Saturday, December 15, 2007
Factory Work
Factory work is boring to the max
"Bing De you found a job? Factory work?" etc etc
Hahaha no lah, I had a factory job as an one-day assignment.
It was at Bedok South. You know, that stretch of road that leads to TJC from Bedok interchange? The factories lie on the left side, and that's something we seldom notice.
Well, when I entered the factory, I kind of got a culture shock.
Ok, to be fair, what can you expect a factory to be? Surely not as comfortable as offices. But this is the first time I actually got to enter one, and work in one.
Plus the fact the I didn't really sleep well (was watching mobtv's fu man ren jian - shall blog about it next time), it added to the seh-ness I have.
The factory was hot, noisy and totally has a sian feeling.
Then, I was led by the lady to my 'supervisor', who told me the simple job I have to do. Yup, check this particular metal piece if it is too big (using one end with a 11.60mm gauge) or it is too small (using another end with a 11.56mm gauge - yup, it is THAT precise).
Simple job? Absolutely. Only a small problem. There are around 3000+ pieces in that metal container.
All done by me ALONE.
Hence I started - at around 10.15am.
Check, and check, repeat and repeat. Sweat and Sweat. Listening to the noisy engines around me. Nothing changes in the environment. The only changes are perhaps uninspiring men and sometimes women pushing metal containers around. I thought I've done a lot of work, I've checked a lot of parts. It seems like 2hour's passed.
Time for a quick water break.. Time check.
11am.
WTH!!!!! If you think that when working in the office, time crawls, time is in SLOW-MO in the factory. No entertainment, no music, no internet, and you sweat like hell.
I continued checking, and feel like dozing off after all these brainless and endless repetitions.
And with that, I suddenly sink into my thoughts again.
The first reaction when I first step into the factory is 'industrialisation'. Yes, the same thing we studied during our EC2373 module. Suddenly, when I was sulking and getting really impatient in my job, I felt an immense pity and respect for these factory workers.
This place is shitty. The jobs they do is shitty. So is their pay.
As from what we learnt, Singapore began a rapid industrialisation programme since 1959, the year we were granted full internal self-government from the British. It was also the year PAP came into power. (Yup it's THAT long)
In the textbooks, industrialisation was seen like the magic pill to solve all woes. High unemployment was the problem, and industrialisation was the magic pill. All words hailed how it curbed unemployment and build a now-wealthy Singapore.
However, by being in a factory, I found a new perspective. From the worker's.
Industrialisation is great, but it required a massive sacrifice from the people as well. I mean, imagine people previously were living in kampongs, being poor but simple and carefree, then suddenly, they have to work in factories, which has alien machines, foul air, and are controlled environments.
In a factory, people are not people. They are like machines that feed on rice and water. They are just part of an assembly line, doing that 'specialised' jobs for hours. Things that are repetitive, brainless, and void of communication with other people.
How can anyone stand this kind of working environment?
A short chat with uncles enlightened me.
“Boy ah, 在读书啊？”
Nods head.
“在哪里读啊？”
“国大”
“wah, 大学生啊！”
That's the reaction people will get, especially working as a factory boy seems so out of sync (to them, not me) for an university undergrad.
“读书好啦！拿笔好过拿这个啊。” he said, pointing to the metal pieces.
“昨天啊，我做这个做到我手痛啊！”
“我以前就是没有读书。。能读多一点好啊！”
I smiled. Suddenly, I feel very fortunate. For me, this is just an one-day assignment, endure through the day, and this shitty job is over. For them, it is something they have to do FOR LIFE. Repetitions after repetitions. Day after day. Month after month. Year after year.
And suddenly, I found a new found respect for these workers.
Next time, when I see them flooding the bus, I'll try not to sneer, I'll try to be kinder, more humble, and treasure my university place more.
And I saw something beautiful after work.
夕阳无限好，只是近黄昏。
我说，
彩虹好划过，只是在雨后。
haha act cheem! Enjoy your hols people!
lowtide blogged @
1:57 pm
