It’s been a while since I blogged about anything non-related to anime or Japan.
This is an entry about Singapore. Please do not read on if non-anime entries bore you.
So anyway, I was in a certain shopping centre, located in a certain HDB district starting with the letter “B”, near my school, looking at some HD-enabled LCD TV and feeling sad and poor. I stood there for a few minutes to ogle at the power of High Definition and decided that those TVs were way overpriced. I’d rather have a 24″ LCD monitor from Dell for less. I walked to a DVD store nearby and found out that they had removed their entire anime selection, mostly bootlegs. Looks like they finally realized that selling bootleg DVDs with cheap-looking packaging for exorbitant prices just doesn’t work.
But that’s not what I want to talk about today.
On the way down to the first floor, a woman and an elderly man had stopped in front of the escalator. They didn’t look local and, I know I’m stereotyping, appeared to be foreigners who are in Singapore either looking for jobs or relatives.
The reason why they stopped was because they were afraid of stepping onto the escalator. The woman tried to take a step forward but retreated before her foot touched the moving steps. The man held on to her hands as the both of them looked down, uncertain with hesitation and a trace of fear.
I happened to be behind them and I stopped to wait because they were blocking the way down. I could sympathize with them. I used to have a fear of escalators too. I rolled down one when I was five. (Yeah, the whole way down.) It’s really quite difficult to get the timing right if you aren’t used to it, especially since that particular escalator was on the fast end of the speed scale in terms of escalators.
Of course, it only took a few seconds before a mini line formed behind the man and the woman. And it only took slightly longer before the ugly Singaporeans reared their empty heads. In this case, it was a bunch of school girls.
“Who’s blocking the way?”
“Why (sic) so scared one?”
“Ahahahahaha!”
“Lame.”
These were not five-year-old girls. These were teenagers who looked old enough to know when to keep their mouths shut. The man and the woman in front knew they were causing trouble for everyone else and they tried their best and finally got onto the escalator with half a jump. The pack of bitches behind continued with their mocking the whole way down. The man and the woman looked visibly distressed.
In my 10 years of citizenship, I have never felt more ashamed to be a Singaporean.
Are the girls so stupid that despite all the subsidized education they receive, they cannot tell the difference between right and wrong? Or do they do it despite knowing that it’s wrong? I really don’t know which possibility is scarier.
Stupid kids.
mm idiots.. that makes singaporeans looks bad.. mind telling me how they look like so i can give them a punch in their face? @_@
Well actually I think they are being the typical inconsiderate Singaporean. They lack sympathy, sense of occasion and common sense. For some reason, this ‘laughing-at-others-because-they-aren’t-as-good-as-us’ business seems particularly prominent in Singapore. Maybe it’s Singapore’s competitive nature that brings out this ‘sense of pride’ for being ‘better’ than others? The fact that Singapore has been through so many courtesy campaigns does make one think deeper about this issue.
Hell, it’s not just the kids, quite a few adults i’ve noticed are irresponsible too, especially when it comes to their little kids running around, screaming and shouting in a really crowded area. I really can’t tell if it’s this generation or this country in which this trend exists, since I haven’t been out to see the world and stuff. If it is our country, then I fear for Singapore’s future. If it is our generation, I fear the world is going to hell.
Yeah, there are many bad-hats like that, not only in Singapore – there are LOADS of them in Italy. It’s just a bad habit of 3… that carries on to 80. One time I was getting off a ‘tram’ (those electricity-based buses with a cord attached on the roof, I don’t think there are any in other countries) to make space to the people behind me, who were obviously trying to get off. Then a woman, while I was going down those 3 stairs said with a loud voice: “What the **** are you doing? You shouldn’t stand in front of the door, you dork! There are people who have to get off!” I mean, just wait a second! It’s not like she was going to miss a stop because of me, I was getting off in that very moment! Furthermore, there wasn’t enough space for me to stand, so I had to be in front of the door, duh…
Well, that’s all for my complaints… And also, forgive me as this may sound stupid, but what’s a bootleg DVD? XD
You get good characters(namely yourself, me, and all the nice people you know) and bad characters. It’s just that the bad characters make a more lasting impression than the good characters. For every bitch you see mocking old people without a drop of sympathy, there are those who stand quietly at the sidelines, too timid to reach out and say something for fear of fetribution.
It’s sad to say the bad characters, because they are more noticeable, have more influence. They make others become rotten too. But you can’t really blame them at all.
Bad haracters merely have such qualities because it reflects a true emptiness inside themselves, which they attempt to hide with “tough” behaviour or indifferent behavior. Inadequecy is a feeling nobody wants to have.
