After seeing the advertisement where CNBC plans on asking Singapore's Prime Minister on how he's going to counter the economic crisis, I couldn't help but ponder about money.
I used to think that cash around the world, was like a game of Monopoly. How can there ever be a economic crisis when we just keep passing the money around the world? Besides, we're always printing money.
Life actually is a simple thing. But it's we, humans who make things so complicated.
Who wouldn't want a bed of cash eh? But do you really want it?
It has been said that money is the root of all evil, and money can't buy you happiness. And some even said that money isn't important.
But then there are some who say that money can buy you the things that make you happy, and that money is power.
So which is true?
My take is that we are so attracted to money, that it has turned us into their slaves. And why does it have so much power on us? Well, basically, it's because of our vanity. Click Here to read about my take on vanity.
We are so obsessed with vanity that we go crazy with ourselves, by splurging tonnes and tonnes of money, just to gain materials;clothes, going under the knife, things things to enhance our already beautiful image. Now is this all worth it?
Now some of you may think that money does allow us to buy the things that make us happy. And true enough, we do need a roof over our head as well as food to eat. But how far do we push it, just to satisfy our needs?
Well, you might be thinking 'spending a little just for comfort wouldn't hurt'. That's where you're wrong. As unhappy humans, we are never satisfied with what we have. We always want more. A little house ends up being a huge mansion that you spent your entire life savings on. But just like the small house you had, it is still to cramp to fit all your things.
A little car ends up being a car that is sleek, spacious and turns around corners a little too fast. But just like the little car that you had earlier, it soon becomes weak.
A fake diamond from someone ends up being traded for a real diamond. But soon after, you realize that the diamond isn't shiny enough.
Money can't buy you happiness. True enough, happiness isn't for sale. A person who has happiness would never part with it for any amount of money or jewelleries, even if they could.
The happiest people on earth find comfort in their cozy little houses, the joy of riding their old little beat-up cars, and the worth of fake diamonds that hold so much love to it, than a real one that holds nothing.
If you think that you are really happy for having the freedom to constantly buy all those blings, cash, house and cars, think again.
For I think that someone who is never happy with what they have, is the poorest person alive.
When Barack Obama won the title as America's President, everyone from all over the world were pleased. Many of us have been rooting for Obama even though we are not Americans.
Singapore especially, being a Cosmopolitan country, we welcome foreigners from all over the world, with arms wide open. However, having done a Debate on Gender bias in Singapore, I came to realization the true statistics of Gender Bias in Singapore.
But, Singapore does not only suffer from Gender Bias, but also being bias in terms of Race( I wouldn't want to term it as Racism). That was why I found the article found in the papers the day after Obama won, an article asking if Singapore is ready for a non-Chinese PM.
Reading through the article and "debating" it with myself actually made me come to a conclusion that Singapore is not ready.
And one point that proves it all is whenever you job hunt. I wouldn't want to discriminate the specific store, but this one Popular Bookstore had really bad service. When my friends and I, clearly at first look, are non-Chinese, applied for the job, the manager was really rude to us, saying that not all of us will get the job and really seemed disgruntled when she tore the application papers for us.
Well, at first I thought she was having a bad day, but as I filled up the form, I looked around as many others applied for the job. Shockingly enough, she was happily tearing the forms for them, rattling away in Mandarin.
And after every Chinese applicant completed and gave her the form, she would talk to them for a pretty long time. And when my friends did the same to her, she looked at us in disdain, took our paper, not even looking at it, and said "Notice a weeks time", and she looked away.
Well, this is the first Bias treatment that I have received so far, but there are many jobs that, when you apply, always seek for people who can speak in English and Mandarin. I mean, I have no problems, despite not really being good in Mandarin. But it made me stop to ponder, if every one's looking for people who speaks English and Mandarin only, then where would the non-Chinese find a job?
Isn't this the same scenario as in Sri Lanka, where back in I-Don't-know-what-year, the Tamils were only given three years to learn Sinhala or be dismissed. The non-Chinese may not face the exaggerated time limit nor get dismissed, but is Singapore expecting the non-Chinese to pick up that language in order to get a stable job?
I think that Singapore should really cherish its people, and stop inviting foreigners over. It's true that they raise the competitive level for all jobs, but they are literally chasing away Singaporeans. Singaporeans also face limited jobs now. The newly built IRs have 60,000 jobs but only 10,000 are for Singaporeans. The rest? For the foreigners.
Even at the zoo, people are getting retrenched. The tram guides for example, are mostly being replaced with Filipinos.
With the economic meltdown, more people are jobless. So what is Singapore to do, if all of its people turn their backs on her?
And if Singapore is really ready for a non-Chinese PM, I would LOVE to run for it! hahah
