Essay
Hey, this is draft 1, I don't suppose anyone would help me make changes, or am I asking for the moon?
Begin ...
I long for the day where media censorship and Singapore are not partners in a complicated dance of sophistry and equivocation.
Right now, it is in my personal opinion that censorship of media in Singapore is encouraging rebellious behaving far more than it is quelling dissention or inviting quality debate. That instead, filmmakers resort of visual tactics of shock cinema and demagogues resort to the use of volume instead of well-reasoned cogent arguments in the oft-chance that they may be heard.
It is also, in my personal opinion that Singaporeans, as a general whole are not mature enough to critically comprehend sophisticated levels of discourse. Thus why our media remains locked in a stage of infancy. The government, like a possessive parent, refuses to release its child away and let it learn to be free and the citizens, like the spoilt children that they are, remain content in their insularity, indolence and indifference
Is not the role of the government to educate the population, the responsibility in which our government has so happily burdened upon themselves. How are they do so with a policy of enforced ignorance. Why abandon any attempts at illumination with reminders that they do not trust us to police ourselves.
Mature Singaporeans should be able to debate intelligently in the area of ideas; to speak freely of personal fears and professional anxiety, to discuss them with passion; a passion that should be nurtured into active concern for our society, and not denied into the lifeless existence of cynical world-weariness. That we aren’t able to as yet, means we remain children as thinkers, philosophers and people. If that is what Singapore truly wants to be, that I suppose our future will continue to hold the retribution of our stern parent, the government.
posted by Mah @ 12:55 pm
9 Comments:
Less big words please, me no understand
I mean, sophistry and equivocation?? Who uses those kinds of words? Other than you of course...
sophistry and equivocation = misleading arguments/discussions meant to hoodwink or pull the wool over ones eyes.
i guess lens trying to say that among other things, we aint discerning enough in our tastes and we like the same old things and also do not like speaking out and giving our opinions. mostly cos of the fear of someone is watching. lens giving more of an observation than an opinion.
but i think the cracks are just getting more obvious now.
Over several generations, the mutation of a gene will become more apparent.
look la... it's not only abt film.
even music, visual art and the like are being infringed on. It's sick, really. There are obvious issues at hand that need to be tackled and anyone who bothers to peer deeper can and will notice the gaping flaws within. but if ppl are conditioned to conform, less qns asked, less problems exposed.
but think abt it. We're not stupid. And now that the buggers from our batch are back from education and stuff, there will be change. soon enough.
with regards to censorship, pros and cons. we ARE in the midst of a politically and culturally sensitive group of nations. and comeon la... they censor this censor that, we can still get the stuff we want from the internet and of course... JB. What's really stopping us now? just coz the miw is our big boss for now, must we stop, sit, roll over and play dead?
Well, as a typical immature Singaporean, I find it easy to raise concerns and point fingers but the engineer in me suggests solutions be offered instead.
Also, call me one of those spoilt children so indifferently content in my insularity and indolence, but I'm not stupid enough to be right infront in the queue of martyrs.
You want changes, conditions must exist to favour a shift of equilibrium to the other side. Throw in a nice big catalyst and you get a nice big revolution. Then the question is, do people really want a revolution? I don't.
I don't want my kids growing up watching all the thrash they show on american tv or the movies for that matter. The internet is enough. I don't want taiwanese- style royal rumbles in parliament. I don't want the streets filled with protesting people that turn the stock market upside down. I don't want impeached heads of state. Would non-censorship and free speech fuel that? How active should passion get?
In fact, I like the heavy handedness, makes it easier for me as dictator some day. :)
Nowhere is perfect, but you gotta take the good with the bad. Sure I might complain too, but at the end of the day, I still think Singapore's the best city to live in and raise a family. I look forward to the copy of the straits times I get on my SQ flight home.
I don't think leonard was implying riots with spraypainted people wielding placards denouncing the latest feehike in movies/transport fares. (although.....)
perhaps a more open and free exchange of ideas. maybe a real discussion between the people and the voted leadership before things are done. like hans' opinon about "pilot projects".
rock and roll
comics
television
videogames
internet
online gaming
all considered trash then and now. there is trash everywhere, just depends what trash we choose.
i like jeds point about favourable conditions. is there already such a condition forming?
My goodness... being allowed access to 'trash' would hardly changes our opinions on issues, I would think. Even less so would be the apathetic outlook of us typical fools who focus on pimping our souls to the economy. Riots? Demonstrations? Please la... a flash mob could only summon up 20 ppl. Harlow... You think anyone would even bother about any bigger events?
Why of course..
Hello Kitty riots.
One person was hurt in the doorway.
never underestimate the power of cute animals.
Wow... Jed, you write well.
Some constructive criticism to leonard; loved the theme in your draft, and the way you wrapped your words around it to give your essay life.
However, I believe that would be classified as an immature essay. As it does not seem to come across from an objective standpoint, and clearly, your emotions are not filtered out of the essay.
While highly entertaining and well planned, I don't know that it will be as well received by your Professors - simply because you come across as too involved.
Then again, that's from a 'neutral and objective' standpoint. Don't know what passes as good writing in film school.
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