Tuesday, October 31, 2006
West is Best?There was quite a hot debate in the South East Asian Studies tutorial just now, totally side-tracking from the supposed topic in the class, which is Popular Music in SEA.
It was about the using of Singlish in Singapore.
The debate came about when the tutor, Tiffany (yes she's HOT) from the U.S, asked (in her cute little American accent), "Do you guys think that Singlish can be considered a dialect in Singapore?" (imagine this sentence in the most American-accented way you can)
This sparked the debate.
Of course, as in any controversial topic, arguments came.
Someone said that Singlish shouldn't be used, as it hinders our communication: "What if this class is conducted in Singlish? Would the foreigners understand?"
Some added, "It took us so long to establish this English-speaking population in Singapore, why destroy it?"
Of course, being the ever-traditionist, I fired back, "Singlish is something unique about our culture, and we should definitely preserve it despite us needing proper English to communicate with other people. But it seems that the government is discouraging it."
Sure, the disagreement came, "but the government is not DISCOURAGING the use of Singlish, it is just that they do not use it"
In reply, I said, "In a few years back, Mr Goh Chok Tong actually singled out Phua Chu Kang for criticism, on his excessive use of Singlish, in his National Day Rally speech, since then PCK went for English lessons, and the Singlish is cut down."
"But, If the government forbids the usage of Singlish, Phua Chua Kang wouldn't even continue until this final season. You know, the government controls eVeRyThInG in the country (class laughs), and he wouldn't be the representative of Singapore in the Amazing Race."
I retorted, " But the usage of PCK in the Amazing Race sparked off digust in the Singaporean public, it was as if Singlish is INFERIOR to proper English or something."
"Yes, these people think that PCK is more for the vulgar, and heartlander part of Singapore, something we would not want to show the world" A malay girl supported my point.
And the debate went on, about whether Singlish should be preserved.
I'm not sure about you (yes, you who is reading this), but Singlish is just something that represents the mindset problems who have in our society.
The government, consisting of the so-called elite, and more inclined to adopting Western culture, ideas, values etc. In this sense, in the vision of fitting into the international world, the elite tend to forget there is something going on in the rest (often the majority) of the society that is very real, and very close to our hearts.
The elite, with their daily contact with mostly the elite themselves, tend to be dis-connected with what happens with the lower classes.
The culture, the struggles of life, the way of thinking.
Singlish is just an example how this 'elite' fail to appreciate the culture of the rest of the society.
A worse evolution of the situation occurs when, the supposedly-heartlander people agreeing with this stance!
In our drive for economic development, in our drive to be accepted by the society, and in our drive to gain acceptance by the international world, we change without us even knowing it.
The majority, in wanting to identify with the 'elites', the more 'refined' class, tune their behaviour to be like them without even knowing it.
We embrace American culture, we embrace Japanese/Korean/Taiwanese culture, we embrace the Western values of individualism and so called 'modern' values.
But is 'modern' really superior? Or do we just follow what is 'modern' just for the sake of it?
Right now what happens? Singaporeans sneering at their own Singlish when PCK appeared on the Amazing Race. Chinese Singaporeans despise their own mother tongue and give that god-damn amazed face when people study Chinese or use Mandarin as a language of communication (amongst the 'elite' university culture). Some hate it when people call their Chinese names rather than their English names (Chinese names are supposedly 'old-fashioned'). Singaporeans slamming local productions/artistes/society and admiring foreign cultures/products/values. We laugh when we see Chinese Opera and we go in awe when we hear R&B, Rock, Jazz etc.
What's so funny/digusting/amazing about engaging in what is essentially, non-Western?
I'm sure you're guilty of these.
You may not know it, but these notions has been so much so internalised into you that you don't even notice it. We love to think ourselves as people proud of our own heritage, roots etc, but subconsiously and in our actions, do we really think and act this way?
Chances are, we tend to admire people who are "modern" (who defines 'modern' anyway? modern = western?) and look down on people when behaves in a traditional/non-Western way.
The sad truth is this. We despise our culture, we despise our heritage, we despise even our own Singlish. Or at least some do, in little or more obvious ways.
"To gain international recognition and respect, we have to behave to speak their language, and behave in their manner"
Yes, but in the drive of acheiving international standards, let's not kill our own cultures, despise our own heritage, or even deny they exist.
If I were an angmor in an Asian country which is fully Westernised, chances are, instead of admiring the city, I'll despise it for being deprived of its own roots.
Remember, before we want other people to respect us, we have to respect ourselves.
As a society, if we do not even respect our own culture and simply conform to international pressure (subtle or otherwise), how can we expect other people to respect us?
So, let's not laugh at people who behave in their traditional ways and try to impose our western-centric values on them, and think beyond our western-centric minds.
West doesn't means it's best.
lowtide blogged @
5:22 pm
Thursday, October 26, 2006
心情我还不知道自己要的是什么。
有一些似乎想满足的情感、 想到达的抱负，一直在我心中荡漾。
但是，偏偏就有一股力量在阻挡着我。
我不能解释，这股力量是什么。
是时间的洗礼吗？ 是在尘世中翻滚的厌倦吗？ 是经验所带来的惧怕吗？
我不清楚。
Please tell me, I am not alone.
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伟大，当然，人类是伟大的。
我是人，所以我伟大。
但我不知道，原来那么老套的伟大竟然还存在这世上。
它太，太象电视剧了。
我好笨喔。
那股力量开始奏效了。
这是可笑还是可悲呢?
