This is a short entry... I hope.
The usual daily activity for me is to check through the other blogsite links. While doing so, it dawned on me that I have been blogging since 2006. Wow... that's a good five to six years! Of course my readership pales in comparison to Mr Wang or mrbrown. It does not concern me because I never intended to compete with anyone.
So I started reading my first entry. Then the next and the next. I laughed at the cheeky entires when I blogged about games and missus. I treasured the innocence back then. Nothing heavy and thought-provoking. It started as a 'journal entry' blog which was hugely popular for startups - a capture of a significant footprint in one's life journey. Actually it was more like trying to fill in the pages. It felt like flipping through a photo album reminiscing past memories.
What started out as a journal entry blog turned into writings on more serious topics. Sometimes a bit of 'whinging'. Politics slowly crept in despite warnings from friends and spouse. Why? Why should anyone be afraid and silent to share his or her thoughts, views and opinions, be it politics, education or everyday life? We are not robots, mind you. We are walking, living and breathing mortals capable of intelligent speech and lightning-quick thoughts.
In this blog I am not character-assassinating an enemy, nor am I humiliating anyone. I definitely have no intention to slander a foe, nor do I desire to frame a person. So why are my friends warning me to stay away from politically-inclined topics?
I believe in sharing my thoughts and I love an active debate. It cultivates me to see beyond my often limited and shallow views and learn to accept that people are different. I begin to realise even though I may be right, it does not necessarily mean people can accept my 'rightness' or beliefs. But hey, we can still live together, can't we? We don't need to demolish our opponents, do we?
That is truly an important trait for anyone who wants to be a forward thinker in my personal opinion. Of course politicians might have an entirely different set of rules or idealogy. I can't comment because I am no politician.
Right... where was I? Oh, the coming General Elections (GE).
On 2 Aug 2006 I blogged about the upcoming hikes after the 2006 GE (read it here). While re-reading what I had written back then, I was eerily taken aback. Yes awfully and frightfully.
Each and every item I had predicted for the upcoming hikes after the GE actually came true. From transport to utilities to GST to ERP! And guess what is even scarier? Predicted responses from the main-stream media (MSM) were frighteningly spot-on.
What does this tell me?
There is nothing new. It is just a rehash of the same story, same old broken record playing the same tune...
...singing the same song,
...braying the same music,
...trumpeting the same achievements, and
...proclaiming the same fears.
Did you see the common denominator? The word is 'same'. From my personal view, nothing much has changed since the previous last two elections except the leadership changed from Goh CT to Lee HL, and SM Lee became MM Lee. The most wonderful achievement I can remember is when PM Lee HL announced the change of the civil servant work week from 5-1/2 days to 5 days. There was great rejoicing.
It saddens me because seriously not much has changed for the general folks. Inflation is still high, prices are still going up, wage gap is still growing, housing is still less affordable, and ministers' salaries are still increasing.
It saddens me because seriously not much has changed for the general folks. Inflation is still high, prices are still going up, wage gap is still growing, housing is still less affordable, and ministers' salaries are still increasing.
The crowning scariness of all scariness? The same people are still casting the same vote for the same mandate.
Scary.
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