I live in a kampong along Tampines Road, Defu area, before its redevelopment in the 1970s. At night we never have to lock our doors, never ever. Of course, everyone was poor, there were no outsiders daring to venture into that area at night to steal. The dogs will chase and tear them apart. Dogs were of course easily taken care of later on by innovative thieves, those whose intention was to break in and steal. But then, we are talking about an era of no 'foreign talents' in Singapore. Now everyone is said to be rich, except me, LOL. Our HDB are worth a fortune, that is before it reaches 99 years, and foreigners are envy of Singaporeans.
Kampong living means lots of interaction between households, people and children especially. Those days were more or less more carefree without the do or die in our education system and parents have little care about putting children in a good school. Every school was alike, except a few of the elite schools that the elites send their kids to.
Sure, people do not have much to yearn for like the latest handphones, iPad, computers, cars, credit cards, travelling and gorging in those days. Food became not as a necessity but a splurge. With that came all the sickness associated with overeating, when fast food came fast and furious.
Of course everyone wants the best of everything, but there is always a price to be paid for progress or be left behind just being contented with the status quo. Now, the whole world is fighting climate change, with all the plastics generated, the trees cut down, the pollution generated by Internal Combustion Engines and factories producing more and more goods for consumption. What does the future hold with all these problems arising today? Not for most of us to see obviously.
Anonymous
2 comments:
Good morning All
Yes right Anon well said in your post.
Ours also in our prewar old houses of one hundred and one share tenants also though NOT in comforts held memorable memories.
Neighbourhoods that knew one another.
When Festival Seasons wow real joys and festivities unlike today's mundane and dead celebrations in HDB Pigeon Holes.
Our. Neighbourhood Mafia Gangsters knew one and all and protected us from any strange outsiders and chow ang mohs and the influx of Farangs who dared to bully us now.
Pity our children who grew up like Zombies NOT enjoying these great memories of ours
Cheers
Life is getting more and more complicated. More and more difficult, especially for those not at the top of the food chain. But it is the same worldwide, in the USA, Japan, South Korea.
Ironically, only in those less developed countries like Bhutan and Tibet for example have the people found real happiness despite being poor. Of course, the West will never believe in that and have to edit them out of the happiness index, when they lost the happiness crown. But the truth does not lie, and they want to lie about the truth by slight of the pen.
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