Well the rudeness problem can be related with the hectic schedules of people .They dont get time for themselves and so they tend to frustrate and be rude to all others.
eastpaw
· 5 months ago
Yeah, that's probably part of it, CYI (awesome name, dude). But two equally stressed out people could still respond differently in the same situation because of internal factors (personality traits/type) and external pressures (culture, knowledge of legalities, etc.).
So what makes one person nice and another nasty?
eastpaw
· 5 months ago
CYI - haha! You're actually selling a yeast infection product?
Joseph
· 3 months ago
1) Singapore motorists are not bad at all actually. They follow the lane markings, you can pass another car from the side as long as you're in the next lane and he's in his. In Manila, you see cars straddling both lanes and even when passing them in another lane, you have to honk, flash lights or pass quickly in case the other car decides to swerve... Read more. 2) Yeah, people are rude here. Walking around in Manila, I don't get bumped despite the traffic. Both parties will sidestep and offer space when walking towards each other. Here, I'll turn my shoulder around to avoid bumping shoulders with someone coming the other way and the other guy/girl will just charge on through. If I didn't do that, I would have displaced them a bit since I'm heavier than the average 'porean. 3) How did you NOT beat the crap of out that dude? If it were me, I would have called him a liar and an asshole for strolling away. I wonder what his response and the outcome then would have been. If you see him, let me know.:D
Dude
· 3 months ago
pls continue, your intro into non-polite nature of Singaporeans took precedence, and I identify with yours and Joseph's incidents. Will wait with eager anticipation on further explanation of the why Singaporeans are so impolite and aggressive. You can look at wat makes a "decent" person, and how the others come about as well. I think part of the argument could go into the history of Singapore and her genetic make-up too.
James
· 3 months ago
I think you missed out a possible fourth reason for people to be courteous to you. Your own actions, behavior and tone inspire them to want to be nice to you.
I don't know why but you have written on nearly as many almost violent episodes in this note as I've had in my entire life.
Sharon
· 3 months ago
Singaporeans are a rather self-centred lot. ttz why you find people standing around and staring at traffic accidents or if someone has collapsed on the street but not doing anything to help, healthy young people taking up seats when there are tottering elderly, or expectant mums around, Singaporean men pushing past you to get up the bus or out of ... Read morethe MRT and crowds gathered by the door of the MRT/bus, refusing to move in.The strange thing is itz not restricted to the younger crowd. The older generation does exactly the same - I've been elbowed, jostled, pushed so many times by old women and men.
Singaporeans don't seem to be able to learn graciousness, in spite of all the campaigns and Singa lions. One good comparison is Hong Kong. 8 years ago, they were not the most gracious people around. Now, they voluntarily put on masks in public when they are ill, and give up their seats to older folks on the MTR. Singaporeans, on the other hand, have not changed much since.
eastpaw
· 3 months ago
Joseph:
Manila's got really overcrowded streets, I guess. They're reputed to be the most congested in the world, yes? Of course, not all Singaporeans drive that badly. However, I do see flagrantly bad driving each and every time I hit the road.
As for not beating the snot out of that guy yesterday, I guess my last few weeks of training have helped. I find that it's easier for me to keep my temper in check (or not even flare up at all) when I'm faithfully doing my (meditation-based) practice.... Read more
===============
Dax:
I'll probably get to writing up the rest of my thoughts on this matter when the mood strikes me. Good to know someone's interested. :)
That thing you said about genetic make-up is interesting, by the way, and I'm not sure if you mean what I think you mean.
eastpaw
· 3 months ago
James:
Your fourth reason is really a part of my first reason (and possibly also second and third reasons)if you stop and think about it. I mean really think about it.
As for having had more (near-)violent episodes than you have, I guess you're making the reasonable assumption that I invite such reactions. I've actually had many more hostile encounters than I've listed here, and certainly some of them could've been avoided if I'd been less reactive to the antagonism of others.... Read more
But most of the other situations were not of my making, such as the time some ah beng I did not know or had even noticed crossed six lanes of traffic to shout in my bewildered face and (attempt to) thrust his umbrella into my groin. I was trading geeky jokes with a friend at a bus stop for goodness' sake.
(cont'd next comment)
eastpaw
· 3 months ago
James (cont'd):
Of course, it's possible that I *passively* encourage people to try and pick on me by looking like an easy mark, but people (even those who don't know my martial arts history) tell me I don't look that much of a pushover.
