By Edna Lim (22S03F)

All quotes in this article are kept anonymous to protect the identity of our interviewees.

At some point of time in our lives, we’ve all had the experience of wanting to express certain things but not being able to say them: because we lack the courage, because we’re trying to protect someone we love (ourselves included), because of the fear of it being awkward, or because it’s just too late to do so. 

The implications of withholding our thoughts might not seem significant at present — not saying anything hardly seems to affect us or the relationship. But when we no longer have the chance to say these things, the lack of closure can lead to a buildup of regret and grievance when we remember the time we had taken for granted. That is why we should say the things we want to say, before our chances start to turn away. 

By Mei Feifei (22A13A) 

What happened on 14 April 2018? Airstrikes took place in Syria. An Oscar-winning director died. And a lawyer set himself on fire. 

Four years on, I am ashamed to admit that I had never heard of David Buckel until I started work on this article, even though other cases of self-immolation, such as those of Mohamed Bouazizi or Tibetan monks, stay at the forefront of public consciousness. 

Why, then, has David Buckel’s case faded into obscurity, even as the cause he was protesting against—climate change—looms closer?