We have failed, we have brought up a generation of youngsters obsessed with self and no thought for others
who worship Hollywood values and listen to ipod all day
We need to import 1.5 million PRC grads between 15 and 25 years old and just hope that would be enough to make all these sinkies irrelevant
Otherwise our future is doomed
http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_472430.html
Jan 1, 2010
ANOTHER TIME BOMB
Callousness towards elderly
THIS week's three-part series, 'Teen crime: A ticking time bomb', exposed one of the consequences of the endless rat race that defines life in Singapore since independence. A parallel time bomb has also started ticking: callousness towards the elderly.
One can witness this daily in public places as well as MRT trains and buses where 'priority seat' signs are routinely ignored with insouciance, mostly by the able-bodied young, much to the dismay of the elderly.
As if this is not bad enough, I was aghast the other day to see a 70-something gentleman surrender his seat in a crowded bus to a woman carrying a baby, while loud-talking youths seemed oblivious to what was happening.
The inability of the young to project their concerns beyond their own comfort zone is worrying. Their lack of empathy for the elderly is ominously detrimental to Singapore.
To be fair, we do have many wellbehaved youths in our midst, but as far as I can tell, they are outnumbered by the bad apples. Spontaneous display of courtesy and respect for the elderly should become the norm, not a rarity.
Many elderly have responded to the Government's call to work beyond age 65. The best - and least - the young can do is to convince them they too have a place here; the worst is to make them feel they are overstaying their welcome.
Our progress as a nation will be judged by how we treat the most vulnerable in society. It seems we have much to do to make the grade.
Lee Seck Kay
who worship Hollywood values and listen to ipod all day
We need to import 1.5 million PRC grads between 15 and 25 years old and just hope that would be enough to make all these sinkies irrelevant
Otherwise our future is doomed
http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_472430.html
Jan 1, 2010
ANOTHER TIME BOMB
Callousness towards elderly
THIS week's three-part series, 'Teen crime: A ticking time bomb', exposed one of the consequences of the endless rat race that defines life in Singapore since independence. A parallel time bomb has also started ticking: callousness towards the elderly.
One can witness this daily in public places as well as MRT trains and buses where 'priority seat' signs are routinely ignored with insouciance, mostly by the able-bodied young, much to the dismay of the elderly.
As if this is not bad enough, I was aghast the other day to see a 70-something gentleman surrender his seat in a crowded bus to a woman carrying a baby, while loud-talking youths seemed oblivious to what was happening.
The inability of the young to project their concerns beyond their own comfort zone is worrying. Their lack of empathy for the elderly is ominously detrimental to Singapore.
To be fair, we do have many wellbehaved youths in our midst, but as far as I can tell, they are outnumbered by the bad apples. Spontaneous display of courtesy and respect for the elderly should become the norm, not a rarity.
Many elderly have responded to the Government's call to work beyond age 65. The best - and least - the young can do is to convince them they too have a place here; the worst is to make them feel they are overstaying their welcome.
Our progress as a nation will be judged by how we treat the most vulnerable in society. It seems we have much to do to make the grade.
Lee Seck Kay
