Elitist Remarks…How it got really bad. A few days ago, (I think it was on Oct 24th), a teen blogger found herself in deep sh*t, after making insensitive comments of another blogger. The Internet once again is set alight with much debate on the issue of Elitism. Mr Derek Wee, was giving his 2 cents worth on PM Lee’s calling, urging “the young to be committed and make a difference to Singapore”. Mr Wee feels “insecure over the future of Singapore”, and is concerned about losing his competitive edge within the work force. The fact that in Singapore, “when you are above 40, you are over the hill”. Retrenchment at the age of 40, such as an export manager for a MNC-turn-taxi driver, is fast becoming a trend. Employers are unwilling to lower prejudice, and in a society where the rat race is ever-present, many have become quitters. Increasing number of well-educated 30 / 40 year olds are packing their bags and leaving for greener pastures, where they are ensured of a stable career into their 50s. Uncertainty over our futures, the pressure cooker of the society, creates insecurity amongst the working class of Singaporeans. So, it’s a little difficult for the young to stay committed to our little red dot, when bread and butter issues are already a cause for concern. Make a difference…let’s put that at the back of our minds for the moment? ……………………………………………………………………………………………....................................................... Then comes the remarks, where Miss Wee Shu Min, RJC second-year student (daughter of MP Wee Siew Kim, coincidentally, a AMK GRC MP), caused an uproar within the online community. Her blog entry is as follows: “some blog post by some bleeding stupid 40-year old singaporean called derek wee (WHY do all the idiots have my surname why?!) whining about how singapore is such an insecure place, how old ppl (ie, 40 and above) fear for their jobs, how the pool of foreign "talent" (dismissively chucked between inverted commas) is really a tsunami that will consume us all (no actually he didn't say that, he probably said Fouren Talern Bery Bad.), how the reason why no one wants kids is that they're a liability in this world of fragile ricebowls, how the government really needs to save us from inevitable doom but they aren't because they are stick-shoved-up-ass elites who have no idea how the world works, yadayadayadayada.” “i am inclined - too much, perhaps - to dismiss such people as crackpots. stupid crackpots. the sadder class. too often singaporeans - both the neighborhood poor and the red-taloned socialites - kid themselves into believing that our society, like most others, is compartmentalized by breeding. ridiculous. we are a tyranny of the capable and the clever, and the only other class is the complement.” “sad derek attracted more than 50 comments praising him for his poignant views, joining him in a chorus of complaints that climax at the accusation of lack of press freedom because his all-too-true views had been rejected by the straits times forum. while i tend to gripe about how we only have one functioning newspaper too, i think the main reason for its lack of publication was that his incensed diatribe was written in pathetic little scraps that passed off as sentences, with poor spelling and no grammar.” “derek, derek, derek darling, how can you expect to have an iron ricebowl or a solid future if you cannot spell? if you're not good enough, life will kick you in the balls. that's just how things go. there's no point in lambasting the government for making our society one that is, i quote, "far too survival of fittest". it's the same everywhere. yes discrimination exists, and it is sad, but most of the time if people would prefer hiring other people over you, it's because they're better. it's so sad when people like old derek lament the kind of world that singapore will be if we make it so uncertain. go be friggin communist, if uncertainty of success offends you so much - you will certainly be poor and miserable. unless you are an arm-twisting commie bully, which, given your whiny middle-class undereducated penchant, i doubt.” “then again, it's easy for me to say. my future isn't certain but i guess right now it's a lot brighter than most people's. derek will read this and brand me as an 18-year old elite, one of the sinners who will inherit the country and run his stock to the gutter. go ahead. the world is about winners and losers. it's only sad when people who could be winners are marginalised and oppressed. is dear derek starving? has dear derek been denied an education? has dear derek been forced into child prostitution? has dear derek had his clan massacred by the government?” “i should think not. dear derek is one of many wretched, undermotivated, overassuming leeches in our country, and in this world. one of those who would prefer to be unemployed and wax lyrical about how his myriad talents are being abandoned for the foreigner's, instead of earning a decent, stable living as a sales assistant. it's not even about being a road sweeper. these shitbags don't want anything without "manager" and a name card.” “please, get out of my elite uncaring face.” ......................................................................................................................................................................... The Consequences: She apologized for her comments (not directly to Mr Derek Wee), Shut down her blog Both her dad and the principal of RJC also made press statements. .........................................................................................................................................................................
小强's opinion: The tone used by Derek is one of general concern, and it reflects the current situation where we face plenty of challenges in the workplace. It underlines the harshness of the society, thus, receiving quite a number of responses from fellow bloggers/readers. We can definitely identify with his plight. It has become increasingly tough to survive the new economy. As for Shu Min, perhaps she has been brought up in a sheltered environment, received better education in a top school. However, she may not have even tried her hands on working (part time / vacation work), so there’s a lack of knowledge and experience about the difficulties and complexity within the workplace. The fact that she places herself high up in the social ladder, already looking down on the working class, makes it a hard pill to swallow for the online community. It’s a shame, really. While we feel agitated by her words, maybe, we should also examine the whole topic here. Are we well-equipped to face the uphill battle of the working world? Are we getting complacent and expects the government to take care of all of us? Are we complaining a little too much? For me, I believe in facing the music, and stand up and be counted. Prove them wrong, and work our butts off. All I hope for, is that everyone learn something from this episode, and get on with our individual challenges.
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