Are Singaporeans pathetic?
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In this, i cannot blame the ONE person.Originally posted by ShutterBug:You know, let me ask you; WHO brought up Singapore and its people?
This is where the wheat are separated from the chauff.
We allowed ourselves to be spoon-fed literally.
We readily indulged in such typically 'ugly' behaviour without a shred of remorse or embarrassment.
We succumbed to a rat race where money and a calculative lifestyle engulfed us, where every dollar must be returned with equal value, where giving up a seat to the needy is no longer 2nd nature, when leaving your filthy food trays after a meal have become the normal habit.
There comes a time when one has to take responsibility for one's ugly actions.
And in this particular case, it is the fault of the people. -
For over 40 years, people grew up under strict rules, and unbending policies. Education was drummed into people that it is key to success and careers; today they are running a losing race with FTs and PRC FWs.Originally posted by BillyBong:In this, i cannot blame the ONE person.
This is where the wheat are separated from the chauff.
We allowed ourselves to be spoon-fed literally.
We readily indulged in such typically 'ugly' behaviour without a shred of remorse or embarrassment.
We succumbed to a rat race where money and a calculative lifestyle engulfed us, where every dollar must be returned with equal value, where giving up a seat to the needy is no longer 2nd nature, when leaving your filthy food trays after a meal have become the normal habit.
There comes a time when one has to take responsibility for one's ugly actions.
And in this particular case, it is the fault of the people.
People in general are not all alike; some can think for themselves and know how to pick up after themselves, and are wise to know if the system will lead them to success or to beat there own path to it. Unfortunately, quite a lot have placed full trust and compliance to the gov., and have thus adopted their
every cent counts mentality. The 'No free lunches' psyche has hardened people into self-serving self-preserving hoards in daily living. No body of water can take on any form without the receptacle that holds it.
Too late, almost EVERYONE has been brought up to BE FIRST in everything that they do daily, living in a First World Country, and being FIRST in every industry, and a World Class Economy.
As said, a child is brought up to become the WAY, the parents brought the child up.
Myself, I ran away... and grew at my own pace outside of the matrix. -
Originally posted by BillyBong:
This Martin Goh Lye Thiam is one stupid pathetic Singaporean who does not know about singapore and its culture and his guest is certainly arrogant and his remark uncalled for.
I'm one of the cynical few who believe Singaporeans need to be put firmly in their place at times.
[b]Must Singaporeans 'behave like pigs'?
RECENTLY, my friend from Australia commented that Singaporeans behaved like pigs. I disagreed, saying that at most it's a small minority who behaved that way.
He challenged me to a test. I accepted his challenge, determined to prove him wrong. I was bitterly disappointed.
Here is an account of what happened.
My friend, my wife, our one-year-old son in a pram and I (wearing a neck brace and with my arm in a sling from injuries sustained in a car accident) went for an MRT ride. My wife and son couldn't get into the station for some time because other commuters kept using the gate meant for the disabled, ignoring her and the pram.
When the train arrived, people rushed in while alighting passengers rushed out. No one gave way to my wife and the pram. She had to compete with the horde to get onto the train. To make things worse, those standing at the doorway refused to move in, making it even more difficult for her.
Once on board, no one bothered to give up his seat to my wife, who was carrying our son. Those seated were young, able-bodied and educated (executive-type) adults. Finally, it was two Thai workers who gave up their seats to us.
Later, an old woman boarded the train. Again, no one gave up his seat until a man in a neck brace and an arm sling did so.
When we reached our destination, we tried to take the lift from the platform to the ticket concourse. The lift was packed with able-bodied people. My friend asked that my wife and the pram be allowed in but one man turned around and remarked rudely, 'Why can't you take the next lift?'. I was shocked beyond words.
We went to a packed food court for lunch. No tables were available. We waited and finally noticed a couple leaving. We inched our way towards their table but, with just 5m to go, a group of office girls ran ahead of us and took the table.
When we finally got a table, it was unbelievably messy. There were chicken bones, spilt sauces and prawn shells all over the table.
I turned red in the face when my friend, who was helping to clear the table, asked, 'So, do you still think that it's only a minority of Singaporeans that behave this way? If so, take a look around you. Look real hard at the tables when they leave... You guys eat like pigs.'
