The few bad Singaporean habits

Singaporeans by and large had been criticised and sometimes condemned by foreigners. However, not all of them lies with the fault of the government(which we love to blame). But these habits are also the social ills of being Asian, but prominently found in Singapore. Here goes:

1. The Singaporean way of walking

Singaporeans are sneaky, literally. They walk disorderly, and love to ‘pavement hog’. Be it individuals, or with a group, they tend to block the whole passageway, not allowing others to overtake and blocking the way of other pedestrians in the opposite direction. But having said that, Singaporeans are perfectly capable of negotiating their way, especially against their way. 

I observed on numerous occasions how a huge pack of people walking from point A to point B, and after awhile, the whole path is swarm with people walking from point B to A. this intrigues me, like how so many people can just sneak between the crowd and onto their business. It’s like the typical Singaporean behaviour of ‘my grandfather road’. 

 

Most are also guilty of standing around in a circle with your group of friends and block the middle of the walkway. It is inconsiderate, and often creates a roundabout commonly seen in motorways. Being non-confrontational, the other poor pedestrians will just walk around the circle. Talk about walking in circles. Ok, bad joke. 

That is how we should walk, in an orderly fashion

2. jaywalking

Singaporeans are time conscious, and will stoop into risking their life if it means saving time and increased convenience. (think how many time did you jaywalk because you’re lazy to climb the overhead bridge?) even when a person is just 10 m away from the crossing, he/she will still jaywalk. And to think Singapore is a safe and orderly country. What an irony. But the pedestrians know that cars will stop for them because the road is 'my grandfather's road'. My grandfather is bigger than your father's road. (Father's road is commonly used by drivers).

At least Jaywalking in here is not as bad as the photo.

Last but not least…

3. Doors

Most shopping malls in Singapore have a 2 panel automated sliding doors. For some older malls, they have a 2 panel manual operated push/pull doors. Keeping in mind of the very unique way Singaporeans walk, they tend to just push 1 panel of the door and walk out, while the rest wanting to walk in will just wait (until they judge it to be safe to just sneak in) all this while with a second panel waiting. Why can’t people just push the other panel? It’s not like they’re faulty. This often blocks the flow of traffic, and slows down everybody’s pace.  

Singaporeans also love to not hold the door for others. One common behaviour is the person in front of me will push open the door to the maximum, so he can walk pass, I will also walk pass quickly and not touch the door. The person behind me will quickly push the door to the maximum, allowing the next person to cross and the cycle continues. This saves time and is relatively efficient. But some bad behaviour is a person in front of me closing the freaking door. Thanks a lot(!)

And a very special mention to LIFTS!

Singaporeans tend to stand in the middle of the lift. Not sure why, but like in MRTs, Singaporeans will often crowd around the middle.

Hopefully, these bad behaviour will improve in years to come, but for now, keep our fingers cross that they will improve and not meet someone like them. Even I’m guilty for some of the behaviour. And please, don't get me started on queuing. Leave that for another day. 

That Duck taste rubbery

So sorry I've to do this

Closure

We are all constantly in search of the truth, which includes closure. Closure in life, friends and situations/scenarios. But without really finding closure, are we able to be at peace with ourselves, and how will we be able to 'live with it'?

Quotes

I know I had posted this before, but this is a very meaningful quote:

We must be satisfied with the soup that is set before us, and not desire to see the bones of the ox out of which it has been boiled.

Contentment breeds satisfaction, which leads to happiness. Often people aren't able to be happy and be at ease with themselves because of their curiosity.

Humans are so often curious, because that is our nature. To question the why and what not. But it is in this aspect which prevent us from finding closure, closure with the situation, and with yourself.

Working in a department which deals with complain letters (why does the word complain even occurs?!) I find that most of the people uses it as an avenue to vent their frustration. The frustration of feeling helpless that their parcel are lost (I’m working in a postal office). Being human, we tend to like to be in control, and be informed in the whole process. Once we lose that ability, all hell break lose. These are the people who are unable to find closure. For complain cases, it usually works like this:

1. You learnt of the problem occurred (like your parcel was delivered late)

2,. You felt helpless, and felt bad (about yourself, or your recipient or even just at the situation)

3. usually by now we have 2 different types,

a. Those who accept it, and close the case. Or

b. who demand to know what happened, how it happen and generally, angry.

