Recently, I had this conversation with A. He had an issue with some of the posts I was writing.
A: Stop blogging on minister pay hike, taxi fare hike, ERP hike, food hike, … You are playing with fire. You know, Mr Brown? The bak chor mee video clip?
Me: Mr Brown, sure. He is famous. But the clip, didn’t watch it lar. Heard about it.
A: Oh, must watch. Your computer is on, right. Do a google search now. You see. It’s here. Watch…
Me: OooKkk.
A: (Finish watching video clip.) You know what happened to Mr Brown after the release of the video clip, right?
Me: Yup.
A: Got more example. Ms Catherine Lim too. You know what happened too?
Me: Ya lar.
A: Then you still writing?!!
Needless to say, there was a much longer argument that follows. 
Here is the gist of my reasons.
Fear of consequences?
Yes, there is always some. There is always a possibility of consequences. But, a total gag order just because of the fear is not justified. There is still room for blogging on many issues. Responsible blogging is the keywords. There are certain constraints, and I have to be creative with the use of politically correct words to bring across the idea. Often, I have to re-read my entry thrice.
So, why do I still bother?
After all, I have been brought up and is staying in Singapore. As a layman, I can see and feel how the rest of my follow friends and residents are feeling. Moreover, I am sadden by the way of life on how the social-political issues are often reported in a way that it either feels totally out of sync with how the layman are feeling or is wrote in such a complicated matter that it is almost impossible to understand.
So, rather than keeping quiet, with blogging, I have the ability to voice the feelings of the layman, and to translate the almost impossible to understand official press release and news paper article concerning social-political issues to the layman. Blogging is the new venue for information to be transfer to the layman.
well said!
The one thing that convinced me that I should leave Singapore… and forget it entirely, is that the people here made the decision to remove themselves from the political process because they fear. And it’s alright for them to fear because it concerns their own well being, but what really irks me is they expect and want others to fear with them. That really takes the cake.
Anyway, I know a Lilian who is a Workers’ Party member, and I asked her once why she joined the WP. She said, “Because I no longer believe in the PAP’s vision of the future, and I join to prove that there is nothing to fear to participate in the political process. We are not subversives.”
Well said.
I can tell people feel uncomfortable when I talked about these things. They started to look around when I got a little vocal about certain incredibly “unclear” polices. What are they looking for, ISD agents?
People fear, that’s human nature. But, let us show them that there is nothing to fear when the reasons for discourse are real and true. As the people on ground care for their bread and bread, they somehow have not much of a choice.
Let us be their voices.
Let cut through the propaganda shit and ask questions.
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xizor 2000, will you stay around with spyer to help the people to voice their problems and concerns?
Some think that the Local Leadership is making paranoia about doom(of this tiny red dot) to instill fear about survivals and ensure its’(leaders) own viability and prosperity. I believe that many locals do buy into the doom threat and fear that any upheavels that rock the peace and prosperity will doom their personal life and living.
So fear is being propagated in a very subtle and sublime manner strategically by the leaders to instll fears in the laymen about survivals. This instilled fears, in my opinion, surpass the fears of authorities(power).
Those who do not see the need to fear and cower for no good reasons; like many of you here then should dispel the fears of the lay people that are intimidated. Many thanks!
I feel strongly that it’s not so much what we say, but how we say it. Some people say there’s no freedom of speech in Singapore, but I suspect what they mean is they want the freedom to speak irresponsibly, without consequence. Speaking with reason, logic and sensitivity to other people’s feelings — these are essentially for getting our messages across, regardless of what we choose to express.
@dk: Thanks.
@xizor2000: I wonders at the same question as saintmoron, will you stay around to help the people to voice their problems and concerns? Even if you move oversea, be concern and do continue to voice your views, ok?
@spyer: Thanks.
@saintmoron: Thanks for asking xizor2000 to continue helping the people to voice their problems and concerns.
