An article in the ST today caught my attention. On page S13, the headline screams: Does God get in the way of social cohesion?
The article reports that Singaporeans today seem to be more religious. According to a survey done in 2000, 85.2% of Singaporeans said they have a religion. Granted, having a religion does not equate being religious. But is having a religion, or rather being religious equate to being compassionate? I would think the answer is an affirmative, but what I see happening in our society is at odds with the report.
Many mid-lifers or the elderly would agree that there has been a general degree of deterioration in the level of civil-mindedness in our society today. On the MRT or public buses, people, especially the youngsters no longer bother to give up their seats to the elderly or the needy anymore. At the shopping malls or even right at the flat you live in, nobody bothers to say “thank you” when you hold the door or the lift to you anymore. Indeed, our society has degenerated to one with a “me, myself and I ” culture. The human race today is sorely lacking in basic human courtesy. Where’s the compassion? How can one who is religious on the one hand is so devoid of compassion on the other? What has gone wrong?
Have the educators in our schools missed out on something fundamentally crucial in the social development of our kids? In the past, we used to have moral education or 好公民. I heard that these are no longer being taught in school. Of course, one would argue that one can’t depend on our educators to teach our kids everything. Parents must also play our role in molding our child into an up-right, sensitive and social being.
Or, at the risk of sounding judgmental, is it a result of a generation of kids being looked after by maids? If you have a maid who picked up after you or do practically everything for you, including buttering up a piece of bread for you since you were young, don’t you think, in all honestly, that such an up-bringing will have a bearing on how you would eventually turn out as an adult? In the past, having maids was almost unheard of, and is limited to the upper class strata of our society. Is it any wonder why that the past generations of Singaporeans seem to be more sensitive to the needs others?
Category: Musings
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7 comments:
One good thing about the haze is that people are staying at home and blogging more - wow, 2 posts in a day? Am I expecting a hattrick?
But seriously, society evolves with time. Ours is no different. The outcome may be for better or for worse. I think GCT's gahmen saw this as a problem. That's why, the call at one of his National Day Rally Speeches was "towards a more compassionate society", if I remember correctly. I don't know if LHL will continue the good work of GCT.
But the gahmen can only do so much. The ultimate question is this - are the people listening and doing as told? I seriously doubt so.
Hmm... it's too late for a hair trick Victor.
Your're righ about society being evolved with time. But what I see is pretty depressing. How long will it take before Singapore becomes a gracious society. If my memories serve, GCT, when he was our PM, did broach on this subject. Why, I remember the bus operators putting up newspapers and magazines on board their buses as an added service to the commuters. Can you recall what happened? The newspaper and magazines went "missing". So much for being gracious. The conclusion then was that we Singpaoreans were juz not ready to be "gracious". It takes time, as you mentioned, to evolve. Man, that was like decades ago. Do u think we are ready now? The signs around me say NO.
we are far from being gracious.. there are so many kids out there.. scolding/hurling vulgar languages in the public, thinking that they are super cool.. rubbish..
no wonder my bf always says... singapore is becoming SINKapore... a prosperous country in terms of $$ yes, a more compassionate country?
wait long long...
Victor, I meant Hair Trick. haha
SINKapore or SINgapore? Either way, it's bad. Hehe.
I believe it will only get worse as what the bible says (2 Tim 3:1-4)
2 Timothy:
3:1 But be certain of this, that in the last days times of trouble will come.
3:2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, uplifted in pride, given to bitter words, going against the authority of their fathers, never giving praise, having no religion,
3:3 Without natural love, bitter haters, saying evil of others, violent and uncontrolled, hating all good,
3:4 False to their friends, acting without thought, lifted up in mind, loving pleasure more than God;
3:5 Having a form of religion, but turning their backs on the power of it: go not with these.
You're right, Chun See. The signs are all here. And I thought 3:5 should be read in context to the aforementioned article in the ST.
I think the Govt introduced some-kind of a school programme - small acts of kindness among students, like picking up pieces of papers on the floor and so on, is really good. Kick-starting from kids is important, but what about the big 'buffalos' like you and I. Same principle, if we cannot do small acts of kindness like helping disabled people crossing the street, directing people who are unfamiliar of certain location etc, how are we going to do big compassionate acts ? Small things are like a stream which develops into a big river. In short, to turn a rather young country into a gracious society takes time. Start now
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