Originally posted by maurizio13:
Money and work a small part of it???
An average person spends 1/3 of his life sleeping, out of the
remaining 2/3 of his time he spends 39% of that time at work. To
classify something that takes up to almost 40% of a person's
productive awake time as being "a small part of it" is something
else.
Maybe you are part of the elite, that's why work is inconsequential
to you.
Nope... Just an average wage earner who earns enough to take
care of my family and get by and I like my work so I'm actually
quite happy with my current situation.
I don't dispute your breakdown. But isn't that the norm for an
average working adult in most developed countries?
U mean Norwegians do not need to work? We have established that
they do work, do enjoy a reasonable level of productivity and are
well rounded, happy pple.
So what's the problem here? A Norwegian work 8 hrs a day and feel
happier than a Singaporean who works the same 8 hrs? Why? Because
other things make him/her feel happy?
Happiness is a complex issue and work is just a small part of
it.
Money has the highest standing in Singapore, simple reason is,
if you don't have money for your basic necessities (e.g. mortgage,
food, clothing, transport, medical), no government body is going to
give you money for your survival, as we are not a welfare state. I
wish we could all survive on love, self-esteem and families, but
the biological truth is that we can't.
I'm not suggesting that u eat air. And I have raised the issue
of social safety nets in Singapore before. I think its sorely
lacking and more should be done to help those who have fallen on
hard times, esp those who are in that position through no fault of
their own.
If you belong to the elite class, then obviously it's not about
how much you make, because you do not have to maintain a basic
human existence. It's not about how much taxes you pay and welfare
claims? If you don't have a job, you definitely won't get welfare
from the government, you probably can't survive. Humans strive to
survive even under extreme conditions, if you don't have food,
clothing and medical, you can't survive at all. Maybe you should
tell us what it's all about, if it's not about survival bread and
butter issue. In Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Theory, most human
beings would satisfy their physiological needs at the base of the
pyramid first before considering his other needs above that level.
Maybe you are different from us.
Am I different from everyone else or am I just different from
YOU?
By lumping everyone into the bottom rung of maslow's hierarchy of
needs, u are simply abusing the theory to suit your overly simple
arguments.
The fact of the matter is, very few Singaporeans are in the lowest
rung. Most of us, including YOU, live lives that are quite
comfortable.
We may not be at the level of "self-actualization" but be fair...
Its not like we're too poor to have friends, too poor to have a
self esteem, too poor to date and too poor to have sex.
Interesting that you brought up maslow's hierarchy of needs because
it is the ideal model to illustrate that happiness is a complex
state of mind and varies for different pple at different stages of
their lives.
If I were to leave Singapore, I guess the only thing I would
miss is the food, nothing else.
It's correct, nobody is indispensable, the world still spins if the
world population dies off. Then why are all our Ministers
indispensable? They need to pay them high salaries because they
can't do without them?
You are quite right. I never said that they were indispensable.
But it baffles me why they are returned to office every time...
I'll honestly tell u that they're not my favourite pple...
Now, that aside. If they are indeed dispensable, then do u think
that opposition candidates who win a GE in the distant future
deserves that kind of salary?
I certainly hope so and if they are, I will be happy to pay taxes
and contribute to the best cabinet that money can buy.
Now, if they want to make a principled stand and work for less,
then I applaud their altruism and patriotism. But I still wouldn't
mind paying for a good cabinet minister.
Your grandfather came here while Singapore was starting out,
with nothing, I respect your grandfather for contributing to the
economy of Singapore. But what have these new immigrants
sacrificed? Other than their political freedom. I give you an
analogy.
..................
BUT, now the CEO of the company wants to issue new shares to many
foreign workers at zero cost (same as the first batch of workers).
e.g. if the existing shares were 1,000 shares and the company has a
total value of $1,000,000. The old workers are entitled to $1,000
per share. With the new share issue of another 1,000, the value of
the share would be $500.
My grandfather came in the 1930s, when the Brits were still
around. He lived through the Japs occupation and later, merger,
separation and independence.
By the time the PAP was in power, he had already started a family
and capably making a healthy living to feed his growing
family.
Through the years, the family benefited from economic
opportunities, education, security, good infrastructures and
ultimately, national pride in being Singaporeans.
My grandfather, like most of his generation, is a Singaporean by
error rather than by design. That was the time where China became
communist and many overseas Chinese couldn't "return".
This country is not just about exclusive privileges. Its not a
country club. Its about opportunities and meritocracy, for citizens
as well as non-citizens who come to live, and through their direct
or indirect ways, contribute.
And grow up. Our citizenship is not a share certificate. U can't
use it to cash out your "share" of the cash. Your "share" of the
economic pie is not based on your citizenship. Its based on your
level of skill, productivity and relevance.
