From Anthropology Studies class: Uniquely Singapore
Today, I learnt that not all countries are like Singapore, which has a high level of racial tolerance, so when I go overseas, I not only need to be sensitive to others about racial and cultural issues, but I also need to be tolerant towards others' inconsiderate attitudes to people who are of a different race, culture and religion.
I also learnt that I must cherish this freedom that I have in Singapore. It is true that Singapore lifestyle is very stressful, work is fast paced, people more often than not are impolite, and etc. However, it beats
feeling scared and fearful of someone suddenly doing physical harm to you just because you're not the same as them.
Also, even though little crime in Singapore doesn't mean no crime in Singapore, but it beats feeling scared and fearful of someone just opening your car door to rob you or that someone would just break into your house even when you are at home.
People in Singapore might complain how hard their daily work is, or how boring their jobs are. But looking in retrospective, at least the government does its best to help people with no jobs get a job (no matter how low-paying or how tough the job is) and the things is, the government tries to get them a roof above their heads; it beats having people committing suicide or becoming homeless souls living in internet cafes just because they don't have job or lost a job or that their jobs are not enough to pay for even a small room.
I have also learnt to be grateful to the local government for implying the you-reap-what-you-sow principle (like tough love). If you work hard (no matter what you do, as long as that job is legal), then you can afford to buy better things. It beats having people living on social welfare when they have the health and ability to work.
Lastly, I am thankful for the fact that some illegal websites are banned from internet users. Even though the internet users have the choice to choose what websites they want to surf on, but just like how a parent has the responsibility to pull a child back (e.g. warn them of the dire consequences) when the child is going to make a grave mistake, the government is doing its best to prevent the problem (of people getting hooked onto the internet for all the wrong reasons) from even starting.
And honestly, many might think that it is stifling to live in Singapore because there are so many rules and bans, and fines. But honestly, like what the gospel principles has taught us, these rules and regulations don't exist to tie us down, but they are there to keep us safe. Like a parachute: if you don't have the safety straps on you, initially you would have the "freedom" to fly, but the "freedom" would be short-lived and eventually you would just fall and die -- isn't that what they call the 'free fall'?
Heh, not that I'm turning pro-government... There are still many things the government can improve on. Such as how to help the children to be more naturally attracted to the learning of Chinese and not force the children to learn Chinese.
I also learnt that I must cherish this freedom that I have in Singapore. It is true that Singapore lifestyle is very stressful, work is fast paced, people more often than not are impolite, and etc. However, it beats
feeling scared and fearful of someone suddenly doing physical harm to you just because you're not the same as them.
Also, even though little crime in Singapore doesn't mean no crime in Singapore, but it beats feeling scared and fearful of someone just opening your car door to rob you or that someone would just break into your house even when you are at home.
People in Singapore might complain how hard their daily work is, or how boring their jobs are. But looking in retrospective, at least the government does its best to help people with no jobs get a job (no matter how low-paying or how tough the job is) and the things is, the government tries to get them a roof above their heads; it beats having people committing suicide or becoming homeless souls living in internet cafes just because they don't have job or lost a job or that their jobs are not enough to pay for even a small room.
I have also learnt to be grateful to the local government for implying the you-reap-what-you-sow principle (like tough love). If you work hard (no matter what you do, as long as that job is legal), then you can afford to buy better things. It beats having people living on social welfare when they have the health and ability to work.
Lastly, I am thankful for the fact that some illegal websites are banned from internet users. Even though the internet users have the choice to choose what websites they want to surf on, but just like how a parent has the responsibility to pull a child back (e.g. warn them of the dire consequences) when the child is going to make a grave mistake, the government is doing its best to prevent the problem (of people getting hooked onto the internet for all the wrong reasons) from even starting.
And honestly, many might think that it is stifling to live in Singapore because there are so many rules and bans, and fines. But honestly, like what the gospel principles has taught us, these rules and regulations don't exist to tie us down, but they are there to keep us safe. Like a parachute: if you don't have the safety straps on you, initially you would have the "freedom" to fly, but the "freedom" would be short-lived and eventually you would just fall and die -- isn't that what they call the 'free fall'?
Heh, not that I'm turning pro-government... There are still many things the government can improve on. Such as how to help the children to be more naturally attracted to the learning of Chinese and not force the children to learn Chinese.