Now that I’m a dad myself, I must admit that Amos is every parent’s nightmare; a talented, intelligent kid with potentially sociopathic tendencies. Even worse, a child like him might be MY fault as a parent.
And then I remembered, wait a minute, I AM Amos.
In 2000, I started a satirical website poking fun at all things Singaporean, including its politicians, with the word ‘cock’ in its name, which led to Parliament debating whether they could ‘get’ me. It’s an act that caused a rift between my parents and me that still hasn’t entirely healed, even after the Prime Minister said some nice things about the site during a National Day Rally speech. I’d started it as a lark and never anticipated the extent of its impact. And I was a 30 year-old lawyer then. What more a 17 year-old?
So fine. Even though I don’t think the matter should have ever reached the police, it’s stirring up some useful debates about free expression, youth, maturity, tolerance, timing, the Internet, forgiveness, etc, so perhaps the whole wayang will lead to some good after all. At the very least it’ll make other trolls think a bit harder before trolling, assuming trolls have any self-awareness to begin with.
Anyway, I’m sure whatever is going on with him now, both in public and at home, is more than sufficient punishment already. Can you imagine growing up knowing you brought your parents such public embarrassment? I wince just imagining what his next reunion dinner will be like.
