Anecdotes

During evening, I was watching Malay drama with my sister in the living room. My mom was busy preparing the meal for breaking fast. Suddenly, my mom walks into the living room and asked me to help her prepare the meal in the kitchen. I was so into the drama, and I’m absolutely lazy enough to go to the kitchen. I said to her that I just so lazy to help her, and she sat next to me and start to convince me the importance of young lady to learn how to cook. “Dear, it is important for you to learn how to cook as it is part of life skills”. “By cooking, once you get married, your husband would definitely want to eat his wife’s home-cooked food at home. By having adequate cooking skills, you can make your husband feel happy as you can cook his favorite meal. Let me tell you a story about my own experience. Before, I was like you, been very lazy to help my mom in the kitchen. Before I got married, I had tried to learn to cook a bit by learning basic home-cooked meals. Your dad knows about my weaknesses; I just don’t like to cook. But after I got married with your father, I managed to cook his favorite Fish Curry and he indeed feels happy to eat them. Moreover, it makes him loves me even more”. I keep silent for a while. Hmm, that’s totally right. And then I was following mom to kitchen to help her prepare the meal. I wanted to get marry and makes my man happy. Hehe.

The end

Izzati Suhailah Khairuzzaman

Fallacy of Sweeping Generalization

• This fallacy also involves persuasion through generalization.
• However, in this case, there seems to be sufficient evidence offered to draw a conclusion, but the conclusion drawn far exceeds what the evidence supports.

I saw some of the strawberries were a bit rotten and I guess all the strawberries are not tasty.

It was August 7 and it was also a public holiday in Malaysia. We took the chance to have a family trip to Cameron Highland. It was only a 2 days 1 night trip whereby we travelled to Cameron Highland in the morning and return on the next day. The drive to Cameron Highland was slow as the traffic was slightly heavier than the usual and to our surprise, we were stucked in traffic while we were at Cameron Highland. My sister made a reservation of a bungalow unit at Tanah Rata. The unit was very comfortable and was able to fit all of us.

Early in the morning we had breakfast at cafe located in Equatorial Hotel compound before heading towards Kea Farm. Spent some time walking around the stall, and then we went to one of Then’s favorite places – Raju Hill Strawberry Farm, which is just across the Equatorial Hotel. Had the customary strawberry milkshake and bought some strawberries. I saw some of the strawberries were a bit rotten and I guess all the strawberries are not tasty. So I decided to buy another strawberries.

The weather was lovely during our stay at Cameron Highland. And I took lots of photos. Fantastic trip. Everyone was happy~!

The end

Izzati Suhailah Khairuzzaman

Euphemism and Dysphemism: It’s all about sensitivity

I just wonder why certain group of people couldn’t watch out their words. I think they should practice talking with manner and concern with other people’s sensitivity. Even young children also following the trend. It’s maybe from their observation; it’s ethical to speak that way. Like yesterday, I saw a cute little girl pointed shamelessly at a person and said “Hey, look at him. He’s such a fat man. So funny to see his tummy like a balloon.” And she laughs mercilessly. Oh my dear little girl, you used dysphemism word, “fat man”, you know that, sayang? Using dysphemism words looks okay on certain situation, but in this situation, it sounds so offensive. This scenario is not just happened among kids, but it also occurs on teenagers and adults. Maybe the common dysphemism word I could hear is, “Oh, she’s ugly and wearing clothes that are not parallel with latest trend in fashion.” Are you beautiful enough to say something so offensive to her? My mom once said, “Maybe when they were being a baby, their parents forgot to feed them dates or anything sweet and as a result, when they all grown up, they use to talk inappropriately and being less sensitive.” Okay, maybe it’s just a myth I guess. But it’s all depends on how the individual learned to be ethical-oriented person. So beware with the usage of word when you appoint someone or something. Instead, you, people out there, instead of using dysphemism word, learn to use euphemism word as it’s more appropriate and it shows how sensitive you are with any environment, condition and the society. Use “cute man” instead of “fat man” as example. Its sounds more polite and you respect the person you are pointing to. So it’s like a reminder to me and others; do watch out your words, fellas!

The end

Siti Fadzilah Mohd Isa

Stress? Let’s D.A.I.D!

Nowadays, my relationship problem has started to arise. I don’t know why. But seems that there’s something happened between me and my boyfriend lately. The problem distracts me a lot. It turns my sunny day into a sad, gloomy day. Before, we seem to live like any other couples. He’s the one that I can share stories, and the only one who’s always showers me with love and affection. But suddenly a problem came out of nowhere. It’s like a thunder strikes in the middle of the lovely cool rainy days. I did tell this matter to one of my best friends. But she seems not able to offer any best solutions to get rid of this problem. Oh, no wonder as she still single and available and got no experience when it comes to relationship. Okay, so now I did learn about the D.A.I.D techniques to solve problem. It’s quite systematic way of solving problem. Hope it helps me to overcome the problem.

