This is Chua Lam’s entertaining, unpretentious but very meaningful impromptu speech on how to banish stress. He is from Singapore, but as James Wong revealed, Chua Lam doesn’t like Singapore because of all the shallow moralists who ignore his talent and see him as just a dirty old man.
There is no doubt that Chua Lam is a highly sexed. But the main thrust of his philosophy lies in our own individuality. I do not think it’s possible in every society, every environment to be yourself. It’s just that the more you’re able to be yourself, the lower your stress level. If we worry too much about not conforming to social norms, we will be very stressed.
Humans by nature, will try to avoid stress. Those who are bent on taking their own lives are ill and should seek treatment. Chua Lam continues enjoying his drink when the plane he is on hits turbulence while his fellow passenger was scared out of his wits. It’s not that Chua Lam has died before. He has lived before. People who have really lived before have no stress and do not fear death.
A woman asked how common folks like her find partners. It’s easy for someone like Chua Lam to recommend sex as a way to de-stress. He is a celebrity with not shortage of beauties trying to get his attention.
Chua Lam suggests that we lower our standards. If we have a need to satisfy a primal desire, why apply so many principles and prerequisites? It’s a fact that many highly educated, high ranking people who ought to put up a respectable front often end up reluctantly celibate. Aren’t we seeing more and more “shocking” sex crimes from them?
Chua Lam suggests travel and fine dining as non-sexual ways to de-stress. James Wong suggests that the woman reads scriptures instead. It sounds like a sarcastic remark, though James Wong seems to insist that he’s serious.
As for those with financial problems, both Chua and Wong have been through that stage in life. What did they do? They made Category 3 movies. Chua wrote without food and sleep until he nearly died of exhaustion. James Wong, a highly educated man, but he doesn’t care what society thinks of him when he drops his pants when the director calls for action. There is no embarrassment worse than financial embarrassment. The best way to de-stress is to do everything legally possible to get out of that dire situation.
Wallowing in self pity will neither get one out of debt nor rid oneself of stress. However, it should be noted that Chua Lam and James Wong were speaking to an audience in Hongkong where the society is far more forgiving and less judgemental about an individual’s unglamorous past or eccentric ways.
Another form of stress can come from our expectations for our children. James Wong sees this as a scourge of Chinese society. This form of stress is especially prevalent in overachieving Singapore.
Finally, it still boils down to the ego. People who are afraid of rejection or failure will never get anything done. Being stuff in an uncomfortable, stressful situation, one will never know if there is a way out unless he tries. So what if it earns us a slap on the face? Move on and try again.