"I feel ashamed too": A most beautiful exercise in virtue signalling

[Thick Face Black Heart]

A heartwarming reminder penned by a distinguished former SPH senior journalist.

***************************************

Admit it. Everytime, new cases of infection emerge, you check quickly to see if they are foreign or local cases. You sigh in relief that most of the infected are foreign workers who had been packed together in dormitories. You might blame their living conditions, packed like sardines. Or rant at the G and their employers. Or even take a swipe at supposedly Third World hygiene standards, and indulge in a little racism.

You take comfort that the number of local cases remain in the 30s or so. Perhaps, being cooped up at home is paying off. You’re almost wishing the foreigners would disappear, since they are one major reason for your lack of mobility.

But, at least, you are not “them’’.

Are you feeling at least a little ashamed at how we couldn’t protect our guest workers properly? That the escalating number of cases reflects how we as a society look upon the foreign workers? We want them here, but we don’t want them near. They shouldn’t be seen nor heard. Now we’re getting all self-righteous about their living conditions - but I bet we still wouldn’t want them in our backyard.

Maybe that’s why except for activist groups, nobody thought much about how they can be breeding grounds for the virus. No authority, not the company which employs them nor those which operate the dormitories. Maybe a few have made some changes, like dispense hand sanitisers or masks or take care to move some workers elsewhere to sleep to give everyone some social distancing space. But look at the numbers and you go “wow’’.

Admit it. Isn’t there a sneaky feeling that Singapore would be “gold’’ again if there weren’t so many of them around? That we wouldn’t have slid in the estimation of the world media or suddenly be turned into a cautionary tale rather than a success story? Do you tell yourself that they have themselves to blame - something you say quietly lest you get accused of being racist?

But tribal feelings are surfacing. You see it in videos captured by vigilantes which refer to foreigners.

Singapore is being humbled by the microscopic virus. We’re not as shiny a red dot as we thought.

We’ve been basking in glory for too long. We’ve become too complacent with our Number 1 accolades and high international rankings in almost all indicators measuring health and wealth. It’s become so that we get cynical or take such No. 1 news as the norm. It’s time to realise they are not the norm but the outcome of exceptionalism.
We congratulated ourselves when the early accolades came, pleased to be living in a country with accessible medical facilities and a Government comprising some of Singapore’s cleverest people. We feel a warm glow all over when we watch our leaders perform on the world’s media. Heck. Barbara Streisand lauds us!

But these days, some commentators have noted that even an efficient and effective country like Singapore can be “caught on the backfoot’’, “drop the ball’’, have “blind spots’’. The complimentary ones say that if Singapore can’t do it, which country can? The less complimentary indulge in some pop psychology about the negative impact of authoritarian regimes.

So now we have stories of the Singapore’s invisible seams shoved into our face. The homeless who require shelter, the poor who are squeezed into their small flats. We are surprised to know there are so many people who go hungry.

We talk about the wonders of technology which connects us with work, family and friends, but realise now that many don’t have such bandwidth (literally) nor the amenities to connect to the outside world.

The people in the lowly jobs know that technology is of no use in their work. They have to hope that their employers getting the G’s wage support will keep them on. Or take on jobs that are now in demand, like delivery drivers. Are they living from hand to mouth, depending on the kindness of strangers or institutions? Should we be thankful that they have $600 now to tide them over? And what about the very rich, including those who took up residence and citizenship here because of what this country can offer them. What are they giving in return? We look at them with green eyes, wondering if it is envy we feel and whether we have any right to demand their participation.

It appears that we have a lot to do in the post-Covid period. We need to think about the social compact we have with the G as well as with each other, and explore the space which civil society has. We need to ask if the media has enough rein to report on the less salubrious aspects of Singapore or to question the judgment of the Government. We need to see what else we’ve ignored as we revel in our great infrastructure and fancy buildings.

I am feeling ashamed too.

 

[mojito]

A heartwarming reminder penned by a distinguished former SPH senior journalist.

