Still Not Gracious Enough

Channelnews Asia's Talking Point ran a discussion on whether Singaporeans are gracious following the recent results of a study conducted by the Singapore Kindness Movement.

The study found that while locals were slightly more gracious than last year, most were indifferent about the need to improve their graciousness.

Why am I not surprised. Graciousness won't earn Singaporeans any money, so why bother? Singaporeans are generally too busy making money and watching their backs to bother about saying a simple "thank you" or "excuse me", holding the lift door for strangers, or giving up their seat to someone else more in need.

Singaporeans are generally also too suspicious of a stranger's good intentions. I've either been deprived of a "thank you" when I hold the door for strangers here in Singapore, or been given a wary top-to-toe scan, like I intend to demand a tip for holding the door.

Didn't know I looked that poor.

Give me a new observation about Singaporeans, please.

I griped about our growing lack of manners back in July 2006. Four years on, we have still not learnt our manners.

Read this too, about how helpful Singaporeans are.

Just this morning, in Chinatown, our car come to a stop behind another. Its occupants, including an old person who looked like she had difficulty moving, alighted. One of them opened the boot to extract a wheelchair.

Within seconds, the car behind us blasted its horn.

For fuck's sake. Can't wait for even just a few seconds?

So would another courtesy campaign help improve matters? Nah. I think the government is better off keeping that money in their bank or investing it in something with gauranteed returns.