Besides, there are so much other factors to consider.

And by the way, Singapore is more democratic than Cuba, but Cubans are hospitable and gracious people.

Just a comment on this…
“Help our people to enjoy life and living in Singapore. They should not have to work for long hours to pay for the high cost of living in Singapore, and still feel uncertain about their future.”
> Singapore will always have to be uncertain about their future because it has limited resources; we have to work harder, which is why we have so many laws and regulations — the country can’t afford mistakes you see.

But yeah I do agree with the whole idea that having a gracious environment makes a place more livable. It enhances our lives. But Singapore has a long way to go.

On the website, another rare gracious citizen’s name has been suggested as next President – Tommy Koh.

After Ngiam T D, yourself and now Tommy Koh – there are very few people who are up to the mark, and prepared to participate on their own free will as the possible real people’s choice. Can you please re-consider ?

Thank you.

I disagree Taiwan is a gracious society at macro level where you can view the rudeness/fighting during senate debate or paliament meeting. Corruption and seperatism in Taiwan are never gracious ! Please watch Cable TV Channel 49.

I attended a talk you once held for young people at NTUC. Your obvious concern for the young people of Singapore touched me and I thought, “Here’s one of the ‘few good men’ of Singapore.” So, I am very pleased to have found that there are people who agree with me and would like to see you as President. I would, too, and since I have passed voting age, I would vote for you in a heartbeat.

As for graciousness, I think Singapore has gone to the dogs. I take the long, tedious journey from Pasir Ris to Tanjong Pagar every workday and I have yet to see anyone give up their seat for a pregnant lady or elderly person (not that there are much of the latter during peak hours) in the 3 years since I joined the workforce. I see working professionals pushing and jostling to be the first to get out of the station. I see doors slamming into the person behind simply because the person who opened the door couldn’t be arsed to hold it open just a minute longer. I see people cutting into others’ path without so much of a by-your-leave or an “excuse me”. I see so much to be disgusted by, and yet there are angels of graciousness and mercy who have made my day brighter. Once, a total stranger went off to get me a pair of slippers because my the strap of my leather sandal had broken when I slipped on a wet pavement.

Singapore has come a long way in 43 years, there is no doubt of that. But at what price? The price of our civility, courtesy and happiness? Or is a low crime and corruption rate, excellent infrastructure and No. 1 airport enough?

Harry (53) has a point when he asked how it is possible to be happy here. 3 years of working in this extremely-stressful environment and I am already sick of it. I want to emigrate or at least be posted overseas because I do not want to spend the next 20-30 years of my career working to pay off the price of a car and miserably-small flat, and get peanuts from my CPF after 55. I do not want to be told that a Singaporean woman’s ‘national service’ is to pop out babies for the nation. I am not willing to wait another generation for this land to finally accept and encourage the arts as a viable career option. I do not want to live in a land so technologically-advanced, yet so 3rd-world in its civil and social liberties. Freedom of press or speech? That always draws a guffaw from me.

I’m not saying the grass is always greener on the other side; that would be an incredibly immature thing to say. It’s just that the world is so vast and the opportunities are equally vast. Why limit myself to one small dot?

Singapore might be the land of my birth, but I cannot bring myself to make it the land of the rest of my life. After all…I do have that choice, do I not?

Someone asked me in an earlier post (#38) if I have committed a Freudian slip.

Dear Mr Tan,

I am a fan of many of the articles which you have contributed to the press. This one on the Taiwanese people is also a great piece of article but somehow I am doubtful if our government will ever listen.

I too have lived and worked in Taipei Taiwan for a year from 2005-2006 and found my experiences there to be very memorable. I totally agree with your points but sadly I think our leaders look down upon the average Singaporean and therefore treat us as mere “digits”. It is the scholars who will make the decision for the rest of us….regrettably.

Best regards

In what context, did the come across Freudian slip?

I do not fear retribution, but I have to respect the wish of my wife. I do not want her to be put in a difficult position.

I can’t help but to think that it has become a Singaporean culture to whine.

We should not ignore the bright side of life! :-)

(When is the last time you talked about happy moments?)

Thanks for your response. I respect your decision but if you do change your mind on the elected presidency candidacy, I think there are many who will support your election because we think you can do it well.

A certain unionist, Mr Walter Reuther once said:
There is no greater calling than to serve your fellow men. There is no greater contribution than to help the weak. There is no greater satisfaction than to have done it well.

Best Regards

http://forums.delphiforums.com/sammyboymod/messages/?msg=183636.1

If even someone like you fears to enter politics, then something is very wrong with our society and we can’t blame the ordinary man from shunning from political service to society. How then can we ever be a gracious society?

Our country needs an independent auditor, and your experience and educational background make you eminently suitable.

I hope thru your service and clout as elected President you can truly be the champion to bring about a quantum leap in graciousness among us.

Donating money and kinds to charities, disasters and the poor, do not mean graciousness per se, however generosity it definitely is. Graciousness invariably
connotates some respects to others without knowing the other party(parties) or even just respect for the sanctity of being. Generosity, on the other hand is giving, maybe out of pity or having plain excess of unwanted belongings.

Graciousness does not require one to give to others but respects for others are requirements for graciousness to stand, at the very least, courtesy must be a component.

Abuse of others, bullying of others, oppression of others, discrediting others, despicing others and discriminating others are clear signs of ungraciousness. As such to be gracious, one needs only to avoid these traits, there is no need for any givings except respect.

To build a gracious society, the leaders, elders and superiors have to be role models. When these people fail to be exemplary or worse are the very people that show opposite traits and these are viciousness, wickedness, haughtiness, brutal, rough etc, a gracious society is not conceiveable. Conscience is a must ingredient to a gracious society.

patriot.

I also met his wife and two young daughters. I taught the children how to play Sudoku and gave them my puzzle books. Life must be extremely difficult for the two girls in school.

My friend told me that Soon Juan now stays in a small HDB flat in Toa Payoh and his family does not have a steady source of income. I hope that our society can be gracious to Soon Juan and his family as well.

I agree that it needs more than “free democracy” to produce a gracious society.

People can be gracious if they are relatively well off, are happy with life (even if they are poor), feel that they are respected and that they have a say. If we stop struggling so much for material benefits, we can be more gracious.