Monday, March 16, 2009

A classic Singaporean reaction to Singaporean streakers:

"Streaking 'fun' can lead to other crimes"
http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Online%2BStory/STIStory_350495.html

I'll post his comments in full (since he hardly said anything and the ST may not archive this to the end of days like the BBC does):

AFTER reading last Thursday's report, "Undergrad streakers expelled from NUS hostel", I would like to remind students that NUS stands for "National University of Singapore", and not "Naked University of Singapore".

I have nothing against drinking and having fun. However, running naked from one hostel to the next is something all schools and universities must prevent. Such "fun" can lead to other crimes.

Ace Kindred Cheong


This guy seems to possess future ministerial qualities ...

First paragraph - trying to impose his "authority" by "reminding" people of a useless piece of fact. Everyone knows NUS does not stand for the "Naked University of Singapore" ... your sarcastic remark does not tell anybody anything useful.

Second paragraph - Mr Cheong does the classic "fear factor" tactic of the ruling party - unsubstantiated paranoia about "other crimes". What other crimes are you alluding to, Mr Cheong? How are they related to streaking? Where do you get your crime statistics from that relates streaking to these "other crimes"?

As usual the Mainstream Media laps this kind of drivel up while rejecting other more thoughtful and interesting letters (you can see some of those on The Online Citizen or Wayang Party - I don't always agree with them, but I find those letters far more thoughtful about the issues we face as Singaporeans).

6 comments:

Xtrocious said...

I hate to say this but I don't think a bright idea streaked passed his blank mind in a long long time...hahah

Anonymous said...

What to do? Singaporeans are easily influenced by American culture.

In this case, it is the outside culture of American Christian fundamentalism that makes a certain segment of our society judgmental prudes.

It is a pity that such western influences have infected our sense of right and wrong; as in the case of some MPs arguing to keep section 377A.

Chee Wai Lee said...

Thanks for the comments.

skeptic, to be fair, American culture is an ever-evolving thing.

Having been here around 10 years, I have been influenced by liberal thinking and secularism (I used to be fairly conservative on a number of issues) rather than by the prevailing culture of the Christian farm belt in the midwest.

"Western influences" is also a myth. A good number of Americans would find the people in many countries in Europe far too liberal and socialist. Back home in Singapore, I think we've been drilled into thinking of "the West" (even by the so-called "western media") as a somewhat homogeneous abstraction. I've met/encountered enough of a variety of "westerners" to know it really isn't the case.

Anonymous said...

I know. Just making fun of what some local conservatives said about 'liberal' western influences. :)

barrie said...

"Western influences" is also a myth. A good number of Americans would find the people in many countries in Europe far too liberal and socialist. Back home in Singapore, I think we've been drilled into thinking of "the West" (even by the so-called "western media") as a somewhat homogeneous abstraction. I've met/encountered enough of a variety of "westerners" to know it really isn't the case.

Likewise, "Asian values" is a misnomer. From Shintoism in Japan to Islam in a "purist" form in Afghanistan, and all the cultures in between the two nations - what is the common thing among Asians that makes Asia one culture, such that we have "Asian values"?

Chee Wai Lee said...

Hahaha, indeed. It is sometimes funny to see people lump such disparate people or attributes together into one convenient label.

I've been guilty of it in the past, so I guess it is a trap that is easy to fall into (speaking to Indian nationals about their country has disabused me of how "homogeneous" their country is).

Makes me laugh to think how proud (I used to be) about Singapore's "multi-culturalism".