@Ivan: I suspect there is also the other “old school”* of thoughts that the freedom of speaking with reason, logic and sensitivity is not being allowed. The “newer school”* of thoughts extends the freedom of speech to freedom to speak irresponsibly without consequence.
*For lack of better words, “school” is used. Perhaps someone would like to give a better phrase/name to these “school” of thoughts.
Alice, I understand where you are coming from. However, the question is, whether people even think they needed help. I knew many people I talked to who doesn’t seem to think there is a problem or anything wrong with the social-political issues raised (e.g. mini$terial pay, taxi fares increment, political freedom, one party domination, public transport problems). To help people, the other party to be helped MUST agree they are in need of help. But that’s not the case.
As for staying concern after leaving, that’s even more difficult. Firstly, a person who left is likely one that’s so disappointed he can’t give a damn anymore. Next, the loyalists (I prefer the other L word though) will start saying that this guy is a coward and a kaypoh. Why bother after you leave? Why not stay and fight if you believe?
In short, it’s a vicious cycle. I am quite sure you can observe these on your own.
@xizor2000:
(1) Many people I talked to who doesn’t seem to think there is a problem or anything wrong with the social-political issues raised
One of the reason is that many people’s main source of information is from conventional media and being in the local environment for so long, the “commonly happening” is taken as “it’s just life”. This “common happening” being deeply ingrained into the subconscious, that it also often undermine the intellectual knowing, preventing the something is not right alarm sensor from kicking in.
An analogy of this (which may not be welcome by some) is in family violence. Often you get the repeating cycles of violence, as that is just the way of life to both the penetrators and victims. You get the same question as to, why do the penetrators and victims continue living in the cycles of family violence?
A second reason is the blind belief that if the government are in the position, they will know best. So, let us leave them to do the best job.
A third reason is that the people has the feeling that they can hardly managed their own life, due to the high stress and committment required in work, high cost of living, and lack of time for family members. So, their reason will be that of self-survival.
There will also be other reasons.
(2) To help people, the other party to be helped MUST agree they are in need of help.
It is not a good to lump all people together. I am sure many agree that there is an undercurrent. With internet being the new media for information, conventional media is starting to lose the total control on information. We have a number of bloggers who writes on social-political articles. Many others bloggers are also at the verge of taking the plunge into airing their views on social-political articles. Others are reading the articles. It is more of a matter of when the undercurrent will explode into a tsunami (over exaggerating).
As for your feeling that no one cares, it might be more of an inability to measure the number of people who cares. As afterall, few people dare to admit that they are interested in social-political issues, due to fear. Fear that they will not be promoted. Worst, fear that they might get sack or sued.
(3) As for staying concern after leaving, that’s even more difficult. Firstly, a person who left is likely one that’s so disappointed he can’t give a damn anymore.
Everyone can reach a state of fatigue after putting in a certain amount of effort. You see this state of fatigue often in volunteers and social helpers. They want to heal/save the world. The goal is noble. However, a scope that is beyond the energy of a single person, will exhaust a person to the point of fatigue, that they just quit at the end. It could be that they felt that their energy is wasted as the family continues with the family violence, or that they are overwhelm with the never ending new cases of financial help required. As for this, the understanding fatigue will (almost always) set in, and taking steps, like scoping the cause, and having groups of social-political helps to prevent total fatigue that causes one to quit.
(4) Next, the loyalists (I prefer the other L word though) will start saying that this guy is a coward and a kaypoh. Why bother after you leave? Why not stay and fight if you believe?
Some people will start calling this guy names. I rather called them over gun-ho. Contributing back to the society by caring sufficently to be concern in the social-political issues should not be a either all out or none stand. Each has a limit that they are comfortable with contributing. No one should pressure others to be a monk or nun, just because they are interested in Buddhism. Likely, anyone who who wish to be concern with social-political issues, should just ignore such either all-in or out view, and continue contributing in a scope that they are comfortable with. Interest in social-political issues is a thing that every citizen can be, and not just politicians or politicians-wanna-be.