1/05/2007
would sheepish singaporeans be anti social?
Over the last few days there were several comments in the MSM and Cyberspace about Singaporeans getting irritated with anti social behaviours like smoking in non smoking areas or queue jumping. Many were advocating taking actions into their own hands, to tell off the offenders.
These are calls for actions, to take ownership and responsibility for anti social behaviours in the public by the people. It is a move in the right direction. Singaporeans should stand up and feel that this is their country and they jointly own this place. Only when Singaporeans feel that this is their home and not a hotel that they will think it is necessary to take care fo the place.
And many of the offenders are not really Singaporeans but guests, ie foreigners. Given the general comment that Singaporeans are meek, do not want to get into unpleasant situations, wanting to save face and avoid trouble, it is unlikely that they would want to adopt anti social behaviours to draw attention to themselves.
The exception is the younger groups of Singaporeans, the adolescence trying to grow up. This group may be a little rowdy and less restraint.
A Carmen Teoh-Tang wrote to admit sheepishly that she was told off in foreign countries for not giving her seat to the elderly. It would be good if Singaporeans too would do that to anyone, including foreigners. What could have happened was that she was a stranger in a foreign land where the foreigners few brashed enough to tell the diminutive little Asian girl off in their land. It could be a kind of xenophobic bullying taking the face of social grace.
We should not bully anyone who lacked social graces, local or foreigners. But more Singaporeans should speak out to make this place of ours a more sociable and hospitable place to live in.
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6 comments:
Queue jumping is a favorite hobby of Singaporeans, especially by the younger ones. Today at Bras Basah Complex I witness a youngster at Art Friend with a basket full of stationery jumping queue. When an older lady told him to join the queue which was only 4-person long, he refused and sort of pushed the lady aside saying that he was with a friend was has just paid for her purchases. I was behind the lady so I told the boy he should join the queue and be polite to the lady. He did not care what I said and argued that he should be served first. Well, the checkout girl behind the counter ignored him, served the lady first and then me.
Such insolence should not be tolerated. I am afraid such arrogance and bad manners is on the increase. It is going to get worse. God help Singapore in 10 or 20 years from now.
the young today, esp those that are care for by the maids, need to be minded and placed under watchful eyes or they will turn out as spoiltbrats.
but we must be very conscious of the fact that many are foreigners displaying their native traits at their best. i have seen many in trains, young men, distinctly foreign, rushing for empty seats from uncles and aunties. then the loud speaking types who are used to speaking in open fields and didn't realise that they are speaking inside the confines of a train cubicle.
There are some Singaporeans who behave worse than those from foreign countries. You are right, I have noticed spoilt brats who behave like little emperors, treating their maids like garbage.
God help us when they grow up to be Singaporeans without compassion.
just sharing my view,no intention of offend anyone,no prejudice nor bais .(i born n grow up here,my family is here)a real singaporean...i use to play golee,layang,kasing,catch longkaw fish,play liam liam leg,chata..so don doubt me or u 1 more.....lol.
From my experience, singaporean is most not likeable ppls. on earth... again, if u look n study carefully it not wrong.. just our kind of culture.(a new culture being develope).i use to sit back n think hard..........
yes, i m no angle as well.....hahahaha...i need to melt into their class.Is tis a good excuse???
worst yet to come,circumstances push me to be hypocrip..i set doubvle standard to my two kids,try to make them belived matter dat i totally disagree..(not easy being a parent)
During all tis year of driving, i learnt that "being humble"is an up-hill task for most ppls.....not to mention about our young generation,moreover,they been to uni........
OOOooo....no, getting late now need to rush to collect my taxi.....continue again when less busy....good luck,, my 2 cent wor. it would be very painful if u try to change the situation to suit u...better change u mind set.....just my frank and honest tot..(inspired by redbean..)
What are the causes of all these problems.Think,think hard penetrating thought,u will eventually get it.Can be solved.But to solve it, someone will be hurt
we shall only bring in the rich and famous and the very talented into our shores, and let them choose whether they want to be citizens or prs. we can even create an honorary citizenship for these beloved and rare species of the human race. treat them well, very well.
and since we are treating prs as locals, when there is hardly any difference, just keep them as prs. we only want the numbers or headcounts.
make citizenship expensive and a rare commodity for the well deserving. as the marketeers would have told you, a good pair of shoes or jeans will be just as good. but why would one sell better than the other? by making it expensive and exclusive.
when citizenship is thrown around like peanuts, it gets cheapen, or people become suspicious that it is something that may not be so desirable. may be it is so.
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