of election fever
i just watched a couple of videos and now all i can feel is great sadness in the fact that mr chiam can no longer stand straight nor speak without slurring. i watched him make his rally speech, and then youtubed for some previous speeches he made in parliament. he has never lost his spark - his eyes are still bright, and beyond the physical impediments, you can see his brain whirring, struggling to keep abreast of his physical capabilities. i feel that he's frustrated that he can no longer express himself as he used to, that he can no longer punch his fist in the air, speak in that calm and measured way in front of reporters and in parliament sessions. i regret not going for his rally in 2006, or even if i did, i no longer remember. i just remember standing a few hundred metres away, ankle deep in mud, listening to foreign hokkien phrases being shouted out to a roaring crowd - so maybe that was low thia kiang. whatever it is, i am sad that the younger generation will not remember mr chiam's legacy, that wonderful opposition stalwart. even so, there's still a strong fight in bishan-toa payoh, and i hope the voters will vote wisely, choosing people that will represent them.
and here's just a few things on my mind right now:
yes, the opposition speak in rhetoric, but there's no use in spouting manifesto commitments when you're still fighting for a leg into parliament right? what's the point of promising upgrades and proposals that are so tightly linked to money (that you don't have), when the most fundamental fact is that there is no opposition voice in parliament to help effect a change? i hate political bashers who merely criticise the various parties and their leaders - there is simply no point in doing so, if there will be no constructive outcome. and seriously, why are some politicians stooping so low?
i just read about social media being a double-edged sword, and the only conclusion i can arrive at is that the social media user just has to be damn bloody discerning and form an opinion for themselves. this might be a little hard for a population so used to being fed a diet of biased news, but i think we're coming about it just fine. yes, there are the hard core supporters on both side, but there's a huge number of people out there who's still wavering between the parties, and social media is probably the most useful way of juxtaposing alternative voices with the loudest one and allowing them to choose for themselves.
i cannot call myself pro-opposition, but i can call myself pro-people. hahaha does that even make sense? can an educated elite (that's what history calls us, at least) be a populist? and seriously, what's wrong with people and the idea of populism taking over the general population? do they seriously think that singapore is only made for the elite??? populism isn't about being conservative, democratic or liberal - it's about providing the voice for an average joe, what's the big deal about that?
and here's just a few things on my mind right now:
yes, the opposition speak in rhetoric, but there's no use in spouting manifesto commitments when you're still fighting for a leg into parliament right? what's the point of promising upgrades and proposals that are so tightly linked to money (that you don't have), when the most fundamental fact is that there is no opposition voice in parliament to help effect a change? i hate political bashers who merely criticise the various parties and their leaders - there is simply no point in doing so, if there will be no constructive outcome. and seriously, why are some politicians stooping so low?
i just read about social media being a double-edged sword, and the only conclusion i can arrive at is that the social media user just has to be damn bloody discerning and form an opinion for themselves. this might be a little hard for a population so used to being fed a diet of biased news, but i think we're coming about it just fine. yes, there are the hard core supporters on both side, but there's a huge number of people out there who's still wavering between the parties, and social media is probably the most useful way of juxtaposing alternative voices with the loudest one and allowing them to choose for themselves.
i cannot call myself pro-opposition, but i can call myself pro-people. hahaha does that even make sense? can an educated elite (that's what history calls us, at least) be a populist? and seriously, what's wrong with people and the idea of populism taking over the general population? do they seriously think that singapore is only made for the elite??? populism isn't about being conservative, democratic or liberal - it's about providing the voice for an average joe, what's the big deal about that?