A Professor’s Advice: How to Survive in Today’s World — Dinner with Prof Simon Shen, International Relations Scholar

Sometimes the most meaningful and inspiring conversations happen over casual meals. The Time Auction Blog is a snippet of our meetings with people who have found passion in their life and career, where we get a glimpse into their mentality behind their ventures.

Graduating from The University of Oxford and Yale University, and with an amazing proliferation of academic articles, Prof. Simon Shen is an adjunct associate professor of the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He’s deemed to be one of the most representative international relations scholars in the young generation earning both global and local recognition.

He is also the President of Yew Wah Global Institute of Lifestyle and Management, and founder of the international relations start-up company GLOs (Glocal Learning Offices), which comprises of several companies in the field of education, research, creative and intellectual travel.

His famous blog and Facebook channels (Simon’s Glocal World & IR Basilica) have made international affairs more “down to earth” for younger generations.

Over dinner, Simon told us about how he intends to broaden people’s international horizons through GLOs and the promotion of intellectual travel, and his views towards international relations, life philosophy and his family.

What book do you recommend us to read?

“Life 3.0”.

It’s a futurology book. It’s about how Artificial Intelligence in the future can influence our life. Not only does it impact our technologies, but also our society, politics, ethics, and norms. Even the democratic and dictatorial system may have a great change and difference in the era of AI.

No matter what field you are in, I think it’s a book worth reading.

If you could have a gigantic billboard anywhere with anything on it — metaphorically speaking, getting a message out to millions or billions — what would it say and why?

Be yourself.

We’re living in a rapidly changing era, most of our old skillsets will soon be replaced. We can only develop irreplaceable values based on our personal brands.

What is one action you want everyone to take away from meeting you?

Consider yourself to be your own company and develop it yourself,

regarding your boss/employer as business partners, and gradually build your own independent careers.

Thank you, Simon, for taking the time out of your busy schedule to have dinner with us, and thanks to everyone who volunteered and took part in raising 140 volunteer hours to various charities. Also hats off to The Hive Kennedy Town for providing us with such a wonderful venue.

These awesome photos are brought to you by Andy from KaChick — a marketplace where you can book a photographer anywhere, anytime, for anything!

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