Politics: Is Criticism = Opposition?

After I took a casual glance of my two postings, I realized something. Ooops I am writing about Singapore and I have been critical in my postings, which by this country's attitudes and perceptions, amounts to nothing less than opposition.

This is something that is so odd amongst Singaporean government and people that I have seen, which is to equate Criticism to Opposition.

Well let me take you along a simple exercise to see that criticism only amounts to opposition in few instances.

I am CRITICAL of today's Cartoons. But hell no, i am not against Cartoons! I love em and I watch a lot of cartoons. Though I really enjoy old cartoons, I do watch new ones but have less preference than the former.

I am CRITICAL of Liverpool. They are so pathetic that I have not been following them nowadays..... But i am no AGAINST them! Instead I am and always have been a fan of Liverpool since the age of 7.

I am CRITICAL of roti prata cos its so oily... Furthermore Singapore prata just are getting worse by the day... But I am not AGAINST roti prata.. I love em... I go all the way to JB sometimes to eat good pratas.

I am CRITICAL of Singapore's heat and humidity... But I am not against Singapore weather.... After having lived in freezing winters for 6 years, I LOVE SINGAPORE WEATHER ANYTIME TO HARSH WINTERS...

I am CRITICAL of Japanese cars cos I find they like to copy the designs of European cars and nowadays many Japanese cars look so plastic... But I am not against Japanese cars... If I should buy a car, it will be a Japanese one...

Likewise if each one of us within the Singapore government and society review everything that we criticise and that we oppose we will indeed find that out of all that we criticise only a fraction we oppose. Hence to believe criticisms amount to opposition is shallow and myopic! Lets grow up!

Economic: Meritocracy?

One of the most accepted theories(which remains to be proven) within Singapore other than that of Darwin's Theory of Evolution, is the theory that Singapore is a meritocratic society. It remains a theory or even less - an assertion because it is yet to be proven. Till its proven empirically or scientifically or by intuition, it is not rational to accept the notion that Singapore is meritocratic. This is especially so when the fundamental requirement for meritocracy to exist in Singapore is violated. That is, for Singapore to be a meritocratic society it requires to have income inequality to be insignificant. But income inequality is very significant in Singapore. The difference between the top 20% income earners and bottom 20% income earners in Singapore is about 21 times. Also 70% are working class. Therefore in light of this economic reality, unless we can prove Meritocracy exists or does not exist, any assertion will remain to be just a political statement.

Social: Gambling is a Vice, Casinos are Institutions of Vice

Contemporary bloggers may find this old topic, but i am not concerned about it.

The proponents of the casino have informed that the commerical benefit of opening two casinos is greater than the ills that can be managed.

What i will like to ask is this.... Isnt gambling a vice? Isnt casino an institution of vice? Hence should the arguments for gambling be accepted, they can also be used to justify other vice activities. How about starting a giant red light area or a drug hub? We can use the necessary experts to manage the ills. Furthermore it will bring more commercial benefit than casinos. Also our Singaporeans are already flocking to thailand and batam for sex and drugs. Should we one day wake up to find our brothels and drug pushers second class to that of our neighbours?

Once we allow cynicism into our policy making, it will cloud wisdom and judgement. Secondly how much we may deny, gambling indeed is a vice and casinos are institutions of vice.

i forgot i had a blog

i created this blog out of curiosity and subsequently had forgotten all about it. now that i have been seduced by the appeal of blogs, i am hopeful to write on a regular basis.

initially i didnt want to continue to pen a blog simply because i find many blogs being nothing more than a place to exhibit one's private dairy publicly or air their coffeeshop conversations. obviously these people have a little too much time at hand. they will indeed more justice to all and themselves if they can alternatively spend that time to read more books or practise writing their thoughts on a private dairy.

now that i feel i have issues to write i feel i wont be wasting web space by churning out bullshit. but should i do, highlight to me.