places where you have travelled to and their influence on you politically

[mojito]

Oh, give me a home
Where the buffalo roam,
Where the deer and the antelope play;
Where seldom is heard
A discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day
Chorus:
Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day

This song sure brings back childhood memories.

 

[eatshitndie]

Lee Kuan Yew once said: Hit where it hurts most...the pocket... when he reduced the circulation of a certain foreign publication accused of meddling in Singapore domestic affair.

Kiasuism is the by-product of the PAP indoctrinations.

kiasuism is not the exclusive domain of sinkies. it's an imbalanced paranoia trait that is common among certain cultural and ethnic groups from impoverished villages in many 2nd and 3rd world countries, most notably india and china. i'm basing this on observations as indians and chinese belong to bay area minority ethnic groups most notable for their pilferage of napkins and condiments from fast food restaurants. the term of such kiasuism is referred to as unethical frugality. franchises which operate in areas crowded with these two groups remove napkins and condiments from counters. you have to ask the server for napkins and condiments.

 

[Nice-Gook]

Well you can't blame PAP on this part at least. If U flip open the papers, most of the time it's good news or at least less rosy picture. If you only get your stuff from TRE then U only have yourself to blame :p

You sound like a liitle LKY wannebe.The kind who talks the loudest in any airport .The kind who complains the most of other countries of almost anything.The kind who preaches down the throat of higher civilizations.Yah,it's true empty vessels makes the most noise.I know.Because I too was brat brought up by PAP propaganda.But the more I traveled,the more I was humbled.And the more I learn, I realized how little I knew.I felt like a little child picking pebbles in a vast ocean -

Pls realize how little you know the moment you utter PAP fills our life with rosy news.Because LKY had always ruled on fear factors.But only sweet coats them for your consumption.The moment LKY senses he is loosing ground,he will threaten you with our Muslims neighbors marauding us.That our wifves and daughters would be eking a living as maids if we don't vote for him.That global uncertainties are hanging over us like a dark cloud all the time and only PAP will keep us safe.That he would deal with you by a sharp hatchet in a cul de sack if you disagree.

Remember Singapore is somewhere in 131 in Happy Planet index.Where our nearest neighbor Malaysia ranks 44.Even China and Phillipines ranks much higher than us.I don't read Shitty Times any more but if you did you should know where their global ranking is.Quite close to our happy index.

 

[eatshitndie]

Have to disagree. We are talking about people from 4 distinct racial groups who display the same or similat traits. I would speculate that the conditioning is the result of the environment created by the Govt. Its the same with attracting talent into politics. David Cameron has 1st class from Oxbridge, Obama made Harvard Law Review Editor and Tony Abbott is a Rhodes Scholar. These and other developed countries have talent knocking on the doors to join politics. The old man created a sterile environment for politics in Singapore and is now complaining quality people are not interested.

perhaps among chinese and indian ethnic groups, but not so much malay and eurasian ethnic groups. my experience in sg with the malay community has been excellent. they are very generous and unselfish folks. the typical sinkie kiasu trait can be found in the bay area among chinese and indian ethnic minority groups. it doesn't matter if these folks are intelligent, highly educated or wealthy millionaires. most are from humble backgrounds. but when they strike the goldmine in stock options, they are suddenly propelled to the top 10%, but kiasuism or traits of selfish frugality remain. they are frugal all right, but at the expense of their companies, workplace, co-workers and others in society. for example, the first aid cabinet in my office is always empty and needs refilling every week. someone or some groups have been stealing, pilfering. we have a big number of chinese and indians in the workplace. it's definitely not mexican or hispanic cleaners. we have cameras. we know who but we are keeping quiet and recording. coffee bags, chocolate pouches, filters are disappearing too. and these are talented millionaires, for crying out loud.

 

[freedalas]

On the contrary. It's the people that influence govt policy. Because the people are so "Kiasu", the government uses this trait to craft its policies. It knows that Singaporeans are money faced, that's why all policies involve either monetary incentives or disincentives.

Policies that relied on civic consciousness, kindness and consideration for others simply wouldn't work.

