Keep Calm and Carry On

To the unhappy Singaporeans back home, I offer a leaf out of British propaganda:

This poster was first published during World War II, apparently to boost morale. Many say it describes the stiff British character, always unfazed. As a Londoner I have sub-consciously learnt to adopt this sort of a mentality as well. Yes the tube breaks down all the time, it is always delayed for indefinite amount lengths of time and there's always a lame excuse for it (signal failures, person taken ill or even person under train), a tube strike is planned on boxing day, fares go up by 5-7% every year. When i first came here only a couple of years back, a single journey cost £1.50, now it cost £1.90, and in the new year it will be £2. People talk about it, they even joke about it, but hardly anyone complains. People are late for work all the time - there is no mobile reception in the underground, some people have to walk through the dark 100-year old tunnels together with its ratty inhabitants to get out of the train. Everyone is way past that stage, people simply live with it and move on with their lives.

I agree that these things are irritating, annoying and frustrating. Especially in a society spoilt with the highest levels of efficiency where everyone is so self-important and perpetually busy.... but sometimes things don't always go our way. Maybe we are a victim of our own success and ambitions, perhaps the rapid expansion of the MRT system caused these knock-on effects. Bigger = more complex = more room for error? No one ever complains when everything is going fine and well, this is possibly a good time to stop, think and be thankful.

Well i guess I can say all that because i'm quite removed from it all. Not sure how I'd react if I were there, or if I never had the chance to witness for myself this "keep calm and carry on" attitude in a place where nothing works (by singaporean standards). But one thing I've been trying to learn is to complain less, and this is my resolution to take into 2012.