After utilizing D.A.I.D techniques, I managed to determine the main problem. Well, I guess it’s all about being so sensitive and less effective communication between us that leads to misunderstood. Moreover, we’re busy enough to spend time with each other. So I came up with reliable solutions to overcome the problem. Maybe I just need to divide my activities wisely and my boyfriend also got to do the same thing to give us space for spending time together. In addition, we also have to be less sensitive if any one of us busy and couldn’t call or message during the week. We need to understand each other’s busy schedule and commitment as a student.

The end

Siti Fadzilah Mohd Isa

Ambiguous Sentences

On Tuesday, I had to go to Kuala Lumpur. There were two ways that I can go through to go there. I must decide to choose which road to go either MRR 2 or Sg. Besi. One of my friend said that better to choose to follow MRR2 road rather than Sg. Besi. There is a lot of toll, a jammed and congested roads and that’s quite difficult to find. There is another road that simple and easy way where there is only one toll and there’s no jam. Beside that, there is also a very easy way to find and get me faster to go to the Kuala Lumpur. So it’s quite confuse, which road I should go through. It leads to ambiguous.

The end

Nurul Fasiha Mohd Said

Ad Hominem Fallacy- Tu Quoque

Today, one of my friends asked me to print out the lecture notes from the MMLS. The notes need to be used in the class during lecture hour. I told her that my printer can’t be use because it’s running out of ink and she pushed me to go to One Stop centre to print out the notes. Then I told her that I was late for class I have no time to go to the One Stop Centre as she asked for. I thought she was concerned about me, that why she keeps on pushing to get the notes from me. During the lecture class, I realized that she also didn’t have the notes. Then I asked her whether she bring her notes or not. And she answered without feeling guilty, “That’s why I want you to print out the notes early on, so we can share!” With anger, I told her, “you told me to print out the notes?! Even you yourself don’t have the notes with you right now!”

The end

Nurul Fasiha Mohd Said

Could you help me, please?

During the evening, I was thinking what I want to have for break fasting meal, I asked my boyfriends to buy my favourite food. It is called “Otak-otak”, that is a traditional Malay food made from fish, salt, chillies, and flour. But, my boyfriends started to keep gives me many excuses as he’s lazy enough to go to the Ramadhan Bazaar. I started to think a strategy on how to persuade him to buy my food. Then, without hesitate, what I did said to him, “If you still love me, you have to go buy it for me, and if you don’t, I guess that you don’t love me anymore. I really want to eat that food for break fasting meal. If you didn’t buy it, I don’t want to message or answer your calls anymore. As my boyfriend heard it, he then rushed to the nearest Ramadhan bazaar to buy Otak-otak for me.

During that situation, my boyfriend is on dilemma. As a critical thinker, I use the Fallacies of ad-populum appeal of force my boyfriends to buy that food.

The end

Nurhayati Sabri

Sweet Escape

In the evening, Dila and I decided to go to Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Mosque for break fasting event, The Official Launch of Rakan Muda Ramadhan, National Level 2010, hosted by the Ministry of Youth & Sport. At 6.30 pm, as we were going downstairs and walking towards my car, suddenly, Dila shouted at me, “Yatie, watch out! Your car is already being clamped by the MMU security guard.” I’ve started to be panicked and thinking of how to solve this problem. Oh no, I have to pay certain amount of money to get my car unclamped. Dila did suggest me to try asking the HB3 guard in-charge. The guard advised us to go to the security office at IPS, to unclamp my car. As we reached the security office and met the chief guard in charge, he asked me, “Why did you park your car at prohibited MMU parking lane?” Oh my, what the reason should i give to him? Hmm, it was raining cats and dogs just now. Later, in nervous mode,” I did parked my car at that place because that time I wanted to bring along my beg to my room and suddenly the rain was fell down heavily. So I leave my car there for a while until the rain has completely stopped.” After the security guard heard my firm reasoning, security guard finally accepted my reasoning and he did asked the security guard in charge to unclamp my car.

Finally I’m free! Dila and I just couldn’t stop being so thankful as I managed to get my car unclamped without needed to pay the fine .In this situation, I conclude that, I did used a Fallacies of “ ad- populum appeal to pity”, because the chief security guard in charge seems to be sympathy with my situation.

The end

Nurhayati Sabri

Bandwagon Arguments

Type of ad populum appeal to tradition which means; persuade someone on something because it supposed to be consistent with the traditions and customs in a society, or in a family or in another type of group.

