A self-centered society??
A self-centered society??
Each day in ST this week, a page in HOME has been "devoted" to gracious or graceless. A few aspects of life has been examined - table manners, toilet habits, care of cinema, etc.
The reports seemed to display more ugliness than the graciousness of our citizens. It began to dawn on me if the generation we are cultivating has become a more and more self-centered and selfish one. We seemed to have become:-
- a take-it-for-granted generation - whatever is done for us, we seemed to think that we are deserving of it. Therefore, very little words of appreciation are expressed. Where have the "please", "may I", thank you", etc gone to?
- if it ain't mine, I don't care about it - whether it's the usage of toilets or patronizing the cinema, etc, our mentality has become, "why should we bother to care for it since others are not bothered at all?", or "it's not my home, there's cleaning ladies or sweepers to clean the place - give them some work, why bother myself to go through the trouble of taking care of it?"
- someone will clean up after me, anyway - yup, we live in a generation where both parents are off to work and domestic helpers tend the home, doing everything from almost A to Z. Our youngsters these days don't even know how to wash a cup properly, make a drink for themselves, cook a simple meal, or tidy up their own room. And we are actually "transferring" such mentality from our home into the society.
- it's all about ME - after all, it's my entitlement, I paid for it. Isn't it true - such is our mentality. The money we are fortunate enough to be able to spend thumb down everything and everyone. It's about ME - I can afford it, and since I paid for it, I must make sure I feel good about it. Again, it's about ME - it's about feeling GOOD.
Honestly speaking, if this is the kind of society and generation we are cultivating, I really feel worried .... don't you?
Each day in ST this week, a page in HOME has been "devoted" to gracious or graceless. A few aspects of life has been examined - table manners, toilet habits, care of cinema, etc.
The reports seemed to display more ugliness than the graciousness of our citizens. It began to dawn on me if the generation we are cultivating has become a more and more self-centered and selfish one. We seemed to have become:-
- a take-it-for-granted generation - whatever is done for us, we seemed to think that we are deserving of it. Therefore, very little words of appreciation are expressed. Where have the "please", "may I", thank you", etc gone to?
- if it ain't mine, I don't care about it - whether it's the usage of toilets or patronizing the cinema, etc, our mentality has become, "why should we bother to care for it since others are not bothered at all?", or "it's not my home, there's cleaning ladies or sweepers to clean the place - give them some work, why bother myself to go through the trouble of taking care of it?"
- someone will clean up after me, anyway - yup, we live in a generation where both parents are off to work and domestic helpers tend the home, doing everything from almost A to Z. Our youngsters these days don't even know how to wash a cup properly, make a drink for themselves, cook a simple meal, or tidy up their own room. And we are actually "transferring" such mentality from our home into the society.
- it's all about ME - after all, it's my entitlement, I paid for it. Isn't it true - such is our mentality. The money we are fortunate enough to be able to spend thumb down everything and everyone. It's about ME - I can afford it, and since I paid for it, I must make sure I feel good about it. Again, it's about ME - it's about feeling GOOD.
Honestly speaking, if this is the kind of society and generation we are cultivating, I really feel worried .... don't you?
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