It takes about 13 hours to be in London, or if one drives, about 5 hours to be in KL. This woman and her two teenage daughters took more than a day to walk from Yishun to Tampines. They took a break in Chai Chee at night, sleeping in the void deck, and prepared to walk another 6km to Tampines.
She had recently gone through a divorce and has no place to stay. They were walking to seek help from a relative living in Tampines. And with all their personal belongings they dragged themselves, on foot to Tampines.
They could not even afford the really affordable public transport that Singaporeans are all shouting cheap, cheap, cheap. Or they were trying to save every dollar, perhaps for their meals. Or did they have their meals at all?
In super rich city state of Singapore, there will be those not too clever and maybe like some said, irresponsible and messed up their own lives for not knowing how to take advantage of the pro business culture and system, to grow rich. Some of these successful jokers think that everyone is born the same, with the same opportunities, with parents that are rich and influential, or with a good brain, to earn millions and drive around in Ferraris.
No, in life, not everyone is dealt the same hand of cards. Some may be even have very good DNAs, but the circumstances made it difficult to find a way out of the shit they are in. Some are just too unfortunate to be given a bad hand of DNAs and just simply stand no choice at all. To the uncaring and elitist mindset, these losers have only themselves to blame, for being lazy, stupid and not wanting to work. There are plenty of jobs available.
Life is not always kind to everyone. For those who are better blessed, they can afford to be unkind to those that are not too blessed. It is their good fortune. Enjoy while they can. Spit at the downtrodden, lazy and useless buggers who could not make it, and enjoy that sense of achievements.
I do not know the fate of the mother and daughters. One MP, Tan Chuan Jin, had offered help and was walking with them part of the journey. But the poor too have dignity and pride. They refused all help. It was said that finally they took a ride from a police car.
Life can be tragic and pathetic even in a land of millionaires and roads paved with gold. And to some, their only means of transportation is their pair of legs. This is real! The public transportations may be cheap for the cheapos, but not cheap enough for a few laggards.
Sometimes, walking is therapeutic. Why reach your destination of misery so soon?
ReplyDeleteRedbean;
ReplyDeleteYou make tis glooomy CNY even more terrible.
Was telling some frens tat Singapore Chinese have forgotten there is a seasonal festival known as CHINESE NEW YEAR OR LUNAR NEW YEAR. When Xmas was month away, the retail service everywhere in Sin had their staff donned on a red color headgears with a white ball at the end as though snow had fallen on them. The mostly non-xtians people in Sin was big with xmas. Xmas trees and xmas paraphernalia were all over shopping centres, wet markets and food courts. It was as though we were in Jerusalem.
Now, it is only days away from CNY and many Chinese either do not have the mood to celebrate or lack the means to celebrate.
What is happening???
This is really one of those exceptional cases. Chinatown is bustling every night. See if I could find time to take a few shots of the scene there.
ReplyDeleteChinatown(niu che sui) is swamped
ReplyDeleteby Chinese from China lah.
The locals shop at Shengsiong, Giant, NTUC Supermarket and wet markets lah.
Most people I know have seen hard times. However in a place like Singapore, had times need not be permanent. Unless you're crazy enough to choose a life of permanent hardship.
ReplyDeleteThere's always something you can do to improve your lot. Redbean writes with so much pathos he comes across as insincere
P. S.
ReplyDeleteIf you care about your life enough to act in your own SELF INTEREST, then you are wisely, and rationally selfish. How much you are 'selfish' will be reflected in your life overall.
Even Catherine Lim (who looks great for 70) agrees.
When everyone is making millions, and this kind of thing happened, it is very disturbing.
ReplyDeleteThe woman and her daughters were probably faking it. So much for sincerity.
You have this elitist leaning inside you. There are people who just cannot help themselves even when they look normal. Call them lazy or whatever, some just cannot pick themselves up.
ReplyDeleteYa, get out of my elite uncaring face. Not that I am trying to care for them. I am just stating facts.
I don't think "everybody" is making millions lah.
ReplyDeleteI think most people are doing ok, comme ci comme ca. And then are the extremes: people doing fabulously, and those who are really struggling.
I've always made the point that there are a class of Singaporeans who are reactionary, and far too emotional for sven their own good. Everything they perceive whi h doesn't accord with their INFLEXIBLE world view immediately becomes a "problem", and the cause is always the usual suspects: the human evils of greed and corruption.
Such shallow sad motherfuckers. I don't know whether to recommend hugging them, or killing them ;-)
Yes, I most definitely am proudly, uniquely and unswervingly elitist. And in my book (the only book which matters) that's a good thing
ReplyDeleteYeah, ediot like to play with 70 yr old longkang
ReplyDeleteI had to work after my N levels and have never went back to school since ..
ReplyDeletei still remember in the late 80's i had to walk to work everyday for the first month from tanglin halt to orchard road to work as a waiter in a pub for 550 a month. lucky for me it was pleasant 45 mins walk
surviving on 2 dollars a day ... every morning i would go to the Bee Hoon stall and tabao $2 worth of noddles and maybe with an egg or luncheon meat. The auntie knowing my plight after a few days will always pack the bee hoon to the brim and throw in the egg for free .... that was my 2 meals a day
The manager at the Pub sensing something amiss, why i did not join them for breaks, chance upon me eating my half packet of day old bee hoon in a corner
So after every break when he came back he always packet me a Big Meat Bao
Even when i insisted i m not hungry and offered to pay him back when i got my pay ... he just said when you have money just remember to pay it forward or treat him some other time ...