3. you write a complain letter, threatening to report to the CEO, or the MPs or whatsoever people.

Frankly, I think my company should not even be replying to such people. Because in life, shit happens. It is alright to feel angry, but do not let your feelings manipulate to emotions, which will influence the actions. Sure, some of this shit are the company fault, but do not vent your frustration by calling the staff and give them a verbal scolding. Imagine how will they feel, especially when it’s not even their fault.

Usually, for people to find closure, they will experience anger, followed by acceptance and finally closure. In my complain example, however, since there’re no acceptance (few will accept the ‘official excuses’ made because simply put, the company really is at fault), thus these complainers will not find closure. However, it is another completely different story if you call the company and want to know the process and why it had been late in delivery. This is finding closure in a way because you want to be educated and informed, and not just to vent your frustration.

Usually, when people call the hotline to complain, they in fact do not know what they want, and the answers they want to hear. They just want someone to hear and shout mean words to the poor people on the phone because they felt it’s their prerogative. And after that phone call, the poor people will usually say sorry. I think they should just use this phrase, “I empathise with you on your frustration, and my company would like to apologise for the regrettable experience caused by the lateness of delivery”.

Hopefully, there’ll be fewer people who complain, because ultimately, they are the ones who shows how shallow they are, forever judging others by their moral paucity. Sometimes, it’s great to receive feedback and complains if they have a nice tone. Just not shouting. Shucks, it’s my last day tomorrow at work. Now I’m a happy kid who will devote more time here.  

Different perspectives and finding closure.

A very unexpected friend of mine (that wo geng ni jiang hor) asked if I would like to go to london with him. That was totally unexpected, since I’m not chummy with him. After much whatsapping, we virtually planned what we’re gonna do and all. The question is why me? Because I’m not a phony. Well, I try to stay true to myself and often find myself in weird and hostile situation for firing that stupid mouth of mine without thinking. Thankfully, I’ve not offended that much people in the past 3 years of poly education. (an accomplishment, if you asked me).

The end of a crucial 3 years of education had just faded away from me. The memories created, friendship and courtship. But what actually holds in that short, yet eventful 3 years? The competitiveness which is so overrated or the people you knew. Of course, the subject taken will be with me forever I think, but being someone who have absolute dislike to marketing, should I further my studies? Or should I just stick my head in and work till the day I retire, think back and moan about the mistake I possible had made.

Differing perspectives from various people I knew had by and large, been cautioning me about my next decision. Half of me wanted to shut them up, and another half wanting to listen and pay heed to their advice. Like how (I know!) anthropology does not have any career prospect and I should just stick to my marketing with a minor in product management (or something like that). It’s thought that finding closure with my studies solely based on this marketing.

If only there is an answer.

I find myself in this situation whereby whenever I find the light at the end of the tunnel, next thing I know is the train just has to ram over me at full speed. That is just so depressing.

Online Media Clampdown In Progress???

The MDA (Media Development Authority) in Singapore had introduced a new ruling, whereby online news site exceeding 50000 unique views will be subjected to a license which includes financial bond as part of the conditions, ensuring the articles published online will be on par with their other traditional media counterparts. This applies, right now to 10 websites, and this license is subject to renewal every year.

The online community had been extremely vocal over this. Many questions are field (and yet to be answered). But they are all missing a point- How is this legislation/ruling passed in parliament with no votes from MPs? It's just like a normal day in the office, checking Twitter in the afternoon and everyone's talking about this. Even newspapers reporting this did not mentioned about a debate in parliament or vote. Given the political structure of Singapore lower house, with majority of MPs belonging to PAP, high possibility of the ruling being pass is high. But what I'm interested is the point of view and opinions of MPs (be it opposition or otherwise).

I'm all for the regulation of Internet media if it calls for greater scrutiny and responsibility journalism online in part from the print media, but online news portal with no physical presence? I don't think it is necessary. The top priority of having such online regulation is to address the following:

1. Cyber-bullying

Most people are now turning into social media to taunt their preys, calling them name and defecating photos and putting them up online. This behaviour should not be tolerated, and please punish them.

2. Imposing of super-injunction to the online community

High prolific cases whereby a gag order is being imposed on traditional news outlet but not the general public on a certain footballer in the UK is being exploited by most people. (Think Giggs). There should be a law on this.

