Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Two sides of the coin
Okay, here’s another food for thought. At home, when I was getting lunch during the e-learning week, I saw several items which I would like to critique:One such example is that I saw a bunch of kindergartners and their teachers at the roadside. Without waiting for the traffic light to turn green, she led them across the road. Of course, the road was very empty and there were no cars at all.
However, what will this be telling the children? At that particular age, 5-7, children are very receptive and they will be picking up habits, good or bad, everywhere. With this action of crossing the road without waiting for the lights to turn green, the children may think that this is actually correct. As said in my previous post, affect one generation, and the generations after will follow.
Like this, the children will grow up with this mindset that it is OKAY to cross the road without waiting for the traffic light. Actually, I do this also (yes, I’m a hypocrite). In this fast paced society we are in, time is money. In my opinion, if the road is empty, go for it. Okay. I have a point to clarify. There is actually a very simple logic I use. If the road is empty and there are no dangers posed to oneself, I will cross the road. However, in most situations, I will just wait for the traffic light.
Okay. I shall deviate a little here. In the past, cars have the priority on the roads. Now, due the development of our “kia su-ness (scared to lose)” we feel that we will should and will have the priority on the roads. The car now should fear us, people. If there are any accidents, there is one and only one action: sue. We will forever have this mindset: complain, or sue. It’s quite saddening, actually, that we Singaporeans have to resort to this form of “blackmail” to ensure that we do not lose out.
The bad stuff has come out. However, there are good things happening also.
At the same road after I finished lunch, I saw a primary school (primary 3, I think) helping an old lady cross the road. Yes, the road was literally empty, (and I think the old lady cam waltz across the road slowly and there will still be no cars) but it was the thought that counts.
The boy had the best intentions when he helped the old lady across the road, and it was very heartening to watch. In one day, I saw both the ugly and the pretty of Singapore, and I am pleased and pis*ed.
3:45 AM By Eugene
