voices

Could you live as a fat person?

No.

Then why are you still alive?

 

Do you smile? Seriously.

ABC News article headline reads, “Has Singapore Found the Secret to Satisfaction? – Citizens Willing to Trade Civil Liberties for a Cleaner, Safer, Efficient Society”

A must read for all Singaporeans

With such an intriguingly presumptuous headline as to say that we, the people of Singapore, are willing to trade our civil liberty for a clean, safe and efficient society, I feel a tinge of angst and a whole lot of distress at being misunderstood – quite close to the one about Singapore’s prime location in China. Part of me wants to think this is a terribly subtle mockery of how pathetic that trade off is – civil liberty (things like freedom; independence) for what, again? Think about being confined in jail, which happens to be spotless, filled with harmless inmates and runs like clock work.

That headline itself, or the subhead, is already a course for a huge debate – one that relates to the presence of a choice. No, I don’t think it should be called a trade. Yes, we have clean, safe and efficient (let’s call it CSE), but there has never been a deal (for lack of a better term) between the people and the people in power about giving up our civil rights.

Ignore that miserable divergence about being ungrateful with what we have here, especially when compared to Southeast Asia at large. Granted there is little to disagree with phrases like “the happiest country in Asia” because many would rather live in civil claustrophobia than in poverty. But draconian rule, as the article itself puts it, is nothing to scoff at. We’re living under a huge blanket of repressiveness, and worse is that shelter (really, protective or destructive?) is not only invisible, it’s being justified so absurdly.

I wasn’t interested in the article. I wanted to read the comments it received by Singaporeans, the expatriates, and foreigners. That was insightful. We have unhappy Singaporeans who bother voicing out, trying to tell (in a manner akin to desperate yelling online) the ‘outside world’ how we’re really not happy. And there are the non-natives who lived here and loved it, and those who didn’t. All are more factual accounts than what the article presents.

Neville Tan was caned in jail, quoted in the article saying “(it’s a) horrible, painful experience.” Apparently, he doesn’t mind it one puny bit, “We feel safe. If we don’t break the law, we don’t have to worry about the law.” Whut? All I can think of is, brainwashed!

I believe a safe assumption to make is that many Singaporeans are happy, but definitely not 95%. The survey samples were probably those goons who form groups and laugh their heads off for therapy. Conduct your own survey; ask 10 Singaporeans if they are happy. I’m quite sure at least one will mention cab fare hikes before you even ask for a reason. I think Singaporeans are mostly a bunch of contented morons. Not happy, but contented. We aim for what’s possible that comes our way (i.e. what the people in power brings and allows into the island), hardly the stars.

Contentment is more dangerous than a revolution. Back to that jail where everything runs well on the inside, but it’s a jail no less. Point is, given the choice, we’d like to be outside, with similar CSE features. But a choice is missing. So contentment is proven when we just make do with what’s allowed, hardly stopping to think about the macro world. We accept the fact that the people in power are deciding that we don’t need civil liberties. And here are a bunch of people thinking it’s a desired trade-off.

So in general, the article is more about American bozos writing about Singaporean morons.

Disclaimer: For the most part, I exclude myself from the terms ‘we’ used in this post and many like this. I’m not advocating a revolution. But yes, I do believe a lot of Singaporeans are morons. Pillow hugging, train crowding, loud talking, food gobbling, broken language (we mutilate every language learned), head nodding, crude, morons.

things we hum to, coz i can’t whistle

There are ways to spice up any song, and there are ways to screw up Build me up Buttercup. The tune’s been playing in my head, but i don’t know the lyrics so i mix it up. The first of two versions goes along the lines of, “Gay me up, buttercup” which then calls for the receiver to ”just go down on me”. Come on, sing it! Or maybe you’d like the ironically milder variation that is, “Why don’t you, beat me up buttercup, baby, like you would a clown.” Well why duncha. 

Had to let it out.

Sidebar. We’ve all thought of beating up clowns. Right? Just to see if the smile smirk will disappear. Ahh, life.

before sunrise

Jesse
You know what’s the worst thing about somebody breaking up with you? It‘s when you remember how little you thought about the people you broke up with, and you realize that that is how little they’re thinking about you, you know? You know, you’d like to think that you’re both in all this pain, but really, they’re just, “Hey, I’m glad you’re gone.”

                                  

Apparently they in my case, had a ‘great birthday’. Good friends, i presume. My 19th sucked smelly hairy balls. And believe me the bar wasn’t the least bit high. Expectations were none yet it was shit. Imagine that. I could go one with how could anyone… but it doesn’t matter. The next ones will be great. Optimism counts. iBabble.

Scornful posts don’t reflect nicely on me. So I’ll just keep it short. People who owe me money… I don’t need it, but it’s mine and I’m still alive. You can be hot in the ass all sensitive, but this could be anyone – i probably forgot about yours. Don’t be silent and snooty, acknowledge it at least. God have some respect, I’m a person too.

You know you watch all kinds of tv shows and you see that all people follow are the trends and how they wanna be like the characters, yet they ignore the mutual concern the characters have of one another.

I realised that the people around me now are just the occasional company. Maybe out of undesired obligations they made not long ago. Some left, predictably, and those who stay are anything but commendable.

Well beggars can’t be choosers can we.