Surely you haven't forgotten the "Hello Kitty" fiasco. http://www.atimes.com/se-asia/BB12Ae01.html

Had McDonald's Corp known how Sinkies behaved, they would have made Singaporeans bid for the toys instead of giving them away. The government knows better.

Looks like u don't really know what your PAP masters are. The PAP has always boasted that they don't make populist policies. That means the PAP never gives in to popular demands based on the citizens' wishes and would not craft any policies to pander to the electorate then? If we are to believe u, then the govt is not telling the truth. If we are to believe the govt, then u are not telling the truth. You see Leongsam, you did not heed my earlier advise not to be too quick to shoot off your mouth. I can understand how desperate u are in wanting to defend your policital masters but even if u are so, think before you post lah, u trip and trap yourself unnecessarily.

Of course I remember the Hello Kitty fiasco, But that simply proves my point. That the sustained kiasu policies by the govt over decades had strongly influenced the people's psyche that led them to behave as they did in the Hello Kiity case. The fault still lies with PAP.

 

[eatshitndie]

hahaha......didn't know that scroobal=eatshitndie??????

i am screw bola and i live in toa payoh, neighbor to sam and tony, not gin and tonic. if this freed alas fella can't even get the thread originator right, his credibility in comprehension is all suspect. it proves that he doesn't bother to read before shooting. :p

 

[Leongsam]

The PAP has always boasted that they don't make populist policies. That means the PAP never gives in to popular demands based on the citizens' wishes and would not craft any policies to pander to the electorate then? If we are to believe u, then the govt is not telling the truth. If we are to believe the govt, then u are not telling the truth. You see Leongsam, you did not heed my earlier advise not to be too quick to shoot off your mouth.

No the govt does not make populist policies and I didn't say they do. What I said was that when they enforce an unpopular policy, they know the best way to make sure sinkies tow to the line is to either put monetary disincentives or incentives in place to make sure they get the desired result.

You need to go back to school for a few lessons in comprehension.

 

[brocoli]

Let me put it this way,after say a month or two in a foreign land---especially third world countries.The momment I step into SIA,I am refreshed.The sight of clean cut dolly looking singapore girl aka SIA stewardesses.The smell of fresh cologne ,clean spottless seats and bedding sheets.Almost lulls me to returning to a fantasy land called my home.

The moment I step out of Changi airport and into our sour looking taxi drivers who does almost everything mechanically wakes me up to the reality.The land of golden cage.Me wondered why.In fact I would rather have stayed in that godforsaken village where I just came from.Because all worries returns back.Worries which did not haunt me while I was risking my life overseas.

Worries should not be the mark of a home one yarns to return otherwise it is not a home but hell.:-

Oh, give me a home
Where the buffalo roam,
Where the deer and the antelope play;
Where seldom is heard
A discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day
Chorus:
Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day

GTFO since you are so unhappy

 

[Char_Azn]

blah blah blah

I was just kidding. No need to post such a serious reply. Seriously though the country has it's problems but to say we are in anyway a lot worse of then most countries is just false. Every country have their own problems, the rich western nations are fighting like hell to deal with theirs right now, the 3rd world nations wake up every day to their own unique set of problems. Only focusing on the wrong and ignoring all the right that the country is doing is not the way to gauge how well the country is doing.

 

[Leongsam]

I was just kidding. No need to post such a serious reply. Seriously though the country has it's problems but to say we are in anyway a lot worse of then most countries is just false. Every country have their own problems,

Singapore is actually many times better than most countries. That's part of the problem. Singaporeans hardly have any REAL problems so they go out of the way to uncover issues that are of little significance.

However, they're aren't going to admit that the biggest problems they face are of their own creation and result from lack of motivation, the lack of willingness to make sacrifices now for long term gain and general laziness from enjoying too much of the good life.

Instead, they find fault with the government who I credit with giving them a Life of Riley in the first place. They have this impression that paying a minister a couple of million a year entitles them to some sort of Utopia. The expect perfection but don't apply the same exacting standards to their own sorry lives.