In my family, I have 3 siblings who play piano. My eldest sister has been playing the piano for a year and for my youngest sisters has been play the piano for 2 years. My eldest sister and my younger sister specialized in contemporary music while my youngest sister specialized in contemporary music. One fine day, I felt neglected and I decided to play a musical instrument as well, but I did not want to take up piano instead I took up violin. This is because I want to play something different but keep the tradition value of classic in music. Now I have been playing for 2 weeks and I enjoy playing it where sometimes I do a duet with one of my sisters or perform a song together.

The end

Hafidzahtol Fatimah Subari

Vague in statement

Sharing is caring? Think again!

Yesterday, I went to the Ramadan bazaar with my husband to buy some food for breaking fast. We still went to the bazaar even thought it was raining. My husband already chooses what to buy for himself yet I am still thinking and have not decided what to buy yet. There are so many foods to choose and they all look delicious to me. I cannot buy them all because it can lead to a waste of food. Then I decided to share with my husband the food that he just bought. When we reached home, my husband caught a minor flu and we thought it will relieve afterwards. During breaking fast time, I share the food with my husband and without noticing I also started to get flu all of sudden. Because of that I started to feel dizzy and starting to have a fever. Now, we are lying on the bed together and thought that ‘sharing is not caring’ instead ‘sharing spread germs!’Then we laugh...

i. The statement causes to be vague because of the uncertainty about what standards are being uses; it means that the object does not show its specified definitions.
‘Sharing is caring’

• What kind of things that we can share?
Or
• Caring in what way?

ii. Confusion over the context: this statement does not show on what perspective
Sharing is caring. Ex: is it ethical? Showing love? Or just want to save money?

iii. Imprecise choice of words: sharing is caring is a vague statement because there are different types of share in things and also different types of care; is it care during sick or watch over nephew or niece at home?

The end

Hafidzahtol Fatimah Subari

I just got to know I was wearing green hat!

That late evening, I and my other Consumer Behavior subject group mates were having discussion on our project regarding the topic of consumer behavior issues and we were assigned to create solution for the specific marketing issue. So we decided to choose P1 Wimax controversial commercial ads issues (still remember the commercial ads “sudah potong?”). Just by flash back the ads in my memory, I just couldn’t stop laughing out loud. Was it such humorous or sexually explicit ads? Oh, definitely both, in my own point of view. It merely sounds like they did refer “potong” to circumcision practice.

Finished with part 1 and part 2, and there’s Part 3, where we have to conduct an interview with P1 Wimax users in order to collect data and information for creative analysis section. My group leader, Diana, asked us to get 10 respondents per person and distribute the questionnaires regarding P1 Wimax issue. And we have to do it within 5 days before being finalized for the report writing. First thing popped up in my head, how I’m going to find those respondents? P1 Wimax is not like other leading broadband offered in the market, such as Maxis broadband, TM Unifi and Celcom broadband. Still new in the market and I guess it’s pretty hard to find respondents who utilize P1 Wimax just by asking the people in the public. Such a waste of time, isn’t it? Moreover it’s also troublesome and plus with time constraint, as I got to handle other assignments and joined university events. Sigh! I just need to force my brain to squeeze out ideas on how to overcome the problem. Ah! Guess nothing brilliants come up from my mind.

Hmm. Okay, let’s just take a break for a while. It’s time for Facebook-ing! Damn, too much people spammed my inbox by inviting me to join ridiculous groups ever created by those morons. Oh, please make Facebook a beneficial place to network and share information, por favor? Eh, why don’t I look and search for Facebook P1 Wimax group instead? (Wink!). Great idea! But I didn’t found “I like P1 Wimax” group, but just “Anti P1 Wimax” group and quite huge number of people joined this group. I clicked “like” and instantly got access to the page. At that moment, Diana just sent me the questionnaire via e-mail. Without hesitate, I sent private message to those people and asked them to be my respondent for Consumer Behavior project. Oh, they were very kind to spend time answering the questionnaire regarding P1 Wimax. Thanks peeps! So happy that I managed to get respondents instantly and I just sent the feedbacks straight to Diana.

Later on the next week, I went to Critical Thinking lecture class last Monday and Madam Aznur did tell us about her friend’s creative thinking solution on how to get respondents whom purchase MPH books online. Oh! Guess I done that. Haha! Good to know that I am wearing green hats ( symbolize generating new ideas).

