Identity

Title of Article: Chinese, but Singaporean
Author: Janadas Devan
Publisher: Straits Times
Date: August 23 2008

Reading this commentary has somewhat left me in confusion over my identity. All Singaporeans are known to be uniquely Singaporean but we all have a specific race and culture after all. No, I am not planning to disrupt the social cohesion we currently enjoy in the country, but I am here to reflect on our backgrounds and origins.

The breathtaking Beijing Olympics are over. China is in a league of their own, with their gold tally far superior than any other country. Singaporeans, with their lone silver medal, are elated. This Olympics has raised an important issue. If we think about it, Singapore is part of China, India and Indonesia. The Chinese, Indians and Malay in Singapore have bloodlines tracing back to our ancestors residing in the lands where each race originated. If we totally ignore the political boundaries, Chinatown is a patch of land in China, Little India is a patch of land in India and Kampung Glam is another patch of land in Malaysia. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride welling up as I watched the Chinese athletes blazing through the field of competitors. The Opening Ceremony was also truly magnificent. 5000 rich years of Chinese history was pristinely summed up in one night, as the entire world watched on.

There are many things that make a Singaporean a Singaporean. From our highly distinguishable language we call Singlish to our kiasu nature, we can always tell a Singaporean apart. All these traits are due to our multicultural society we live in, where we have created our own identity that we share among everyone from all races. However, when I look past this common identity, I can imagine my Chinese ancentors toiling in the paddy field or laying a brick which happens to be the foundation for modern China.

The Beijing Olympics has raised the issue of political nationalism. Being Chinese, I feel part of the dream and vision shared by the 1.3 billion Chinese nationals. This Olympics has not only been a sporting event but it has been an extremely successful cultural performance.

The Chinese culture has really come a long way. Singapore has also gone through a lot, but in a much shorter period of time. Having a multicultural society in our country is eye opening and enriching at the same time as we learn about other cultures. However, the recent Beijing Olympics has evoked some cultural pride in me and I cannot help but feel as if our society is divided into the different races, mainly Chinese, Malay and Indian and we are all still part of our motherland. Nevertheless, I believe that one day Singaporeans will establish an identity so strong and distinct that we will be seen as one entire race living on a tiny red dot.

Democracy Creates Stability in a Society

“In this possibly terminal phase of human existence, democracy and freedom are more than just ideals to be valued - they may be essential to survival.” This quote by Noam Chomsky, a well-regarded philosopher, captures the importance and significance of democracy in our modern society. Stability in this context refers to a generally lasting and effective political, economical and social system. Democracy has become more than just a system of government but it is also used to achieve many goals in a society. It is now considered as the ideal system of government as it is based on principles such as equal rights and free speech. In my opinion, the aspect most crucial in democracy is voting. It serves as a channel for each citizen to express his or her interest and opinions.

For the longest time, people demanded equality. The African Americans in USA in the past were discriminated against and were not entitled to vote. This was also the case in Northern Ireland where the Catholics, the minority group, were not given the right to vote. With this in mind, I believe that a vote is a basic right that everyone is entitled to have. It may not be very significant in the end, but it represents that individuals’ interest, thought, feelings and opinion. By entitling everyone to have a say in the country’s policies, I believe that there will be more social cohesion among the people, which will lead to social stability.

Another reason why democracy can create stability is evident in first world countries such as Singapore and Switzerland. Through democracy, citizens vote for the candidates whom they feel are capable of bringing the country in the right direction. In Singapore’s case, the Parliament consists of many bright and brilliant ministers. Lee Kuan Yew and S. Rajaratnam are examples of influential leaders. The presence of such leaders is a huge step towards creating stability in the country. Singapore not only has one of the most successful market economies, but the government have successfully ensured that there is social cohesion among people from all races and religion.

Being a resident in Singapore, I have witnessed and experienced how social stability and cohesion among people is very significant. People from very different backgrounds are able to work together towards a common goal. As I witness many racial conflicts going on in other places, I understand why the government constantly stresses the importance of multiculturalism. The current outlook of Singapore would not have been so promising had democracy been replaced with another form of government.

