ashamed

WORLD-CLASS EXPERTS OR SUPER BRATS?
Nazry Bahrawi

HAS fiercely-pragmatic Singapore turned into a nation of idealists and dreamers?
.
Going by our youth’s lofty ambitions — a space cadet, a rock drummer and even a journalist in the mould of Woodward and Bernstein of Watergate fame — articulated at the recent Pre-University Seminar, it may seem so.
.
Such idealism mostly surfaces on the personal front, however. When it comes to the collective, our youth are still finding it difficult to escape the streak of pragmatism that runs deep in Singapore.
.
Perhaps, this is most clearly seen from their sentiments toward the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean).
.
Singapore undergraduates are among the most ambivalent about calling themselves Asean citizens, according to a recent survey commissioned by the Asean Foundation.
.
At a time when Singapore is chair of the 10-member grouping, this finding is striking.
.
Despite our leaders’ commitment to the region — going by their efforts to have the landmark Asean Charter ratified — our young elite and future leaders seem less so.
.
In the eyes of Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Community Development, Youth and Sports) Teo Ser Luck, our youth want to see “value and benefits” in their endeavours.
.
Along the same lines, National University of Singapore political scientist Reuben Wong told Today: “If Asean were richer, with more resources, if being a member means you get benefits, I’m sure Singaporeans would be proud to be a member.”
.
What to make of this “what’s in it for me” mindset?

[read the rest of the article here]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That mindset is totally what I saw coming with SAMSU politics :( No political agenda today here though, just a gripe on general selfishness: People nowadays are so caught up with themselves that they won't so much as SMILE back at you. As if flashing their precious pearlies would cause them to drop out or smth. And while ppl in US and Europe and South America are forthright and genuine with compliments (learn!! a simple "You're beautiful" goes a really long way), ppl here just tend to stare at you, til you're like "get away from me you sleazy creep".

Sorry went off on a tangent! But yep if people can't even look at those sharing their apartment blocks, parks, malls and (extremely intimate) MRT space as fellow human beings in need of love and respect, how can we expect them to give a %^&* about the underprivileged (and no, I don't mean that gal who just blew last month's salary on another Gucci bag and is now proclaiming she's 'so poor' - if I do become like that, please slap me), animals or *gasp* the environment? Which is why I could have kissed my lab mate when he suggested we share a plastic bag the other day. You know, these are the small things that don't cost a cent but actually do mean something.

Wth is wrong with Singaporeans man.