I m still grateful for these small mercy shown to me by the manager and auntie
and all the other kind PPL i have not mentioned ... who took me in or taught me life's ethics
The internet is my library now and i m continuing my education after my N level
I refused to let our elites of our country turn us into
self-interested/centered Randian heroes ....
call me a sucker or romantic but i still believe in what Mencius said
"The Concept of Man in Chinese Thought" by Chan Wing-tsit:
"There is more oratory than logic in Mencius' utterances, but his position is perfectly clear. It is that man's nature is originally good. To support his own position, he pointed to the fact that 'When men suddenly see a child about to fall into a well, they all have the feeling of alarm and distress, not in order to gain friendship with the child's parents, nor to seek the praise of their neighbours and friends, nor because they dislike the reputation (for being unvirtuous).' From this he concluded that 'a man without the feeling of mercy is not a man; a man without the feeling of deference and complaisance is not a man, and a man without the feeling of right and wrong is not a man. The feeling of commiseration is the beginning of the feeling of love; the feeling of shame and dislike is the beginning of righteousness; the feeling of deference and complaisance is the beginning of wisdom. Men have these four beginnings just as they have four limbs.' 'These four, love, righteousness, propriety and wisdom,' he added, 'are not drilled into us from ourside. We are originally provided with them.'
Your Humble Bengster
PS
We are all ideologues, slaves to our beliefs
I just rather be a serf to a kinder and compassionate system
This is really sad. But what is sadder is the fact that the elites are totally blind to such issues and will tell you that "oh, they can take the bus, taxi or MRT. Is just that they choose not to". And some elite can be so heartless to say that "oh, are you sure? There's no poor people in Sinkapore, is whether they choose to be so". This is the most disgusting thing ever!
ReplyDeleteDear RB and Anon @8:52 PM
ReplyDeleteThank you ... sorry if my england not powderful LOL
Its PPL like you guys or gals that gives me hope and the past mercy shown to me
Funny thing is i m forever grateful for the kindness shown to me and it has strengthen me since age 16 .... those acts of kindness has taught me well
I know just how the lady felt,as we don't feel poor or stupid ...
Coming from a very dysfunctional family, even then i did not lament my lot as i still had a rental flat to go back too!
All i hope is for our country is to show some small acts of kindness to all PPL
even to the foreigners .... I should know cause i m a recipient of it :)
IT WILL SPARK our innate goodness in the giver and the receiver .... all we want is to survive but our elites are just too Randian and have forgotten their socialist roots .... a little kindness goes a long way!
As much as i disagree with Ayn Rand's self interest Ideals ....
i leave you with one of her quotes which also is one off my favorite
Who are the Minorities?
"The smallest minority on earth is yourself"
But my take is different from MSM Randian thinking ....
If i can't even stand up for my own rights? what chance do i have to fight for the rights for my fellow man!?
This is a very stark waring from a very self centered vengeful woman and we ignored it at our own peril
Bengster
PS
Sorry RB for posting links again, if anyone is interested see below. it might make more sense, why our elites think they are all Randian Heroes
Adam Curtis is a documentary film maker, a prophet in geopolitics ... he can connect the dots where no one can see a connection
His work includes The Power of Nightmares, The Century of the Self, The Trap The Mayfair Set, Pandora’s Box and also
All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace on how Randian philosophy is affecting this world ... Watch with caution and take it with a pinch of slat ;)
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/all-watched-over-by-machines-of-loving-grace/
I grew up in the 70's reading Ayn Rand.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I did
@Matilah
ReplyDeleteIt shows very clearly .... just like our elites are also portraying their Randian Heroics ....
Somehow when i read your interesting criticism i always find it vaguely familiar "rational self-interest or the virtue of selfishness"?
The Logic is very seducing but having been a recipient of compassion and moved by Mencius ideology .... i cannot take it laying down ....
The Cult of Rand is still a infant compared to Taoism ...
May the better ideologues win
But ....The Cults of Rand has gotten the better of humanity for the last 5000 years ! this much i concur ....
At least the Bitch is fucking Honest! Huh... Matilah??
Bengster
Maybe Matilah_Singapura is a very generous man, who knows? Just tat the recipients of his kindness are selected ones that need hardly labour to have his attention. His must be a different kettle of fish!
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking the bait. I said I read Rand, and was glad for doing so. I never said I agreed with everything she wrote ;-). Nor am I a foolish "cultster", as that would make me a COLLECTIVIST -- the complete opposite of an independent, rationally selfish, egoistic individual.
ReplyDeleteThe PAP are definitely NOT Randian. They are authoritative collectivists. The CHICAGO SCHOOL of economics are definitely NOT Randian. They are Keynesians dressed up as free marketeers. Just like other bastards, they steal good ideas from good people and use those pure ideas to do harm.
Ayn Rand is universally misunderstood, which IMO contribute to her "bad rep" among her detractors. Then there those who follow her SLAVISHLY and won't stand for any criticism of her person or her philosophy of Objectivism.
I didn't just read Rand in school. I read her again in the 1990's, and again in 2001-3. All her stuff, including her interviews, satire on her, the work of other objectivists like Branden, Peikoff, Hull, Binswanger, Reisman; and criticism from ex-objectivists and especially libertarians. I joined forums and debated objectivists and non-objectivists. I got any film and audio records of her.
Suffice it to say, I have the "street cred" to mount a decent attack for or against her ideas. In fact, there might be rumblings in me of a book entitled : "I like Ayn Rand, but she was wrong", sub text of title — "what objectivist cultists would never admit as long as they draw breath. "
I reckon that would sell, and would piss off lots of people. And get me more fan mail, and hate mail :-)