3. Social behaviour (especially hate speech)

Forget about defaming others, but the use of vulgar languages. Enforcing a law whereby it is a criminal case if someone online with the malicious intention to hurt (mentally or physically), including threats, or photos, etc others punishable by law, and not just waiting for the victims to report and take a civil suit. This tantamount to someone spitting or shouting the F*** word to you on the streets and should not be tolerated. 

Forget about the bonds and all, just impose this as a deterrence and all will be fine. Better yet if UN convention can have a common internet laws and convention for all countries to adopt (like tort law and common laws amongst most commonwealth nations).

P.S If Xia Xue (one of the more famous bloggers) falls under the category and need a license, I bet some company will sponsor her the financial bond. 

Life as we know it, in cheese

Is a vicious cycle, with interconnecting links with each and every one. Alright, it doesn’t make much sense to me. A day in the office is highly intriguing, with a manager claiming (quite proudly), that she can’t comprehend and not understand one of my favourite books of all, Who Moved My Cheese.

It clearly means that she does not understand the concept of change, and is in fact, incapable of change. She loves constant and will blame others utmost for any undesired change. A very bad manager in terms of managerial skills.

For many of us, finding ourselves without any cheese seemed to be a major problem. So we start searching for cheese. But whilst looking for more cheese, we tend to commit mistakes, and never look back. Some of the none the wiser will be contended finding another cheese station with little cheese (to not actually last), while others will continue searching, never looking back sometimes. Others will feel angry with the situation and others, but not do anything about it.

Changes comes from the individual. 

The adventures thus far

Clara Oswin and the Doctor, thus far (since the death of Rory and Amelia) had embarked on a number of complex adventures. Like as always, the first episode marking the start of DW will be intriguing and will be exciting.

Clara had been downloaded for the Great Intelligence, become much more tech savy (to the extend of making a Twitter joke), loses the most important leaf to her (to feed the god), finally knew the TARDIS (Time And Relative Dimension In Space) translate into the native language (of whichever place she is in) and now, knows more of the history of the cold war. She can be known as a brave companion who understand fears, yet not crumble to it. But in episode 2, did she really thought the aliens knows and truly understands her?!?!

Being hopeless, as often illustrates by the Doctor, will always allows a person to do the unforeseeable, and unexpected. As yet another classic case (the episode on Pandorica Opens too demonstrates this concept). Now we see the Ice Soldier (from Mars 5000 years ago) being frozen and was 'rescued' by a Soviet submarine in North Pole.

[[[SPOILER ALERT]]]]

The visitor was melted against the order of the captain and it went into a rampage, wrecking the submarine, falling 700m into the depths of the ocean. Communication with Moscow (capital of Soviet Union or USSR as it was more commonly known) was futile, as with that of the Martian. Feeling hopeless, the Martian escape from his armour (regarded as a great dishonour) and attempt to understand his humans counterparts.

Bearing in mind the conditions and setting, a Soviet Nuclear Submarine during the heightened tension (think around the Cuba crisis) and any wrong, miscalculated move will bring the world into a nuclear war. This smart Martian (whoever says Mars alien are stupid?) learn quickly of the situation, and decided to conquer Earth, effectively using the Cold War (escalated into full front fighting and nuclear and all).

In an attempt to stop the Martian, the human crew together with the 2 heart, bowtie loving Time Lord (aka Doctor) split into 2 teams- 1 to guard the bridge (the place where you launch the nuclear warheads) and another to find the Martian and talk sense to him.

They found the Martian (or rather the Martian found them), killed 2 of their crews and hold Oswin hostage. But the professor speaks up, and the Martian decided to kill him instead. By now, the Martian had reinforcement and is back to his armour and went to the bridge to launch the nuclear weapons. But he decided against it, since the submarine was sonic beamed to surface in North Pole, Martian was teleported to his mothership and the Doctor found his TARDIS (it escaped, because of the dangers). All ended well and happy.

Yet another nice storyline, but was too squeezed into a single episode, which is quite sad. Else, with more time, the story can play out and leave Whovians wanting more next week. Still, another good episode with improved chemistry between Doctor and Clara, though I think Clara and the professor was quite a nice pair. This time, it does not shows Clara returning home, unlike the previous episode. 

Does the Doctor often becomes afraid? In the next episode. I'm the Doctor and I am afraid. Of course, where's your bowtie?!