also written 5 years ago ... still beautiful and relevant today
Tonight, tonight.
5 May 2006.
Not the time for analysis. But the time for feeling.
In MM Lee's reply to the press on his forum with the "radical" Singaporeans, he made one mistake. One mistake. He dismissed the young Singaporeans as idealistic and who would be co-opted into the system once they grew up and once they matured. Once they have tasted life. Real life.
Time is never time at all
You can never ever leave without leaving a piece of youth
And our lives are forever changed
We will never be the same
The more you change the less you feel
But MM's observation is a mistake. Young Singaporeans may indeed change and they may never be the same as they leave their idealism behind. But it does not mean they will change into the mould as described by MM. Co-opted into the system.
Young Singaporeans will indeed change. But they can, and increasingly will, change into more holistic individuals who have a wider appreciation of what life means, what they can do and how they can achieve this. Because the world has changed, it has moved on. No longer are Singaporeans restricted to one parochial viewpoint. But when young Singaporeans experience this type of change, the PAP labels them "quitters". Because they have morphed into individuals who reject the one road offered to them in Singapore, by Singapore Inc. Thats why they are "quitters". Because the PAP sees Singaporeans as employees in Singapore Inc. This is the incumbent regime's mindset. As I have repeated again and again, young Singaporeans leave because they are left with no other choice in Singapore. They exercised their only political right. They left.
Believe, believe in me, believe
Believe that life can change
That you're not stuck in vain
We're not the same, we're different tonight
Tonight, so bright
Tonight
But not all can leave. Some have roots, some have families, some do not have the means, some are trapped into Singapore Inc. And they wait every four or five years for that 14 days of freedom, to remind themselves what it feels like, what it tastes like to have politics in our lives. Despite the ankle-deep puddles, despite the muddied shoes, despite the rain, despite the barricades. Despite everything. Singaporeans have walked these few nights to Opposition rallies just for that few hours to feel politics. To feel a part of the political process. To be a Singaporean. Because these Opposition rallies are like beacons of light for us all who have been running from the darkness in the night.
And you know you're never sure
But you're sure you could be right
If you held yourself up to the light
And the embers never fade in your city by the lake
The place where you were born
For the past nine days or so, many Singaporeans have been touched by the feel of freedom. They hold on so tightly to this breath of free air with the desperate fatalism that it will be lost again. For another four or five years. They know it will be lost, but they hold on tightly. They hold on to a photograph, a photograph cruelly rejected by the media and cast out into cyberspace. A photograph which headlines a foreign newspaper. A photograph that shows I am not alone. That there are so many beside me, there are so many like me, there are so many who feel like me. And for these 14 days of freedom, the loneliness and alienation of four years dissolves, as we feel kinship with the fellow Singaporean beside. They deny you the photograph because they do not want you you to feel kinship during this brief time of freedom.
But tonight, tonight is the last night of freedom. Tonight tonight. We re-enter solitiude and alienation.
That intoxicating beacon of light standing atop the muddy field will cease tonight.
The freedom we feel will be lost. Democracy in Singapore will go back into storage tonight, tonight.
Believe, believe in me, believe
Believe in the resolute urgency of now
And if you believe there's not a chance tonight
Tonight, so bright
Tonight
The drug of the dominant media is very strong. Many remain intoxicated by the TV, by the media. They sit in front of these media, not knowing freedom is outside their mirrored boxes. That they need to just step out and listen. To feel freedom. Because "here they have been from their childhood, and have their legs and necks chained so that they cannot move, and can only see before them, being prevented by the chains from turning round their heads". The chains are unlocked. But they do not know. Only for 15 days. After this night, the chains lock themselves again.
Potong Pasir, Hougang, Aljunied, Chua Chu Kang, Ang Mo Kio, Yishun, East Coast, Tampines, voters, Singaporeans, my dear readers, its time to step out. Believe in me as I believe in you. Tonight tonight. Step out. Just to feel that freedom. Feel democracy. Feel History calling out to you. And remember this feeling. Remember until the next time freedom comes. When democracy is dusted and brought out to Singaporeans. Tonight tonight. We step out.
We'll crucify the insincere tonight
We'll make things right, we'll feel it all tonight
We'll find a way to offer up the night tonight
The indescribable moments of your life tonight
The impossible is possible tonight
Believe in me as I believe in you, tonight
Tonight.
