2/12/2007

myth 112

Myth 112 It is great to be poor In this little island, the next best thing to being a pet poodle is to be poor. Being a pet poodle, one can sleep in aircon room, send to see specialists, dine in pet restaurants with food specially concocted by food specialists for a well balanced diet. And can snuggle in bed with the master or mistress, in aircon room and under thick and nice smelling bedsheets. To be poor is the second best. There are so many people trying to start charities to raise fund to help them. And the govt too has set aside $600 million in Comcare alone to give to the poor. And all the helpers are everywhere knocking at doors asking people it they need help, need a few extra dollars. And the govt even raised GST to help them so that they will be better off after the GST comes into effect. And the latest govt budget is all about helping the poor and lower income groups. Now being poor isn't that bad right? I can see a long queue of happy people trying to be poor.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Redbean, being your cynical self again? I have had long discussion with some quite well-to-do Singaporeans on the subject of being poor in Singapore. These well-off Singaporeans maintain that there are many poor in Singapore have only themselves to blame for their poverty. Singapore is rich and opportunity aplenty. If you are still poor inspite of all these lobang, then you deserve to be poor. One even went so far as to say that all poor in Singapore " just cannot be bothered to get off their arses to help themselves ". Is that your opinion too, Redbean??

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

i agree that they are all right. this is an island of opportunities. find your own lobang and get rich. it is quite easy actually.

but at the other end of the spectrum there are people who are so handicapped, mentally, physically, some socially and/or economically that it is very tough to climb up the social ladder.

not everyone is born a supertalent. i hope you will agree with me on this. that is why some got 9A1s and some go to N level.

Anonymous said...

Of course I agree with you on the point that we all have different level of ability. Well, the workfare is going to be permanent. Many will benefit and there will be many who will feel sad if they do not qualify. There will also be those who will make themselves poor to qualify for the handout. The "if I cannot get, why should you get" mentality of Singaporeans will show its ugly head again.