12/29/2008
National pride versus national honour
Watching the football match between Vietnam and Thailand was like watching two nations battling for honour and national pride, and not just for money or for personal glory. These are the simple things in countries that are still 'backward' and not ruled by money. The people will do anything to defend the honour of their countries without asking how much is in it for them. There are money involved for sure. But they will not trade national honour for money in such a game.
Sometimes for sophisticated and modern countries like ours, we tend to sneer at their simplicity. We may even find it amusing for them to be sweating their guts out just for some national glory but not for the millions which they could demand in view of their talents.
These talented players should join the commercial leagues where all the monies are and their talents be duly rewarded. The rich countries will be most willing to pay for their talents to play, to win or lose depending the the bets on the table.
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3 comments:
I was at the second leg match between Vietnam and Singapore at the National stadium couple of sundays ago. When the national anthems were played, there were many Singaporeans in the crowd who refused to stand for the Vietnamese anthem. There was one family who sat in front of me eating and drinking through the Vietnamese anthem but when the Singapore anthem started they all stood up and placed their right hands on their chests. I thought that was rather rude of them to show such disrespect for others anthem. Also, throughout the match there were shouts of foul languages against the vietnamese team. I had my wife and my daughter-in-law with me and I was utterly embarassed by the foul language from the Singaporean supporters. Thank God I am not a Singaporean or I would have died of shame. Shame on you to those Singaporeans who were there and who showed such disrespect and the foul languages. I thought Singapore is entering the first world country arena. After that night I came to the conclusion that you are a long long way off. Maybe in another 50 years time.
soon they will also become "sophisticated and modern countries like ours" (snob) ha ha ha, meanwhile prepare to be hungry to remind us of our old ways or simple way...ha ha ha
glad you can laugh: )
oh, for those singaporeans who did not stand, just flash a $100 bill in front of them and they will surely stand. they will react to the money stimulus like the Pavlov experiment.
you are right that we are very far off from being a refined people. in a way we have plateaued and probably sliding downwards to behave instinctively than to behave as a people of letters.
we have progressed to another plane of existence when all the old niceties and virtues are only for the sentimentals. we are just too pragmatic. and that is the gist of my post.
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