3/03/2010
Myth 216 - The Rajaratnam Myth
In a main article in the Editorial section of the ST today, Kishore Mahbubani wrote an article in praise of S Rajaratnam, one of the key founding fathers of modern Singapore. He lamented at the lack of interest and knowledge of this pioneering leader of our country, or city.
In honour of Rajaratnam's great contributions to the city or country, Kishore suggested that we should create more myths around this man for posterity and our history. I will not disagree with him for wanting to honour our great leaders of the past and to remember them fondly for the good things they did. But why myth, a word that he agrees, connotes very negative feelings and meaning. The Myths of Rajaratnam! Down the road we may even create the Myths of Goh Keng Swee and the Myths of Lee Kuan Yew.
I want to protest and disagree with him on the word myth. Kishore is a great artist in the use of words. But I would rather Kishore choose the word legend instead. Legends may also not be true and can be created, dressed up, but the feelings are more praiseworthy and positive. The Legends of Davy Crockett, the Legends of Huang Fei Hong, the Legends of Rajaratnam, the Legends of Goh Keng Swee, the Legends of Lee Kuan Yew!
Sound better right? The Myths of Rajaratnam! Sounds awful to me.
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10 comments:
I didn't read the article but why myths?
Why not truths? Too many myths, after some time, people may just lose trust....
We want to create myths like the Americans. Slave owners fathering slave offsprings, not children, and still respectable and honoured. Of course the blacks will think otherwise.
This is my two cents worth.
Legends are only reserved for those whose exploits are larger than life.
Myths are for anything but legends.
Hehe.
I can't imagine what will happen if the ST splashes across its front page, The Myths of LKY!
I'm sure it's circulation will suddenly increase... at least for that day.
Oops - I meant "its".
Must try to minimise the risk of my English going down the drain as well....
I agree. Why myths?
Myths mean imaginary, fictitious or impossible.
Oh no, they will never, ever by any stretch of the imagination, dare to call the exploits of LKY as mere myths.
To make him more immortal than other immortals, all others have to be delegated to myths, I suppose. None existent entity to be precise.
Kish*** is nothing but a ball-licking public intellectual and sychophant of the state. He is a first-class opportunist intent to distort reality and present a view which creates "credibility" to a govt which needs dissent rather more than manufactured praise and opinion to bolster its "purpose".
They, including Kishore were and will be all myths.
Which one of them is not ?
Names will be remembered, it's just a question of for fond memories or for cursing, that's all.
What's the big deal ?
I think Kishore meant well. But the choice of word is bad.
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