Soundscape #52: “We’re Half Awake In A Fake Empire”
September 7th, 2007If you know me, you’d notice that I talk alot about travelling. And they are, more often than not, places that would require a minimum 10 hour flight. Don’t get me wrong, singapore is great. It’s safe, clean and [insert standard spiel]. Apparently many people think of this as the perfect place to be, as can be seen from the exponential number of foreigners everywhere.
Hugo Leglise. Part of Demonstration in St Michel, May 2007.
But as my comrade-in-arms pointed out during lunch one day, singapore is not a good place in which to grow old. We now have to work till 67 and possibly even beyond. There isn’t the traditional welfare net for citizens here and even though there are attempts made to get help to the needy, it’s very very easy to fall through the cracks. Living expenses and inflation are increasing disportionately to our incomes. The only union we have is strongly affiliated with the ruling party. The shitholes houses we slaved all our lives to own are ours only if we fulfill a barrage of requirements and even then we only own it for 99 years. Most would regard singapore as a developed country, given our high quality of life rating (No.11) and high economic status. But what about other intangibles that a developed country should possess? Most would agree that a country cannot be measured by its concrete deliverables. What about freedom, for example?
Yes, I have issues. I’m against censorship. I don’t agree with the political system. I don’t understand the need for capital punishment, especially not in a developed country. According to Amnesty International, we have “possibly the highest execution rate in the world” per capita. The list goes on and on. But mostly, I’m infuriated with the idea that the government is supposedly doing all these in my interest, to protect me. I find it insulting that I’m apparently retarded enough not to be able to decide on my own, for my own. This is not to say that I want riots and demonstrations every other day but surely the option for us to choose freely must be there. According to wikipedia, singapore is only partly free. While I understand that the “partly free” status refers to the fact that there are some areas that are not as free, it’s still a ridiculous concept to me. After all, one must keep in mind that freedom does not come in degrees: either you are free or you are not.
p.s.: if i’m not here next week, you’d know that the secret police has gotten to me. Yes. I’m joking.
Playlist:
1. (0:00) The Velvet Underground - Run Run Run (The Velvet Underground And Nico)
2. (4:18) Nine Inch Nails - March Of The Pigs (The Downward Spiral)
3. (7:18) We Are Scientists - The Great Escape (With Love And Squalor)
4. (10:39) Beirut - My Family’s Role In The World Revolution (Lon Gisland EP)
5. (12:50) Okkervil River - Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe (The Stage Names)
6. (17:12) Wilco - Hate It Here (Sky Blue Sky)
7. (21:42) Camera Obscura - Let’s Get Out Of This Country (Let’s Get Out Of This Country)
8. (25:05) Stars - Take Me To The Riot (In Our Bedroom After The War)
9. (28:55) Collective Soul - Run (7even Year Itch)
10. (33:29) Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - Loyal To My Sorrowful Country (Tell Balgeary, Balgury Is Dead)
11. (36:05) The White Stripes - There’s No Home For You Here (Elephant)
12. (39:47) The National - Mr November (Alligator)
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