1/27/2015

Han Fook Kwang tantalising tales of dark secrets

Last Saturday Han Fook Kwang wrote a story of a small town called Omelas and the dark secret in the basement. A poor child was locked in there, living in abject misery. Everyone in the town knew of this shameful secret. Some pretended that it was not there, some could not live with the ugly truth and left town. No one in the town of Omelas talked about the dark secret in the basement, but everyone was talking about it without saying anything. The dark secret was no secret. It was common knowledge. Who was there to tell?

Han Fook Kwang made it more direct by talking about Singapore and its dark secrets in the basement. He told, all three of them, but nothing nearer the truth. He said so much, in a whole article but said nothing. This is nothing different from the Gang of Four saga in China when the comrades would shout ‘Gang of Four’ but showed a high 5, all 5 fingers wide open.

Perhaps this is the closest that the dark secrets in the basement could be told. Perhaps this is a good way of acknowledging that there are dark secrets in the basement, better than denying their existence. Perhaps when asked, all the wise ones, rich ones, successful ones, and the losers, would say yes, yes, there is no dark secrets in our basement, but keep shaking their heads from left to right.

Singaporeans are so intelligent, from the top to the bottom, to skirt around the secrets in the basement and live life as normal as they could, and live life to the fullest or to the darnest, without spilling the beans. Some left and become quitters to be replaced by new quitters that would eventually come to know of the dark secrets, but be very Singaporeans, knowing and not knowing. Bipolar is a good sickness to have, just like dementia, and not knowing or talking about the dark secrets is a blessing and a formula for success and living well.

I too did not know that there are dark secrets until this story of Omelas. Is Omelas supposed to be a code for something that we are supposed to know? Does it stand for One Man, One Mentor, or Old Man’s everlasting something, something, something? Or should it be written backwards like Salemo? Can anyone break the code or write another book about The Omelas or Salemo Code?

6 comments:

  1. HFK listed 3 :

    1) The lowest wage workers <$1000
    2) The cheap foreign labor
    3) The past political outcasts

    I would add few more:

    4) The LGBT
    5) The single parents
    6) The PMETs >40-55s group

    When all the omelas accepted the trade off, more will be added to the list. Soon, it will be there remainder/rest of native Singaporeans who opposed to the Ruling party - PAP who wish for status quo. " When they come for me, there's no one else left to fight for me". And yes, you will also be traded off.

    Make no mistake, the PM LHL is a key driver and supporter of One Asean Market. i.e. the equivalent of one EU where free trade, movement of labor will take place by 2030 as MY Najib alluded to. You just have to take a look at what happens to EU to know the onslaught of "free talent movement" will only exacerbate (for us and our children).

    As New Zealand ex-PM Helen Clark said = the problem movements like these have is stickability. The challenge is for them to build structures that are ongoing; to sustain these new voices.”
    So what is the solution to having the new voices being sufficiently recognised to actually change the status quo into one where those with power realise they do matter?

    Clarke said: “Solutions are there. What’s been lacking is political will. Politicians do not respond to those who don’t have a voice In the end this is all about redistributing income and power.”

    Then look around with eyes open. Do they provide or crush the system that give sustainability to the voices? What did Chan Chun Sing said about fighting every corner to quell the noises? What happens to assembly and our civil rights? We have any? Alex Au, Roy & CSJ are all apt examples today.

    We ARE the Omelas in the making.

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  2. Please lah uncle....there are no "dark secrets" in Singapore. Everone knows what the fuck is going on. The reason everyday is sama-sama is because no one wants to rock the sampan enough to wake up the peoples' ideas.

    Singaporeans essentially have accepted their fate. Politically, The Benign Dictatorship is a fait accompli. You can count on dynastic rule.

    Begrudgingly, people are ok with this. Sometimes they lament about "democracy" like the Scandinavians, or Canadians or Aussies...and then they go to Orchard Road to shop and Katong-Geylang to makan...and everything is ok. Nevermind lah....Benign Dictatorship ok lah....I went shopping and makan, Chinese New Year coming, buy new Mercedes lah, new Rolex. Huat ah!

    So stop exaggerating, and call out those fuckers lah: no dark secrets here. The real situation is that people just don't give a fuck....and why should they....afterall, The Benign Dictatorship will look after the nation.

    Go shopping and makan lah. Relac.

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  3. @ 10.22am.
    I agree with you.

    Singaporeans are currently the Omelas the PAPigs are targeting.
    We better get smart and vote opposition.

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  4. Hokkien says Wu Kong MaChiam Boh Kong.

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  5. There are only open secrets in Singapore..its only one generation ago when underwear were called unmentionables and people with long hair were served last..don't think we'll need to wait one generation for the beans to be spilled..cracks are already showing.

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  6. There are ways that people can do to improve (but not change) the situation:
    (1) be careful who they give power to
    (2) try to migrate
    (3) do both

    but they can only improve (at most) and not change the situation. the rich will still get richer and the rest will get debts.

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