Childish Singaporeans

While I don't agree with the idiotic Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Ensuring Bribes get to the Right People (or whatever his official title is), I can understand why he is irked by Singapore clamouring for effective action by Indonesia on the Haze. His constituents have long given up expecting their political leaders to do anything, so it is a vicious reality check for him to realise that in other countries you say what you'll do and then you do what you said you'll do.

So when he called Singaporeans "childish", he is saying in effect, "you expect me to do something just because I'm coordinating minister or some such political leader? You are naive! No other country works like your obsessive-compulsive, mentally-disordered little red dot! Grow up!"

And you see this when Singaporeans go overseas. "Why is it taking so long?" "Why can't they be more efficient?" "What? They close on Sundays? How to do business like that?"

So in a sense the Coordinating Minister for Bribes is correct: Singaporeans are "childish" if by childish, he means we are spoilt and naive. We are spoilt because we have come to expect instant gratification and response. We are naive because we think other places would be as efficient and effective.

And because we are so used to technological solutions (no water? NEWater!) we can't understand when technology is limited. "Seed the clouds and make it rain!" "Whaddaya mean there's no clouds!" "How can you tell if there's clouds when everything is grey and hazy?"

The size of Singapore is also limitation to Singaporean's perspective. Some comments include, "lets load up one of our C130 with water-bombs and put out the fire!"

When you see comments like that, you cringe and secretly think, yes, Singaporeans can be rather childish.

And who's fault is it? Why PAP of course! (That was a trick question. The answer is always, "PAP, of course". :-) )