Running From the Darkness in the Night

I am XenoBoy. I am the Political Savant.

In Singapore, there are two dominant political forces. The PAP Political State (with its attendant quasi-state appendages) and the Conservative Singaporeans. The relationship between the two is complex. They feed off each other and reinforce each other through the promise of service efficiency and a rhetorical program par excellence. In Singapore, if you do not belong to either side, you belong to the rest. The marginalized. The Annabel Chongs. The homosexuals. The dissidents. The Opposition. The exiles. The seditious bloggers.

Modernity as promised by the State is premised on acceptance by the Conservative Singaporean. Modernity as envisaged by the State is presaged on the sensibilities of the Conservative Singaporean. This is the reason why duality exists in Singapore society. In the Middle East, this form of modernity is referred as fundamentalism. In Singapore's case, this is secular fundamentalism. Conservative modernity. What if the Conservative Singaporean is a lie?

Once upon a time, there was a Prince whose name was Sang Nila Utama. He was on a hunting expedition on an un-named island. Separated from the safety of his entourage, he was hunting alone, without the usual protection accorded by his bodyguards. A stir in the bushes. Suddenly a creature appeared, it had a shaggy mane and it bolted in a flash. Sang Nila Utama shrieked. He let his arrow fly. It struck nothing. There is a mad scramble in the jungle. His bodyguards rush into the clearing fearing the safety of their Prince. Poise returned, Sang Nila described his adventure at close proximity with a fearsome creature that threatened his life. A Lion. Singa. His acolytes swoon at the Prince's bravery. A Singa was a creature hitherto unseen in these parts. That one was spotted on this island meant this was a sacred place, abode of the King of Beasts. Hence, Sang Nila Utama named the island Singapura. All this time, the wild boar was watching the entourage deep in the cover of the jungle foliage.

If one of the acolytes had stood up and said : Prince, it may have been a wild boar. Then the possible futures of this acolyte are simple. The Prince kills him for doubting the veracity of his observation since his words are Law once uttered. Second, he gets silenced by his fellow acolytes and told to re-think and to accept the Prince's proclamation. Third, when they return to the palace, he is shunted to the job of night soil carrier. Fourth, when he returns, he finds his career so limited he has to leave the palace.

It’s the end of the year. Elections are probably on the way to Singapore. In Singapore blogosphere, I see isolated frustration.

A great teacher, Tym, has quit her job, the crushing State system has simply exhausted her. She cites Alfian so aptly, “if you care too much for Singapore, first it'll break your spirit, then it will break your heart". She says,"But I can't change a system when its fundamentals are so alien and divorced from my own. There is no basis for dialogue and discussion. stay and be co-opted? I don't want that on my gravestone".

Pleinelune, a lesbian, from a minority race, says "I am tired of fighting against this. I am tired, of being gay". This, in the face of the latest NLB restriction on a gay event.

A 21 year old Dottie, studying in Copenhagen, says "When I am amazed by the extent that free speech is respected here (Denmark), a concept that is almost completely alien to me. When I realised that it is wrong that we're shut in a box and still told that we're actually free - free to make money, be rich, but never step over the OB markers." Just a song can do this to someone who will be going Home.

These are Singaporeans. What if the Conservative Singaporean is a lie? A constructed Fact? It is not a Lion. It is a wild boar.

Yes, the system will crush you. When it is close to killing you. Run. Its okay. Better than running from the darkness in the night. Rebuild yourself and one day, hopefully, return and fight again.

In the meantime, we still have a couple of cats running around in Singapore blogosphere, one a bimbotic Cat, another an ex DPP. Some bloody Singaporeans. A philosopher. Several soon-to-be lawyers. Some expatriates whose lives have transited, transiting, and are still in transit with Singapore.

And there is You still my dear reader.

I am XenoBoy. I am the Political Savant.

Quote of the Day,

"He will do all that for him when his time comes. It will be little enough, less than little: nothing. He crosses the surgery. 'Was that the last?' asks Bev Shaw. 'One more.' He opens the cage door. 'Come' he says, opens his arms. The dog wags its crippled rear, sniffs his face, licks his cheeks, his lips, his ears. He does nothing to stop it. 'Come.' Bearing him in his arms like a lamb, he re-enters the surgery. 'I thought you would save him for next week', says Bev Shaw. 'Are you giving him up?' Yes I am giving him up" -- JM Coetzee, Disgrace