Visual deficiencies

29th December 2007
Sunday
Visual deficiencies

No, this post is not about any irregular physical conditions. This post is about the tendency of local citizens, namely Singaporeans, to focus more on less than important issues rather than pressing issues that require immediate attention.

Starting off with the festivities. As I mentioned before in many of my posts, celebrating festivities are simply a way of increasing our gross domestic product. Sure, a strong economy is essential for further growth in all other sectors. But money is not everything.

With every festival, energy and raw materials are spent on electricity, decoration and packaging of products. The scale of the celebration of each festival increases every year. With all these materials being depleted at such an increasing rate, it is not surprising that oil prices are steadily on the rise.

Singaporeans have a tendency of ignoring global issues and instead focusing on trivial matters. As seen from STOMP (Straits Times Online Mobile Print), supposedly a lively forum to discuss weighty national issues or latest gossips, people are more interested in which hot babe has the nicest legs, or why ladies spend a long time in the washroom. Sure, it is a friendly and lively discussion. Of unimportant matters, that is.

While people are discussing and coming up with solutions for global issues, our fellow Singaporeans are going gaga over 5 year old children singing canto-pop songs.

It really is not about everyone engaging in discussions over trade agreements, or human rights. It is simply about how people can be making a big fuss over a bus captain wasting 20 mins of the passengers time to confront a teenager who failed to pay the bus fare. Or how a crowded situation at Orchard Road

Is this really the image we will have projected as Singaporeans? In the blog posts of some of our distant cousins in China, we are already being referred to as a third world country. Which is pretty ridiculous since the judgement is based on our mainstream usage of English with local slangs, commonly known as 'Singlish'.

And as usual, one simple statement let slip in a hate blog post targeted at Singaporean blogger Xiaxue, has caused a big hoohah on the net. Personally I have received at least four requests for me to read that entry. And more blogs rebutting that one single statement which was most probably written in spite.

It is ridiculous that people can be so fiercely loyal and yet not giving half a damn about the future of the country. Oh, and not to mention about caring for their fellows.

I stereotype.