One of our readers, Sakuni, left a scathing comment on our blog expressing cynicism at the cathartic outpouring of emotions by Singaporeans over the demise of JBJ last week.
“Isn’t it a wonder that each time someone ‘great’ or ‘famous’ dies, there is always the same sentiment expressed: ‘he is great’, ’someone I admire’, ‘it is a tremendous loss’, ‘the world bleeds’, etc! Maudlin expressions of sympathy!
There is absolutely nothing wrong in feeling thus. But my question to such sentimentalists is, when was the last time you saw this person whom you admire so much NOW (at his death), or when did you write to this person for whom you say the world SHOULD mourn, or what have you done to live truthfully in the memory of this person whose death you say has left the world desolate, or at LEAST, when was the last time did you THINK of him!(?)”
Trust me, most, if not all of these people (INCLUDING YOU, THE READER) would cringe with crass embarrassment and unpardonable humiliation to acknowledge that they’re just such a pack of sentimental fools who only cry seeing Jack bidding farewell to Rose in Titanic!”
Harsh it may sounds, we must be absolutely honest with ourselves in the face of this brutal truth: What have we done for JBJ when he is still alive ?
When he was convicted on dubious charges of fraud and kicked out unceremoniously from Parliament in 1986, how many of us took a step forward and speak out for him ?
When he was sued and crippled repeatedly by incredulous defamation suits till he lost every material possession he has in his life, did we lend him a helping hand ?
When he was selling his books alone by himself outside Orchard and Raffles MRT, how many of us went up to buy from him in a show
Read rest of article here:
http://wayangparty.wordpress.com/20...ragedy-of-jbj-by-repeated-in-singapore-again/
“Isn’t it a wonder that each time someone ‘great’ or ‘famous’ dies, there is always the same sentiment expressed: ‘he is great’, ’someone I admire’, ‘it is a tremendous loss’, ‘the world bleeds’, etc! Maudlin expressions of sympathy!
There is absolutely nothing wrong in feeling thus. But my question to such sentimentalists is, when was the last time you saw this person whom you admire so much NOW (at his death), or when did you write to this person for whom you say the world SHOULD mourn, or what have you done to live truthfully in the memory of this person whose death you say has left the world desolate, or at LEAST, when was the last time did you THINK of him!(?)”
Trust me, most, if not all of these people (INCLUDING YOU, THE READER) would cringe with crass embarrassment and unpardonable humiliation to acknowledge that they’re just such a pack of sentimental fools who only cry seeing Jack bidding farewell to Rose in Titanic!”
Harsh it may sounds, we must be absolutely honest with ourselves in the face of this brutal truth: What have we done for JBJ when he is still alive ?
When he was convicted on dubious charges of fraud and kicked out unceremoniously from Parliament in 1986, how many of us took a step forward and speak out for him ?
When he was sued and crippled repeatedly by incredulous defamation suits till he lost every material possession he has in his life, did we lend him a helping hand ?
When he was selling his books alone by himself outside Orchard and Raffles MRT, how many of us went up to buy from him in a show
Read rest of article here:
http://wayangparty.wordpress.com/20...ragedy-of-jbj-by-repeated-in-singapore-again/