Martin Goh Lye Thiam
Actual Article: ST Forum
There's your 4 million smiles for you...
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First of all, woman with baby in the pram should not expect seat to be given to her, especially Mrs God, young, able-body, probably not so educated, unless she carried the baby out of the pram.
If the lift is full when the door opens, you wait for the next! Imagine you take a lift from B1 to level 4, do you get out at level 1 just to give way to a lady or anybody? no, you queue by standing next to the door!! thats what this stupid martin needs to tell his guest. Don't expect anything from your host if you don't even practice it in your own country.
There is one significant diff between Asia and Oz in the way food is served, here fish, chicken, lambs comes with bones, prawn come with shell, in Oz, bones, shells are all taken out, nothing much is left to be thrown away. In Asia, food is served in small plates and bowls, as a result, leaving bones on the table is an acceptable table manner, but this is not the case in Oz, there they use bigger plate. So don't expect the tables to be clean, especially those in the food courts, crowded with office workers during lunch hour. Even if you want it to be clean, wait for the cleaner to come clean them.
If you don want to see a messy table, go to a restaurant, where you will be asked to wait at the door, until the table is clean before you are seated. why go an rush with the poor office workers, during their lunch hour, in the busy food court??
In food court, there is no reservation of seat, 5 m is a long way to a table, again, Martin must have thought that he, with his wife and an angmoh friend, should have priority to the seat?
Yes, singaporeans are under pressure of time, we have poor quality living, and we need to slow down, give way, take time...and but it is typical arrogance of some westerners to say that we eat like pigs. I don't want to compare what I saw in australia with what i see here, or I will say that they eat like....
There is no need to feel sorry for what he encountered here.
To Martin Goh Lye Thiam, you are the pathetic singaporean, do you eat like pig?? the one in the pram a piglet??
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Singapore is hardly a perfect place. Despite the material comfort that we Singaporeans are enjoying, there is still social disatisfactory in our way of lives. It is good that such disatisfactory exist and people are bringing them up on forums for discussion for it contributes to the effort of making us better people.
What is worrying however is the attitude to this social disatisfaction. We have people like shutterbug who thinks the society is just incorrigible because of the government. So what? Everything is the fault of the government? What happen to the courtesy campaign? There is also a misconception of trust and reliance. Singaporeans rely a lot on the govt, but that doesn't mean that we trust them a lot. In fact, the usual statement heard in coffee shops and in this forum is always that the govt=PAP and it is always up to some no good. But despite this lack of trust, we continue to rely heavily on them, expecting them to do everything for us, in relation to this thread, including our courtesy level.
The normal respond would then be since we pay so much money to our government, it is the least that we can expect of them. True? Did we pay them to become our nanny including making sure we become courtesy? No, most social contract only requires the government to provide the maximum opportunities to its people within a safe and stable government, to which the present government had delivered to a fair degree. As member of a society, at times we must also take the blame in our own acts and not conveniently shift the blame to the people we most dislike.
On the other hand, we also have people like sgdiehard who seems to have a different standard of courtesy expectation than the rest of us. The scenarios were hideous protrayal of Singaporeans and we should all be ashame that Singaporeans are acting in such ungentlemen manner. Refusing to give up seats to mums, rushing into MRTs, the lack of social friendly gesture such as a small amount of self-sacrifice to make our fellow Singaporeans feel better!?!?
What is it that we can do to make ourselves better than? Complaining on ourselves on the forums is a good start, but its not going to lead to anywhere if we remain at this stage. We should also remind ourselves not to be any of those that do not give up seats, and we should also remind those around us to do the same. Come on, people, we are a society and we are meant to be dynamic, not passively waiting for the socital environment to be changed by itself as if there's some sort of miracle. -
Hahahaha... lets begin our courtesy with ourselves, how many of us here give up seats on MRT? lets begin by giving up seats to the very young, the sick, the pregnant, the handicapped, the aged, and I must say that I have seen that happened many times on MRT, seats given to the handicapped and the pregnant. Of course we can stretch our courtesy a little by giving up seats to all ladies, as gentlemen, but I wouldn't consider not giving up seats to young mother as ungentleman. I am not sure if a 40 over man more able body than a 30 over lady on an MRT.
rushing into MRT, happen everywhere in big cities. the problem with singaporean is that many do not stand on the left on elevators to allow those who rush to move on the right side, many stand at the door even though there is much space inside the train to accommodate more people. It will take a while, for singaporean to cultivate the habits of moving in and out of MRT, standing or running on elevators. Rushing into MRT is not a hideous protrayal of Singaporeans that I would be ashamed of. I don't drive to work and I rush on MRT, underground, metro, MTR or even Jie Yun, all the time.
