Catrina Sheridan

Founder @nafasi.tech, Board Director. Interests: codifying trust via distributed systems and lean management, Women's leadership, Realising Africa's Dividend

[Catrina Sheridan @catrinasheridan]

@jagan_chapagain This is shocking news. My thoughts are with Brigitte’s family and her Red Cross colleagues.

[Fai Nomady @FaiNomady]

Ingat momen ketika PM Israel berpidato di UN dan peserta sidang walk out?

Momen diatas diwujudkan menjadi sebuah video yang sangat indah dan menyentuh hati.

Video ini telah meraih lebih dari satu miliar penayangan di media sosial,
(produksi Televisi Press Iran)

♥️♥️🇵🇸

[Catrina Sheridan @catrinasheridan]

Really like this insight on our world today.

[Arnaud Bertrand @RnaudBertrand]

I strongly encourage everyone to read the speech that Chan Chun Sing, Singapore's Defence Minister, just gave in Beijing: it's basically the polar opposite of a Hegseth speech - immensely wise and a refreshing proof that thoughtful statecraft still exists.

You can find the speech here: https://t.co/alGUQGK7J4 Below a summary of the best parts of the speech, in my opinion.

Much of the speech addresses the crucial question of the so-called "security dilemma", a key concept in international relations theory whereby one country's efforts to make itself safer almost inevitably make others feel less safe, triggering a spiral where everyone ends up more insecure.

As Chan Chun Sing puts it in his speech: "The true test of statecraft is this: how do we strengthen our own security without weakening the security of others, or without aggravating the insecurity of others?"

He says there are "three fundamental principles worth bearing in mind" in this regard, but that, first and foremost, it raises the question of "what 'winning' means": to him, defining "winning" as "outgunning or outlasting a rival" isn't sensible, it ought to be defined as winning others through the "power of our example", rather than "the example of our power."

It's extremely wise, when you think about it: do you actually "win" if you submit others by force, or do you merely prove that, for now, they simply lack the strength to resist? You've imposed your will, yes, but the principle you've imposed is that the strongest gets his way, and strength is expensive and it wanes.

Chan Chun Sing quotes Mencius, the classic Chinese philosopher, to illustrate this: "Power may compel others to comply. But in the end, it is trust that truly wins others over" (which is a trimmed version of the true original citation: "Those who subdue others by force do not win their hearts; they submit only because their own strength falls short. Those who subdue others by virtue win hearts that are glad and sincerely submissive, as the seventy disciples submitted to Confucius," 以力服人者，非心服也，力不赡也；以德服人者，中心悦而诚服也，如七十子之服孔子也。)

This is very core to Chinese strategic thinking (yes, Chan Chun Sing, as are most Singaporean leaders, is ethnically Chinese): the notion that legitimacy, not force, is the real currency of power.

A state that has to coerce is following the "hegemonic way" (badao, 霸道) - which is brittle and unsustainable. The only sustainable long-term way to lead is the so-called "kingly way" (wangdao, 王道), where others follow you and emulate you voluntarily. Two concepts which incidentally come from Mencius too: "he who uses force while borrowing the name of benevolence is a hegemon (ba); he who practises benevolence through virtue is a true king (wang)."

Concretely, Chan Chun Sing say that states should pursue the following 3 principles to apply this in practice.

First of all, he points out that too many states "externalise domestic issues" as opposed to putting their own house in order. The idea being that a leadership confident at home doesn't need foreign enemies to hold itself together, and can therefore act in its "enlightened long-term interest" abroad. Whereby an insecure one uses foreign policy "for political gain."

No prizes for guessing what country he is referring to here...

The second principle is that "interdependence breeds stability" as opposed to being "a source of vulnerability."

Which makes sense: mutual exposure turns competitors into stakeholders in each other's stability. Cut exposure in the name of "resilience" or "de-risking" and, really, the only thing you've achieved is to make confrontation and conflict cheaper.

Lastly, and this is perhaps the most important principle: "first, do no harm."

Chan Chun Sing again quotes famous Chinese sayings: "turn big problems into small ones, and small ones into nothing" (大事化小，小事化了), which is what happens when there's trust between states, versus "turn small problems into big ones, and make trouble out of nothing" (小事化大，无事生非), which is what happens when there isn't.

The idea is that every unnecessary provocation, every "freedom of navigation" stunt, every gratuitous sanction is a withdrawal from a trust account that is very expensive to fill and, as he says, can be emptied "in a single instant."

Chan Chun Sing ends his speech on what being a “responsible major country” - a key concept in contemporary Chinese international relations - means, and how, "the more responsible major powers are, the less concerned small countries will be."

