To be honest, I am not comfortable with the fact that people make such snap judgments cased on such little information - it's like if you've been reading my blog since 2011 and subscribe to my Youtube channel, then yeah you probably know me well enough to judge me and say nasty things about me as you have enough information to judge me on. But in this case, I have written a short reply here to simply invite those who have surfed here for the first time to take a bit of time and have a read of my blog and check out my vlog on Youtube. You may or may not like me or what I have to say, but please at least take a bit of time to check out the content so you know whom you're hating and why you hate me.
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| Welcome to my blog, you may like it, you may hate it. |
But allow me to respond to Alvinology directly with regards to a few points he made in his post. Like him, I served my NS and did my full 2 years 4 months from 1995 to 1997. Whilst I do feel that it is a waste of time, I didn't have that bad a time to be honest - I know of people who suffered far more. There was something that happened about 8 months into NS that just changed everything for me - something just clicked, there was an Eureka moment when I realized that I don't have to like the people I have to work with, but I still have to maintain a very professional, cordial working relationship with them. I learnt to put my personal feelings aside and deal with quite nasty people in a way that didn't let them know how I felt about them. It sounds totally obvious, even simple when I put it like that - but for an 19 year old, that was a really important lesson for me to learn then and it was one of the most important lessons I took away from NS. In short, I learnt to cope a lot better about 8 months into NS - the sooner one learns to cope, the easier it becomes for you there. Was my experience unique by that token? I don't think so.
Here's the thing though - nobody taught me that, not my parents, not my officers in NS, not even my peers, it was just something that I picked up along the way and figured out for myself. I was put in a challenging environment and I learnt something very useful on my own accord - would I have figured it out for myself without NS? Who knows, maybe not, maybe I would have done so when I was out in the working world at some stage, maybe I would have taken longer to do so - but the NS experience gave me something by that token (though it wasn't obvious at that time and I have to look back upon it with hindsight to realize how I had learnt from the experience.)
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| What did you learn during NS? |
As for the tricky issue of IPPT, again, I invite Alvinology to look at both sides of the coin - sure I can appreciate the frustration of those who do not pass it and are forced to attend more IPPT/RT/IPT sessions, but on the other hand, I live in a country where adults are free to become as fat as they wish and we do have a serious obesity problem here in the UK. Perhaps you can argue that the system is a bit too strict when it comes to male adults in the 30s who are not as fit as they used to be, but surely you can see the benefit of making male adults keep fit? It's not just for the sake of national defence per se, but you do reap a lot of benefits from participating in exercise.
I am 37 now and exercise 4 to 5 times a week - I know that if I go for a period without exercising that often, I would put on weight. It's a fact of life, once you get to my age, it is so easy to put on weight. I am doing it for me, because I want to be healthy and fit; and yes, I do reap the benefits of exercise. It makes me feel good to get away from work to do something fun! I can only suggest that the difference between carrot & stick on the issue of IPPT can be altered to make it a bit more forgiving for those who do fail, but it's not entirely a bad thing. I'm sorry if it sounds like I am defending the government but I feel I have to be fair to the system or I'll lose my credibility as a social commentator.
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| Limpeh on the beach at ECP in August. |
As for me being so talented I can get a ticket out of Singapore at such a young age, no lah... Don't say until liddat lah alamak. I was merely lucky to have been at the right place, at the right time. I don't think I'm that exceptional, after all, I have opted for a very laid back life which allows me to balance my career in finance with a lot of time to participate in the arts and sports (I am even developing a foreign language games app in my free time, akan datang) - that's what makes me happy and I certainly don't want to be that kind of super stressed out executive who works 12 hours a day. I've done that from the age of 24 to 28 and no, it's not for me. I wasn't happy and I want a better work life balance. I am extremely fortunate to have been able to get myself to where I am today in order to get that balance just right. This is why I am able to sit down with a cup of green tea and write this blog post right now, instead of desperately trying to catch up with my sleep or work. It's a luxury that I don't take for granted - you can't put a price on 'me time'.
If Alvinology is really that pissed off with the NS system, then why doesn't he start making concrete steps to move out of Singapore? He finished his post by saying, "Seriously, it is time to review the whole NS and reservist system. " Yeah right, what are the chances of that ever happening? Sorry to be cynical my friend, but as much as I wanna be supportive and helpful, you also have to be realistic. This is Singapore we're talking about and change comes very, very slowly. If you or Rachel can find yourselves a job in another country, you can start planning for a future in another country instead of waiting for change to come in Singapore. If I may refer you to another famous Singaporean blogging couple Neurotic Ramblings, they have done just that and are on their way to greener pastures in Australia.