Anybody who talks about courtesy should know that they should be considerate of others instead of focusing on their own perceived rights and convenience. This you can begin by giving way to those who need to rush, do not complain, and calling them names is certainly BAD BAD MANNER. -
I noticed that Singapore tend to compete themselves with 3rd World countries like Indonesia and Africa.Originally posted by justcooler:
Totally disagree that singaporeans are pathetic, we are first in some and well not so good in some. But SG in general (living standards, social security, public health, etc, etc) is so much better then so many other nations
There is no one country that is perfect
Perhaps if we were to compete with 1st World countries like Europe in terms of living standards, social security and public health, we will not fare as well?
- at most average standards only?
I mean since we declare ourselves 1st World, we should be ranked amongst 1st World countries right? not ASEAN or some south american countries... -
i just added most stressful country. who disagrees? was in a poll last year too right? only 2nd to japan?
Btw guys, lets stick to topic and compile the World rankings. -
im pathetic i tell ya.. i left my stuff in the bustop today, and i got off the next stop, walked back, took the next bus and found out i took the wrong direction 6 stops down the road.
does dat count? -
We clearly have differences in our perceived manner of courtesy.Originally posted by sgdiehard:Hahahaha... lets begin our courtesy with ourselves, how many of us here give up seats on MRT? lets begin by giving up seats to the very young, the sick, the pregnant, the handicapped, the aged, and I must say that I have seen that happened many times on MRT, seats given to the handicapped and the pregnant. Of course we can stretch our courtesy a little by giving up seats to all ladies, as gentlemen, but I wouldn't consider not giving up seats to young mother as ungentleman. I am not sure if a 40 over man more able body than a 30 over lady on an MRT.
rushing into MRT, happen everywhere in big cities. the problem with singaporean is that many do not stand on the left on elevators to allow those who rush to move on the right side, many stand at the door even though there is much space inside the train to accommodate more people. It will take a while, for singaporean to cultivate the habits of moving in and out of MRT, standing or running on elevators. Rushing into MRT is not a hideous protrayal of Singaporeans that I would be ashamed of. I don't drive to work and I rush on MRT, underground, metro, MTR or even Jie Yun, all the time.
Anybody who talks about courtesy should know that they should be considerate of others instead of focusing on their own perceived rights and convenience. This you can begin by giving way to those who need to rush, do not complain, and calling them names is certainly BAD BAD MANNER.
On giving up seats to ladies including young mothers with baby in pram. It is to my knowledge common social gesture to provide greater convenience for ladies in both western and oriental culture. But its arguable and specificallly on the case of an older man vs a young mother with baby in a pram, the room for argument is significantly bigger. Having said that, it would be nice if both parties shows considerations for each other; the older man offering to give up the seats while the young lady insisting the older man retain his seat.
On rushing into MRT, happens everywhere in major cities, maybe, but doesn't make it right. Just because everybody is doing it, doesn't mean its right, can just mean everybody is wrong. But in the case of courtesy and consideration, its not about right and wrong, but more of prefrency level. Would we prefer everybody outside squeeze into the train while people in it try to squeeze out? Or would we prefer an orderly sequence of pple coming out first before the rest proceed in? In terms of utility, it saves time too, squeezing causes congestions and takes more time to resolve than an orderly in and out. Rushing to work? Singapore's social norm is always to leave at last minute and then rush rush rush. How about sleeping early the night before and wake up earlier to travel to work with ease?
