3/01/2007

myth 119

Lower income group developing crutch mentality? Is it? In the land when nothing is for free, there is no free lunch, welfare state is taboo, when have our lower income group been depending on welfare and developed such a mentality? The Singaporean poor are the most independent and resilient part of our society. They either depend on themselves with pride, or if not possible, land themselves on the MRT track. It is those that earn millions that are developing a crutch mentality. To these millionaire employees, if they miss an increment in a year, they will suffer withdrawal system, they will become inefficient, refuse to work, they may go berserk. How can it be that they are not entitled to a well deserving increment cum huge bonus? How can they live without an increment? They would have trouble making ends meet. They will suffer a decline in their lifestyle, in the quality of life. Now that is the new crutch mentality developing in Singapore. A crutch mentality can only devlop over a long time of receiving goodies.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

A welfare mentality is a really bad thing. It will be the cause of Matilah Singapura!

You are right—when people speak of "welfare" their dumb social conditioning, fostered by an inadequate state-controlled education system immediately makes them go all "guilty" and ga-gah about "helping the poor".

But The State attempts to be all things to all people, and it does so by showering everyone with its so-called "benevolence".

An extreme case of "welfare for the rich" can be seen in the USA, and I leave it to the reader to find parallels in the S'pore context.

The US govt have mechanisms which help the "poor rich people"—they have trade protection and anti-trust legislation to screw competitors; they have military expansion to give business to the weapons and arms manufacturers, they have tax cuts for the richest people, and international trade missions to help the poor struggling US multi-nationals get more business overseas.

If you are really Big Business in the US, you can go bankrupt and still be trading under Chapter 11, however if you are small, you have no chance.

If you are a US bank or mortgage lender, you can lend more money than you have because you are fully protected by INSURANCE, courtesy of the US govt, funded by the taxpayer.

The middle-class are the ones that get properly screwed by govts who hand out welfare to the rich and poor of society. The middle-class get piecemeal handouts like free education, subsidised healthcare and housing, so even they are caught up in the welfare trap.

No modern govt can ever get elected into power unless they offer some sort of "welfare" to the different economic classes of voters.

As soon as you have A State, everyone has their hand thrust outwards to see what they can get for supporting the govt with their vote.

A welfare mentality removes personal responsibility from life's equation all together.

Thus, the people get the govt they deserve, and eventually the country they deserve.