mollymeek (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} mollymeek) wrote,@ 2006-08-25 20:33:00 |
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Propaganda and its Discontents
Molly is very angry with the mainstream media for violating the Bhavani commandment everything. How could they?? It's not the job of journalists to campaign for or against the government. While they certainly have not campaigned against the government, the seem to have forgotten the first half of the commandment.
First, they tell us that mee siam mai hum is mee siam mai hiam. Then they keep reporting about the wonderful advantages of immigrants coming to Singapore. What makes many peasants angry is that the media and the clever ministers have misunderstood their feelings. Peasants are not against immigration. Hey, many of them fantasize about being immigrants somewhere else themselves. How could they not be open to the notion of migration? Dear journalists and ministers, even if you want to spread propaganda, you need to come up with the right message. People don't have to be convinced that they need to accept immigrants; they need to be convinced that they are going to be treated as well as these "foreign talents."
One of the most absurd instances of mainstream media reports Molly has come across is this: "New citizens to add vibrancy, make S'pore truly global: sociologist."
Molly doesn't know if Prof Chan has done any research on the issue. But actually there's no need to research. Anyone including the SPG next door can tell you the same thing. So why on earth does CNA need to cite a professor especially when there's no mention of academic research that substantiates the claim. You can even cite Molly Meek: "New citizens will make Singapore more vibrant and diverse (there will be more cute Caucasians)...."
An even more intriguing maneuver by the CNA is the way it continues it's failed propaganda or very successful attempt at mocking the official line (either way, the journalist is breaking a Bhavani commandment). Read:
Hello?! If Maelle (same age as Molly!) is so Singaporeanized, what freaking vibrance and diversity is she adding? The mere racial diversity?
Try harder next time.
Or rather, don't try too hard. People will only get more pissed.
And guess what? On the one hand, we really want immigrants. They add diversity and makes us cosmopolitan! We really want diversity.
On the other hand, er ... we don't want diversity lah. We want to remain the same. Look at what Prof Chan says:
Then may I have the audacity to ask what added vibrancy and diversity there are?
When the propagandists have totally lost touch with their audience, what happens is that the propaganda just becomes ineffective. Come on, do you think the average peasant is worried that our "national identity" will change. All the better if it does and, finally, we learn the merits of peaceful street protests when the IMF comes and we learn alternative meanings of democracy.
Molly wonders what sort of sociologist Prof Ang is when she seems to believe that there is a singular and even constant national identity. Not the most radical sociologist in NUS perhaps? A sociologist who doesn't believe in the polymorphousness and fluidity of identities? Molly would advise that she researches on how "national identity" could be a site of multiple tensions and contradictions. But, well, Molly doesn't have a Ph.D. (If anyone would like to sponsor Molly's education though, please do not hesitate to contact her immediately.)
Whatever it is, Molly wonders what cosmopolitanism is. (Yeah, sorry. Molly is only a bimbo without a PH.D from UCLA or some other top American university.) Molly knows that there is a magazine that sounds like that but it's rather controversial in our shores. For this reason, Molly has always thought that the government doesn't like cosmopolitanism. (Maybe recently the million-dollar ministers did a rethink).
How do we be global, cosmopolitan, modern, cool and whatnot?
Perhaps we could start off by abolishing the death penalty and legalizing gay marriage. Oh, but probably the government respects the conservative population created from LKY's rib too much to do these things. Heck, we won't even accept refugees and other pitiful people who would only be a burden. We only want foreigners to come here fora selfish reason the sake of adding vibrancy and diversity and create good economic statistics so that suffering peasants can't think of a reason to complain.
............
"I also imagine the experience of cities of refuge as giving rise to a place (lieu) for reflection - for reflection on the questions of asylum and hospitality - and for a new order of law and a democracy to come to be put to the test (experimentation). Being on the threshold of these cities, of these new cities that would be something other than 'new cities', a certain idea of cosmopolitanism, an other, has not yet arrived, perhaps." Jacques Derrida, "On Cosmopolitanism"
Molly is very angry with the mainstream media for violating the Bhavani commandment everything. How could they?? It's not the job of journalists to campaign for or against the government. While they certainly have not campaigned against the government, the seem to have forgotten the first half of the commandment.
