MR KUMAR Pillay Thangavalu ('Affluent but still immature';
Tuesday) rightly points out that courtesy is better caught than
taught. The Singapore Kindness Movement recognises this fact and
looks to ways people can catch on to courtesy instead of just being
told to be courteous.
We have adopted a model acronymed Mite (Model, Inspire, Transmit
and Engage) to drive a holistic approach in growing kindness.
Having good role models and engaging people are important aspects
of transmitting kindness, which includes courtesy.
The courtesy campaign is now subsumed under the Singapore
Kindness Movement and the iconic Singa is now the Kindness
Lion.
We should not discount the benefits of teaching values. In many
circumstances, people catch on to values as a result of it being
taught, especially among the young in their formative years.
Mr Kumar laments that we have become affluent but remain
immature. The reality is that affluence and maturity have little to
do with each other. Maturity is a function of growth in rich inner
experiences and reflections on values. Growth in material wealth
alone does not guarantee growth in the inner being.
William Wan
General Secretary
Singapore Kindness Movement