IN a world that buzzes with endless alerts, where feeds refresh faster than we can catch our breath, I invite you to pause – right here.
Welcome to Digital Zen, a weekly space that explores a quiet possibility: that our always-on digital lives and timeless wisdom are not at war, but simply in need of a translator.
Drawing from Lao Tse’s Dao, which teaches the power of flowing like water, and the enduring calm of Stoicism, which trains the mind in resilience, we’ll seek balance not by logging off, but by discovering a new way to log on.
And to those reading this in print, you may wonder what relevance this holds for you.
You’ve chosen the grounded clarity of the newspaper – the father of media – as your trusted source, turning away from the cluttered noise of digital feeds.
Yet, even here, you’re not immune to the world’s accelerated rhythm: in the frantic pace of news, or in a family glued to their screens.
This column is for you, too. The digital is the modern whirlwind; the zen is the timeless peace we can cultivate within ourselves.
Why This Column?
For nearly a decade, my professional life has been wired into the digital pulse here at the Sarawak Tribune, where I serve as a sub-editor facing the modern news cycle head-on.
My role is to act as the newsroom’s conduit – ensuring the relentless stream of stories is acquired, processed, and channelled flawlessly across departments.
From the editors crafting the front page to the Desktop Publishing (DTP) artists laying it out, every stage depends on precision. One misstep, the entire operation falters with accountability landing squarely on my desk.
In my various past roles as a media scholar, producer, and strategist, I’ve built university programmes, crafted narratives for NGOs, helped CEOs launch national initiatives, co-authored books on conservation, written and hosted television programmes, and composed award-winning music. I have navigated corporate boardrooms.
But I have chosen to be part of the humble, high-pressure world of the newsroom, where the rhythm is fast, the expectations high, and the margin for error non-existent.
It is exhilarating – but also relatively dangerous. It is easy to lose track and the rhythm, and the consequences of mistakes can be immediate and catastrophic.
I’ve also walked a quieter path, guided by the fluid wisdom of Lao Tse’s Dao, which teaches me to move with the current. It’s anchored by Stoic resolve and enriched by the Islamic practices of sabr (patient endurance) and tawakkul (trust in divine will).
These are not abstract philosophies; they are the tools I use to navigate the very digital storms I chronicle. This column is where these two paths – technology and timelessness – converge.
Why ‘Digital Zen’?
The name itself poses the central question. Digital represents that electric, ever-shifting grid that propels us forward.
Zen is the poised awareness that draws us back – the grounded calm of Daoist flow and Stoic composure.
Fuse them together and you encounter the defining challenge of our time: How do we match the machine’s speed with the soul’s stillness?
This column is my way of finding out.
What to Expect
Each week, we’ll hold a fragment of our modern life up to a different light.
We’ll ask what Lao Tse might do when an algorithm hijacks our attention.
We’ll explore how Stoic resilience, tempered by sabr, can anchor us through online tempests.
I’ll unpack the technologies shaping our days and share philosophical insights to help us return to centre.
Our guiding question remains: in a world designed to keep us scrolling, how do we plant our feet and find our stillness?
Join Me
This is more than a column – it’s a shared space for reflection, a place to pause and choose our response instead of being driven by the next alert.
So, whether you’re tethered to a screen or fighting the urge to log off, consider this your weekly invitation to pause – to plant your feet, find a stillness that doesn’t require disconnecting from the world, but instead connects you more deeply to your own presence.
We’ll explore the Alone-Together Paradox: that familiar scene of a room full of people, side by side, yet isolated in their digital worlds.
In an age of online isolation, how can Dao (stillness) and Stoicism help us reclaim the lost art of true connection?
It is the practice of finding a digital zen – the unconditional joy of being present, together, in a world designed to pull us apart.
Let’s uncover it together – one mindful click, one quiet page, one week at a time.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune.