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| How far will you go to seek greener pastures? |
Of course, getting through the Australian immigration system is easier said than done - but Neurotic Ramblings have explained their journey through their blog and if you haven't already read it, please do so. I've met them whilst in Singapore earlier this year and they're really lovely people. Of course, just because you work abroad doesn't mean it's goodbye Singapore forever, I have an old classmate from VJC (that's right, I was from VJC - not any other JCs, some of the people have asserted that I was from RJC or NJC and I'm like, that's the kinda bullshit I hate, people who make up stuff about me when they don't even bother checking their facts, duh.) who is now working in Thailand and has done so for many years. She totally loves it and her husband has a great job in Bangkok - will they ever return to Singapore? Who knows? As long as they are happy in Bangkok, they are staying there and bringing up their kids there.
Lastly, I want to assure you that I am on your side mate, but the fact is Singapore is still a democracy at the end of the day and at the last election, 60.14% of the electorate voted for the PAP. What can you do if you're in the minority then? Stay and fight the system by joining the WP, NSP or SDP? Or simply accept the fact that you can't change the system when more than half the people don't actually want change? I shall talk more about these people in my next blog post - but the bottom line is that you're unlikely to see support for the PAP fall below 50% in the next few decade. I suppose you can adopt this 前人种树,後人乘凉 attitude to fighting for change in Singapore.
PS. I was laughing at the way everyone was attacking this Singaporean woman 'Janice' on Alvinology's piece. I have something for you Janice, it's something I wrote earlier especially for Singaporean women on the issue of NS.
http://limpehft.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/part-1-limpeh-debunks-some-ns-myths.html
http://limpehft.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/part-2-more-ns-myths-debunked.html
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| That's me. You may not like me but please don't make up crap about me. |
Hi there, first of all your recent postings touching on the sociopolitical have been very insightful. As a Singaporean/green card holder looking in from the outside, it is very disappointing to say the least of a government that is hell bent on making money over everything else. Even more frustrating, when the majority would rather bend over and pucker up to take all that crap in the false hope of a better tomorrow. In the end, as you said it, Singapore is still a democracy. For our part, all we can do is to show them the reality of the situation and to convince them otherwise. Whether or not, the message will be accepted is altogether an entirely different matter. Guess free will (probably not the best term to use when talking about all things politics in Singapore) can be a bitch sometimes.
ReplyDeleteHi there and thanks for your comment.
DeleteIt's the combination of the card tower mentality + the plastic pail mentality that makes a lot of Singaporeans vote for the PAP, they make up the 60.14%. Ironically, many of them are not that pro-PAP, many of them are even quite well educated, but once you fall into a certain mindset (call it brainwashing if you like), it's hard to break out of it unless there's something which challenges your opinions and I wonder what it would take for this 60.14% to stop, ponder and rethink their stance on many issues.
It would most likely take a very drastic event to make them sit up and reconsider. From a lay man's point of view, that event would be a very severe economic downturn over an extended period of a few years triggered by the property bubble. In any case, what are the chances of that happening? Although, i sincerely hope that will never come to pass.
DeleteHello my friend again.
ReplyDeleteTo be very frank, guys like that Alvinology fella totally disgust me. Come on lah, every Singaporean male has NS liability, generations before him have served and many are still serving reservist, we KPKB, but end of the day, we do what's necessary and go home to our loved ones.
And to be very honest, now that I have MR'd I wish I hadn't. I mean, it's quite therapeutic to get to be away from work, a nagging wife and bothersome in-laws and bond with your fellow soldiers from your mono-intake whom you literally grew up with because of NS.
I don't care if some nincompoop decided to link NS to slavery and exploitation; end of the day, I stand by my views that NS has made me and my peers better sons, fathers, brothers and husbands; and yes, we have made sacrifices because of IPPT, RT, yearly ICTs etc, we've bled and sweated and teared...but when I look back, some of the best years of my life were spent out there in misery with my brothers-in-arms from Tekong to Lim Chu Kang, Biang, ROC, and back again.
Such memories, I'd gladly trade anything else I own today, if only to re-live those moments again.
Hi and thanks for your comment.
