A nation of people with cash but no class
How true this article is. (that even me myself might be guilty of sometimes)
THE editorial, 'What of the litter?' (The Sunday Times, March 5), brings home once again the uncomfortable truth that Singaporeans in general would rather not face - that we are not anywhere near the kind of 'First World' people that we believe ourselves to be.
This, in fact, had been pointed out to us recently with special reference to the arts scene. And not too long ago, a minister, no less, had also felt that we were becoming a nation of people with cash but no class.
Telltale signs are everywhere in the heartlands if only one would sit back and observe - littering and soiling in lifts and covered carparks, the awful mess left behind in our food centres and flying debris, large and small, from windows of HDB flats.
On the road, we see the nouveau riche driving gleaming cars of the latest model despite the out-of-this-world prices but their ugly side - queue-cutting, impetuous honking, indiscriminate parking, etc. -- makes a stark and unflattering contrast to their new-found wealth.
And as rightly pointed out in the editorial, we are also much too quick to show intolerance towards less fortunate foreigners who come here to work in jobs which we shun, so much so that in some instances the threat of fines has to be instituted to keep us from doing the unspeakable.
It would seem that our material progress has outstripped our ability to demonstrate 'instinctive respectful habits' without the proverbial sword of Damocles constantly hanging over our heads.
Recently, I had a brief conversation with a foreign worker on the lift landing of my HDB block. In his halting English, the affable young man wished me 'Good Morning' and told me he was from Bangladesh, adding that he hoped to earn enough money so that his siblings could go to school back home.
He asked me to please wait so he could clean out the heavily littered lift, which he did in a jiffy. I felt ashamed and embarrassed. I thanked him as I entered the lift and he responded with 'Good Day, Sir', hardly missing a beat.
Since then, I have often wondered what this young man would tell his countrymen about Singaporeans' attitude towards public cleanliness. I also wonder what impression he has of us as a people of a First World nation. But, really, I don't think I want to know.
Admittedly, not all Singaporeans lack gentility. But the signs are clear that the number who suffer from this lack is large enough to be a cause for concern. Worse, for some strange reason, they don't seem to give a damn what others think of them.
However, I am optimistic that we will one day rid ourselves of our boorishness. This will take time but we can begin to change if only we could see ourselves as others see us.
Lee Seck Kay
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/forum/story/0,5562,380094,00.html?
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