***************************************

Admit it. Everytime, new cases of infection emerge, you check quickly to see if they are foreign or local cases. You sigh in relief that most of the infected are foreign workers who had been packed together in dormitories. You might blame their living conditions, packed like sardines. Or rant at the G and their employers. Or even take a swipe at supposedly Third World hygiene standards, and indulge in a little racism.

You take comfort that the number of local cases remain in the 30s or so. Perhaps, being cooped up at home is paying off. You’re almost wishing the foreigners would disappear, since they are one major reason for your lack of mobility.

But, at least, you are not “them’’.

Are you feeling at least a little ashamed at how we couldn’t protect our guest workers properly? That the escalating number of cases reflects how we as a society look upon the foreign workers? We want them here, but we don’t want them near. They shouldn’t be seen nor heard. Now we’re getting all self-righteous about their living conditions - but I bet we still wouldn’t want them in our backyard.

Maybe that’s why except for activist groups, nobody thought much about how they can be breeding grounds for the virus. No authority, not the company which employs them nor those which operate the dormitories. Maybe a few have made some changes, like dispense hand sanitisers or masks or take care to move some workers elsewhere to sleep to give everyone some social distancing space. But look at the numbers and you go “wow’’.

Admit it. Isn’t there a sneaky feeling that Singapore would be “gold’’ again if there weren’t so many of them around? That we wouldn’t have slid in the estimation of the world media or suddenly be turned into a cautionary tale rather than a success story? Do you tell yourself that they have themselves to blame - something you say quietly lest you get accused of being racist?

But tribal feelings are surfacing. You see it in videos captured by vigilantes which refer to foreigners.

Singapore is being humbled by the microscopic virus. We’re not as shiny a red dot as we thought.

We’ve been basking in glory for too long. We’ve become too complacent with our Number 1 accolades and high international rankings in almost all indicators measuring health and wealth. It’s become so that we get cynical or take such No. 1 news as the norm. It’s time to realise they are not the norm but the outcome of exceptionalism.
We congratulated ourselves when the early accolades came, pleased to be living in a country with accessible medical facilities and a Government comprising some of Singapore’s cleverest people. We feel a warm glow all over when we watch our leaders perform on the world’s media. Heck. Barbara Streisand lauds us!

But these days, some commentators have noted that even an efficient and effective country like Singapore can be “caught on the backfoot’’, “drop the ball’’, have “blind spots’’. The complimentary ones say that if Singapore can’t do it, which country can? The less complimentary indulge in some pop psychology about the negative impact of authoritarian regimes.

So now we have stories of the Singapore’s invisible seams shoved into our face. The homeless who require shelter, the poor who are squeezed into their small flats. We are surprised to know there are so many people who go hungry.

We talk about the wonders of technology which connects us with work, family and friends, but realise now that many don’t have such bandwidth (literally) nor the amenities to connect to the outside world.

The people in the lowly jobs know that technology is of no use in their work. They have to hope that their employers getting the G’s wage support will keep them on. Or take on jobs that are now in demand, like delivery drivers. Are they living from hand to mouth, depending on the kindness of strangers or institutions? Should we be thankful that they have $600 now to tide them over? And what about the very rich, including those who took up residence and citizenship here because of what this country can offer them. What are they giving in return? We look at them with green eyes, wondering if it is envy we feel and whether we have any right to demand their participation.

It appears that we have a lot to do in the post-Covid period. We need to think about the social compact we have with the G as well as with each other, and explore the space which civil society has. We need to ask if the media has enough rein to report on the less salubrious aspects of Singapore or to question the judgment of the Government. We need to see what else we’ve ignored as we revel in our great infrastructure and fancy buildings.

I am feeling ashamed too.

I am a shame too.

 

[glockman]

Authoritarian regime, ownself check ownself, government knows best, silence/ignore alternative voices. And here we are today.

 

[blackmondy]

If only the ex-journalist was as vocal during his/her tenure at the prostitute house.