Gracious society...

[cheeseme]

Just take 1 example and simply pay a visit to IKEA during the weekend, and observe the followings. You will able to appreciate how "Gracious" we are.

1. How fried chicken wings are being chew.
2. How the left over are placed.
3. How the table looks like after the Chicken Wings are finished.
4. How the tissue papers are being used.

Haha, just too many "Gracious" stuff to see.

 

[sammy888]

Just take 1 example and simply pay a visit to IKEA during the weekend, and observe the followings. You will able to appreciate how "Gracious" we are.

1. How fried chicken wings are being chew.
2. How the left over are placed.
3. How the table looks like after the Chicken Wings are finished.
4. How the tissue papers are being used.

Haha, just too many "Gracious" stuff to see.

Best damn reply I read all day.... heheheheh....

 

[Yappy]

So can we have both Graciousness and richness?

 

[scrat1]

hmm... "Gracious society" sounds familiar... sort of heard about it long long time back... I thought it's already EOL'ed?

 

[bengchiat]

And i will be the one making a loud remark " I didn't know i am hired here to hold the lift" or "did you forget to say thank you?"

don't plaese,
u will be joinning their rank by doing that.

lets do it from our heart n don't expect any returns.

up for one who holds lift for others.

 

[Lenscapes]

Haha... same for giving up seat on the bus, especially to the younger generation. Most of the time when I give up my seat to pregnant ladies, I don't even get a smile back, let alone a thank you. It is like you owe the seat to them. So nowadays I tend to give up seat to elder people only.

most older folks more gracious and thank you for it.
they even give the seat back to you if they get off before you. :thumbsup:

 

[TheQuestion]

The terms Gracious Society And Singapore are 2 mutually exclusive things.:thumbsd:

 

[Yappy]

hmm... "Gracious society" sounds familiar... sort of heard about it long long time back... I thought it's already EOL'ed?

Yes... long long time ago. It is a continous proccess which one cannot ignore!

The question is are we better?

I was in Germany, about 8 years ago. I was scolded by a senior citizen, yes scolded for sitting on a seat reserved of the senior citizen.

Do we tell those who pretent that they are sleeping when they are supposed to give up their seats?

I think most of us don't bother.

 

[Yappy]

" The common items that are thrown are cigarette butts, tissue paper and fruit seeds. More extreme litter would be sanitary pads, wound dressings and bags of urine or faeces."

Just got it from Yahoo....

I once have a neighbour who threw diapers out of the window!

 

[ortega]

everything starts from yourself

being gracious is from the heart, do without expecting anything in return

 

[vonlichenstein]

everything starts from yourself

being gracious is from the heart, do without expecting anything in return

and sometimes, everything stops at yourself. :bsmilie:

 

[espion]

I was in Germany, about 8 years ago. I was scolded by a senior citizen, yes scolded for sitting on a seat reserved of the senior citizen ...

Thats very illuminating.

A few things to ask/think about:

1. Why were u sitting on that seat? What were you thinking or not?

2. Would anyone today in your position - maybe your child - do the same? And then, why and why not? Better education? Better parents? or something else altogether?

And another thought: ownership.

Singaporeans dont take ownership of the public space outside them. They dont see it belonging to them. Its not theirs, so don't bother. It is like you see your neighbour's house is dirty, but you would not step up to offer to clean for them, would you? You just make sure your own house is clean.

But maybe there are people who tried to reach out to make this space theirs - for isnt that a fundamental right for every Singaporean: every space in Singapore belongs to Singaporeans - but then they got whacked for trying, or they see/read or perceive or are educated of others getting whacked very hard for trying. So Singaporeans are clever, rational, trainable and are continually learning and gaining knowledge, and they leave the "public" space to those who own it.

 

[Yappy]

Thats very illuminating.

A few things to ask/think about:

1. Why were u sitting on that seat? What were you thinking or not?

2. Would anyone today in your position - maybe your child - do the same? And then, why and why not? Better education? Better parents? or something else altogether?

And another thought: ownership.

Singaporeans dont take ownership of the public space outside them. They dont see it belonging to them. Its not theirs, so don't bother. It is like you see your neighbour's house is dirty, but you would not step up to offer to clean for them, would you? You just make sure your own house is clean.

But maybe there are people who tried to reach out to make this space theirs - for isnt that a fundamental right for every Singaporean: every space in Singapore belongs to Singaporeans - but then they got whacked for trying, or they see/read or perceive or are educated of others getting whacked very hard for trying. So Singaporeans are clever, rational, trainable and are continually learning and gaining knowledge, and they leave the "public" space to those who own it.

Just to add on to what I had written, there were many other empty seats around.

I took it for granted that I could sit on it as there were many empty ones around.

I later learnt from my friend that it was a show of respect.

It is their culture.

A Cantonese saying "Pray when you are in a temple. Greet the host when you enter his home."

 

[shidyar]

Allow me to rant a little here.

Graciousness actually starts from home..
We have to educate our children. Graciousness is not a personality trait that is variable from one person to another. It is nurture... education.. upbringing.. Graciousness is Discipline..we have to show our children. If you are a gracious person.. a kind person.. chances are you have been brought up with the same influence. what is graciousness..
In a house hold where we show our children how we treat maids like personal slaves .. How gracisou can they be? I have seen a little boy screaming demanding from the maid to get him a glass of water when it is just two steps away from him. I won't blame the Government.. no amount of government campaigning can change what is instilled in you since young..
I see children running amuck being a general nuisance with the parents just an arm's reach.. Oh they're just being children.. let them be.. Let them be? and when they fall or bump into people.. the parents will scold the other person "why you hurt my child?' what's that teaching the child.. that they can get away with anything..
Personally i return trays when i eat at Macd's .. or LJS.. or KFC.. I say hello to pple who serve me and thank them after words.. I even say hello to pple sitting next to me at the theatre when i take my seat... our problem now is we teach our kids to only think about themselves and not others.. the adults are a gone case lah... it's a vicious circle.. these same adults will pass these same values to their children.

the children are our future... we need to go back to a time where things are simpler.. we don't need to be sooo overprotective of our kids that we pamper them too much.. They should learn that in life you fall.. that will give them humility.. and after you fall you get up and move along.. that is perseverence... we teach them do things on their own that gives them independence.. we lteach them think for themselves..intelligence..

independence at home.. humility.. intelligence.. with all this in place.. graciousness.. common courtesy will follow..

 

[ziploc]

And don't forget about TV. With the kind of programmes shown on TV where verbal insults are treated as funny on the variety shows and dramas series, imagine a child growing up watching them almost everyday... :sweat:

 

[espion]

I have seen a little boy screaming demanding from the maid to get him a glass of water when it is just two steps away from him. I won't blame the Government..

Now imagine that boy one day getting into Government/civil service ....

 

[Sion]

Now imagine that boy one day getting into Government/civil service ....

It won't be good too if he becomes a voter. :bsmilie:

 

[Sion]

actually what's the solution to this problem?

Fines! :bsmilie:

 

[scrat1]

Yes... long long time ago. It is a continous proccess which one cannot ignore!

The question is are we better?

I was in Germany, about 8 years ago. I was scolded by a senior citizen, yes scolded for sitting on a seat reserved of the senior citizen.

Do we tell those who pretent that they are sleeping when they are supposed to give up their seats?

I think most of us don't bother.

Seems to me we are about the same as before, except majority are more educated as compared to those before...

If a person doesn't know how to give up his/her seat to the needy and has to be told to do so, then I think I know which direction things are heading...

 

[vonlichenstein]

Fines! :bsmilie:

Spanking!