Agree with you on your last paragraph, but hopes that those who rushes read and understands that they too "should be considerate of others instead of focusing on their own perceived rights and convenience." -
hmmm.... I once saw a young JC boy on an MRT during evening peak hr, he din't give up his seat to anybody, but imagine he left his home since 620am to take a feeder bus, then MRT and walked all the way to school (must be from St Andrew), now it is 640 in the evening, he must be completely used up for the day. I can sympathize with him for not giving up his seat to any woman above his age.Originally posted by wisefool83:We clearly have differences in our perceived manner of courtesy.
On giving up seats to ladies including young mothers with baby in pram. It is to my knowledge common social gesture to provide greater convenience for ladies in both western and oriental culture. But its arguable and specificallly on the case of an older man vs a young mother with baby in a pram, the room for argument is significantly bigger. Having said that, it would be nice if both parties shows considerations for each other; the older man offering to give up the seats while the young lady insisting the older man retain his seat.
On rushing into MRT, happens everywhere in major cities, maybe, but doesn't make it right. Just because everybody is doing it, doesn't mean its right, can just mean everybody is wrong. But in the case of courtesy and consideration, its not about right and wrong, but more of prefrency level. Would we prefer everybody outside squeeze into the train while people in it try to squeeze out? Or would we prefer an orderly sequence of pple coming out first before the rest proceed in? In terms of utility, it saves time too, squeezing causes congestions and takes more time to resolve than an orderly in and out. Rushing to work? Singapore's social norm is always to leave at last minute and then rush rush rush. How about sleeping early the night before and wake up earlier to travel to work with ease?
Agree with you on your last paragraph, but hopes that those who rushes read and understands that they too "should be considerate of others instead of focusing on their own perceived rights and convenience."
The room for argument is very big indeed. Courtesy means you try to understand the others instead of jumping to conclusion that such behavior is ungentleman, or like pigs.
Millions of people squeezing in and out of Metro, Underground, Subway, MTR in major cities cannot be doing the wrong thing the same time day in day out. The only thing wrong is that they were born in places when over 10 millions people have to live in one city, whereas in australia the same population live in one continent!! They have to squeeze in MRT, in buses, in markets, and even in their own home if they can't afford a bigger apartment. The Brits and the French are supposed to be very gentleman, try taking a subway during peak hours in London or Paris, with a baby in a pram! This is not to say that the Londoners and the Parisians are equally rude, but people just avoid the peak hour train ride at all costs. Ever try taking a subway in Tokyo in the morning? especially when you are not sure when is the next stop
Will agree with you to some extent on giving way to those who are getting out, may be there should be a rule to have one door in and the others out, like the bus service.
What is the singaporean norm? go to the bus interchange at 615 and you will find buses are already crowded with students and those working in Jurong or Woodland, this will be followed by the office workers crowd from 730. I take my son to school at 630 and then from there take a train to office, ended up having breakfast by myself at Maxwell market every morning, I actually prefer taking breakfast with my wife at home then come to office. try to understand the working people, don't tell us how to live our life, when to wake up and when to sleep. -
Well with all the reasons given for Sillyporeans being pathetic...I do agree that most act like pigs in the most pathetic way possible...that's why I am not surprised that this is still a nanny state...
Just look at today's ST forum 17 Oct 2006
I refer to the letter dated 14th October from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority which said that Singaporeans are not ready for a dual citizenship system.
The ICA's reason is that Singaporeans have not reached the stage for this yet. This is unbelievable and shocking.
The ICA must be reminded that male Singaporeans from the age of 18 up to 50 are National Servicemen.
We are supposed to fight to protect Singapore's sovereighty at any time. Doesn't the act of protecting Singapore's sovereighty show that Singapore's nationhood has been established?
Leaving alone the benefits that Singaporeans stand to gain with a dual citizenship system in an era of globalisation, the ICA's statement only serves to weaken the faith of Singaporeans in our loyalty to the state in the eyes of other nations.
Our ministers owe Singaporeans an explanation on the ICA's stand.
Vincent Goh Tong Leng
Don't this show that Singaporeans still have to be told what to do and what not to do...Pathetic.....
Many of us are leaving....including me....better yet, keep the single citizenship policy, else we can't withdraw our CPF if its dual citizenship....why should we leave our hard earned money with them, which is RIGHTFULLY OURS! -
Your response is already indicative of someone who is unwilling to change and will simply 'go with the flow'.Originally posted by sgdiehard:This Martin Goh Lye Thiam is one stupid pathetic Singaporean who does not know about singapore and its culture and his guest is certainly arrogant and his remark uncalled for.