I am sorry that you and the elderly couple in question have witnessed such uncaring teens. Just remember not to act like them yourself..
When simply smiling is not enough. Couldn’t you have told them to take the lift instead?
a bootleg DVD is a low-quality illegal duplicate…
I forgot to mention that this whole incident took place in less than 10 seconds. It’s not like the two of them blocked the escalator for hours or anything.
It took all of 10 seconds for the girls to start complaining.
O_o I am rather sure that u are refering to junction 8 in Bishan? the animeshop happens to be inside best denki? Which recently removed their anime collection??
This has little to do with Singapore, stupidity is ubiquitous.
I see that kind of thing all the time over here – a lot of people just don’t stop to engage their brains before they speak. Probably because they don’t have one.
> “Why so scared one?â€
Haha, I love Singaporean English :P. I read about it on wikipedia once, but could never actually find much in the way of examples… I guess that’s because people never *write* this form, only speak it. Almost makes me want to visit just to hear.
Lol im surprised at a foreigner’s view of Singlish. And a British one too. Its a naturally spoken slang over here. I think http://www.talkingcock.com will be a good site to know more Singlish.
slight edit here. For a rather concise list of Singlish terms and their usage, visit http://www.talkingcock.com/html/lexec.php?op=LexPKL&lexicon=lexicon .
if the girls are wearing school uniform, write a letter to their school and complain about how the students lack consideration. Or better, write to Straits times forum and complain about the lack of courtesy that the ppl in that school has.
^Again, another typical singaporean trait.
ONLY KNOW HOW TO COMPLAIN.
Next time, do what I do: Fuck them back.
“Oei, like that also funny?”
@tsubaki: I would advise against that. If you must react that way, be sure to keep your own emotions in reign and don’t lose your cool.
O_o
So… Singlish is combination of three? (malay, chinese and english).
Then this will be the language that I understand 2/3 of it xD
singlish is written all the time. sms for example is almost strictly singlish among friends.
cant beat something that is short and effective.
Didn’t you know teenage girls are 90% bitches?
YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
This kind of situations are hardly rare in Malaysia as well. I often feel semi-ashamed at some things we Malaysians do as well.
Lol expected. Girls nowadays are getting from bad to worse. I recommand that they serve their nation like teh males, that wud seriously solve the problem and the clerk/armour crew shortage. I mean look at other countries like Israel where girls have to serve NS for 3 years, 2 years here is nothing.
Look at the recent RJC female blogger, really too full of herself. Actually, most girls think the same way. And admit it, guys are generally lower when it comes to the social foodchain. I believe these kind of girls backstab each other much more than guys do, and do all kinds of other retarded stuff.
Talking to the ground everyday for 9 weeks ought to do them lots of good.
Careful with the comments… the next thing we know, DM’s going to be charged in court for sedition.
@Migs: Seconded.
wouldn’t it be simpler just to direct them to the lift … lol
my grandma also wouldn’t take the escalator lol…
Kurogane, it’s free speech…
well true migs i’m too a malaysian, you should see kids in Australia, where I’m studying now.
they are so rude and not ashamed of it.
@exalt dragon I do that all the time, whenever I see people doing things wrong.
Want examples? Old man standing in front of a youth. Youth sees, but pretends that he’s not aware.
Tsubaki goes, “Oei, you cannot see here got ah pek. Don’t know how to give up your seat?”
The crowd looks intensely at the youth. Youth lets old man sit, run off at the next stop.
And, regarding your comment to Kuro: There’s no free speech in the internet, least for us singaporeans. I’m pretty sure you’re aware that the government has already fine/imprisoned bloggers for sedition.
Omg, I was in J8 recently too! I was at it yesterday actually. Was it yesterday you encountered that? Haha, I was wearing school uniform too, BUT I didn’t witness such things la. What kind/colour of uniform they’re wearing? Hell, that was suuuuuper inconsiderate.
You misunderstand the response to “Kuro”..I meant to say that so far we have been relatively acceptable on not inciting an insurrection..
I can only wish you the best in your efforts and hope you don’t get beaten up one day by someone you rub the wrong way.
lol… dKiWi, your comments reek of sexism… you doing your NS, right?
I agree with kurogane about watching your comments but not because of lack of free speech but i would like to remind everyone that you probably did something like that before during your teenage days…
everyone is prone to being selfish, so dont be overly critical about other people being selfish…
Real girls are not MOE
@zer0: Then what is aya hirano?
LOL SO WEAK! You should’ve pushed the woman and man onto the escalator and raped the teenage girls JUST LIKE YOU DO IN THE ERO GAMES.
…and next year’s GP alevel question “ero-games are worst than western violent movies. Discuss.”