Besides the above three fundamental principles, he says that "strategic patience" is also crucial, defined as: "Not every capability needs to be advertised; not every advantage needs to be immediately pressed; and not every provocation demands an immediate response."

In other words, true confidence doesn't need to prove itself and restraint is a form of strength: a great power that feels compelled to respond to everything is, in effect, letting its rivals set its agenda. And whoever needs to constantly show force is in fact projecting its own fear that without the show, nobody would believe it.

As Margaret Thatcher once brilliantly put it (I hate to quote her but this is too good): "Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren't."

That's it, if you want the rest, I truly encourage you to read the full speech: pure undistilled wisdom, from a man who runs the defence of a country smaller than Los Angeles and obviously understands power far better than the man in charge of the largest military on earth. Which is its own form of tragedy.

[Arnaud Bertrand @RnaudBertrand]

I strongly encourage everyone to read the speech that Chan Chun Sing, Singapore's Defence Minister, just gave in Beijing: it's basically the polar opposite of a Hegseth speech - immensely wise and a refreshing proof that thoughtful statecraft still exists.

You can find the speech here: https://t.co/alGUQGK7J4 Below a summary of the best parts of the speech, in my opinion.

Much of the speech addresses the crucial question of the so-called "security dilemma", a key concept in international relations theory whereby one country's efforts to make itself safer almost inevitably make others feel less safe, triggering a spiral where everyone ends up more insecure.

As Chan Chun Sing puts it in his speech: "The true test of statecraft is this: how do we strengthen our own security without weakening the security of others, or without aggravating the insecurity of others?"

He says there are "three fundamental principles worth bearing in mind" in this regard, but that, first and foremost, it raises the question of "what 'winning' means": to him, defining "winning" as "outgunning or outlasting a rival" isn't sensible, it ought to be defined as winning others through the "power of our example", rather than "the example of our power."

It's extremely wise, when you think about it: do you actually "win" if you submit others by force, or do you merely prove that, for now, they simply lack the strength to resist? You've imposed your will, yes, but the principle you've imposed is that the strongest gets his way, and strength is expensive and it wanes.

Chan Chun Sing quotes Mencius, the classic Chinese philosopher, to illustrate this: "Power may compel others to comply. But in the end, it is trust that truly wins others over" (which is a trimmed version of the true original citation: "Those who subdue others by force do not win their hearts; they submit only because their own strength falls short. Those who subdue others by virtue win hearts that are glad and sincerely submissive, as the seventy disciples submitted to Confucius," 以力服人者，非心服也，力不赡也；以德服人者，中心悦而诚服也，如七十子之服孔子也。)

This is very core to Chinese strategic thinking (yes, Chan Chun Sing, as are most Singaporean leaders, is ethnically Chinese): the notion that legitimacy, not force, is the real currency of power.

A state that has to coerce is following the "hegemonic way" (badao, 霸道) - which is brittle and unsustainable. The only sustainable long-term way to lead is the so-called "kingly way" (wangdao, 王道), where others follow you and emulate you voluntarily. Two concepts which incidentally come from Mencius too: "he who uses force while borrowing the name of benevolence is a hegemon (ba); he who practises benevolence through virtue is a true king (wang)."

Concretely, Chan Chun Sing say that states should pursue the following 3 principles to apply this in practice.

First of all, he points out that too many states "externalise domestic issues" as opposed to putting their own house in order. The idea being that a leadership confident at home doesn't need foreign enemies to hold itself together, and can therefore act in its "enlightened long-term interest" abroad. Whereby an insecure one uses foreign policy "for political gain."

No prizes for guessing what country he is referring to here...

The second principle is that "interdependence breeds stability" as opposed to being "a source of vulnerability."

Which makes sense: mutual exposure turns competitors into stakeholders in each other's stability. Cut exposure in the name of "resilience" or "de-risking" and, really, the only thing you've achieved is to make confrontation and conflict cheaper.

Lastly, and this is perhaps the most important principle: "first, do no harm."

Chan Chun Sing again quotes famous Chinese sayings: "turn big problems into small ones, and small ones into nothing" (大事化小，小事化了), which is what happens when there's trust between states, versus "turn small problems into big ones, and make trouble out of nothing" (小事化大，无事生非), which is what happens when there isn't.

The idea is that every unnecessary provocation, every "freedom of navigation" stunt, every gratuitous sanction is a withdrawal from a trust account that is very expensive to fill and, as he says, can be emptied "in a single instant."

Chan Chun Sing ends his speech on what being a “responsible major country” - a key concept in contemporary Chinese international relations - means, and how, "the more responsible major powers are, the less concerned small countries will be."

Besides the above three fundamental principles, he says that "strategic patience" is also crucial, defined as: "Not every capability needs to be advertised; not every advantage needs to be immediately pressed; and not every provocation demands an immediate response."