First of all, woman with baby in the pram should not expect seat to be given to her, especially Mrs God, young, able-body, probably not so educated, unless she carried the baby out of the pram.
If the lift is full when the door opens, you wait for the next! Imagine you take a lift from B1 to level 4, do you get out at level 1 just to give way to a lady or anybody? no, you queue by standing next to the door!! thats what this stupid martin needs to tell his guest. Don't expect anything from your host if you don't even practice it in your own country.
There is one significant diff between Asia and Oz in the way food is served, here fish, chicken, lambs comes with bones, prawn come with shell, in Oz, bones, shells are all taken out, nothing much is left to be thrown away. In Asia, food is served in small plates and bowls, as a result, leaving bones on the table is an acceptable table manner, but this is not the case in Oz, there they use bigger plate. So don't expect the tables to be clean, especially those in the food courts, crowded with office workers during lunch hour. Even if you want it to be clean, wait for the cleaner to come clean them.
If you don want to see a messy table, go to a restaurant, where you will be asked to wait at the door, until the table is clean before you are seated. why go an rush with the poor office workers, during their lunch hour, in the busy food court??
In food court, there is no reservation of seat, 5 m is a long way to a table, again, Martin must have thought that he, with his wife and an angmoh friend, should have priority to the seat?
Yes, singaporeans are under pressure of time, we have poor quality living, and we need to slow down, give way, take time...and but it is typical arrogance of some westerners to say that we eat like pigs. I don't want to compare what I saw in australia with what i see here, or I will say that they eat like....
There is no need to feel sorry for what he encountered here.
To Martin Goh Lye Thiam, you are the pathetic singaporean, do you eat like pig?? the one in the pram a piglet??
That's why our culture will remain stagnant for years before 'waking up'.
Certain locals won't wink at taking a lift down before heading to an upper floor just to ensure they get a space on the very crowded lift.
Leaving food on the table is hardly considered 'acceptable' even if our food preparation practices do not remove bones from selected gourmets. That doesn't give our people the license to place bones on the table and assume that a cleaner will always 'clean up' after us.
What's wrong with allocating a section of your plate for bones and unwanted food? Alternatively, if you HAVE to leave your bones on the table, what's to stop you from affording the simple gesture of using a spoon to clear the bones back onto your plate after the meal is finished?
To take insult at the slightest remarks from a perceived 'ang moh' is simply to ignore our own shortcomings. -
Why bother with a person who is willing to live with his status quo.
You want to leave your bones around, do it where I can't see you. If you cannot understand simple table manners and choose to foist excuses like the rat race and the ilk, you need a serious dosage of etiquette lessons.
Don't let your xenophobia hit you on the way out. Don't ever use culture as an excuse for poor upbringing and table etiquette, or social mannerisms.
It's just plain laziness to say that oh we are messy because this is our way of life. Bollocks! -
I've said this countless times: People are generally selfish, they care only about themselves. About being there first, alighting or boarding first, entering and exiting first, having the latest and more of it first, be the first in line, be the first in almost every damn thing. Just take a look at driving around in Singapore; has anyone given way to you even though you have the right of way???
Why are people like that? It's because of the decades of "No Free Lunches" doctrine! Every man for himself policies! Highest Education is the prime and only objective. Where was there room made for COURTESY until when did they realize this and the Courtesy Campagne started???
Now, I'm not saying everybody is like that of pigs, but seeing the majority behaving piggishly, already suggests to me that the system is churning out educated crap-jammed people!!!
I dare say that people back in the 70s till late 80s were more considerate & freindlier. Today, with competition in everything - stress and pressure has turned people into the likes of wild dogs crammed into a small cage!
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Ah yes, social engineering at its finest. We are facing an uphill task to roll all that back.Originally posted by ShutterBug:I've said this countless times: People are generally selfish, they care only about themselves. About being there first, alighting or boarding first, entering and exiting first, having the latest and more of it first, be the first in line, be the first in almost every damn thing. Just take a look at driving around in Singapore; has anyone given way to you even though you have the right of way???