– actually the man and woman will die in a terrible accident and the teenage girls are their daughters who have a terrible illness and die in a terrible tragedy, but not before you fall in love and have sex with them in a thousand summers.
Also, DM, get over it; you’ll learn the meaning of derision and frustration when you step into Tekong.
kwok: He’s headed for OCS. I can smell it.
Also, DM, we all are ripe bastards. It’s just how we control our feelings.
I feel ashamed of being human everyday, and you don’t see me bitching about it. Take a chill pill and let this dirty little incident go away. It’s not as if you’re trying to save these people (and if you do have such ambitions, I apologize).
Assholes are everywhere, but few make themselves noticed. Those that do will get ostracized by society. We’re pretty good at doing that.
I’m so damn disappointed with those people. Serious, they should just die or something.
Youngsters have issues. I carry a paddle-board and cold glares around *nods* for cases of unnecessary disrespect.
It’s not anything new. It’s human nature. People in packs, especially teenagers, are nasty.
Glad to see there are good-natured people like you DarkMirage. If everyone were like you, this world can be a much better place…
The first thing children should learn at school is respect… =___=
>>Glad to see there are good-natured people like you DarkMirage.
Some how.. in this context… I find this line extremely funny.
>>The first thing children should learn at school is respect…
I absolutely agree.
>>Real girls are not MOE
Mostly, but not all. I still attempt to retain some futile hope to meet a girl who’s moe IRL.
Here’s the problem with teenagers, especially in Singapore nowadays: They think the world revolves around them. This is especially more prevalent among girls in Singapore. Perhaps we should go back to this comment in the newspaper regarding teenage girls giggling in a theatre performance and annoy the heck out of the spectators?
But this problem is also prevalent worldwide. I heard that in Britain, the teenagers, both boys and girls, are worse. They were against school discipline and there is this phenomena (very dangerous one) called ‘Happy Slapping’ over there. Even killed someone.
Really, it saddens me to see the state of teenagers nowadays, seeing that I’m a teenager as well. I put the blame at the lack of moral education, and I say the problem starts at home. But that’s my own opinion so don’t take it so seriously.
> ‘Happy Slapping’
o_O;
Oh, I forgot to mention, not every teenagers are like that, so don’t flame me.
Surely you know what is ‘happy slapping’, Anon?
haha im not sexist really… and don’t get me wrong I’m not bitter about being in the army. Its juz that when I observe how most girls behave nowadays I think something needs to be done. But the fact is, nothing can be done. Unless by some miracle my suggestion is taken up.
I work around the MINDEF area and I have seen my fair share of female officers and officer cadets. I have even interacted with some of them. Yes some of them are quite good looking. Young, cute female submarine captains such as Tessa in Full Metal Panic! do exist. In fact most female officers in Singapore are sent to the airforce or navy as submarine or weapons systems officers.
They are definitely much better behaved and have a set of values to follow. When I talk to them, I realise a huge difference between talking to them and the average ACJC girl.
Most teenage girls think the world revolves around them. Sad but true. I didn’t say all, I said most. I have a sister a year younger than me… and wah lan eh. Her friends are abt the same as well. They tend to give up everything in the world for their friends but treat their family members like shit. Again, sad but true, I’m experiencing it now.
“When I talk to them, I realise a huge difference between talking to them and the average ACJC girl.”
Why did you choose to single out ACJC?
youth today is rotten… its the same way here in germany as well…
About girls doing a lot more backstabbing:
Here in Poland, after a certain recent school “incident”, there is a lot of talk about how schools should work. Anyway, I read an interview with a headmistress in charge of school in bronx-like area and she said something interesting about single-sex classes which has oddly something similar this:
To paraphrase:
“All-male class? Tried that, it worked. With all-female it’s harder. Guys have it simple – if they strongly don’t agree on something, they will resolve it once by fist fight or similar means. With girls, you can have an awful lot of background scheming ending in much worse psychical abuse. And psychical abuse is the same or even worse than physical.”
hmm i think i understand what dKiWi makes sense.. No offense exalt dragon, you seem to be an ACSian, but i have to say that what dKiWi sas about ACJ girls is right…
Agreed with girls being backstabbers. Seen quite a lot of ‘sabo’ (sabotage) been done by girls back in secondary school. From my experience, it seems like a bulk of rotten, self-centered teenagers in Singapore are girls. Again, I’m not saying ‘all girls’, just ‘most girls’, in case anyone feels offended.
…. coz im from ACJC …
It wudnt be fair to single out other schs.
backstabbing by girls in secondary school? o.O thank goodness im home schooled
oh wow.. the future is doomed