1/13/2014

The sampan mentality

The nearly doubling of the population, the hospital bed crunch, the housing shortage, the employment problems of PMETs, the jams on the roads, the overloading of the trains, the crowds of restless foreigners on weekends, are not things that happened like the flash of lightning. They are built up day by day over a long period of time, and often with known policies and intention. All you need is a calculator, no need a computer, to tell you that all these will happen if the population keeps growing at this pace by letting in immigrants. Why is it so difficult to see these things happening? There is only one reason why all these can be missed. That reason is the sampan mentality. If one keeps thinking that one is in a sampan, one would think that there are only so many people in the sampan and no need to think too much. Everything will be manageable. The problem comes when the reality is more than a sampan. The sampan is ten times overloaded and you dunno meh? Still thinking you are in a sampan when there are more than 5m people in it and could be exceeding 6m if all the transit visitors are included you will be in trouble.
 

How many people are still stuck with this sampan mentality and going about merrily that the sampan can carry so many people without any problems?
 

If one refuses to break out from the sampan mentality and think is no problem like before, everything can be seen within arms length, how to anticipate the problems of a population that has outgrown even a cruise ship?
 

On one hand keeps thinking small but on the other hand keeps having megalomaniac dreams. The two dreams just won’t match. It is like dreaming big and thinking small. The sampan is simply too small and the problems too big.
 

Please get rid of the sampan mentality. We need an ocean going ship and the space to hold all the people and all the associated problems of a big population in a limited space. We have outgrown our sampan. Don’t believe ya?

PS. Do you know what they do in a sampan? There is always someone with a tin in his hand to scope up water creeping into the sampan and throw it out. Small problem, simple solution.

21 comments:

  1. No need for calculator or anything.
    All eyes can see oredi.

    patriot

    ReplyDelete
  2. I can think of one sampan man. He is a MP and member of GPC for health.
    He is therefore better placed to understand the nation's problem and provide solution for it.
    He reaction to the hospital bed crunch is so typical of a sampan man.
    His rationale for the bed crunch: Inconsiderate, selfish and un-filial sinkie who dump their aging parents in the hospital while they were away for the Dec holidays.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Please lah redbean. You panic too easily over nothing.

    Singapore can handle a population of 7 million quite easily, and there'll still be possibility for more.

    BTW what you call "problems" are actually "opportunities".

    ReplyDelete
  4. "Please get rid of the sampan mentality. We need an ocean going ship .... "

    redbean.
    PAPigs are already doing this ... selectively.

    When it is the welfare and well being of Singaporeans .... PAPigs use the sampan mentality for us.

    When it comes to PAPig salaries and the size of contracts awarded out to lucky contractors ... it is the ocean-going luxury cruise ship mentality.

    How does voting PAP benefit me, the individual Singaporean?
    I'm just voting for a lifetime of debt and endless bills I have to pay and pay.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Matilah, don't panic. This is my singapore news, a blog. It is not the main media. Cool it man.

    There are only you me, patriot, oldhorse and a handful of readers here reading and commenting.

    No need to exaggerate and press panic button. Go take something to bring down the blood pressure.

    ReplyDelete
  6. redbean,, you misread me, then you wilfully go on to misrepresent me.

    I am probably one of the most "chilled out" people on our wonderful island paradise. :-)

    I am having brunch and "people watching". Young folks are well dressed, laughing or buried in their Macbook Pro's updating their FaceBooks...the shops have customers, the barista is busy whipping out coffees. I see queues at the ATM's, gorgeous new cars drive by, the streets are clean....all the signs of a wealthy, successful society made up of many folks who are doing A-OK. Contrast that to say Spain where the youth unemployment rate is over 40%.

    No lah, we're doing fine. So chill out -- like me -- and enjoy all the pleasures you've earned the right to enjoy, right here in you own backyard.

    To me, you have to dig really hard to find a reason to PANIC. Obviously you have. I prefer to chill and luxuriate. Living well is the best revenge :-)

    ReplyDelete
  7. DAYUNG SAMPAN MENTALITY
    The video "Dayung Sampan" features Noraniza Idris, and He Yun (from China Hebei) playing the Erhu, a Chinese traditional instrument. "Dayung Sampan" is the Malay version of the famous Chinese tune "Tian Mi Mi" (甜蜜蜜)。This is a fresh collaboration between the Malay and Chinese culture. ENJOY.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blLI4QVRoHk

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh dear Mr Bean, you've hurt Mr Mati's feeling. Tsk, tsk,tsk.

    ReplyDelete
  9. No worry, in his mental state, nothing can hurt him.

    But I will like to remind him that the happiest person in a circus, the one that has a smile painted on his face, oblivious to anything that is wrong, is called a clown.

    Those happy people having free sex and drugs are living it up until AIDS hit them. By them there is no return.

    ReplyDelete
  10. redbean, Like I said what you consider "wrong" or "problems", others consider opportunity -- for profit of course ;-)

    If you want things to "happen", make sure there's profit motive.

    For e.g.: there is no shortage of hospital beds in the private sector, because of a clear, unapologetic profit imperative.

    Similarly for immigration: to attract the "right kind" of immigrant, send the right signals which suggest that if they come to Singapore, they will benefit tremendously. Oh wait...that's already being done, and it is working marvellously.

    Got incentive and profit opportunity?

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  11. I detect a big-population policy apologist in these pages Mr Bean.

    ReplyDelete
  12. @1144:

    If you are referring to me, I am definitely not a "big population apologist".

    I am a big (and even bigger) population ADVOCATE. Note the difference ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  13. He is entitled to his opinion. As a person without a country, he would mind if this island sinks as long as it fits his self interest while he is alive here.

    His premises in life are one that has no tomorrow. He lives for today. Many of you have families and children and need to look further ahead. He is only looking at the tip of his nose, no further.

    That's why he talks his nonsense as his truth.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Chay bah. Redbean is misrepresenting me again.

    He often resorts to lies when he runs out of "ammo".

    Quote for The Day:

    >> ...[S]inkies are spoilt and lazy and deserve whatever misfortune that may befall them. SOURCE

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  15. knn ...

    WHO YOU VOTED FOR???

    knnccb .... papigs, may your desendants reap the fruits of your devious actions

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hell hath no fury like a delusional person scorned.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I have consistently attempted to persuade people NOT TO VOTE..

    IMO, you are bloody fool if you think that "govt can solve problems". The usual case is Govt IS THE CAUSE of problems -- and those "problems" then become "opportunities" for people who are quick and cunning, and have resources and courage to play the "short side" :-)

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  18. Agree. High property prices, high medical fees, high insurance fees, high foreigner workers and immigrants, all opportunities for some people to make a fortune from the sheeples.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hell hath no fury like a delusional person scorned.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Now the ALDI in Oz (a country with a high minimum wage) are selling groceries much cheaper than NTUC. The gov here are run by a bunch of crooks, cons, criminals but it will not be long. A wolf will show its tail eventually. A crisis will befall in this island soon.

    ReplyDelete
  21. "The Sheeple Get The Government, The Cuntry and The Experience They Deserve."

    - Only in the last election did most people have a chance to vote. The ISA and walk over scheme cripple the country for many years.

    ReplyDelete