I watched the latest video produced by the Workers' Party for National Day 2013. As usual, it is a very nice video that really comforts people in their hearts and gives them a proud sense of hope for Singapore - the hope for better, for something different if necessary, a beautiful alternative that is at the same time seen to be largely achievable.
What really stood out, though, among all the remarks by the people in the video, was one by Jesslyn, a marketing manager. who said, in her wishes for National Day: "My wish for Singapore is for everyone to be happy and healthy, and to be able to think beyond themselves and a bit more for the less fortunate around them."
I think as a society we are so used to "thinking only for ourselves", something ingrained in our culture thanks to how we have been "built up" these years. Singaporeans are selfish? Ugly? Inconsiderate? Kiasu? Greedy? Well, let's look no further than the socio-political and cultural landscape that made that the norm.
As it is, there is a need to go beyond the "I" and come as "We" when setting political convictions and realising them. Democracy is about coming together to achieve something as a community, a society, a nation and a people.
Truth be told, we have made political progress all these years because we have managed to look beyond the "I" factor and to seek something higher, something more noble. If Hougang and Potong Pasir residents had been deterred from voting Opposition by the upgrading plans in place and the risk of losing them, Low and Chiam could not have won. And so did Aljunied GRC and Punggol East SMC.
Similarly, if everyone had remained silent and docile, and cared for their own "safety", their freedom from "intimidation by the state", there could be no Chee Soon Juan, or Low Thia Khiang, and the many more who stood up for the elections.
Make no mistake that the climate of fear still exists and still reeks the country.
Sure, political interests can sometimes be personal interests too. For example, a group of people petitioning for a certain area to be nuclear-free, for example, are exercising small "group interests" that are also part of democracy. Democracy should rightly be, though, the "rule of the many" but at the same time checked by the special consideration of minority rights so that they are not infringed. This balance makes democracy.
But whatever it is, it should be quite evident by now that democracy is not a "one-man show", or the reflection of just "one man's view". That cannot be democracy.
Not only that, even when making judgments, when making political decisions, we should care for more. And living in a society, we have to care for those around us, just like we care for our parents, siblings, friends.
If we had only cared for ourselves, then we would be spending time only to our leisure; we would be attending pop concerts, rock band shows, going to the casinos, and splurging our life away. But if we cared for more than ourselves, we would see meaning in volunteering for social work, in voicing out for the less fortunate, in helping the discriminated and maligned, and even in fighting injustice and for freedom.
I am not asking everyone to be a saint. And yes, politically apathetic people have rights too. You also have a right not to participate in social work. But the selfish and self-centred culture must change for us to develop into a more "gracious society" that the PAP likes to espouse in trying to "create", a more civilised society, a more responsible citizenry and a more caring and robust nation.
It could also be a reality that political openness just has to precede these all, as it is only when people are allowed to think differently and hold different opinions can society really be free, and hence desire to want to help each other out.
But let's start today, let's not wait. Let's effect the change we want to see in our own ways.
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| Jesslyn, a marketing manager, giving her take on what she wishes for Singapore this National Day; watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TNDp4SQfI0 |
I think as a society we are so used to "thinking only for ourselves", something ingrained in our culture thanks to how we have been "built up" these years. Singaporeans are selfish? Ugly? Inconsiderate? Kiasu? Greedy? Well, let's look no further than the socio-political and cultural landscape that made that the norm.
As it is, there is a need to go beyond the "I" and come as "We" when setting political convictions and realising them. Democracy is about coming together to achieve something as a community, a society, a nation and a people.
Truth be told, we have made political progress all these years because we have managed to look beyond the "I" factor and to seek something higher, something more noble. If Hougang and Potong Pasir residents had been deterred from voting Opposition by the upgrading plans in place and the risk of losing them, Low and Chiam could not have won. And so did Aljunied GRC and Punggol East SMC.
Similarly, if everyone had remained silent and docile, and cared for their own "safety", their freedom from "intimidation by the state", there could be no Chee Soon Juan, or Low Thia Khiang, and the many more who stood up for the elections.
Make no mistake that the climate of fear still exists and still reeks the country.
Sure, political interests can sometimes be personal interests too. For example, a group of people petitioning for a certain area to be nuclear-free, for example, are exercising small "group interests" that are also part of democracy. Democracy should rightly be, though, the "rule of the many" but at the same time checked by the special consideration of minority rights so that they are not infringed. This balance makes democracy.
But whatever it is, it should be quite evident by now that democracy is not a "one-man show", or the reflection of just "one man's view". That cannot be democracy.
Not only that, even when making judgments, when making political decisions, we should care for more. And living in a society, we have to care for those around us, just like we care for our parents, siblings, friends.
If we had only cared for ourselves, then we would be spending time only to our leisure; we would be attending pop concerts, rock band shows, going to the casinos, and splurging our life away. But if we cared for more than ourselves, we would see meaning in volunteering for social work, in voicing out for the less fortunate, in helping the discriminated and maligned, and even in fighting injustice and for freedom.
I am not asking everyone to be a saint. And yes, politically apathetic people have rights too. You also have a right not to participate in social work. But the selfish and self-centred culture must change for us to develop into a more "gracious society" that the PAP likes to espouse in trying to "create", a more civilised society, a more responsible citizenry and a more caring and robust nation.
It could also be a reality that political openness just has to precede these all, as it is only when people are allowed to think differently and hold different opinions can society really be free, and hence desire to want to help each other out.
But let's start today, let's not wait. Let's effect the change we want to see in our own ways.
