No kidding! It has gotten to the point where people will look at
you funny if you exhibit a heightened level of courtesy in the
course of your daily interactions with others.
Case in point: on one of the first days of my last visit to
Singapore in '03, I boarded a crowded SBS bus and said "good
morning" to the driver out of habit. This must have flustered the
driver, as he momentarily looked confused and stuttered an
incomprehensible reply. More amusing (or disappointing, depending
on your perspective) was the reaction of the other passengers: they
regarded me with expressions on their faces that ranged from
bemusement to mild annoyance.
