It's frightening - really.
Yesterday during our CDA (Critical Discourse Analysis) class, my friend Janice ( a fellow Malaysian) turn and ask another friend Sara (a Singaporean) this: Do you think
Sensitive subject isn’t it?
But, here’s the funny thing. Singaporean prides themselves of how diverse the culture in
In my first year here, I was utterly shock to find out that one of my close friend (who is a Chinese) has only ONE friend who is not a Chinese. Woah. 20 over years living and you only have one non-chinese friend. Utterly unbelievable right? I’m sure most of us Malaysians cannot imagine it right?
Okay. So,
So Sara pointed out, there’s very little knowledge about each other’s race and practices. Whatever (little) people know, it is taught in school. Not because they have friends who will educate them. She then, turn to another of our friend, a fellow Singaporean and ask her what does she know about why Sara fasts during Ramadhan. And of course, her answer was surprisingly funny. And it’s interesting that people can live in such ignorance.
The Malays are fasting for one month and people don’t even know why they fast. It says quite a bit doesn't it?
So, how diverse is this culture really? Or is everyone just living their own lives, oblivious to the other different lives there are?
Ignorance.
Which brings me to the next point: the
It’s suprising isn’t it? How ignorant a person can be? The world is going nuts over North Korea’s nuclear test and here we are sitting in our own chairs not even knowing it and concentrating on how bad the weather is – ok fine, it’s hazy – still?!
PS: In my opinion and my replies to comments, nothing is meant to personally attack anyone or any citizenship. My thoughts are just directed at a situation that is more-a-less pervasive in many parts of the world. Just the thought of ignorance is frightening. I point out Spore because it is where my observations started but it doesn't mean that Sporeans are the only ones "to blame". :) Readers from other place might be able to apply the sentiments shared here to the place they are at right now too. Cheers.
posted by -- J e e L e e -- @ 11:30 am
2 Comments
2 Comments:
thanx jee lee for ur update, I tot google is GOING TO buy Youtube, now they have bought over.
Anyway not everyone has their own computer, not everyone suscribe to newspaper, not everyone has tv at home. And many who has tv at home don't watch news.
You see it in YIH society area, and I've seen it in sec school, how we split during language lessons, how we group ourselves. I am not a racist, but I tell u a fact Jee Lee, out of my almost 300 people in my phonebook in my hp, only 1 is a malay, and he is there because he was my mentee 3 years ago. And he no longer stay in the house.
So do I know why ppl fast? Yes I do. But why is there a need to know a piece of information if it does not affect your life? Is political news more important than entertainment news? Is nuclear test by North Korea something we must know? Or the haze? Are we affected by the nuclear test? Is there anything we can do about it? Demonstration? Not in Singapore I suppose. But all of us here are affected by haze.
So what's wrong with not mixing with ppl from other ethnic gp? What's going to happen if we don't know ppl fast? what's the point of knowing so much information if it's not going to affect you, at all?? what's the point of being overloaded with information? Is life going to change if we know all these information?
Blame the government.
It's probably not wise to put up such a sensitive issue up in a blog. Your comment is totally expected. :)
I've considered all your above points, which was the reason for this post. It's not all about what you can do about it. It's about being indifferent, and not caring enough to want to know.
How many ppl do you know read about the haze? (and Malaysians, Singaporeans and south Thailand ppl are affected by the haze!) Do you know that (at least for Msia), the haze is not only affected by Indon's forest burning but by the El Nino situation? Plus, there are news (in the newspaper or radio or whatever news-gathering medium u can think of) that we can contribute to. Do you know that the Malaysian blood bank is running low on Blood group A and blood group B because of the ramadhan month? (Okay. this doesn't matter to you because you're in Spore. But consider this: assuming that this mentality is widespread in Malaysia. This information won't affect you at all if you're not sick or in need of blood. But, if you know, and you fall under the above blood category, you can do something about it right?) So you see, my point is not on how news don't matter to us because it doesnt really have a direct impact on us. It's that people just clearly, blatantly, don't care. You live in your world. I live in mine.
Who cares if the world will even one day go crazy over the situation in North Korea now?!
People have cliques. I'd (bow in) respect for the person who don't ever stick to cliques. I'm not saying that people should be buddies with non-same-ethnic groups ppl (if they find it hard to). I'm just saying: well, be friends.
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