Cause of Complaints

I have pondered about the derivation of public cynism in Singapore and how Andrew commented that many Singaporeans resort to complaining on the sly. Does that mean Singaporeans are just a grumpy bunch? But if the majority of our citizens are displeased, then there must be a tangible cause for the complaints. After all as the saying goes, there can be no smoke without fire.

I was reading the Straits Times and Ling Chien Yien, a former Colombo Plan scholar who has worked in a public engineering department and in business organisations, wrote an article addressing the increased cost of living (I have attached it in the forum here). He was disputing the statistics put up by the government that suggested that Singaporeans gripe because of higher expectations and not because of actual increases in living costs. Chien Yien gave a breakdown of certain areas of concern and warned of the impending burden to low and middle income groups.

I mingle with the common folk in my daily life and view their plight in an objective manner. It is true many Singaporeans vent their daily frustrations in a fit of complaints but deep inside lies a real root of their dissension. Perhaps locals should look at matters in a bigger picture and try to be more understanding, but try telling it to a man on the street who is struggling to make ends meet. Many Singaporeans are able to discern facts for themselves and probably get a good feel of reality, way before any statistics can be put up.

Singaporeans strive and hope for better lives. For matters beyond their control, maybe their outlet of their frustrations is by complaining and I am not one to deny them of it.