Singaporeans Bashing...
-
My my, I didn't realise that people need to bring their IC to attend birthday parties. Or even that 6 people are representative of the entire Singaporean population!
http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne...25-218301.htmlUpper middle-class... and lacking in civility
Tue, May 25, 2010
my paper By Leona Boey
TO FIND out what Singaporeans are really made of, plan a children's party.
That is what I came to realise after an eye-opening experience organising my son's recent birthday celebration.
The little one had innocently decided to hold a party at home for his school friends.
So, with much excitement and a little help with spelling, he carefully wrote out invitation letters and sent them to his intended guests.
Then, the fun began. Of the six invitees, only two of their mothers responded with text messages, confirming that their children would attend.
Another two children replied to my son at school.
The fifth child's father had to be contacted by telephone. He said that he would drop the boy off, before curtly ending the call without a word of thanks.
The last child? Well, suffice to say that, in the end, we lost all hope of getting any kind of reply from him or his parents.
As the day drew near, games were planned, goodie bags were assembled, food was prepared, a super-duper cake was ordered, balloons were blown and banners strung up. But on the night before the party, my mobile phone went mad.
One of the mothers who had replied earlier that her son would attend said that he would turn up late - practically at the end of the party.
She explained that he had an enrichment class to attend - a fact that she should have known when she replied previously.
Another child said that he would not be coming after all because his mother did not know the way.
She presumably could not be bothered to look up directions, despite the fact that a map had been included with the invitation.
Yet another parent messaged to boldly ask me - without even a "please" or "thank you" - to drive across the island to ferry her child to and from the party, because she could not be bothered to do so.
Apparently, I was to find some time in between getting ready for the party and attending to my own children in order to look after her child.
If not for my son, I would have cancelled the party out of frustration at the other parents' lack of consideration.
The big day dawned and the guests started arriving.
Without exception, each parent thrust a child at me and quickly turned to carry out the next item on their agendas, without even greeting us or asking our names, let alone wishing my son a happy birthday.
In one case, I even had to run after a father, shouting for his name and mobile number in case of an emergency.
I could have sold off all their children for all they knew (and I was tempted to do so at one point, when the little darlings were running around and screaming like wild animals).
None of the birthday presents came with a card or even a hastily scribbled message to the birthday boy.
I doubt that the parents who purchased the gifts even knew the recipient's name.
After the party, predictably, not a single parent or child wrote, called or messaged to say "thank you".
My conclusion? Singaporeans are, on the surface, well-trained to survive the rat race at school and in the working world.
But scratch the surface and we may find a nation shockingly deficient in the finer arts of civility, hospitality, social intercourse and politesse.
In case you're thinking that this is a problem of the dialect- speaking, less-educated segment of the population, let me tell you that this is not the case.
These children and their parents are firmly located in the upper middle-class, Lexus-driving, condo-living, "successful" end of the demographic.
Therein, perhaps, lies the problem.
To paraphrase a good teacher, how does it benefit Singaporeans to gain the world if we lose our ability to relate to each other as human beings? -
Originally posted by Vh2006:
My my, I didn't realise that people need to bring their IC to attend birthday parties. Or even that 6 people are representative of the entire Singaporean population!
http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne...25-218301.html
<!-- BEGIN TEMPLATE: bbcode_quote -->Quote:
6 people are not representative of the entire Singaporean population however if you invite only 6 Singaporeans and all 6 turn out like that.... then the probabilities are much higher.I am born in Singapore, I feel that Miss Leona Boey's opinion is correct.
To paraphrase a good teacher, how does it benefit Singaporeans to gain the world if we lose our ability to relate to each other as human beings?
Well Leona, maybe it benefits Singaporeans because they are only interested in gaining the world and not interested in their abilities to relate to each other as human beings unless some advantage can be benefitted. Hopefully they are the minority.
Kind Regards
Genie
-
Originally posted by Genie99a:
6 people are not representative of the entire Singaporean population however if you invite only 6 Singaporeans and all 6 turn out like that.... then the probabilities are much higher.I am born in Singapore, I feel that Miss Leona Boey's opinion is correct.
Well Leona, maybe it benefits Singaporeans because they are only interested in gaining the world and not interested in their abilities to relate to each other as human beings unless some advantage can be benefitted. Hopefully they are the minority.
Kind Regards
Genie
In the first place, how do you even know that the parents are actually Singaporeans? Have you seen their ICs?
-
i think they are all insane.
-
Originally posted by Vh2006:
In the first place, how do you even know that the parents are actually Singaporeans? Have you seen their ICs?
Take the article at face value lar aiyo.... you want to check whether Leona Boey is a Malaysian spy? or the newspaper article was instigated by PAP to reprimand Singaporeans?You see that pimple on my arse? You want to pick?
Kind Regards
Genie
-
?????thats real coarse!!!!me want to slice off that pimple from yer behind!@!!
