Raining...!

A great thunderstorm! It's been so hot and humid for days! Thank God! The heavens are washing all the dirt and bird dropping stains off my car... as they always wash my soul of guilt and despair and leave me radiant with hope...

As the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,... so shall My word be. - Isaiah 55:10-11

I've been reading some abridged novels lately, the first one being Water Babies by Charles Kingsley and The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.

Water Babies is a fairy tale set in end 19th century England, and is very rich in imagination and fantastic descriptions by the author. Also, the fantasy place (which happens to be underwater, as you might guess) is alive with vivid imagery and there are clear allusions to its parallels to Kingsley's contemporary society back then. Very clear Biblical themes running throughout, and he also pokes fun at some of the realities of his time in a way which would make children laugh.

Monte Cristo is such a great book filled with meaning and struggle. I've seen the French version of the movie, played by this famous French actor with a big nose whose name I can't remember (he played the chief of police in the French rendering of Napoleon), and I remember him as a passionate actor very much into his character. But reading the book gives me further insights into thoughts and feelings, and I learn more about the parts of the plot that were rather skimmed through in the movie. Though it would never be complete without the powerful expressions that I saw and felt in the movie.

Basically the struggle in this story is about a man bent on revenge. He even plays the hand of Providence and takes on the role of a justice redeemer. However, in the end he realises painfully revenge is still empty, but thankfully, he still had a heart and resolved and repented... When he does return all powerful he does take his revenge slowly... but in the end he is ridden with guilt and cannot take pleasure in the destruction of wicked men no more, and finds peace in his soul with God.

Reply to valren: (The bread argument)

Orientalist? What values does it bring? LKY seems to prefer Confucianist...? But here I'm not concerned about those... there's nothing orientalist or confucianist about allowing gambling... if we can so define these 2 'ist' in the first place... I'm saying LKY is a pragmatist. And what I worry is that the govt policy is pragmatist at the expense of everything else, which casino mandate has shown.

As much as we like media theory, the PAP is not exactly imposing anything on us 'docile' Singaporeans.

No.1: They are doing what we like. Providing jobs. Bread. Stability. It's the bread argument. Feed the people. It always works. And it assures their legitimacy.

No.2: We aren't docile. We've got our mouths stuffed up. We're too concerned with earning money, growing rich and buying more stuff. Of course with such a mentality we started having this 'stayers' 'quitters' thing which is the government's darkest justified fear - we'd all leave if the govt screwed up on the economy. (Of course, the other condition being that we have $ to leave and someplace else to go - and we've to overcome the inculcated prejudices we have of other societies)

So this boils down to one thing: What do we Singaporeans really want out of our government? To provide peace and stability and economy? They're doing a fantastic job. To represent the people and their values? As long as it doesn't override their primary aim, which is economic, and also happens to be their claim to power.

Does the government exist to represent the people or to sustain and justify its own existence?

And as for the idea of opposition parties - its not that noone has the passion. It's because the majority of the populance doesn't care. Face it - most people just want their stomaches full and their jobs secure and their credit rolling. They've indicated it time and again - the pragmatic mindset. Why have casino - jobs. Why learn Mandarin - to do business in China. Why be an opposition ward when you'll end up last in HDB upgrading. And so on.

That's why a pragmatic-mindset PAP thrives in such a population of such people. And that's why being opposition is tough. Because single party rule that delivers the bread is the most efficient, do you not agree?

:)

Democracy is not going to save us. Its our mentality that we need to be saved from.

I don't mean to overgeneralize here, on either all Singaporeans or all the politicians mentioned. But wouldn't you agree that this is the general case?