Singapore is a clean city.
One of the biggest reason is we have a horde of hard working road sweepers and rubbish collectors who clean after us with stoic patience and resilience.
There are dustbins everywhere in Singapore.
Have you noticed in some overseas cities, its hard to find a dustbin when you need one?
Can you hazard a guess why?
Precisely!
A dustbin is a magnet for rubbish!!!
Yes, there are "idiot" Singaporeans who think throwing rubbish "near" a full dustbin is considered OK...
But magically, by the next morning, all the mess will be cleared.
You can't say that for other overseas cities.
That's why for cities that are not well managed or have the budget to hire a legion of rubbish collectors, they wouldn't dare put dustbins out on the sidewalks.
To do so will bring unwanted attention to themselves...
Of course this dustbin post is just a metaphor.
You figure out for yourself what it is that applies to you.
Many people monkey; see monkey do.
But most quickly figure out if you place a dustbin out in public, you'll invite others to dump their rubbish on you...
Only the few who are committed will continue to put their dustbins out in public.
It takes commitment to clear the mess every morning.
And that's why Singapore is different.
Although we must remain humble.
This MRT thing is making us look very ordinary...
Put out dustbin of six digits dividend income. Many will come to the dustbin and dump their smaller rubbishes
ReplyDeleteCW,
DeleteThat's fast commenting!
You must have auto notifications or something...
See?
Told you.
10 bagger is still a sort of percentge; show numbers in 6 digits a lot more sexier!!!
LOL!
One trainer till now still showing her five digits dividend cheque from donkey years ago at her free preview seminar.
ReplyDeleteCW,
DeleteLOL!
Tbh, I felt that this aspect of Singaporean is much like it’s peers around.
ReplyDeleteBack in Japan, there’s no dustbin. And the floor is clean to the extent I wouldn’t mind lying down on.
However, gotta look on the bright side. This side of ‘cleanliness’ is not in our bloods in the past few generations across the SEA!! We should be considered the ‘slightly better ones’ already!
sleepydevil,
DeleteYou are right.
I've seen some of our pioneer generation still spit on the streets, cut finger nails on the bus, and around my "ancient" HDB estate, if you look at the trash around the lift landings and letter box area...
I'll cut them some slack. They were probably staying at attap houses before. We can take people out of kampongs; but we can't take the kampong out of them...
We indeed have improved. At least most of us line up at the MRT stations, and stand to the left side at escalators.
You too young. You should see how idiot Singaporeans were when MRT just launched - door open just rush in without letting others out first!?
One area where we still very "kampong" is clearing our trays at food centres... Wait a minute. What talking me!?
We can't even clear our own trays at fast food outlets and at IKEA restaurants!!!
Even at the IKEA hot dog eating area, for crying out loud! The rubbish bins are just below the tables. Yet people still leave the cups and hot dog wrappers on the table?
This is an easy tell Singaporeans have to be told what to do.
Leave us to our own devices, we revert back to our upbringing ;)
Which to some = none or their maids.
2 parents worked; staying away from grandparents :(
Hi SMOL,
ReplyDeleteI am a Dustin
Sillyinvestor,
DeleteNow be the person who clears the Dustbin every morning, rain or shine.
Ikigai.
Its the reason why we get up in the morning.
I hear your frustrations and mental conflicts - you are indeed a Dustbin.
temperament,
ReplyDeleteLOL! What a rant!
Now you know why some Singaporeans want to move to private properties ;)
No guarantee though. We have seen some landed terrace house properties are like a rubbish dump. What can you do if you his neighbour? His land, his castle. Even complain to MP also no power...
Give chance.
Not everyone went to school or had good upbringing...
That's why credit must go to lao lee and his first generation comrades.
How Chinese behave all over the world we know. Like you say, we are from the same stock!
We are worse; we are descendents from those who "can't make it" in China...
We in Singapore behave the way we do is because of our top down "fine" city culture.
Once we think no one is looking, we revert to our natural selves :(
Of course the exceptions are those of us who don't need to be told what to do; we have our own internal combustion engine inside of us ;)
That's why you see in all the elite schools, the founders never stress scoring grades in their school mottoes; its about character building and contribution to society.
I agree with you on old habits die hard.
That's why the focus is on the young. I am the "young" after independence.
I remember my primary school has to "force" us to brush our teeth in front of the drain every Monday. I find that quite "stupid" at that time.
Now I know its because not all parents in the 60s have daily brushing teeth habits themselves!
We really have come a long way...
How I behave today is a reflection to lao lee.
I hope I've not let him or Singapore down.