6/24/2006

singaporeans are sick to the core, idiots really

I was glancing over some snippets in the Straits Times this morning on the growing trend in blogging and the flourishing of blogs and forums in cyberspace. Several writers commented that it is self defeating and a dead cause to think of regulating cyberspace. Actually all the laws on scandals, libels, seditions etc are there and any bloggers or forumers who flirt in these areas will have the law to reckon with. There is no need to set up a new ministry and a manual of new laws to tie up the netizens. What is appalling among the snippets is this statement by Khoo Li Han, I think a journalist by profession. He said, 'Even as the Govt considers giving more leeway to bloggers at the next GE, they should practise self discipline and not post nonsensical comments. Only when Singaporeans cooperate with the govt and give it the confidence that bloggers are blogging appropriately, can they be given more freedom...' Why can't people post nonsense and lighted hearted comical stuff on the net? Why can't people indulge in fantasies and escapees? All the Ah Peks in the neighbourhood kopitiams are engaging in intellectual and no nonsense comments, or they need to be regulated as well? But the disgusting point is the acceptance that freedom does not belong to the people. Freedom of the people is for the govt to dish out if it so pleases. And the people must behave, then only shall the govt allow them some freedom. This also means that the people went for an election to vote for a govt to control their freedom, or to surrender their freedom. For goodness sake, Freedom is our natural right. Why must we behave in a way that the govt thinks is good and only then can we be given more freedom? How sick can Singaporeans be? If from the first principle, they already accepted that it is the right of the govt to regulate their freedom, they are as good as dead meat. Finito! You are slaves with no freedom to talk about. Is it the fault of the govt? Or is it the fault of our political system, culture and education system, that we believe that our freedom is conditional on the good grace of the govt? I think the govt is quite happy with this state of affair, that the people think that their freedom belongs to the govt. And there is no need to educate the people to the fact that freedom is their natural right as a human being. It is a happy state favouring the govt. And the govt can use this mentality to decide or manage how much freedom to give to the people. When the govt is not happy with the bloggers and forumers, it is only a matter of how to manage or regulate it. Our freedom is like our money in the CPF, to be dished out to us at the mercy of the govt. It we are good and cooperative, we will get a bit more. This is indeed a sick society when the people does not think freedom is their intrinsic right. Are we first world?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

People at the top have the herd mentality, inward and narrow vision.
The mentality that if you are not with us, you are against us.

Remember their belief of superiority over the peasants. Naturally, there is a need to correct peasants to conform to their superior thinking.

If ever the coffeeshop ah pek think like them, it would be the day our politicians loose their jobs.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

haha, i am thinking whether to regard this as a myth. let me think about it.

Anonymous said...

Singaporeans have been signing away their right to freedom every 4 to 5 years since 1959. It's not the PAP's fault when the people they were elected to serve willingly chose to give up individual rights and instead vest extraordinary freedom-curbing powers to the rulers of the day in exchange for exconomic advancement. Singapore is truly a despot's dream cum true.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

actually it is quite frightening that elected representatives of the people feel so free to think of curbing the rights of the people to freedom of expression and other rights.

control freak is in the blood of singaporeans. and singaporeans feel that being control is a natural and good thing.