I am in 2 minds about it:
1. Certainly Dr Ng wasnt very serious about the seriousness.
2. Or so it appears to be. The reporter had phrased the question
cunningly and I daresay also, there are many reporters out there
who are more than willing to twist the Q&A to make
"sensational" news.
It's all about diplomacy. If what you say is going on the public
record, then you should answer a stupid question with a non-stupid
answer.
Heck, in any interview (job, scholarship, otherwise), stupid
questions are sometimes intentionally asked. The interviewer just
wants to see how you handle a stupid question.
What I would have said:
'Well, it's honestly refreshing to see our youth being
genuinely concerned about the wellbeing of themselves and their
loved ones in the future instead of merely living for the present.
That can only bode well for the future of this nation.'
Sounds so much better, no?
