8/23/2009
What we told the children
We teach and tell the children many things and many good values, don't cheat, be honest, be kind, be helpful, be caring to others, etc etc. These are values that the children take seriously and many would live by them as they turn into adults.
As they grow older, we teach them more, serve the people and country, be prepared to fight and die for your country, honour, integrity and loyalty. But do we believe that they will live by them as adults? Or these are just values that are good to have, good to believe or aspire to, and that's about as far as we believe in them?
In the world of the adults, the good values may be the same. But they are moderated by pragmatism. Be real. The adult world is not a world of make beliefs. It is a world where idealism is only idealism. It is all about what is in it for me. If there is nothing for me, forget it. Just enjoy the goodness of the meaning. It is better to be practical, pragmatic and live with a new set of values that will enhance one's self worth, material wellbeing and all the other trappings of being successful. Let the children and losers believe in all the goodness of things like honesty, loyalty, honour, integrity, fairness etc etc.
Now I can understand why some people feel so disappointed about the national pledge. The more they believe in it, the greater is their disappointment, and the greater they feel like being a sucker. It is just another good to have, good to believe value. Not to be true, not to be real, not achieveable. Just an aspiration.
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14 comments:
You said it, let the children(teach them the truth of an ideal that is different from reality) and losers ( I might be one ,why so disillusioned)believe in all the goodness of things like honesty, loyalty, honour, integrity, fairness etc etc.
The only thing I have worth telling the kids is: "beware of adults. Most of them are losers and will try to tell you that what they say is the truth".
What will the kids say when they become adults?
"It is all about what is in it for me."
Interesting that you should portray adults with what is commonly attributed to the younger "me,me,me" generation.
is the Singapore pledge still deserved to be known as a "pledge" if all it is, is a highfalutin aspiration? Maybe they shd rename it Singapore Aspiration and change the first line to "We, the citizens of singapore, aspire ourselves to be one united nation..."
I might add that losers whine, winners laugh all the way to the bank. The truth as preached is stranger than fiction. Hehe.
what if it was an opposition politician who called the national pledge a high faluting?
For me, I found the miracle of Apathy...
It is highfaluting to think of nationhood for this fragile tiny country called SIN.
The Rulers and the Citizenry is practically having the greatest cold war that ever happened.
Sad, disappointing and hopeless.
patriot
Echoing Wally:
Yes folks, hard to believe but true — self interest rules our species.
And beware of those who preach "selflessness" and complain that people are "selfish" — these self-righteous folks are dangerous because under the surface they are the most corrupt, jealous (of other's success), and self-centered (in a neurotic way).
They are also control-freaks who thankfully for the most part don't have any power mainly because they don't have the gut, balls or intellect to prevail. But if so happens they get "lucky" and get power — WATCH OUT! They will be on a "mission" to make sure you are changed from your "evil" ways to their "good" ways — for your own good, of course.
If you read works such as Ludwig von Mises "The Anti-Capitalistic Mentality", you might understand a little better why some people are jealous of other people success or get "offended" because someone else has more "freedom" than those in self-imposed victimhood do.
Just to be clear to those assholes who will try to attack me: I'm not referring to the small minority of people who are in the shot because of circumstances beyond their control — like genetics or biological factors or just plain old-fashioned bad luck. My arrows and barbs are directed at those who should know better, but instead choose to use "guilt" and "morality" into conning "others" that they should be "selfless" or adhere to rules, edicts and philosophies from the glorious self-righteous LOSERS.
Everyone has the right to do whatever they please as long as they don't physically disturb others.
Children take note. When you are in the care of adults who are responsible for you, you should yield to their temporary authority and keep asking questions on stuff you don't understand.
And remember you won't be kids forever. Pay attention. One day you'll be adults too, and you can then re-visit the way you were treated and the stuff which was told to you as children. You can then decide how those adults were behaving by having a rational adult look at how they treated you when you were essentially powerless and in their care.
Then you can seek to reward or punish as you wish. Revenge is a beautiful thing when it is just: Revenge is a dish best savored cold and without reflection.
unfortunately when the kids grow up and know the meaning of treachery and how rewarding it can be, they will play the same game as well.
go look at all the little angels in the kindergartens singing nursery rhymes. many will turn out as cheats, murderers, rapists, just name it and you have it. that's life.
redbean commits yet another fallacy:
> many will turn out as cheats, murderers, rapists, <
MANY ??!?? How many exactly? Or did you just anyhow hantam a nondescript weasel word "many".
So you have a crystal ball which allows you to look into the future. If that is the case why not charge them now or remove them from society ala "Minority Report"?
More on weasel words
...and redbean hatam gaskak buta once again:
> just name it and you have it. that's life. <
Wow! Just simply "name it" and by magic it appears, and that apparently is "life"
aiyo matilah, you mean that is all the faults you can find in my post? if i will to tear it down, i will have at least 10 reasons to tear it down. but that is not my job.
you need to think harder: )
i am sure you can do better.
redbean adopts an "encouraging" tone:
> i am sure you can do better. <
I acknowledge your faith in my abilities, and I agree with you. However it wouldn't be much point. Now if it were someone else, perhaps maybe...
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