Never-smiling Land

As I was telling you about this book that I am reading, "The World is Flat" by Thomas Friedman, I have been thinking about the impact of globalisation on our daily lives. Other than the model of urban growth (where you could view the development of the world as a city), the impact of globalisation on our culture is something that cannot be treated lightly.

George Ritzer argued that our societies are being transformed by a process he labeled "McDonaldization" - the principles of the fast-food restaurant have influenced other social aspects, such as our family, politics, education, travel, and leisure (ie, our culture because a cultural system consists of all those, and more). In his article of "The McDonaldization of Society", Ritzer argued that our society has become more efficient because we need to achieve the maximum in minimum cost (hence, fastfood), we are more predictable (franchised of McDonald's - they even standardize the number of sesame placed on the burger), we focus more on quantiy rather than quality (Friedman described how a franchisee of McDonald's in USA outsourced the drive-thru order to cut down on customers' waiting time), and of course, the standardization of human being (think the robotic ways of greeting and serving over the counter).

The McDonaldization is becoming more prominent as our world becomes "flatter".

I can't help but link all these to our current"400 million smile campaign" . Think about Ritzer's arguments. Think about our society. I think along the way towards advancement and globalisation, we some how forget the more important aspect of our society - the humane part of it. We need more than just hardware or infrastructure or campaigns etc to create a gracious society because it has to come from the heart.

While we are "upgrading" our buses to make it more convenient to the wheel-chair bound, perhaps we also need to see how we can make our society a more forgiving and tolerant toward the less fortunate.

While we are spending millions of dollars to encourage people to smile, perhaps we also need to reflect on why we don't smile in the first place.

What are the factors toward social change again? Economical and political. Which has a great influence on our culture.

Is this the culture we want? Is this the society we want? While we eat at McDonald's, perhaps we should also talk to the aunties and uncles who work there and, you know, just talk, with no ultimate objectives.

The Dad

What does Father's Day mean to you? It doesn't, to me.

You see, The Dad has passed away 30 years ago (exactly). I remember specific instances relating to Dad, including his funeral. Growing up in a single-parent family, I feel very strongly about the support a family can give to children, in particular, the education that a family can give.

Family, therefore, to me, is an anchor social institution.

The family serves all the functions that sociologists would tell us. But I think more importantly, family provides the emotinal support (as primary group) that no one can provide - which is why families that are unable to provide such support break down and become dysfunctional.

I am deeply affected by the environment I grew up in - in particular, the family I grew up in. My principles of life, my values, my outlook, my attitudes, my beliefs, the way I manage relationship... I just wish all the moms and dads know, when they are raising their children, how important they are and how influential they are, and how what they do (or didn't do) would somehow, in a subtle and indirect way, affect the entire society - at least the next generation of the society.

It is interesting to note that in such a patriachy society such as ours, we pay more attention to Mother's Day than to Father's Day. Which links to the my previous post about how women are playing more and more important role in the society.

I know it's a bit late to talk about Father's Day. But I always wonder how it would be like to grow up in a family with Dad around.

Being Woman

I met up with my secondary school friends (yes I know, it's very long time ago and yes I DO have secondary school friends) for dinner and we were, of course, as usual, lament about our jobs, families, and mothers.

Which brings me to the issue of gender inequality in our society.

It's funny that for my friend, although in our traditional society sons are supposed to take care of their aged parents, ends up with the responsibility of looking after Mom. Not that we mind, it's just that while we cheered the feminist movements and fight for gender equality, we as women, end up doing a lot more - besides fulfilling the traditionally "women's" work, we now have to play part of the men's role as well, thanks to "gender equality".

The first wave of feminism fought for women's rights to vote - okay, so we got that. The second wave saw women fought for equality in the workplace because now, women saw working as a career rather than a temp job - okay, we got that too.

And then we are stuck there.

Look at me. My mother, as a traditional Chinese woman with a degree in Classical Chinese Literature, insisted that it's a woman's job to look after her husband, household, and family. Since young, she insisted that I learned how to cook, iron, sew, clean... And I appreciate it because now I can manage home and work - but you see, that's the problem. At the same time, we as women must excel in school and at work. Compared to our male counterparts, of course there are a lot more on my plate. More responsibilities.

