ホームシック

The current public outlook on blogging is that it is the epitome of narcissism. Begging your pardon, but I believe that’s a reflection of the mentality of our local bloggers, not a reflection of blogging in general. After all, blogging is democracy at its purest. It’s the poster boy for freedom of press and freedom of thought. There’s so much potential to be explored. Yet, the only issue the majority of bloggers prefer to write about is their daily routine.

Doesn’t it get boring?

Everyone has a routine. What makes you different from the rabblement?

Your thoughts! Your opinions!

I think we can assume that the content of the blog reveals the thoughts of the blogger. So, if the majority of local bloggers write about themselves, then it is safe to conclude that there a lot of people out there who are self-centered. We are interested in banal subjects like television shows and bitching about other people. I hate to do comparisons, but it’s easier to find foreign blogs with substance than a local one. Imagine all the political activism, the emotions captured in words, the events captured on camera. What we had for lunch in lieu all that potential. A blog is more of a journalistic tool than a diary. It is an indication of the maturity of this society.

Oh, and you know what I can’t stand? Satirical political blogs that are blatant in copying talkingcock.com. They keep attacking and attacking, digging up all the problems without offering any serious suggestions. It’s not constructive at all. It’s lazy reportage. I get the feeling that they’ve just got to say something against the Order, just because it’s cool to be non-partisan. Not that I’m particularly fond of the Men in White.

On the other hand, since you’re free to write whatever you want to write, this entry should mostly be ignored.

I know this is outdated, but I just thought I’d put in my two cent’s worth regarding the obsolete debate on abolishing the categorization of race on the Singapore identity card.

[Disclaimer: quotes are dug up from memory. Apologies for any mistakes or paraphrasing. Just don’t arrest me or sue me for slander.]

PM Lee insists that race “is a reality”, whether we like it or not. Well, of course it is. It is making a clear distinction between the “four” races. Coincidently, making a clear distinction happens to be the definition of the word “discriminate”.

I’ve an Eurasian friend [yes, Nayra, it’s you] who is particularly peeved at having her race categorized as “Other”. I’ve also realized that in local context the identity of a person is often announced in the order of name, gender and then race. Why race? In foreign books, especially from the UK, race is hardly mentioned. For example, in the Harry Potter books, it was only when I watched the Goblet of Fire movie that I realized the two Indian girls Harry and Ron asked to the ball were actually Indian.

Perhaps the G people think of this as a way to make things transparent? It’s also making the dividing lines clearer. It is superficial. And sadly, the current system seems to be the only one that’s working. Or is it?

Sometimes when you put on too much makeup, it starts to cake and fall off.

When I was in China for the Chinese New Year, a few things happened:

1. I once again rubbed noses with the “wonderful” Chinese civility.
2. My grandma fainted in my parent’s hotel room and had to be hospitalised. It was later discovered that she had lung cancer.
3. I discovered a new friend - my cousin.

Let’s begin with number 1. It happened as soon as I was getting off the plane from Singapore. [People from the People’s Republic of China will henceforth be termed “mainlanders” so as not to be confused with people of Chinese descent who are now living in other countries.] Mainlanders all about were scrambling to get off their seats and jump off the plane with their hand-carry luggage. It’s even worse on domestic flights. There is a tremendous frenzy when the boarding gate is announced to be open. Thoughts that were going through my head: What’s the hurry man? It’s not like the plane’s going to leave without you. There’s no need to be pushing and shoving, everyone’s assigned seats already. Imagine my distain.

Mainland manners are now legendary and global regard for mainland etiquette is at an all-time low. So, this is the product of your 5000 years of history and culture that you’ve always been bragging about? It is disgusting. It pains me profoundly to be ashamed of my country of birth. That 5000 years of history have only bred barbarism and materialism.

That is why I admire Japanese culture so much. They are so much more refined as a society. During my visit to Tokyo last year, I was impressed when my aunt told me it is considered rude to talk loudly or use the phone while taking public transit. When they take off their coat in a restaurant, they flip it inside out so as not to dirty the chair. I remember thinking to myself – this is civilisation.

Why do Singaporeans, myself included, get so excited whenever our country is mentioned in a Hollywood film, or American bestseller? After you get past the initial high, do you wonder if New Yorkers or Parisians have the same reaction when they should chance upon a few words about their own city in a novel? I recall the Straits Times running an article maybe a month ago raving about the increasing use of our country as a background location in Hollywood movies, most notably in King Kong [“Have we reached Singapore yet?”] and Batman Begins [“We ordered the pieces separately so as not to arouse suspicion… Rubber ears from a company in Singapore.”].

Why the delight at this miniscule footnote of a mention? Do we as a nation desire so much to be recognized on the international stage? Do we crave international attention so much? I almost feel pathetic after the initial rush. This nation is like an infant pining for attention from grown-ups. It seems our society has a prevalent sense of insufficiency. An inferiority complex. Why else do we always need world rankings to verify ourselves? We call ourselves a Garden City and take comfort from the fact that we have the Number One Ranked Airport In The World, the only nighttime zoo in Asia, and the Best Mathematics Syllabus In The World.

There’s no need to keep validating ourselves by comparing ourselves against others.