In conclusion, I agree that democracy plays a big role in creating stability in a society. I have used Singapore as an example to show how democracy can ensure success on the political, economic and social front. As Noam Chomsky said, democracy may be essential to survival.



Lennard
Signing off

HELO

HI you!

Goodness gracious!

After reading the article about the evolution of goodness I feel that it has been overly anaylsed by the many scientists. My response to the article is based on a more practical and logical view. I believe that human beings are willing to do good to others not only because its ethically right, we believe that our kindness will be repaid in some way or another. Humans have a wide range of emotions and if we do good to someone else the other person feels happy and thankful, also resulting in us being happy. Imagine if we were not kind to our loved ones and mistreated them. The world would be hell.

Another reason why we do good is because of teachings of our religion. As a Buddhist, I partially believe in karma. I fear that if i dont do good to others i will suffer to a certain degree. I once found a 5 dollar note while walking back to school. I picked it up and pocketed it since there was no way i was going to the police station to report 5 dollars or manage to find the rightful owner. As i continued walking, i tripped and hurt myself. Immediately, i took the 5 dollars out of my pocket and placed it back where i found it. This is just one of the reasons why i try to do good to others. I believe that any act of kindness and goodness will be repayed.

To all reading this,
Be good. Somebodys watching.

YOUTH OLYMPICS 2010!

Title of Article: WILL IT TAKE FREE FOOD TO LURE US TO SPORTS?

Author: DEBBIE YONG

Publisher: THE STRAITS TIMES

Date: 3^rd March 2008

In this article, the author questions whether the 2010 Youth Olympics in Singapore will be successful, considering that there is a lack of mature and active sporting culture here. More specifically, she is unsure whether Singaporeans will turn up for the events after all the excitement and hoorah about being able to host the games. The author personally feels that the only way we Singaporeans will fill up the stands during the games is to bribe them with free food, gifts and ERP rebates. An example of Singaporeans lack of support is the World Cup qualifier against Tajikstan. The game was a crucial one but the Kallang Stadium was barely one quarter full.

Moving on to my response to the article, I feel that the author has made a valid point in saying that we lack a strong sporting culture. Do not take me wrong, we Singaporeans are extremely enthusiastic about sports. We would rather slouch on our sofa to witness football played 8000 kilometers away, in England than to go down to Kallang to support our national team. Many will complain that the quality of football here is poor compared to that in England. However, if we continue brooding about this fact and not being more active in our local sports, the situation will never change. It appears that there is only a crowd when big-name athletes are involved. If this continues, the stands will be empty during the Youth Olympics because there are unlikely to be any big-name athletes at the event.

There is certainly a huge amount of talent in Singapore but the reason Singapore do not produce world-class athletes is due to our lifestyle. The Singaporean lifestyle is totally different from that of the Brazilians. Singapore places a lot of importance to having a good education and parents' first priority is to ensure that their children do well in studies. Children with a passion and talent in sports have little time to train because of their overwhelming schedule. In contrary, some parts in Brazil are poverty-stricken and there is not much emphasis on education. This allows children to do what they love.

This unfortunately cannot be helped because Singapore is a small country without any natural resources. The only way to survive in Singapore is to study hard and secure a job. However, we can further encourage Singaporeans to take up sports. We must establish our unique sporting culture like how the Americans live to play baseball. The benefits of a vibrant sporting culture are never-ending. Besides improving overall fitness and health, sports bring people together and will instill national pride and patriotism.

We have worked hard to get the opportunity to host the Youth Olympics. Let us not undo all the hard work because of our lack of sporting culture but take this as a stepping stone to becoming a country with a vibrant sporting culture.

Singaporeans lack social graces?

Hello everyone!

Regarding the article, im not one to comment on Singaporeans lack of social graces since i have not encountered an incident that really stands out. However, i have to agree that there is a group of Singaporeans that are rude and inconsiderate in public. Small little things like thanking should come naturally to people and I dont believe in introducing courtesy campaigns as they dont seem to work. But i have to admit that Singapore is not the only country that has this problem. For example, i recently visited cities like KL and London. Such cases also occur in these countries. I guess its the hectic lifestyle.

Thats all i have to say :D

Lennard

the first entry!

Hello. welcome to the blog!

Lennard