First, they tell us that mee siam mai hum is mee siam mai hiam. Then they keep reporting about the wonderful advantages of immigrants coming to Singapore. What makes many peasants angry is that the media and the clever ministers have misunderstood their feelings. Peasants are not against immigration. Hey, many of them fantasize about being immigrants somewhere else themselves. How could they not be open to the notion of migration? Dear journalists and ministers, even if you want to spread propaganda, you need to come up with the right message. People don't have to be convinced that they need to accept immigrants; they need to be convinced that they are going to be treated as well as these "foreign talents."
One of the most absurd instances of mainstream media reports Molly has come across is this: "New citizens to add vibrancy, make S'pore truly global: sociologist."
"It will make Singapore even more vibrant and diverse and a truly global and cosmopolitan city with links all over the world, says Assistant Professor Angelique Chan."
Molly doesn't know if Prof Chan has done any research on the issue. But actually there's no need to research. Anyone including the SPG next door can tell you the same thing. So why on earth does CNA need to cite a professor especially when there's no mention of academic research that substantiates the claim. You can even cite Molly Meek: "New citizens will make Singapore more vibrant and diverse (there will be more cute Caucasians)...."
An even more intriguing maneuver by the CNA is the way it continues it's failed propaganda or very successful attempt at mocking the official line (either way, the journalist is breaking a Bhavani commandment). Read:
"18-year-old Maelle Meurzec was born in France but has been living in Singapore with her mother since she was three.
For her, taking up Singapore citizenship was the next natural step.
She said: "It's become my home; my friends and family are here, my culture is here. I love the local food - laksa and all that stuff! And I've really fallen in love with the culture and country I'm in today. So I don't see why I should be keeping my French nationality when I'm feeling more Singaporean than French.""
Hello?! If Maelle (same age as Molly!) is so Singaporeanized, what freaking vibrance and diversity is she adding? The mere racial diversity?
Try harder next time.
Or rather, don't try too hard. People will only get more pissed.
And guess what? On the one hand, we really want immigrants. They add diversity and makes us cosmopolitan! We really want diversity.
On the other hand, er ... we don't want diversity lah. We want to remain the same. Look at what Prof Chan says:
"I see Singapore becoming even more diverse than it is, even more cosmopolitan and the boundaries between the different cultures will not be as clear.
"In terms of whether there will be a new national identity, somehow I think the Singapore spirit, the unique Singapore culture, will withstand an influx of immigrants.
"This idea that they are going to change Singapore's national identity is not something I am particularly worried about. In actual fact, Singapore culture will rub off on our new citizens."
Then may I have the audacity to ask what added vibrancy and diversity there are?
When the propagandists have totally lost touch with their audience, what happens is that the propaganda just becomes ineffective. Come on, do you think the average peasant is worried that our "national identity" will change. All the better if it does and, finally, we learn the merits of peaceful street protests when the IMF comes and we learn alternative meanings of democracy.
Molly wonders what sort of sociologist Prof Ang is when she seems to believe that there is a singular and even constant national identity. Not the most radical sociologist in NUS perhaps? A sociologist who doesn't believe in the polymorphousness and fluidity of identities? Molly would advise that she researches on how "national identity" could be a site of multiple tensions and contradictions. But, well, Molly doesn't have a Ph.D. (If anyone would like to sponsor Molly's education though, please do not hesitate to contact her immediately.)
Whatever it is, Molly wonders what cosmopolitanism is. (Yeah, sorry. Molly is only a bimbo without a PH.D from UCLA or some other top American university.) Molly knows that there is a magazine that sounds like that but it's rather controversial in our shores. For this reason, Molly has always thought that the government doesn't like cosmopolitanism. (Maybe recently the million-dollar ministers did a rethink).
How do we be global, cosmopolitan, modern, cool and whatnot?
Perhaps we could start off by abolishing the death penalty and legalizing gay marriage. Oh, but probably the government respects the conservative population created from LKY's rib too much to do these things. Heck, we won't even accept refugees and other pitiful people who would only be a burden. We only want foreigners to come here for
"I also imagine the experience of cities of refuge as giving rise to a place (lieu) for reflection - for reflection on the questions of asylum and hospitality - and for a new order of law and a democracy to come to be put to the test (experimentation). Being on the threshold of these cities, of these new cities that would be something other than 'new cities', a certain idea of cosmopolitanism, an other, has not yet arrived, perhaps." Jacques Derrida, "On Cosmopolitanism"
