Mar 2020
Human nature is best tested in worst times and the present climate
is testing time. It has been rightly said: when someone wins,
you see part of his character but when he loses, you see the whole person--at his worst.
Man is an isolated island and basically selfish--
never mind what Donne wrote: no man is an island.
This is part of evolution: the innate drive and fight for survival.
The C virus is eating into the heart of our daily life-
would I survive? (I am not concerned with others!)--
this runs deep with many.
In Singapore, the expression KIA-SU ( in Hokkian dialect it literally means: Fear losing) is common to every Singaporean.
No doubt, Singapore is a dog-eat-dog society where material success counts above all. Money and not humanity is the clarion-call.
You would have seen the scuffle for toilet-paper and staples from videos that have gone viral in several parts of the world, including Australia where I live. Such an ugly sight! Human nature at its worst!
In Japan, after the nuclear fallout, the people affected lined up gently and patiently for their turn to receive water and food. Those who had gave to others in need. Here we see a modicum of humanity and selflessness. Such a fine lesson to learn from!
Let us stop to ponder: living life is not just about our own survival
to the neglect or disregard of our fellow-beings--
after all, we are all capable of kindness and compassion-
could we be really happy to see others suffer or their being left out?
Happiness that is self-serving makes us smaller than what we could be. All religions teach kindness and compassion without which we would be inhuman.
Such lessons should be inculcated in our children as home is the
best breeding ground for morality, humility, selflessness and true humanity. They should be a living guide for all right-thinking people.
Let us hope this virus would be overcome and let us learn the real meaning of humanity.
is testing time. It has been rightly said: when someone wins,
you see part of his character but when he loses, you see the whole person--at his worst.
Man is an isolated island and basically selfish--
never mind what Donne wrote: no man is an island.
This is part of evolution: the innate drive and fight for survival.
The C virus is eating into the heart of our daily life-
would I survive? (I am not concerned with others!)--
this runs deep with many.
In Singapore, the expression KIA-SU ( in Hokkian dialect it literally means: Fear losing) is common to every Singaporean.
No doubt, Singapore is a dog-eat-dog society where material success counts above all. Money and not humanity is the clarion-call.
You would have seen the scuffle for toilet-paper and staples from videos that have gone viral in several parts of the world, including Australia where I live. Such an ugly sight! Human nature at its worst!
In Japan, after the nuclear fallout, the people affected lined up gently and patiently for their turn to receive water and food. Those who had gave to others in need. Here we see a modicum of humanity and selflessness. Such a fine lesson to learn from!
Let us stop to ponder: living life is not just about our own survival
to the neglect or disregard of our fellow-beings--
after all, we are all capable of kindness and compassion-
could we be really happy to see others suffer or their being left out?
Happiness that is self-serving makes us smaller than what we could be. All religions teach kindness and compassion without which we would be inhuman.
Such lessons should be inculcated in our children as home is the
best breeding ground for morality, humility, selflessness and true humanity. They should be a living guide for all right-thinking people.
Let us hope this virus would be overcome and let us learn the real meaning of humanity.