Why are people like that? It's because of the decades of "No Free Lunches" doctrine! Every man for himself policies! Highest Education is the prime and only objective. Where was there room made for COURTESY until when did they realize this and the Courtesy Campagne started???
Now, I'm not saying everybody is like that of pigs, but seeing the majority behaving piggishly, already suggests to me that the system is churning out educated crap-jammed people!!!
I dare say that people back in the 70s till late 80s were more considerate & freindlier. Today, with competition in everything - stress and pressure has turned people into the likes of wild dogs crammed into a small cage! -
I don't think it would be possible or even easy to do so. But at least we can all TRY by setting examples to our own NEW youngs.Originally posted by LazerLordz:Ah yes, social engineering at its finest. We are facing an uphill task to roll all that back.
While meantime, our good gov will continue to tell us all to run ever faster in the RACE they started, in which we will need to win for them.
Not us... -
I change when I see the necessity to change, I don't change just because some people do not like the sight of it. Ever have prawn noodle soup ? do you peel the shell and put it back into your soup? If you are alone at the table, you can put the bones on the tray and the cleaner will clear the whole tray, but if you have 5 persons at the table, no place for all the trays, so you leave the bones and shells on the table. Of course you can clear the bones back into your plate after the meal, in fact, you should bring along your table cloth or use issues to clean the table!Originally posted by BillyBong:Your response is already indicative of someone who is unwilling to change and will simply 'go with the flow'.
That's why our culture will remain stagnant for years before 'waking up'.
Certain locals won't wink at taking a lift down before heading to an upper floor just to ensure they get a space on the very crowded lift.
Leaving food on the table is hardly considered 'acceptable' even if our food preparation practices do not remove bones from selected gourmets. That doesn't give our people the license to place bones on the table and assume that a cleaner will always 'clean up' after us.
What's wrong with allocating a section of your plate for bones and unwanted food? Alternatively, if you HAVE to leave your bones on the table, what's to stop you from affording the simple gesture of using a spoon to clear the bones back onto your plate after the meal is finished?
To take insult at the slightest remarks from a perceived 'ang moh' is simply to ignore our own shortcomings. do we not assume or expect cleaner to "clean up" ? is it not part of the service provided? even in Mcdonald, no?
there is no doubt there are many asian table manners look yuk to others, even sharing from the same bowl of soup looks terrible, ever ask an angmoh to share a table with an Indian muslim eating curry with his fingers? with due respect, that is the way they eat. If anybody don't like the sight of it, go to a restaurant! you will be shown the table only when it is clean, you will be given a new plate for every dish. This has nothing to do with courtesy.
Traditions are traditions, you can say it is stagnant because it never changes, but those who change for the sake of changing know not what traditions are, or do they have any culture in the first place?
I know there are those who take a lift down before heading to an upper floor just to ensure they get a space on the very crowded lift. I have heard of people who take a train in the opposite direction to ensure they have a seat when the train turn around. But I haven't heard of anybody who would get out of the lift they are already in, let a lady in just to show courtesy, and take the next lift to where they want to be.
surely there are many social ills among singaporeans, bad manners, inconsiderate behaviors, but before we start criticizing or calling names, try to understand others, not everything can be changed, some take a long time. calling everybody selfish is just an easy way out. It is ok we blame on our culture, our government, ourselves, and be glad you are not the naïve one who suck up to everything the OZ says. -
HEY PEOPLE!! Lets not politicalise the subject here. One doesn't have to be pro-PAP or anti-PAP, go with the flow or think differently in order to make our society a more pleasant place to live in. Courtesy, politeness and simple considerations for others are societal issues that we can change on our own.
To Sgdiehard, don't take it too personally that some offensive words appeared in the course of the debate. You keep saying that its we or some of us "bad-naming" you. But I think that in such discussion, what is important is that there is no you or me, only us, and it goes the same to all my fellow Singaporeans.
As a society, we cannot keep segregating ourselves, working class from ruling class, or freedom seekers from opressors. Dude, we are only talking about changing our own behaviours to make things and live easier for all of us. And I think Lazerlords did mention a few of these very simple things that we can do, like putting the bones back into the plate after we finish our meals.
