DECEMBER 30 ― The last few days of a year always feels both rushed and slow.
Most offices in Singapore close for the week between Christmas and New Year's; unanswered emails are acceptable and you feel compelled to take stock.
Thus, New Year's resolutions because hope springs eternal and we remain convinced if we could just eat less sugar, do more yoga and learn a new language our lives will magically transform to the best version of itself.
But this year I am going to make a few resolutions not just for me but a few that I hope my community (is it too ambitious to say country?) can achieve and maybe it will bring us a little bit closer to our best.
1. Stop trial and conviction by social media. Someone posts a photo of an infraction ― real or imagined ― and the whole Internet gets on board naming and shaming the villian with no evidence.
This past week alone we saw an incident where the wrong person was identified and then promptly flamed, harassed and harangued before it was revealed to be a case of mistaken identity.
It is dangerous. Personally I am guilty of reading only headlines and assuming I know the whole story ― that too is part of the problem. We need to be better.
2. Resist the temptation to blame the government for everything. I admit I am guilty of this but the danger of this single bogeyman narrative is it distracts from real issues.
It means we are less likely to hold the state accountable for the things they do need to answer for and improve.
3. Refrain from identifying individuals by their race. “This Chinese guy did this and that Malay woman said that.” Rarely does their ethnicity have any bearing on the anecdote and yet we trot it out because this CMIO marker is so deeply ingrained. We don't need it. We should stop relying on it.
4. Forget our privilege. I am aware that the term is quickly becoming overused but in many instances, that doesn't make it less important.
Singapore is one of the richest cities in the world, our population has access to good education. We are well-fed, well-travelled and well-off.
We need to remember this when we frame our complains both personally and nationally. This isn't to say our upset is invalid but we do need to remember perspective.
5. Eat hawker fare. There have been so many conversations about how we can preserve our hawker culture but the one thing that will surely help is if we eat more often at hawkers, thus creating sustainable and viable business propositions for the next generation of hawkers.
Next year I am going to also drink kopi from the kade along with the hipster joint or have birthday meals at the seafood shop instead of yet another soulless, globalised restaurant.
And I won't complain if my favourite hawkers raise their prices to cover costs.
So these are my 5 resolutions for both myself and my community. Well, I will continue to hope that I can also quit desserts and learn to love exercising.
What are yours?
* This is the personal opinion of the columnist.
