9/14/2007

Why cause hardship in the name of paternalism?

There are many poor buggers out there who can make their lives so much better, or breathe a sigh of relief when they can lay hands to their hard earned life savings. Even $20k is a lot of money to these humble people who have been living from hands to mouth all their lives. The question is why deprive these poor buggers from having a few days easier? And many of them will have to set aside $30k in Medisave and another $120k in the minimum sum which they may not touch before they kick the bucket. For sure, many will have to leave behind at least $30k in the Medisave. Is this good for the people? Is this what paternalism is all about? Or should the meaning and definition of paternalism be changed? Many terms in the dictionary should also be changed to accommodate such a new definition of paternalism when one cannot distinguish between good and evil, mean and kindness, helping and oppressing. Like the famous phrase, with such good friends, you don't need enemies.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not to worry, when more foreigners take up citizenship or PR. The rule that PAP implemented with just benefit themselves will overturn by this group of new immigrants. Sad to commend, we local born citizens are soft & timid let why the greed & selfish leaders will just carry on take advantage to dry every citizen just like their slavery. We got option either overthrown them or get out of here.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

we are a democracy. never use words like overthrow or protest. just go to the ballot box and vote them to power. or else just wear black and put on a frown on the face while shopping : )

Anonymous said...

Yah loh, please don't overthrow them otherwise we end up like our neighbours, becoming third world countries. Then we become table- cleaners or refuse-collectors in Indonesia and our wives and daughters will become maids in Philippines. Please have mercy on us lowly educated Singaporeans.

Anonymous said...

All this minimum sum in cpf, compulsory annuity, medisave and talk about the greedy pap is getting boring. Redbean's blog is almost completely about these issues. If you don't like it just quit and get out. Only talk and no action. Pathetic...

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

Despite what I (and many others) think of the govt and its "evils"—which some consider "necessary" for national success—there is no, and there has never been, any shortage of OPPORTUNITY to better oneself in Singapore.

On a personal level: every "bad" experience comes down to making the wrong choices, which are based on believing the wrong things.

So folks who don't have any dough to look after themselves have only themselves to blame. They took certain actions (or not) by making CHOICES because they believed (incorrectly) in the data presented to them at a particular point in the past. i.e. they didn't make alternatives because they believed that the govt was going to look after these people's best interests by allowing access to their "funds". (which is untrue because in actual fact there are no funds there—their CPF contribution was a TAX, which means it is a SUNK COST)

Anonymous said...

Are we a democracy? look at how they control the media, our CPF, medical (mean testing),transportaton every years increases as answerable to share holder (we known who is a main share holder), ERP, so called subsidy HDB flats end most of them dry up their saving(CPF), taxes everywhere, during 1998 enconmic ciris, we are the one who bited the bullet, they themselve demand pay rise & this is how they called heart to heart & pull thru" together during election times.
They ready created us just like li AO called us as dummy. So are going to be that way forever, you guy decide....