Singaporeans are a funny lot.
Why?
Years back, we have to have campaigns.
Campaigns to teach us to be courteous.
Campaigns to remind us not to waste water.
Campaigns to 'Stop at 2'.
Campaigns to have 3 kids if we can afford them.
Then we need laws to teach us what we should not do.
We have to be fined for littering.
We have to ban chewing gum.
Now, we need a campaign to teach us to be gracious! My goodness. Are we not a developed country? Do we need to be taught simple things that every respectable human should know and do? To clear your table after you eat. Don't you do that at home?
I think it boils down to being considerate. Thinking for others. We are a selfish lot. And the scary thing is that our kids are learning to be like us. How many more generations will it take? For us to give up our seats to someone who needs it more than us, without signs to remind us. To clean up after ourselves, be it at a eating place, the restroom.
I see people throwing their trash on the floor when the dustbin is 5 steps away. I see a diaper conveniently stuffed on a shelf while shopping. I see a cup placed 'neatly' in the corner of a lift. I see people just walking away from their table after their meals, at IKEA, no doubt where their 'expectations' are so greatly spelled out, and collection points so clearly labelled.
When will we learn to be a gracious society? Maybe, just maybe this campaign might work! HA! If I'm a foreigner, I would think Singapore is a joke. But I'm Singaporean, and I really don't understand the actions of so many of my fellow men and women. *sigh*
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2 comments:
maybe, just maybe city dweller tends to be more self centered? it happens in paris, it happens to big cities in the States. Maybe when one is busy climbing up the corporate ladder, chasing the materialistic dream, they lose themselves? Values are forgotten cos one hardly use them? things u don used, get forgotten?
Sometime I think singaporeans are like a bunch of puppets, the government dictate our directions, our thinking and our future. We almost do not think, just follow the government direction. It is sad but I hope things will change.
Guess there are still a group of Singaporeans who are still considerate! The minority may have behave in a way not intended but I think generally we aren't still not too bad. There are other places that may be worse off! I guess every single person's effort will help, so let's make sure our few little future generations can contribute to building a more gracious society!
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