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My New Motto
Singapore is a well-regulated society, in one of the most beautiful areas on the planet. My cab driver wanted to talk politics today, and when he found out I’m from Texas he wanted to know about the Bush legacy. (Did I mention that the Singapore cab drivers seem to know a lot about the world? I thiink they’re all degreed professionals, or something.) I didn’t want to talk about that much, so I gave some polite but unclear platitude. He then went on this long, laughing rant about the taxes in Singapore.
Yes, Singaporeans get a lot from their government. And they pay for it too.
They’re not the only ones who pay, of course. Their practice of fining me unsuspecting Westerners must also bring in some cash, based on the evidence. With that in mind, I’ve decided to take up a new motto to reduce costs: “Bertindak Dengan Tanggungjawab!”
Yes, I’ve decided to act responsibly. At least for the next ten days or so, until I head back to the States.
It surprised me too, frankly. But it’s a slogan you see pretty much everywhere here, especially at the SMRT stations. They often include a hearty “Hargai Nyawa,” but that seems too obvious to me. Who doesn’t respect life in a great place like Singapore? And if you can’t seem to bring yourself to hargai your nyawa or those around you, then maybe those nice, uniformed military officers with the automatic weapons over there will help convince you. For now, at least. Oh, and please notice, there are six of them working the crowd. And did I mention the cameras? Smile and bertinkdak dengan tanggungjawab, you.
Hey, it’s just easier. And ever so much less expensive…
Enjoy the Heat!
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