Does our society appreciate that women have taken on more responsibilities? Not really. The reality is that, at work, women still see the glass ceiling. Women still see the "mommy track" - if your focus is on family, then perhaps a job that requires you to travel may not be suitable.

I had potential employer who asked me if I intended to have kids in the near future, because if I do, then it would affect my work. I was appalled.

My point is, gender inequality always exist. Biological, socially, we are unequal. And I think we are the better sex... for "Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition." -- Timothy Leary (1920 - 1996)

The Land of Smiles

Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia that has never been colonised.

I used to show students in the Cross Cultural Communication class the movie "Anna and the King". (I don't any more because it's quite an old film and long and students get bored...) Other than the cultural miscommunication and adaptation, from the movie you can see very clearly how Thailand was (still is) a monarchy.

It's even more obvious in the land of Thailand itself.

So it was the King's 60 years on the throne. It was amazing to see that almost everyone was wearing yellow - in particular yellow t-shirt that has the words "I Love the King" (in Thai) printed on. Yellow wristband that said "I Love The King".

The sea of yellow. You can sense the respect and love its people have on the King. And it was very touching and powerful. The young and the old. It's not just about the feeling of the older generation, it's everyone.

Anyway, in a monarchy, a king or queen whose right to rule was passed on to the children. For the past 60 years, the King had, on rare occassions, intervened in political turmoil, and had helped bring Thailand to a democratic society.

So you wonder. What kind of government do we really want? When we say "democracy", what do we really mean? Look at USA. Look at India. Look at Thailand (democracy state with a monarch - which is common practise in today's world). And then look at Singapore. Is it just about freedom of speech? Is it just about having been heard?

At the end of the day, politics (no matter what type of government) is about heart. It is about our daily lives. It is about our culture - yes, politics shape our culture and culture shapes our political institution - it is about the world we want to leave for our next generation.

"Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time." -- Sir Winston Churchill

City of Angels

Bangkok is called the "City of Angels". And Thailand the land of smiles.

It is when you are in a place like Bangkok you experience first hand the meaning of social stratification. We first went to the latest and the "largest shopping mall in Southeast Asia", featuring branded boutiques such as Jimmy Choo, and Song + Kelly was just at the corner within the shopping centre called Paragon. Shoppers dressed well, spoke good English, and food were nicely packaged.

Then we went to the Thieves market at Chinatown. It was like the Sungei Road in Singapore. Vendors spread out a piece of cloth on the road and sell used stuff. It started raining, and vendors just wrapped their stuff and sought shelter along the corridor in front of closed shops (we did the same thing, san the "stuff").

Two "markets", two different worlds.

It was then I could not understand how it is "functional" to have such stratification. I believe that it is a vicious cycle. I hate to use the term "poverty culture", but I think it is exactly because there are limited resources for those who live in poverty to break out of their social class that they have no choice but to stuck there forever. No matter how meritocracy your society is. On the other hand, I suppose there is a need for such stratification because otherwise, who would be the one doing all the labour work? Who would be the one sitting in the handicraft center, crafting a piece of furniture (by hand, painstakingly) which was eventually sold at 10 of thousands of dollars (USD). (No I didn't buy it).

I don't like that at all. But I am in this society, and I "enjoy" the benefits of such stratification. Shame on me.

PS: How To Do Well

I am a conformist. Apparently many of us are. I mean, I subscribe to the goals accepted by the society: I ask what I can do best and how I can do best, I look for acknowledgement and appreciation from the "authority", I wanted good grades when I was in school (who wouldn't?), and I work hard to achieve all those.

I came all the way here to Singapore, a strange land, to find a decent living. And then I worked hard (still work hard) to achieve what I think is a decent living. So there you go - I am a conformist.

There were times I wish I can be a retreatist - just drop out, and don't care. It happens twice a year - when I went for my holidays. So there I was, checked myself in to a beach resort at Koh Samui or Krabi, did nothing the whole day. Went out to eat only when I felt hungry. Otherwise it would be out in the sun - reading, or just staring at the sea. Speaking of back to nature.

So yes. I long for my holiday.... Going, going, gone.