And than, you vote.
Tonight, tonight.
5 May 2006.
Not the time for analysis. But the time for feeling.
In MM Lee's reply to the press on his forum with the "radical" Singaporeans, he made one mistake. One mistake. He dismissed the young Singaporeans as idealistic and who would be co-opted into the system once they grew up and once they matured. Once they have tasted life. Real life.
Time is never time at all
You can never ever leave without leaving a piece of youth
And our lives are forever changed
We will never be the same
The more you change the less you feel
But MM's observation is a mistake. Young Singaporeans may indeed change and they may never be the same as they leave their idealism behind. But it does not mean they will change into the mould as described by MM. Co-opted into the system.
Young Singaporeans will indeed change. But they can, and increasingly will, change into more holistic individuals who have a wider appreciation of what life means, what they can do and how they can achieve this. Because the world has changed, it has moved on. No longer are Singaporeans restricted to one parochial viewpoint. But when young Singaporeans experience this type of change, the PAP labels them "quitters". Because they have morphed into individuals who reject the one road offered to them in Singapore, by Singapore Inc. Thats why they are "quitters". Because the PAP sees Singaporeans as employees in Singapore Inc. This is the incumbent regime's mindset. As I have repeated again and again, young Singaporeans leave because they are left with no other choice in Singapore. They exercised their only political right. They left.
Believe, believe in me, believe
Believe that life can change
That you're not stuck in vain
We're not the same, we're different tonight
Tonight, so bright
Tonight
But not all can leave. Some have roots, some have families, some do not have the means, some are trapped into Singapore Inc. And they wait every four or five years for that 14 days of freedom, to remind themselves what it feels like, what it tastes like to have politics in our lives. Despite the ankle-deep puddles, despite the muddied shoes, despite the rain, despite the barricades. Despite everything. Singaporeans have walked these few nights to Opposition rallies just for that few hours to feel politics. To feel a part of the political process. To be a Singaporean. Because these Opposition rallies are like beacons of light for us all who have been running from the darkness in the night.
And you know you're never sure
But you're sure you could be right
If you held yourself up to the light
And the embers never fade in your city by the lake
The place where you were born
For the past nine days or so, many Singaporeans have been touched by the feel of freedom. They hold on so tightly to this breath of free air with the desperate fatalism that it will be lost again. For another four or five years. They know it will be lost, but they hold on tightly. They hold on to a photograph, a photograph cruelly rejected by the media and cast out into cyberspace. A photograph which headlines a foreign newspaper. A photograph that shows I am not alone. That there are so many beside me, there are so many like me, there are so many who feel like me. And for these 14 days of freedom, the loneliness and alienation of four years dissolves, as we feel kinship with the fellow Singaporean beside. They deny you the photograph because they do not want you you to feel kinship during this brief time of freedom.
But tonight, tonight is the last night of freedom. Tonight tonight. We re-enter solitiude and alienation.
That intoxicating beacon of light standing atop the muddy field will cease tonight.
The freedom we feel will be lost. Democracy in Singapore will go back into storage tonight, tonight.
Believe, believe in me, believe
Believe in the resolute urgency of now
And if you believe there's not a chance tonight
Tonight, so bright
Tonight
The drug of the dominant media is very strong. Many remain intoxicated by the TV, by the media. They sit in front of these media, not knowing freedom is outside their mirrored boxes. That they need to just step out and listen. To feel freedom. Because "here they have been from their childhood, and have their legs and necks chained so that they cannot move, and can only see before them, being prevented by the chains from turning round their heads". The chains are unlocked. But they do not know. Only for 15 days. After this night, the chains lock themselves again.
Potong Pasir, Hougang, Aljunied, Chua Chu Kang, Ang Mo Kio, Yishun, East Coast, Tampines, voters, Singaporeans, my dear readers, its time to step out. Believe in me as I believe in you. Tonight tonight. Step out. Just to feel that freedom. Feel democracy. Feel History calling out to you. And remember this feeling. Remember until the next time freedom comes. When democracy is dusted and brought out to Singaporeans. Tonight tonight. We step out.
We'll crucify the insincere tonight
We'll make things right, we'll feel it all tonight
We'll find a way to offer up the night tonight
The indescribable moments of your life tonight
The impossible is possible tonight
Believe in me as I believe in you, tonight
Tonight.
And than, you vote.