Delete1. I think Alvin does make a valid point about NS desperately needing to be revamped and I have a few ideas of my own to make it more relevant. For example, increasing NSF pay and giving them far more training opportunities so they don't feel like they are stagnating or wasting their time - they can ORD with some useful qualifications that can help them find a job.
2. I don't think that asking questions and trying to improve the system is wrong. I do however, disapprove of the way you simply expect everyone to serve without questioning the system because I do not have faith in the PAP at all and I think that the system is broken (or can at least be improved for the benefit of those who have to function within it). If you think the system is so perfect that no one should question it, then you're fooling yourself.
3. I hope your wife and her family doesn't read this.
4. I didn't like the people I served NS with - I had little in common with them and the greatest lesson I learned was to pretend to like them so I could maintain a good working relationship with them (without actually being their friends). That's a great lesson to take with me into the working world. If you made friends in NS, good for you - perhaps you were lucky. I didn't like the people I was with - but I made the best of the situation nonetheless.
5. NS made me good at least with people I detest and had to work with - that's about the best compliment I can pay it. I don't identify and certainly don't agree with all the great things you said about NS. I have done far more incredible things in my life that defines me as the person I am - NS was just a 2 years 4 months period where I kept my mouth shut, kept my head down to avoid kena arrow.
6. If the best years of your life was NS, then aiyoh, I feel so sorry for you. I've gone on to leave Singapore, travel the world and have done some pretty fucking amazing things in some of the world's most beautiful places with the most inspiring people you could ever meet. It's time you opened your eyes and seen some of the more amazing and wonderful things this planet has to offer.
You wrote "I'm sorry if it sounds like I am defending the government but I feel I have to be fair to the system or I'll lose my credibility as a social commentator."
ReplyDeleteThis is not an exhaustive list, but I think a credible blogger / commentator is one who:
1. Has some experience with the issue at hand or has done some research on it i.e. "knows what he's talking about"
2. Shows an understanding his critics' arguments
3. Is consistent in his views (unless the facts have changed) i.e. does not apply double standards
When a commentator merely gives the opposing arguments WITHOUT refuting them, then either he doesn't know how to refute it, or he has changed his mind even when the facts haven't changed. The former suggests that he doesn't know his stuff well, which violates (1) above, while the latter shows he's contradicting himself, which violates (3).
Now, you have acknowledged your critics' arguments by showing the benefits of NS: learning to get along with colleagues and keeping fit by preparing for IPPT. However, you did not REFUTE these points which I'm afraid threatens your credibility as explained above. It doesn't make you more credible.
So here's how I'll refute them...
On IPPT, Alvinology has already argued that physical fitness is our "own choices in life" so it's presumptuous of anyone to dictate these choices for us.
As for learning to get along with colleagues, we don't need to pay such a high price (the opportunity cost of NS) to learn that. In the first place, undergoing NS doesn't mean that one will automatically learn to do so. Even if you do learn, it may not be applicable to the civilian world. Why?
When NS men mess up, they may be sent to military jail, fined or assigned extra duties. They have no option of quitting the job no matter how upset they are. On the other hand, civilian employees do not face such threats and have the option to resign. These differences affect the extent to which you're willing to cooperate with and tolerate any misbehavior of your fellow NS men vs. civilian colleagues.
Fair point - I must say that maintaining my credibility as a social commentator is important to me, otherwise it descends into a personal rant (which admittedly I do sometimes, if you can't rant on your blog, where can you do so), but I do want to do this issue justice by being as impartial about it as possible. That is why I am trying to be fair to the topic of NS in trying to find positive aspects of it rather than just saying "abolish NS! Waste of time lah!" That wouldn't be a credible argument - that would be a rant.
DeleteIf I didn't refute the points sufficiently, then it's because I have been up to my eyeballs with work in the last few days and have still managed to rush these posts out because it's all kicking off ...
Allow me to respond to your points then - both the points you've made are valid and I agree with you - I am simply pointing out what my experiences were,it is 'making the most out of a bad situation, let's learn to cope and make the best of it'. That's quite different from those who claim that NS gave them the best experience in the world and that it's the greatest thing since sliced bread.
It's too easy to try to go either way (NS is a waste of time vs NS is fantastic) - I am trying to walk the less trodden path in the middle to address both sides of the argument and will continue to try to do so. (Please bear in mind I am someone who did give up on the system and migrated - so I am NOT pro-PAP, I am not pro-NS, I am clearly on your side).