Then I come back and be a conformist again. Not necessarily bad. I always think that you need to "miss" something, then you will cherish those things that you miss once in a while. So work is fine. Work is rewarding - without work, there will be no holiday - speaking like a true conformist.

Does it matter if you do well in test? Does it matter if you fail your test?

To me, it matters. But I guess "matters" is relative. It depends on what your goals in life are. So, ask yourself (I do this very often) - what do you want people to say about you at your funeral? That would determine how we live our lives now, really.

So go ahead and say that I am a conformist. Because as a conformist, you can still be a deviant and still have a wonderful life.

ps: how to do well in Sociology? Observe more. Sociology is not something that's way out - it happens around us. After all, it is about the society we live in.

Sociology of IT

It is a challenge to go to the IT show. Apparently it was a record number of visitors this year. But you know I love challenge. So we went to the IT Show, just because Mr Goh needed a new printer.

First, it was the challenge of finding a place to park. Suntec, full. Marina Square, full. Millenia Walk, full. And the GSS didn't help.

Then, it was the challenge of getting in - "Please return in an hour" - so said the signboard. Did anyone care? Obviously not. So we squeezed in, just like everyone else.

I wonder why the IT show has become the "IT" show in town.

If we look at things from Wright Mill's "sociological imagination", then the sociology of computer can be established.

A computer (or IT gadget for that matter) is not just a machine. It has, of course, a symbolic value - like a personal ritual like the morning coffee, it is a personal ritual for many to start their days. I've heard of people who switch on their computers and check email first thing in the morning. Mr Goh for example, would go straight to the study room and on his PC to check email every evening after dinner. I check my email first thing I reach the office every morning. It has also become a social ritual - we build social network through the computer in this virual world called the cyberspace. Instead of pouring our hearts to our friends face-to-face, we do it virtually.

IT also has a huge implications on the social and economic relationships. Just look at the amount of profit generated through exhibitions like the IT shows. Our printer broke down because the photo plate spoiled - to replace that, it would cost SGD120. And to get a brand new printer (laser)? SGD178 (or could be cheaper - another brand was sold at SGD98). World's richest man? Bill Gates. World giant corporations? Apple. IBM.

And of course it is a new culture - new way of communicating, new values, new beliefs, new behaviours/conducts, new rules that we observe.

More than that. It is also a symbol of status - latest notebook so that you can bring it to school... it would be more hip if you were to bring a Mac... how fast is your machine? Do you get the latest?

During my time, I wrote letters home. Once a week. I used the lecture notepad to write letters to my mother. And I learnt to write beautiful things. I should have kept some of my letters... I wonder if my mom kept some of the letters I wrote to her. You see, if I had written it using the machine, it would be much easier for me to "archieve", wouldn't it?

Anyway, so yes, we bought the printer at SGD178.

Rules of Three

This is a simple blog. I am a simple person. I told you before.

Anyway, I attended a PR conference a couple of days ago. The conference featured mr brown and Mr Miyagi. They are funny people... really... but funny aside, they are also the "intellects" who would be able to tell you about media regulations, citizen journalism, new media is "engaging" etc.

OK so I don't follow the rule of blog. I mean, I type everything using upper and lowercase. Is this a culture thing? I am sure. Blog is not just a mode of communication, not just new media, but a new culture.

That's why I always say between you and I, we have generation gap. How sad.

So we talked about media regulations. Human's nature is to share. We are a "group" creature by nature. But why is it that we see a "need" to govern what's being said on blog, when most of the time, people are just sharing information? I suspect the sociologists would have us believe that it is the "power elite" working - there is a need for the "power elite" to retain control. But the problem with the cyberspace is that, you cannot control. And losing control is a very scary thing.

Blog is a deviance. It has changed the way we communicate, the way we see things, the way we obtain information, the way we store information. Deviance like this one is not necessarily negative. If you see it from the functionalist perspective, it is actually functional because it re-defines the concept of "boundary", it tells the society what is "mainstream" and what is "alternative", it promotes social change - change of regulations, in particular. Not just cultural change, but change in regulations, change in other social insitutions like family, education.

Look at me. Even I resort to this.