And then sometimes I obtain aggressive responses from people when I make a reasonable request of them, as exemplified by the incident in this note wherein I (very politely) asked a young man to give up his seat for an oldster. Such incidents could have been avoided if I had left well enough alone, but are you asking me to be a coward and give up doing the right thing just for fear of trouble? I didn't think so.... Read more
To sum it up, why do some people get bombed by birds more than others do? Some of it is behaviour (e.g., hanging out under crow-infested trees), some of it location (living in a crow-infested zone), and the rest of it just... luck, I guess. Or fate, if you will. :p
eastpaw
· 3 months ago
Sharon:
Standing around and staring is partly the bystander effect, I suppose. But, yeah, you do hear people admonishing one another to do nothing just in case they too get embroiled in the situation they are gawking at. Cowards. Sigh.
Good observation that old people are just as guilty of gracelessness as young folks are. This could mean that ill-behaviour is in our genes or culture (as Dax has suggested) or that whatever forces are enabling such attitudes are well and alive. I'd like to note, however, that I've more often seen old people giving up their seats to even older people than I've seen young people act the same. Not that that means all that much, necessarily. Convenience sampling, small sample size, the unreliability of memory and all.... Read more
How did Hong Kong improve so much in less than a decade? I'm really curious to know.
All Comments
So what makes one person nice and another nasty?
2) Yeah, people are rude here. Walking around in Manila, I don't get bumped despite the traffic. Both parties will sidestep and offer space when walking towards each other. Here, I'll turn my shoulder around to avoid bumping shoulders with someone coming the other way and the other guy/girl will just charge on through. If I didn't do that, I would have displaced them a bit since I'm heavier than the average 'porean.
3) How did you NOT beat the crap of out that dude? If it were me, I would have called him a liar and an asshole for strolling away. I wonder what his response and the outcome then would have been. If you see him, let me know.:D
Your own actions, behavior and tone inspire them to want to be nice to you.
I don't know why but you have written on nearly as many almost violent episodes in this note as I've had in my entire life.
Singaporeans don't seem to be able to learn graciousness, in spite of all the campaigns and Singa lions. One good comparison is Hong Kong. 8 years ago, they were not the most gracious people around. Now, they voluntarily put on masks in public when they are ill, and give up their seats to older folks on the MTR. Singaporeans, on the other hand, have not changed much since.
Manila's got really overcrowded streets, I guess. They're reputed to be the most congested in the world, yes? Of course, not all Singaporeans drive that badly. However, I do see flagrantly bad driving each and every time I hit the road.
As for not beating the snot out of that guy yesterday, I guess my last few weeks of training have helped. I find that it's easier for me to keep my temper in check (or not even flare up at all) when I'm faithfully doing my (meditation-based) practice.... Read more
===============
Dax:
I'll probably get to writing up the rest of my thoughts on this matter when the mood strikes me. Good to know someone's interested. :)
That thing you said about genetic make-up is interesting, by the way, and I'm not sure if you mean what I think you mean.
Your fourth reason is really a part of my first reason (and possibly also second and third reasons)if you stop and think about it. I mean really think about it.
As for having had more (near-)violent episodes than you have, I guess you're making the reasonable assumption that I invite such reactions. I've actually had many more hostile encounters than I've listed here, and certainly some of them could've been avoided if I'd been less reactive to the antagonism of others.... Read more
But most of the other situations were not of my making, such as the time some ah beng I did not know or had even noticed crossed six lanes of traffic to shout in my bewildered face and (attempt to) thrust his umbrella into my groin. I was trading geeky jokes with a friend at a bus stop for goodness' sake.
(cont'd next comment)
Of course, it's possible that I *passively* encourage people to try and pick on me by looking like an easy mark, but people (even those who don't know my martial arts history) tell me I don't look that much of a pushover.
And then sometimes I obtain aggressive responses from people when I make a reasonable request of them, as exemplified by the incident in this note wherein I (very politely) asked a young man to give up his seat for an oldster. Such incidents could have been avoided if I had left well enough alone, but are you asking me to be a coward and give up doing the right thing just for fear of trouble? I didn't think so.... Read more
To sum it up, why do some people get bombed by birds more than others do? Some of it is behaviour (e.g., hanging out under crow-infested trees), some of it location (living in a crow-infested zone), and the rest of it just... luck, I guess. Or fate, if you will. :p
Standing around and staring is partly the bystander effect, I suppose. But, yeah, you do hear people admonishing one another to do nothing just in case they too get embroiled in the situation they are gawking at. Cowards. Sigh.
Good observation that old people are just as guilty of gracelessness as young folks are. This could mean that ill-behaviour is in our genes or culture (as Dax has suggested) or that whatever forces are enabling such attitudes are well and alive. I'd like to note, however, that I've more often seen old people giving up their seats to even older people than I've seen young people act the same. Not that that means all that much, necessarily. Convenience sampling, small sample size, the unreliability of memory and all.... Read more
How did Hong Kong improve so much in less than a decade? I'm really curious to know.