In other words, true confidence doesn't need to prove itself and restraint is a form of strength: a great power that feels compelled to respond to everything is, in effect, letting its rivals set its agenda. And whoever needs to constantly show force is in fact projecting its own fear that without the show, nobody would believe it.

As Margaret Thatcher once brilliantly put it (I hate to quote her but this is too good): "Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren't."

That's it, if you want the rest, I truly encourage you to read the full speech: pure undistilled wisdom, from a man who runs the defence of a country smaller than Los Angeles and obviously understands power far better than the man in charge of the largest military on earth. Which is its own form of tragedy.

[Catrina Sheridan @catrinasheridan]

@WhileTravelling But can they clean toilets and do laundry.

[Catrina Sheridan @catrinasheridan]

@collision @zcabrams @Stablecoin @sternhenri @privy_io Enjoyed this session. Can you comment on use cases where triage of use of funds was required. This would be really beneficial for government grants and international aid? @collision @zcabrams @sternhenri . Thx

[Catrina Sheridan @catrinasheridan]

@castleknockcoll Amazing talent

[Catrina Sheridan @catrinasheridan]

@patrickc Probably, but we might get a more authentic perspective of people’s actions and word alignment from examining their personal digital archive. I’m sure there’s an AI tool in the making for that.

[Peace Knot War @PeaceKnotWar]

June 1st is International Children’s Day — and a renewed call for peace.

Millions of children are caught in wars they didn’t start. Their futures hang in the balance.
Let’s stand together and say it clearly: Every child deserves peace.

#KnotOn #PeaceKnotWar #ProtectChildren

[Catrina Sheridan @catrinasheridan]

@StBrigidsGAA @dublinhandball @GAA_Handball Good luck Enda

[Catrina Sheridan @catrinasheridan]

Lenevo Laptop and Gold pass to Coppers up for Raffle. @StBrigidsGAA 🤶

[St. Brigid's GAA @StBrigidsGAA]

🟥 SUNDAY 8th DEC
🟥Pub Quiz
🟥7pm Sharp
🟥in aid of Sightsavers
🟥Raffle Prizes Galore 🍾🍬

Hope to see you there🎁🤶

https://t.co/XwHwGvEd8c

[St. Brigid's GAA @StBrigidsGAA]

🟥 SUNDAY 8th DEC
🟥Pub Quiz
🟥7pm Sharp
🟥in aid of Sightsavers
🟥Raffle Prizes Galore 🍾🍬

Hope to see you there🎁🤶

https://t.co/XwHwGvEd8c

[Catrina Sheridan @catrinasheridan]

@adrianweckler Amazing shows the potential (robust but frictionless) for all government service delivery.

[Catrina Sheridan @catrinasheridan]

This is so amazing. Exciting times ahead on e-health

[Li Zexin 李泽欣 @XH_Lee23]

World's longest remote human surgery record set in China!

Youness Ahallal is a French surgeon. He was in Shanghai while his patient was 12,000 km away in Morocco.

He has finished a prostate cancer surgery using a Chinese-made remote surgery robot.

This surgery set a new record as the longest remote human surgery, with a 2-way transmission distance of over 30,000 km.

[Catrina Sheridan @catrinasheridan]

An amazing immersive experience, acting choreography, music , lighting, sense of movement@derbhle17120

[Project Arts Centre @projectarts]

Next week, @junkensemble brings DOLORES to The Chocolate Factory—an immersive feminist reimagining of Lolita.

🗓️ 7-15 Nov 2024
📍 @TheChocoFactry
🎟️ Tickets: https://t.co/fLPYZizSmx
📅 ISL performance: 9 Nov, 4pm

Experience darkly cinematic imagery, music, and movement, featuring acclaimed performers Derbhle Crotty and Mikel Murfi. Don’t miss this powerful reimagining!

📸 Luca Truffarelli

[Catrina Sheridan @catrinasheridan]

Loving this fantastic innovation..let’s back these really practical solutions for scability and success.

[RTÉ News @rtenews]

A Limerick woman who invented a portable scalp-cooling device for cancer patients has won a major international design award
https://t.co/TSHshx8mSE

[Catrina Sheridan @catrinasheridan]

@rtenews Fantastic..

[RTÉ News @rtenews]

Olivia Humphreys who invented a portable scalp-cooling device for cancer patients has been named as this year's global winner of the James Dyson Award under the Medical Devices category | Read more: https://t.co/IXQevgL6eD

[ComReg @comreg]

Blueface Ltd is ceasing to provide business telephone services as of Tuesday, 22 October 2024. We advise customers to switch telephone provider now.

For more information visit https://t.co/3vTJAxRyq3