bloggers and racism
alright. 3rd person's blog under investigation for threatening harmonious living in Singapore.
well. i guess we gotta look at things from a bigger picture.
DISCLAIMER: This is absolutely not a racist post. And I am not in anyway trying to promote racism. I am merely expressing my concern for such a phenomenon.
Firstly, I havent read that blogger's entry, thus I am in no position to comment on the details.
I read from the papers that he commented on this Malay cab driver when that driver refused to take him as his passenger when the driver saw him carrying a dog. So, fueled by anger, he made an entry in his blog regarding this incident.
Ignoring the details of what he said in his blog. Let's look at it this way.
If the same thing has happened to me, and that driver is a Chinese (That is my own racial group, aite). I would do the same thing. I would be angry with that driver. I MAY say negative things about that driver.
Point is (i guess) that blogger mentioned the word "Malay" just as a form of identifying that driver.
This is called Social Identity. (Thanks to MGMT101: Management of People at Work, in short, Organizational Behaviour) Social identity refers to our self-perception as members in various social groups. I, as a Chinese, would identify myself in the Chinese racial group. While, mentioning about the cab driver, without knowing anything else about him, except the fact that he belongs to the Malay racial group, would most probably describe him as a Malay cab driver.
Twisting the facts a little. If that cab driver is a Chinese and middle-aged. Because I belong to the same social group as him, we look at Personal Identity. (Again, Thanks to MGMT101) Personal identity refers to individual unique characteristics and experiences. So, I, as a university student, would identify myself as young adult, and when trying to identify the cab driver, I would say he is a middle-aged cab driver.
And not forgetting the person who reported the blogger to the police is a Malay. So she got angry after reading the post. Because she is a Malay, and the blogger is a Chinese. Isn't she stereotyping here then? "That Chinese said things about us Malays".
Hmm. Complicated issue. I am not saying that the blogger shouldnt be jailed or whatsoever. He needs to be warned for planting insults on that driver. But is this really an issue about racism? Maybe, cuz I have no idea what he wrote.
P.S. So is that rockson person gonna get caned for insulting the government? Especially Minister Mentor, Lee Kuan Yew? I think he's in deep shit. If someone from the Parliament reads his blog. But I seriously hope he gets caned. He is sickening. I would sterotype him as a I-have-a-great-sex-life Blogger. or I-am-just-so-good-with-my-Hokkien-vulgarities Blogger. or I-hate-government Blogger. Then, for goodness sake. LEAVE SINGAPORE. Thank you.
To rockson (though you wouldnt read this) : you know why MM Lee gets millions of dollars for his salary, but you dont? you knw why the government told the jobless people to make do with $700/month job but they themselves get such high salary? BECAUSE, you are not up to it to rule Singapore. That's why you slog like hell for your boss. BECAUSE, without the $700 they have nothing. and if they have the skills for a better job, that time will come when they will get the job that they are capable of doing, if they go for personal development. OKAY?
12:27 PM