 

[rusty]

Instead, they find fault with the government who I credit with giving them a Life of Riley in the first place. They have this impression that paying a minister a couple of million a year entitles them to some sort of Utopia. The expect perfection but don't apply the same exacting standards to their own sorry lives.

They did not find fault with the government....did you see any rioting, strike or mass protest?
They are merely asking asking why they cannot do so and the opposites happened.
Neither did they request for 3 meals in the restaurants they were merely asking for cheaper price on utilities, food, transportation, education, medical and funeral expenses.

 

[Leongsam]

they were merely asking for cheaper price on utilities, food, transportation, education, medical and funeral expenses.

With the exception of cars and private housing, prices in Singapore are very competitive. They should get a taste of prices in other cities of a similar size around the world. For the price of a bus ride in Auckland, I can make the same trip by taxi in Singapore.

 

[rusty]

It will never end when comparisons start and you are quick to name exceptions. For the price of your busfare you can have more than a trip by taxis in Bangkok.

With the exception of cars and private housing, prices in Singapore are very competitive. They should get a taste of prices in other cities of a similar size around the world. For the price of a bus ride in Auckland, I can make the same trip by taxi in Singapore.

 

[escher]

China mainland - 3 years
HongKong - 3 years
S Korea - 1 year
Taiwan - 7 years
Australia - 2 years
Middle East - 3 years

Even China mainland opened my eyes as to what freedom is all about.

Beijing is a beacon of human rights and freedom when compared to Sinkapore.
Political jokes were publicly said in buses there, and everyone in the bus laughed at those jokes.
I nearly left the bus first time that happened as I thought he was an agent provocateur.
Later on I realised that was the norm.

Can that be said of here?

 

[Leongsam]

It will never end when comparisons start and you are quick to name exceptions. For the price of your busfare you can have more than a trip by taxis in Bangkok.

Bangkok is not a first world city.

 

[Leongsam]

Even China mainland opened my eyes as to what freedom is all about.

Yes but your so called "freedom" comes at a cost. Chinese mothers dare not feed their babies milk formula from their own country anymore. All those who can afford it buy imported New Zealand milk products because they feel it's a lot safer.

Give me an orderly and well run society any day compared to a "free" one. I've experienced plenty of "freedom" in NZ too. The burglars have the "freedom" to break into houses knowing there's only a 2% chance of being caught. Drivers are free to drive 3 times over the limit knowing all they'll get is small fine and slap on the wrist. The druggies are free to smoke dope at work and cause horrific work place accidents because they were too stoned to follow safety rules.

 

[neddy]

Give me an orderly and well run society any day compared to a "free" one. I've experienced plenty of "freedom" in NZ too. The burglars have the "freedom" to break into houses knowing there's only a 2% chance of being caught. Drivers are free to drive 3 times over the limit knowing all they'll get is small fine and slap on the wrist. The druggies are free to smoke dope at work and cause horrific work place accidents because they were too stoned to follow safety rules.

Freedom = Criminal activities?

• Break into the burglars' houses
• Ambos too stoned to drive injured druggies to hospitals and crash into speeding drivers.

No wonder the Russians want the CCCP back.


Orderly and well run society is against human nature. More like law-abiding and living in fear. Things were so much better when people are uneducated.

 

[Leongsam]

Orderly and well run society is against human nature. More like law-abiding and living in fear.

There is always a balance to be struck between freedom and order. In my view, the PAP has got it just about right.

 

[freedalas]

It will never end when comparisons start and you are quick to name exceptions. For the price of your busfare you can have more than a trip by taxis in Bangkok.

Bravo! rusty. You see, the pro PAP loyalists are just like their masters, cherry-pick those countries that are compare worse to S'pore and conveniently leaving out others than fare much better than S'pore. Leongsam is the chief culprit with this type of cherry-picking

 

[Leongsam]

Bravo! rusty. You see, the pro PAP loyalists are just like their masters, cherry-pick those countries that are compare worse to S'pore and conveniently leaving out others than fare much better than S'pore. Leongsam is the chief culprit with this type of cherry-picking

Not at all. I'm comparing countries with similar living standards.