此刻，我清楚了。
lowtide blogged @
10:32 pm
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Praise people? I'd rather die!Just finished studying the 'Religions' chapter of my sociology textbook, felt so satisfied =)
Religion is something I've been interested to study about, and this chapter really gave me insights and changed the way I've always thought about religion, although some notions of how political power affects religions is similiar to what I felt.
However, this is not the point of this post.
While I reading an article, I thought of some things, which I feel I have this urge to type it out.
It's about how the seemingly reluctance to praise people, even when we have the chance to.
It's amazing how eager and how fast people are, when they criticise people, or offer negative comments.
Things like, "oh my god, your dress-sense sucks!", "Yah yah yah, you're clever, my foot.", "That's stupid" etc.
Yes, some of it is what we call 'banter', harmless words exchanged to provide fun which strengthens friendship.
However, sometimes unknowingly, when we extend this banter to our every line of conversation, we develop this habit of offering negative comments way too easily.
Nothing wrong with it, of course, if you're saying it in a harmless way.
But when we don't balance this banter with saying good things about people, conversations amongst friends could often be full of sacarsms, negative comments, albeit spoken out in a harmless manner.
Don't be mistaken, I'm not offended by anything negative that's said about me in a joking or harmless manner.
It is just that I can't really fathom, how come when we slam people, suan people etc, it comes out of the mouth so easily, without even needing us to think twice.
On the other hand, when we praise other people, it's somehow like a painful and torturous process (I know it's an exaggeration, but you know what I mean if you're clever enough). For example, when people wear something out of the norm, we're so eager to criticize.
"oh my god what's that??? that's shitty!"
But when people wear something that is nice, are we that eager to praise the person as well?
Chances are, we keep the praises in our minds and the criticisms, on the other hand, fly out of our mouths in an instinctive manner.
This culture is so much so that when people actually praise one another, people are not quite used to it, or in the extreme case, people have suspicions of hypocrisy.
Does it put us in an 'inferior' position when we praise people? Does it cost some part of our anatomy when we say something nice to other people?
I'm sure some people will disagree with me, but subconsiously I believe, many of us suffer from this "reluctance to praise people" syndrome.
Sometimes, we need to cut down on the incessant criticisms on others, and put forward some heartfelt praises.
If not, our culture could perhaps stay in the current one, whereby the number of criticisms vs praises is so skewed that communication is often built on the foundations of banters - superficial accessment of people -, instead of heartfelt praises which could indeed, provide the 'feel-good' factor amongst friends, family etc.
Maybe sometimes, we need to conquer the reluctance to praise, so to make this world a better place.
lowtide blogged @
6:00 pm
As I'm typing this, it is bloody 3.42am now...
Upon surfing the various blogs of my friends, I've come to realise I've not blogged for a long time.
I guess, that's what happens when one starts to study - you can't do anything outside of your academic life not feeling guilty 'wasting' time that could have been used for studying.
Also, listening to Jiahui's and Lee Teng's programme on 933 on my way home about blogs and also the interviewees' comments about their own blogs, I suddenly had this urge to blog again.
I hate it when this place is left stagnant, for I've a lot of things to say, either about current affairs, about my life, or giving some reflections based on what I've studied in my modules.
However, as I've mentioned, it's hard to do anything outside of academics without having the feeling of guilt.
I hope to make this place lively again, even if people who read my blog don't really bother to tag, comment, and say anything.
Hopefully, I can find the time to blog properly, and use it to help me organise my thoughts.
Nowadays, I've been living in such a daze that I've lost sight of what I want. Everyday is just about the stress of trying to get CAP 5.0 for the first sem, although it's seemingly impossible.
I want to get out of that hole, at the same time, I want to get back into that hole to make sure I achieve what I want.
It's hard, but I'll try.
Please try to tag or offer some comments if you can, and perhaps, this will give me some addition energy and motivation to blog, even if I in some ways, blog to satisfy my own desire to air out my views rather than want people to read them.
Update soon =)
lowtide blogged @
3:40 am
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
SIBEY HO CHIO AH~~!!!!!
lowtide blogged @
1:12 am
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
祝你幸福
虽然有那么小小的遗憾。。
只可惜。。。别提了。哥哥，祝你们俩儿永远幸福~！
lowtide blogged @
3:13 pm
黄黄的灯照着回家的街头。
一个熟悉的身影从前面走过。
“爸！” 我喊到。
爸爸把头一转，看了看我。
“为什么那么迟？”
“补习嘛。” 我回答。
“明天没有读书啊？”
明天？
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哥哥明天要注册结婚了。
他弟弟，我，为他感到高兴， 但是，难免的，我对许多事情还存着许多疑点。
但我担心也没用， 因为终究改变不了什么。
身为家中老幺，事情不是你要管就管的着。
有些事情，你只能默默接受，默默承受。
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“呃，明天没有读书。” 我草草地带过了。
其实，明天不止没有上课。。。 还有更重大的事情会发生。
面对着爸爸那孤独，寂寞的脸庞，我有口难言。
我无法想象爸爸它日若知道消息后，那伤心、悲痛，和不被重视的感觉。
爸爸，对不起。
请原谅哥哥的不孝。
我真的无能为力。
我尽力了。
爸爸，你还有我。
我是爱你的。
lowtide blogged @
12:53 am
