Saturday, February 18, 2006
07:57 by FoxTwo
Ever wondered why we Singaporeans even need to have the government telling us what we basically as humans should do?
Ever wondered why we even need those yellow lines and queue-spots marked out on MRT stations?
Oh yeah, it all boils down to one thing - kiasu-ism.
See, this is what we have been told from young - "You need to be best!". "You must get first in class!" etc ad naseum. Oh yeah, our parents want us to be the best we can be - even at the expense of others. What they have been drilling into our heads is "Think of yourself first! Forget everyone else!".
Even the government didn't really help there. Our government is based on "meritocracy", ie if you have the skills, if you have the qualifications, you get ahead. Hence, everyone is getting the skills and qualifications, your neighbours be damned. We must be the best! Second place is not good enough!
While this may be true to some extent, don't you think that because of kiasu-ism we're becoming the "ugly Singaporean" that many people frown on?
Ok how about this - There was this one time I was at the Singapore Zoo. There was a lion feeding show about to start. The enclosure of the lions had this big, HUGE glass panel to allow the visitors to see the zookeepers throw meat to the lions. There are seats placed around the glass panel for visitors to sit down and watch.
So what happens?
Mommies tell their kids "Go in front dear, so you can see!" and promptly pulled the kid RIGHT UP TO THE GLASS PANEL, totally obscuring the view for the people seated behind at the seats provided. Every parent does this. Notice this - it's the PARENTS, not the kids, that run up to the glass window. The kids were actually seated on the seats!
Where the hell is the common courtesy of sitting down so everyone can watch the feeding?
This kiasu-ism gets into our everyday lives. Everyone RUSHES into the MRT without allowing the people to get off because they want that seat! Everyone stands at the exit door on the bus, which is right in the middle of the bus, and don't move to the rear, because they want easy access to the door.
This vicious cycle of kiasu-ism has to stop. The kids grow up and become parents themselves, and they will then tell their kids to "go in front" and "must be first in class". Singapore is already experiencing the full blown disease of kiasu-ism.
Be the one to break this cycle. Teach your kids to put other people in their minds. Think of how their actions will affect other people.
When that happens, we don't need no more stinkin' "courtesy campaigns".
07:57 by FoxTwo
Quirky Singaporeans - Kiasu-ism At Its Best
Ever wondered why we Singaporeans even need to have the government telling us what we basically as humans should do?
Ever wondered why we even need those yellow lines and queue-spots marked out on MRT stations?
Oh yeah, it all boils down to one thing - kiasu-ism.
See, this is what we have been told from young - "You need to be best!". "You must get first in class!" etc ad naseum. Oh yeah, our parents want us to be the best we can be - even at the expense of others. What they have been drilling into our heads is "Think of yourself first! Forget everyone else!".
Even the government didn't really help there. Our government is based on "meritocracy", ie if you have the skills, if you have the qualifications, you get ahead. Hence, everyone is getting the skills and qualifications, your neighbours be damned. We must be the best! Second place is not good enough!
While this may be true to some extent, don't you think that because of kiasu-ism we're becoming the "ugly Singaporean" that many people frown on?
Ok how about this - There was this one time I was at the Singapore Zoo. There was a lion feeding show about to start. The enclosure of the lions had this big, HUGE glass panel to allow the visitors to see the zookeepers throw meat to the lions. There are seats placed around the glass panel for visitors to sit down and watch.
So what happens?
Mommies tell their kids "Go in front dear, so you can see!" and promptly pulled the kid RIGHT UP TO THE GLASS PANEL, totally obscuring the view for the people seated behind at the seats provided. Every parent does this. Notice this - it's the PARENTS, not the kids, that run up to the glass window. The kids were actually seated on the seats!
Where the hell is the common courtesy of sitting down so everyone can watch the feeding?
This kiasu-ism gets into our everyday lives. Everyone RUSHES into the MRT without allowing the people to get off because they want that seat! Everyone stands at the exit door on the bus, which is right in the middle of the bus, and don't move to the rear, because they want easy access to the door.
This vicious cycle of kiasu-ism has to stop. The kids grow up and become parents themselves, and they will then tell their kids to "go in front" and "must be first in class". Singapore is already experiencing the full blown disease of kiasu-ism.
Be the one to break this cycle. Teach your kids to put other people in their minds. Think of how their actions will affect other people.
When that happens, we don't need no more stinkin' "courtesy campaigns".
