12/03/2008

The changing good life

In the 50s and 60s, a good life is to be a chief clerk, stayed in a wooden bungalow with a big compound, husband worked and wife a housemaker, 5 and a half day week, and retired to smell the roses at 55. This is not too different from the Australians, a big sprawling home with a lot of space, dunno about single pay packet, 4 or 5 day week, and likely to retire at 50 to enjoy the rest of his years. But enjoyment starts every weekend which is likely to be a long weekend, either in the mountains or some beaches far away. And work stops at 5pm sharp everyday. The good life of Singaporeans today is to be a minister or top civil servant, (cannot aspire to be a president, that is bad), 5 day week, two ministers better still, and work till 85 or drop dead whichever is later. And Singaporeans are expected to love working and working. This is the better tomorrow for Singaporeans.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

life is but a process of waiting for death.

Anonymous said...

why healthy people often dream about retiring is beyond me, this seems to be a lingering mindset from the past industrial age. when able bodied people retire, i think they begin to rot physically and mentally before passing on prematurely. working till one drops dead maybe a better option and nothing really wrong with that at all i suppose.

Anonymous said...

Redbean, are you smelling the roses now? Lucky you! I think the Government has succeeded in selling the idea of working till you drop dead as a better option than retiring early to persue one's interest. Let it be, redbean. Let just enjoy our retirement.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

thank god i am quite comfortable myself and no need to ask for pocket money from my kids.

working till one drops must be a matter of choice not a matter of no choice. if one has to work because one cannot afford not to, then life is a misery, esp at old age. in many cases it is quite pathetic to see old folks struggling in the foodcourt and looking so grouchy n unhappy.

Anonymous said...

The more I read about issues concerning Singapore on cyberspace, the more
I realise that Singapore is a yucky place. Singapore is a horrible place to
live in, except for the affluent who live in rich neighbourhood. The papers and online media are full of political propanganda day in and day out. The journalists are constantly singing the praise of the ruling party politicians, who are nowhere to be seen in the present financial crisis, except where else, the papers and online media! The education system sucks, the economic system sucks, the social security system sucks, the military conscription system sucks, the political system sucks. The transport system sucks. Nothing, works to satisfaction in Singapore. The entire place stinks.

Francis Chua, Singapore

Anonymous said...

A Malaysian passing through Changi Airport saw some bent-over old folks pushing trollies and mopping the floor. He commented: I feel sorry for these old people. Where else in the world can you find a Government feeling proud of their old folks still working at such an age. I think he was absolutely right.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

this thing about our old folks working their guts out is a failure in our system no matter how they try to put it. if i have a choice, by certain age i would not want to work but to travel and see the world.

we should not live to eat or eat to live, neither live to work or work to live. there must be better things in life than working.

Anonymous said...

suits you, well to each his own. but when one's mindset is fixed on calling reality, propaganda, that is bias.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Redbean, are you smelling the roses now? Lucky you! I think the Government has succeeded in selling the idea of working till you drop dead as a better option than retiring early to persue one's interest.



if you'd used the organ on your head instead of below your waist, you would have woken up to the idea that it is you who is doing the selling instead.