a narcissist by nature
we experience no typhoon, earthquake or tsunami. no civil unrest, border tension or threat of war. no oppression against race, ethnicity or religion. we even enjoy free education, freely available potable tap water and a sturdy shelter over our heads.
this island could have been a quake zone, a sucker for floods and typhoons or a communist state, but it is not. still, people are not happy.
they complain about the exorbitant salaries of the 'elite', self-perceived titles they give to the individuals who possess foresight far beyond theirs and a heart for the community few can emulate. they simply cannot comprehend the bigger picture. disregarding hard work and effort, to focus on the things that matter to them: money.
sure, there are examples of grim and grime in our society that have not been stamped out. that is inevitable, ain't it? singapore is not utopia, as is every other country in the damned world. you can't say we haven't tried moving forward, because we definitely have, and so fast so that 2 generations down and no one knows real suffering. you can't blame the leaders because they have done a far better job than anyone of us ever could. the safe streets and social harmony, surely these didn't create themselves.
they read about the misfortunes of others everyday in so many different places, and still find the mood to complain about a teenager's poor diction and criminal record. living comfortably and stylishly is priority, en mass death and hardship is foreign and thus of no concern.
the problem with society and men, is that we are inherently selfish to the very core. we look out for ourselves first, then maybe others later on. so what exactly is the problem with placing ourselves in the leadership of men who actually care? yes they earn millions, but its not like they spend their riches indulging themselves in milk baths, model girlfriends young enough to be their granddaughters or personal wealth investments. truth be told, they don't even have the luxury of time.
in the meantime, it is also the same 'elite' that have sent aid to our disaster struck neighbour, as they have done before. do people actually remember things like these?
while i continue to struggle to find my place, i just hope people will slow down and stop thinking solely for themselves once in awhile. give thanks and be grateful for peace, and the ability to enjoy comforts many others don't.
~
the past week, pyung left for the great uk. to an extent, i envy. but then to go there without financial aid, uk you know, is almost too exhausting on my father's part. i wouldn't be studying and spending in peace.
we had drinks together for the last possible time, and the night was eventful as it was regretful. nostalgic nonetheless, i miss school and hanging out with the old friends. nowadays, we're all caught up in our own spheres of influence, venturing into new untried things. to each his own i guess. i'm probably the most disciplined one now, i actually signed on to the armed forces! look back and i just feel the immense irony. once tagged the slackest guy on earth, to the extent that having exams the next day wouldn't prevent me from playing comp throughout the night. it took a 'last in class' and 'only failure in class' to buck me up. failing was a blessing in disguise.
tomorrow is my last day at mindef until december. back to ocs i go. i have to be the most senior service term cadet EVER.
this island could have been a quake zone, a sucker for floods and typhoons or a communist state, but it is not. still, people are not happy.
they complain about the exorbitant salaries of the 'elite', self-perceived titles they give to the individuals who possess foresight far beyond theirs and a heart for the community few can emulate. they simply cannot comprehend the bigger picture. disregarding hard work and effort, to focus on the things that matter to them: money.
sure, there are examples of grim and grime in our society that have not been stamped out. that is inevitable, ain't it? singapore is not utopia, as is every other country in the damned world. you can't say we haven't tried moving forward, because we definitely have, and so fast so that 2 generations down and no one knows real suffering. you can't blame the leaders because they have done a far better job than anyone of us ever could. the safe streets and social harmony, surely these didn't create themselves.
they read about the misfortunes of others everyday in so many different places, and still find the mood to complain about a teenager's poor diction and criminal record. living comfortably and stylishly is priority, en mass death and hardship is foreign and thus of no concern.
the problem with society and men, is that we are inherently selfish to the very core. we look out for ourselves first, then maybe others later on. so what exactly is the problem with placing ourselves in the leadership of men who actually care? yes they earn millions, but its not like they spend their riches indulging themselves in milk baths, model girlfriends young enough to be their granddaughters or personal wealth investments. truth be told, they don't even have the luxury of time.
in the meantime, it is also the same 'elite' that have sent aid to our disaster struck neighbour, as they have done before. do people actually remember things like these?
while i continue to struggle to find my place, i just hope people will slow down and stop thinking solely for themselves once in awhile. give thanks and be grateful for peace, and the ability to enjoy comforts many others don't.
~
the past week, pyung left for the great uk. to an extent, i envy. but then to go there without financial aid, uk you know, is almost too exhausting on my father's part. i wouldn't be studying and spending in peace.
we had drinks together for the last possible time, and the night was eventful as it was regretful. nostalgic nonetheless, i miss school and hanging out with the old friends. nowadays, we're all caught up in our own spheres of influence, venturing into new untried things. to each his own i guess. i'm probably the most disciplined one now, i actually signed on to the armed forces! look back and i just feel the immense irony. once tagged the slackest guy on earth, to the extent that having exams the next day wouldn't prevent me from playing comp throughout the night. it took a 'last in class' and 'only failure in class' to buck me up. failing was a blessing in disguise.
tomorrow is my last day at mindef until december. back to ocs i go. i have to be the most senior service term cadet EVER.
posted by John at
12:53 AM
2 Comments:
it's not true that singaporeans don't know real suffering. pockets of degredation exist, and it's not fair to say that just because every society has them then by implication they ought to be there anyway.
the ugliness of urban consequences are painful too, for the victims. abandoned elderly parents, abused wives and children. and our domestic helps and construction workers, some of the latter live in slums provided by singaporeans. even in prosperity there are human beings who live in subhuman conditions.
which is not to say that i'm ungrateful for safety and education, or take it for granted. i just think that the points made in this post (which sounds uncannily like government rhetoric) needs to be thought through more carefully. pain and suffering does exist in singapore; not in the same forms as illitercy and physical devastation that natural calamaties breed, but the victims of urban cruelty in singapore hurt nonetheless. it would be ironic if by virtue of over-appreciating our country's achivements, we turn a blind eye as to what goes on under the facade.
i'm not being a total jerk and saying that we should ignore the misfortunes of the depraved in society. i'm just trying to vent my frustration on the minority of people and netizens who talk and talk and talk and stop just there.
yes i said scums in society are inevitable, but used in the context of justifying against blaming the government, just because they exist. going on to say the government is trying its utmost, it is not like their actions hinder or reverse human development in singapore. the degradation you speak of is a result of inhumanity and cold hearts existing in our midst. if everyone's a good samaritan, there would be no such thing as crime and poverty. that is what communism seeks to achieve, but its flaw is in the nature of the human heart.
i had just read comments online (before posting) that got me thinking about the state of some singaporean mindsets. they were commenting on the government. which explains why my post was very single point driven.
i'm just grateful to our government for bringing us into the first world. we could all be sacrificing opportunities to bumiputras for all you know, or still living in slums. of course i cannot argue with you if you are bent on condemning urbanization, cos that is a personal preference.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home