Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Your Fellow Singaporean's Thoughts

I was in this class. There was a segment where we needed to brainstorm some topics for discussion.

Then we were supposed to discuss issues and challenges. We were supposed to look for some common threads and talk. We hadn't been put into groups. We were just supposed to throw up ideas.

There were the big-picture themes of 'Climate Change', 'Credit Crunch', 'Renewable Energy', etc. We were then encouraged to suggest topics close to our hearts. So things like the safe 'Work-Life Balance', 'Balloting for HDB Flats', 'Saving For Retirement' were thrown up.

I piped up, "What about baby bonuses for single moms? Or the ageing population, or challenges the elderly will face?"

My suggestions drew a blank look all around.

The facilitator (who I thought was great) giggled and chirpped, "Well, none of us will be single moms here! We don't need to talk about benefits for them!"

I didn't retort. But that line really didn't go down well with me. I felt rather offended.

After sitting quietly for the next 15 minutes, I walked out of the class.

16 comments:

kikare said...

I'll applaud the facilitator if s/he said "None of us will be an elderly here! We don't need to talk the challenges they face".

Anonymous said...

i'm surprised your suggestions got that kind of responses from a (i presume) young, modern and educated crowd in singapore today. maybe i've left the workplace for far too long and thought that theyounger generation would have a more open mind now.
D

Anonymous said...

i'm not sure. but i think i'll be more peeved with her for being so shallow.

Violet said...

i m appalled she actually made a comment like that. all the issues you raised are all very close to heart too... i m surprised your questions drew this kind of response.

ShutterBug said...

Sigh... What is wrong with our society these days?

sinlady said...

bravo for raising the issues and then walking out show your objection of the stand the silly facilitator took

Pebbles said...

I would have walked out too! Seriously, facilitator could have handled it more tactfully, IMO.

Anonymous said...

I'd walk out of the class too! The facilitator needs to rethink his/her comment!

Anonymous said...

"How about tuition grants to send insensitive facilitators back to school for sensitivity training?"

dsowerg said...

What kind of stupid class is this??? School for Future Ministers, MPs and Perm Secs?

Good on you for walking out.

Anonymous said...

It happens.

She is an exemplary product of our govt careful 'nurturing' after all. If we don't mention it, the problem doesn't exist and will go away.

There are probsbly many replicas of her out there too....

~Princess~ said...

I would have retorted back before I walked out. Call me mean... i do hope she will have to eat up her own words one day...

Ally said...

good on u for walking out!

imp said...

kikare: she'd be very stupid indeed.

D: well. not really. still drones.

jazzgal: guess she holds very conservative views.

hersheys: maybe my issues didn't fit her 'lighthearted' context.

shutterbug: good i suppose. non-confrontational. ;p

sinlady: well. i can't fault her completely. the overall topic isn't on these painful issues.

pebbles: she did. she laughed it off in a very cheery tone. it's positively scary.

fluteangelz + orientalQ: she should have. but i believe she said out her personal opinions.

JM: not even sure it'd help.

eveline: more like for losers and drones.

lovemybags: horrors. there are very many of people like her. whether openly or in secret.

dreamy: cannot stoop down to her level. cannot retort! unfortunately,she's married with quite big children already. so not going to be a single mom that way.

Cavalock said...

wait….mebbe u were in a room full of drag queens so they can’t have kids?...

imp said...

cavalock: more like young girls.