There may be differences in our experiences in the society, some of us see more people who perform courtesy deeds, some less. Doesn't matter, so long we pass on a simple smile to each person who performed a courtesy deed and remind those around us not to perform the rude ones, things can change within time.
Every society has its problems and some of us suits in one better than the other. There's absolutely nothing wrong in leaving for another place if one finds that Singapore absolutely doesn't suit his/her lifestyle, but neither can we just leave everytime a problem is observed in a society. I mean, you see something that you don't like and you run away? When will you be able to settle down then? Nothing is improved by those who run away from a problem but by those who actively seek to change it. -
Hey, it's a 'No Free Lunch' society, what you expect?
No one owe us all a living, but they sure as hell somehow thinks we owe them a voting... -
Else how the dynasty continue ?Originally posted by ShutterBug:Hey, it's a 'No Free Lunch' society, what you expect?
No one owe us all a living, but they sure as hell somehow thinks we owe them a voting... -
They can't continue for long....Originally posted by justcooler:Else how the dynasty continue ?
it's going to be below 66.6% next round... -
Dynasty? Not my problem. If the dynasty falls, I'll be finally proud to call myself a Singaporean.Originally posted by justcooler:Else how the dynasty continue ? -
Were you taught to return your food trays while in school? Or do you expect someone to do it for you?Originally posted by sgdiehard:I change when I see the necessity to change, I don't change just because some people do not like the sight of it. Ever have prawn noodle soup ? do you peel the shell and put it back into your soup? If you are alone at the table, you can put the bones on the tray and the cleaner will clear the whole tray, but if you have 5 persons at the table, no place for all the trays, so you leave the bones and shells on the table. Of course you can clear the bones back into your plate after the meal, in fact, you should bring along your table cloth or use issues to clean the table! do we not assume or expect cleaner to "clean up" ? is it not part of the service provided? even in Mcdonald, no?
there is no doubt there are many asian table manners look yuk to others, even sharing from the same bowl of soup looks terrible, ever ask an angmoh to share a table with an Indian muslim eating curry with his fingers? with due respect, that is the way they eat. If anybody don't like the sight of it, go to a restaurant! you will be shown the table only when it is clean, you will be given a new plate for every dish. This has nothing to do with courtesy.
Traditions are traditions, you can say it is stagnant because it never changes, but those who change for the sake of changing know not what traditions are, or do they have any culture in the first place?
I know there are those who take a lift down before heading to an upper floor just to ensure they get a space on the very crowded lift. I have heard of people who take a train in the opposite direction to ensure they have a seat when the train turn around. But I haven't heard of anybody who would get out of the lift they are already in, let a lady in just to show courtesy, and take the next lift to where they want to be.
surely there are many social ills among singaporeans, bad manners, inconsiderate behaviors, but before we start criticizing or calling names, try to understand others, not everything can be changed, some take a long time. calling everybody selfish is just an easy way out. It is ok we blame on our culture, our government, ourselves, and be glad you are not the naïve one who suck up to everything the OZ says.
Know what that's called? The 'MM' or 'maid mentality'.
Granted some good habits go the way of the dodo after a while. And with no proper designated disposal points in food courts or hawker centers, one can be forgiven if they promptly leave their leftovers all over the table, expecting paid cleaners to do their job.
But if you have it in yourself to maintain some dignity and cleanliness, you can pack up your finished plates neatly and clean up the leftovers on the table with the used utensils. Unfortunately, few if any are prepared to 'dirty their fingers' and will defer all such responsibility to the cleaners.
I certainly do not kowtow to ang mohs, but where diginity and good habits are concerned, they will always be several rungs above us. I can possibly understand how many of them still view Asians as primitives, even if i resent that ideal. -
There is one family in Singapore who you can't sue. If you does, He's will sue you just to prove that he can sue anyone.
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The gov allowed FTs, FWs, and PRCs to rob them of their jobs, they are not even allowed take care of their medical conditions with their own CPF money after they come of age in the working industry, and they expect people to be generally smiley and gracious?Originally posted by LazerLordz:Dynasty? Not my problem. If the dynasty falls, I'll be finally proud to call myself a Singaporean.
Well, perhaps if they are all retards...