8/01/2012

Integration, an exercise in futility



What or who are Sinkies supposed to integrate with, the foreign workers, maids, the EP talents, definitely not the real super foreign talents? The latter no need to integrate. Or are the Sinkies supposed to integrate only with the new citizens and PRs or with all of them?

Not only this is a problem, there are many conditions and developments that made integration just that unrealistic. Those who remembered, we used to have Integrated Schools in the 60s and 70s, to integrate our young as people of a nation. That was the right place to start with, the impressionable young. And from schools to working life, there will be plenty of time to get to know each other even as acquaintance. We have achieved some degree of social cohesion over the years, over many years, not days. And we have a people, though of various races, but already here for generations and quite adapted to the culture and social norms.

Life then was quite different too. There was no rat race and people generally have a lot of free time to socialize, to visit one another. Life style today is so hectic. The working adults would be working their guts out to make a living and to pay high mortgages. After work, they would be so exhausted that there would be no time for anything. They even have problems to spend quality time with their child or children. Still got time to integrate with foreigners? The rich have a lot of time, but with a lot of amusements to keep them busy and occupied. Integrating with the foreigners would be the last thing on their mind.

The young would be busy studying and trying to get good grades. Any time available would be spent integrating with their little machine, Iphone, Ipod, Ipad and computers. They don’t have time for anything else.

The only group left with all the time in the world to integrate with the foreigners would be the retirees, the uncles and aunties. Then again, would the young foreign workers and maids want to integrate with them? I know for sure, the maids and foreign workers would be busily integrating among themselves. The remainder of the foreign adults would be in Little India or Geylang trying to socialize and be happy.

Who else is there with all the time in the world to want to integrate? The middle executives, both locals and foreign would not have the time nor the interest to want to socialize. What ever little precious time left would be for sleeping and catching up with their little hobbies or preoccupations.

By the way, you don’t say integrate and lo behold, the people are dancing and hugging each other all over. Integration is a long term process that would not happen overnight like instant trees. The foreign workers and maids, even the middle executives are transient workers and residents and many would not be here for long. And who is going to pay for the time and effort to integrate? Time is money and integration also cost money.

Integration seems like a magic word to some, like go forth and multiply.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Only the well paid pappies and the pappies ministers who sinfully pay themselves by the millions from the treasury without the people's consent and who are over paid and under less or little work will have a lot of time to fling. Well, time to send them off wholesale in 2016.

Eagles Eye

Anonymous said...

Integration?
Please lah. Let's talk about existing Singaporeans integrating with each other first.

Which political party introduced a graduate mothers' policy to dis-integrate the social harmony in Singapore?

Which Millionaire Minister (also cabinet Minister and hence voice of government) famously said;

“Remember your place in society before you engage in political debate…
Debate cannot (de)generate into a free-for-all, where no distinction is made between the senior and junior party…

You must make distinctions -
What is high, what is low, what is above, what is below,
and then within this, we can have a debate, we can have a discussion…
people should not take on those in authority as ‘equals”

Anonymous said...

You must make distinctions -
What is high, what is low, what is above, what is below,
and then within this, we can have a debate, we can have a discussion…
people should not take on those in authority as ‘equals”

SUCK BALLS!

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Why you people so like dat? The ministers are working so hard and things are getting better and they are all rewarded. It seems that none of you believe that things have improved huh?

Remember Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize before he even warms the Presidential seat. Now, four years down the road, you can see the world is so much more peaceful and Americans are pulling out of the Middle East, to relocate to East Asia for more peace.

Anonymous said...

The guy who put sinkies down big time has been banished , outcast now. But still drawing a nice fat pension lah , of course.

can spell George Yeo ?? PUI !!!!

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

The state, and its COLLECTIVIST APPARATCHIKS should not play any part in either segregation or integration.

Oh, BTW, there is no such thing as RACE. Just thought I'd remind those fuckers who are running the show in Singapore.

Leave INDIVIDUALS alone to CHOOSE who they will bond with and who they will avoid.

Anonymous said...

Lots of brainwashing going on, but I agree it is an exercise in futility.

They can campaign all they want, but in Singapore, campaigns do not work.

Examples of total failures are procreation, keep Singapore clean, promotng a gracious society, to name a few. Only when they resort to fines do people not litter.

Gintai_昇泰 said...

Quote
"Question is if Encik still yearns for his birthplace and always talking about his hometown food, culture, politics, lifestyle etc like what he did when I met him last Sunday, do you think those new immigrants will “integrate” easily? Is it not a pipe dream to expect foreigners to embrace our culture and lifestyle if our own Encik is not able in a sense to fully integrate?

Encik served 38 yrs in the RSAF yet his feelings and bond with his network of relatives and frens in his Penang hometown remain firm and unshakable. There are 38% of foreigners amongst us in a similar situation like our Encik. I’m talking about our Chinese Malaysian here, what about those far away lands FTs? It will be even worst! Our own original flesh and blood is always better than those adopted step-children. What do you think?"
http://gintai.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/a-brief-story-of-encik-dl/

Anonymous said...

Step child better.

Anonymous said...

Red bean, u are absolutely right. With the financial squeeze on who has time for this nonsense created by some idiots

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

It is not just the financial squeeze. Some like me would like to enjoy my time in front of the computer or doing some meditation, or spending time with nature. Why want to socialise and may even ended up with big arguments and quarrels with people that do not mean anything in my life.

Unless I am paid to do it as a job, my time is for meself to enjoy in whatever way I like.

Anonymous said...

Hi All:

integration is important, actually vital. BUT, it has to be done properly, otherwise it could be fatal.

WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT SINKIES SHOULD INTEGRATE WELL BEFORE WE INTEGRATE WITH ALIENS.

THE PAP MUST SHOW THE EXAMPLE THAT IT IS ABLE TO INTEGRATE WITH THE PEOPLE FIRST. As it is, all signs show that the PAP Cabinet is choosing to be exclusive. The Citizens on the other hand are showing more intense signs of discontent and unhappiness with them(PAP Cabinet).

Integration between our PAP Cabinet and the Citizenry has been waning over two decades. And it is getting worse by the days. Anymore stupid policy, IT WILL BE CATASTROPHIC.

patriot

patriot said...

Actually, each time our Rulers called for Sinkies to integrate with aliens, my toes get lots of laugh. The Rulers themselves are lost whence it comes to integrating themselves with the people. Yet they cant see it, feel it and do not see anything wrong with themselves.

Do they know anything about sensibility and priority? They got eyes that do not see and hearts that feel nothing???

patriot

Anonymous said...

Something very very the not right in Sg leh. Students fooked DPM, bloggers fooked almost everyone in parliament, even oppositions not spared. Sinkies all in tatters. Sinkies cannot get along themselves, how to get along with foreigners? Where got sense!

Anonymous said...

Do not know how to integrate?

Then let Sin dis-integrate lor.

Anonymous said...

The PAP has led the way in how not to integrate by the manner they have treated opposition politicians and opposition voters.

How can they have the moral authority to tell the people and talk about how to integrate?