial rule. Armed with meticulous arguments, well-crafted proposals, and a deep understanding of the terms set by the British, they were prepared for the most important negotiation in Malaya’s history.

The delegation was formidable in its resolve and preparation. So persuasive were their presentations, so thorough their negotiations, that independence was secured in a single formal meeting on that chilly February day in London. While the air may have been cold in the British capital, the sun was undoubtedly shining brightly over Malaya.

Malaya, or Tanah Melayu, was granted independence that very month, with the official date set for August 31, 1957. And as they say, the rest is history.

Let us pay homage to the elite team who journeyed to London and returned with our freedom:

1. Tunku Abdul Rahman

•          Position: Chief Minister of the Federation of Malaya and leader of the delegation.

•          Role: Tunku Abdul Rahman was the head of the delegation and the primary negotiator. He was also the President of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) and would later become the first Prime Minister of independent Malaya.

2. Tun Abdul Razak Hussein

•          Position: Minister of Education.

•          Role: Abdul Razak was an important figure in the negotiations, representing UMNO. He would later serve as the second Prime Minister of Malaysia.

3. Tun Dr. Ismail Abdul Rahman

•          Position: Minister of Commerce and Industry.

•          Role: Dr. Ismail was a prominent leader who played a key role in the negotiations and was instrumental in shaping post-independence policies. He later became the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia.

4. Tun Tan Cheng Lock

•          Position: President of the Malayan Chinese Association (MCA).

•          Role: Representing the Chinese community, Tan Cheng Lock was an essential figure in ensuring that the interests of the Chinese population were considered in the independence negotiations.

5. Tun V.T. Sambanthan

•          Position: President of the Malayan Indian Congress (MIC).

•          Role: As the representative of the Indian community in Malaya, Tun Sambanthan was responsible for advocating for the rights and interests of the Indian population in the new nation.

6. Dato’ Abdul Razak bin Dato’ Hussein

•          Position: Minister of Education.

•          Role: Dato’ Abdul Razak played a significant role in the negotiations, particularly in discussions related to education and administration.

7. Dato’ Wong Pow Nee

•          Position: Chief Minister of Penang.

•          Role: Representing Penang, Dato’ Wong Pow Nee was involved in the negotiations to ensure that the interests of the state and its people were addressed.

8. Colonel Tun H.S. Lee

•          Position: Minister of Transport.

•          Role: As a representative of the MCA and a key member of the Alliance Party, Colonel H.S. Lee contributed to the discussions on infrastructure and transport policies for the new nation.

These delegates were part of the Alliance Party, a coalition representing the three major ethnic groups in Malaya (Malays, Chinese, and Indians). The successful negotiations in London led to the agreement on Malaya’s independence, which was officially granted on August 31, 1957. *

This diverse group of talented individuals, representing a cross-section of our nation, laid the foundation for the country we now know and love as Malaysia.

The Malaysia We Know – And Love

However, the Malaysia we see today is but a shadow of the nation we were in the decades following Merdeka. While we have enjoyed political freedom for 67 years, the journey toward achieving true spiritual independence—'Jiwa Merdeka’—remains unfinished. 

This theme resonates deeply in this year's Merdeka celebrations.

What does ‘Jiwa Merdeka’ truly mean?

At its core, spiritual independence was the very essence of our founding fathers’ vision. They understood that our greatest strength lies in our diversity. Our multiracial composition demonstrated to the British that we could govern ourselves with peace, harmony, and prosperity. It was this very criterion—the ability to unite despite our differences—that convinced the British to grant us independence. The diverse composition of our delegation, coupled with the merit of our negotiations, sealed the deal.

Our multicultural society is the lifeblood of our nation, and our existence as a progressive country hinges on it. Yet, the ever-looming clouds of race, religion, and colour threaten this vision. ‘Jiwa Malaysia’ or spiritual independence, calls us to transcend these divides and embrace a collective spirit that sees beyond physical and political distinctions.

That is the true spirit of Merdeka—*Jiwa Merdeka*.

Happy Merdeka to all.

Visual rationale:

The Mah Meri tribe belongs to the Senoi people, one of the indigenous peoples of Malaysia, renowned for their ancient mask carvings from the wood of the blackboard tree for use in celebrating festive occasions like weddings. The masks embody benevolent spirits that, in the animistic pantheon of the Mah Meri, are used to drive away evil, soul-stealing spirits.

Source: https://www.maskmuseum.org/mask/mah-meri-moyant-kuhau/

Visit them online to discover their amazing story  here: https://www.mmcv.org.my/fully-customizable-2/

*Handcrafted by human, verified and cleaned up by ChatGPT4.

Sources; "The Making of the Malayan Constitution" by Joseph M. Fernando >https://www.mbras.org.my/monograph31.html

"The End of Empire and the Making of Malaya" by T.N. Harper >https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/end-of-empire-and-the-making-of-malaya/introduction/6D87C369666F27067AB19D136F2E1FAE