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As the Youth Olympics approaches, the Singapore government is, once again, giving the gracious society campaign a new lease of life. Launched in 1979, the courtesy campaign was then fronted by the friendly courtesy lion, if any of you remembers. 29 years later, are Singaporeans doing better?
One positive thing to observe is our cultivated habit to stand on the left side of the escalator, so people in a rush can walk their way up on the right side. I think this campaign is considered a successful one. Singaporeans in overseas malls can be easily spotted - yes, they stand on the left side of the escalator. Try looking for them if you don't believe me. It's almost a trademark.
Unfortunately, other than this, I can't say we've gone up the notch very much. I was taking the NEL train home from Dhouby Ghaut today. While waiting for the train to arrive, several people moved in front of me to stand directly at the door so they can rush in the moment the train door opens. By the time I managed to make my way into the train, all the seats were already taken. Of course, upon seeing me, the pregnant woman with her huge tummy, the row of seated gentlemen immediately did what they had to do - they fell asleep, instantaneously. On my right, the corner seats were taken up by a young couple, the guy with his arm around his gal who had her arm around a huge mickey mouse soft toy. Oblivious to the presence of a very pregnant person standing to their immediate right, they continued cooing sweet nothings to each other, coccooned in their little world of love. Fortunately for me, halfway through the journey, one of the sleeping guys woke up abruptly and exactly at the stop where he needed to alight, and I was lucky enough to grab the seat.
All my life, I have been taught to give up seats to the elderly and the pregnant ladies. I have been doing it, my friends have been doing it, and it was beyond my understanding, or past observations, that a portion of the population who needed the seats were regularly ignored in buses and trains. Now, as part of this population, I suddenly realise that it's an awful feeling when people don't give two hoots about how you may need the seat more than them. The truth is, being pregnant is tiring, but it's not the end of the world if you have to stand in the train, granted the few dizzy spells and all. But it's an awful feeling all the same, knowing people have no empathy for your need. Even if I have been giving up seats all my life before I was pregnant, it never struck me how people who accepted my act of courtesy appreciates the gesture. It was just something I was taught to do, and something I am sure to teach my little David to do when he grows up.
To put it harshly, courtesy is cultivated as part of a person's upbringing. Chances are, the children of those people who fight for seats with the elderly or preggies will grow up thinking it's ok to do the same. Judging by number of men who fell asleep when I entered the train, I'm afraid, Mr SKM chief, that a gracious Singapore is more than just a few generations away.
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