The end

Nur Adilah Arshad

Thanks, CT! (Not Siti Nurhaliza by the way)

Oh my, I still remember how tired I am at that moment. What a wonderful OARS camp trip I ever joined for this semester. The unforgettable experience at Selai National Park, Johor was the thing that will never be deleted from my mind for sure. Truly exhausted, but it’s truly worth for me. Outdoor activities are my passion. Everybody would say, a petite girl like me, that’s seems like a fragile little kid, would rather choose to doll up and go for girly shopping spree time. But I’m not. Instead, I do love to dive in the ocean and rivers, being sucked by those cute leeches and being bitten by those mosquitoes (oh, I hate this part, haha!), get dirty in the mud, smell the fresh air of the jungle and enjoy the breathtaking view of the nature created by God. There’s nothing great rather than to get sweat. Seeing Rafael Nadal sweat like crazy after his 4- hour tennis match really convince me that it feels good to let the salty sweat running down the skin. Okay, stop talking crap.

After get showered, I was thinking of calling mama. I’ve promised her to go back home tomorrow, exactly on Wednesday, but seems that tiredness was all conquering me; I want to delay it to Thursday. After dialed up my mama’s phone number, gentle feminine voice was on the line. “Hello?” “Assalamualaikum Mama”, I started the conversation. Her Penang Malay accent was the thing that I missed the most. I just can’t resist to ask her questions like “What did you cooked for today?”, “How’s your health?”, “How’s Abah and Amin?”, “What are you doing right now”. Oh my, how I miss my Mama’s home-cooked meal. Then she suddenly asked, “When will you go back to Selayang, Kakak?, “You’d informed that you’ll be back on Wednesday, hadn’t you?”. Without hesitate, I informed her that I will go back home on Thursday, as I just came back from camping trip as I’ve told her before. She’s just keep silent for a while. All of sudden, she started to speak with such firm voice, with deep stress of words that just could trigger my shivers. “Kakak, you just don’t need to participate actively in university activities. I’ve told you just to concentrate on your studies.” Then she added, “There’s no point of being active in those university activities. I guess you’ve been busying mingling and flirting with boys and all you get is just endless fun and being giddy all the time. I suggest you to just stay at room and do revision.” I kept silent for a while. The late evening conversation that supposed to be relaxing turned out to be tensed and serious. I was trying so hard to back up my points. And seems it couldn’t convince my mom at all. Mom, you should be a lawyer by the way, seriously. I am really tired of arguing things that I viewed as positive but seen as negative by Mama. Hey! What’s the point of learning Critical Thinking subject this semester if I don’t apply it in my situation? Okay, it’s time to brush up my argument skills. Based on what I’ve learned, I came out with a good and valid argument, with premises and a conclusion. And I’ll make sure to put a full stop at the end of this tensed argument. With such gentle voice, here’s what I’ve said to her;

Conclusion: Mama, participating in university activities indeed brings benefits to me as a student.

Premise 1: It helps to brush up my communication skills, networking skills, problem solving skills and leadership skills. These skills are most demanded by potential employers when I get into real working environment. And yes, don’t you remember I will serve TM next 2 years as they are very kind to offer me the scholarship for my degree studies?

Premise 2: Busying myself with university clubs and societies helps me to avoid myself from doing useless activities that’s just waste of time such as dating with boyfriend all day long and go partying at nightclubs. Do you really want to see me out of control and labeled as being part of the social ills?

And yes, I did it! These bolded sentences really put an end to this tensed conversation. Mama just couldn’t say any words at that moment. Suddenly, without further argument, she said, “Alright then, take care, Kakak. Have a safe journey back home tomorrow. Assalamualaikum.” As a conclusion, thanks Critical Thinking subject!

The end.

Nur Adilah Arshad

Welcome to The Maiden Mind's Blog!

Assalamualaikum and Good Day Dear Readers!

Welcome to our first post for the BCT blogging project. Oh, and we introduced ourselves as "The Maiden Mind". I'm Nur Adilah Arshad, the leader of this group would like to thank Madam Aznur, our Critical Thinking subject lecturer and Mr. Zamri, our Critical Thinking tutor for giving non-stop guidance and advice to help us in the making of this blog. By having this blog, we hope to gain information and knowledge by sharing thoughts, ideas and experiences and at the same time, what we've learned from classes and tutorials can be appplied in daily living for our own benefits.

Here,I would like to present the supportive members behind The Maiden Mind ...



Nur Adilah Binti Arshad 1091105678 (Group Leader)
Siti Fadzilah Binti Isa 1091106232
Nurul Fasiha Binti Mohd Said 1081107808
Hafidzahtol Fatimah Binti Subari 1091106283
Nurhayati Binti Ahmad Sabri 1091106183
Izzati Suhailah Binti Khairuzzaman 1091106416



Again, thanks for your visit!

See you in the next entry.

The Maiden Mind