-
This type of behavior happens all over the World. Stop being ignorant lah Leona.
-
Originally posted by Genie99a:
Take the article at face value lar aiyo.... you want to check whether Leona Boey is a Malaysian spy? or the newspaper article was instigated by PAP to reprimand Singaporeans?You see that pimple on my arse? You want to pick?
Kind Regards
Genie
My my, can't take the heat huh?
This is a public forum, if you are unable to accept having your comments examined, perhaps you should just set up a private forum.
-
Originally posted by Fallen-Angel:
This type of behavior happens all over the World. Stop being ignorant lah Leona.
Exactly and she actually used such a flawed argument to demean Singaporeans... -
Originally posted by Vh2006:
My my, can't take the heat huh?
This is a public forum, if you are unable to accept having your comments examined, perhaps you should just set up a private forum.
Lol what heat?
I am perfectly able to accept my comments from being examined.
But your argument to the article published by Asiaone that Singaporeans are (i quote) deficient in manners & civility is that....
In the first place, how do you even know that the parents are actually Singaporeans? Have you seen their ICs?
That reasoning borders on the moronic. If yer butt hurt I'm sorry. But it was utterly shocking to realize that you could be that dumb. I sincerely apologise for my outburst of emotions but in the circumstances I'm sure you would concur that it was reasonable.
Kind Regards
Genie
-
Too long didnt read.
-
Originally posted by Genie99a:
Lol what heat?
I am perfectly able to accept my comments from being examined.
But your argument to the article published by Asiaone that Singaporeans are (i quote) deficient in manners & civility is that....
That reasoning borders on the moronic. If yer butt hurt I'm sorry. But it was utterly shocking to realize that you could be that dumb. I sincerely apologise for my outburst of emotions but in the circumstances I'm sure you would concur that it was reasonable.
Kind Regards
Genie
My my, resorting to personal attacks now. No logic to offer?
By the way, if you have carefully read the post, the questions are actually addressed to you. Instead of just relying on personal attacks, do you have anything else to offer? Come on, I am sure that you should have at least one argument, don't you?
-
Originally posted by Vh2006:
My my, resorting to personal attacks now. No logic to offer?
By the way, if you have carefully read the post, the questions are actually addressed to you. Instead of just relying on personal attacks, do you have anything else to offer? Come on, I am sure that you should have at least one argument, don't you?
Sigh. The logic is in the previous post lar. You ask your friend go and analyze for you ba I lazy to explain.Next time any article on the Straits Times you don't believe better lar..... later turn out everyone inside the IC never check lol.
Kind Regards
Genie
-
Aiya... everyone is entitled to his own opinion lah. Let them say say they want lor....... Such a big reaction for what wor....?
-
Originally posted by Fenixx:
Aiya… everyone is entitled to his own opinion lah.
Let them say say they want lor….... Such a big reaction for what wor….?
Ya lar true also lol. Sigh.Kind Regards
Genie
-
I'm pretty surprised at what she experienced. It's incredible that educated Sgporeans who belong to the upper middle income class, would "thrust the kids to her" w/o saying happy bday and then help themselves to the food.
All loads of bullshit, I would say of her letter.
-
You all missed the message of the long letter by Leona Boey.
The birthday party events are support for her statement:
To paraphrase a good teacher, how does it benefit Singaporeans to gain the world if we lose our ability to relate to each other as human beings?
Singaporean behaviour and manners sucks. Big time. And we have all have known it for a long time. Snatches of courtesy and civility here and there are often used to mask the lack of such civility.
It doesn't augur well to blame the government for personal behaviours and mannerism, but the government of Singapore controls and directs the population in almost every facet of their lives. This led to the heavy emphasis on acquiring economic sciences than humanity sciences.
In my primary school days, four hours per week is allocated to Ethics. This lesson period we were told is about learning manners and how to conduct ourselves. I recall only one teacher taught us manners, and how to reply, and respond to common courtesies, and once only. The rest of the year that class was used by other teachers to mark books, us to do our own reading, and sometimes even pulling grass that has over grown into the drains. Anything but Ethics.
Singapore has lost its soul, this can be seen through successive generations of citizens. The untutored brats are now parents, and are the yuppies with children.
Singaporeans engineered by the government are very deficient in the finer arts of civility, hospility, social intercourse and politeness.
-
First you are one Sing****ean urself for sure.U wanted others to come, send u thank you notes,expect please and thank you, demand all tht u invite come.And u wanted to sell the kids when they started to scream and run around.And once again a shallow deduction.
Another life less Bi**h!!!!!
-
Originally posted by Genie99a:
Sigh. The logic is in the previous post lar. You ask your friend go and analyze for you ba I lazy to explain.Next time any article on the Straits Times you don't believe better lar..... later turn out everyone inside the IC never check lol.
Kind Regards
Genie
Instead stating a proper argument, you pulled in irrelevant points. Why do you need to do so?