Funny Singaporeans/Culture Shock

[Singapura 0]

Don't get me wrong, I love Singapore and Singaporeans but this morning I saw something that make me shake my head . Every morning I get my free Today newspaper in Raffles Place MRT. The lady handing them out isn't particulary friendly but that's okay, it's a free newspaper right? She even chased someone taking two newspapers one time Today I was suprised to find a long queue in front of a pile of Today's. Apparantly the lady stepped out for a moment and instead of just taking the FREE newspaper people decided to wait until she got back and have her hand it to them. I didn't want to be the rude gwai-loh and just take one but I also didn't want to stand in line looking stupid. So no Today for me today...

 

In The Netherlands, where I come from, they don't even have people handing them out but you take them yourself from a pile! I think even if the newspaper was not free Dutch people would take it but definitely not stand in line for it.

[Username 0]

So no Today for me today...

 

But there's always Today Tomorrow...

 

Anyways not all of us are like that.

 

[Singapura 0]

I know, there are a lot of very cool people here. I think if I ever go back to Holland I would get a culture shock too.

[nakedtoes 0]

It started with ppl just take the free paper and F*** off... but there were A55 holes who took a piles of it and cause disputes.. and thus to be fair that everyone get a copy they stationed one fellow to give out the papers... Typical kiasiu singaporeans.. Since then unless there is no Q.. i wun bother to get the it

[rkivie 0]

You must realise that queuing up is a national pastime here in Singapore. There's always something to stand in line for: from HDB flats to singing competition auditions and warehouse sales. Oh and most recently, for barbequed pork.

 

At least you don't have to queue up overnight to get a copy of Today. Heh.

[heady 0]

Naked toes got it right. The reason they employ people to give out free papers is because of anti-social people who will grab the whole bundle, to wrap stuff or who knows what they do with it. I have seen this, when the free paper first came out. I won't say this is typical Singaporean behaviour but there are enough of these people around to make life difficult for the rest of us.

Edited February 14, 2007 by heady

[blackmouth0 0]

haha, i think the culture shock is to much of a different. Maybe they are waiting for thing to happen. In singapore, many people would want to be a sheep then be a eagle..

[N@Z 0]

If you were in Boston you can't get people to take the free paper!

 

Amusingly enough one of the guys assigned to give away these papers said "Win $2,000 if you can take this paper off my hand." No bites either!

 

 

[heady 0]

Hi N@Z, good to see you posting. I don't know about Boston but in Melbourne the free papers are useless, full of adverts. I understand why the locals avoid them if they are going somewhere, they are heavy and not very informative.

[dridiot 0]

That been said;

I think Today papers is pretty good for news update, a quick read, but not detailed....

YMMV

[ezzo 0]

Yeah, it is damn lame to me. Well, there is such people everywhere, perhaps just more here in SG. Lol.

 

It is even more ridiculous to employ people to give out FREE newspaper. What is this place coming to.

[N@Z 0]

Social equity?

[ezzo 0]

Sadly, I dont see it that way. Thats more of what the government says anyway.

 

Its ridiculous cause I cant believe Singaporeans "need" someone to give out free newspaper so that it remains "fair". Hey, how much is one newspaper worth? Its about the social education. It sure doesnt show much about us.

[idkfa 0]

Some Singaporeans may be lazy but not all. Travel around and I personally believe that you will appreciate your country more. Don't just scrutinise the bad things. Look for the good things as well. (At least the queueing up is orderly...in some countries...bla bla...)

A bit out of point....but correct me if I am wrong... I believe that the people distributing the papers are paid to do their job. Today is a free paper from SPH. Free paper involves lots of sponsorship from advertisers, and those "Distributirs" are merely ambassadors from SPH making sure that the papar(or the ads =]) get read by the mass public.

 

[ezzo 0]

Some Singaporeans may be lazy but not all. Travel around and I personally believe that you will appreciate your country more. Don't just scrutinise the bad things. Look for the good things as well. (At least the queueing up is orderly...in some countries...bla bla...)

 

Its not about being lazy to me. Its like ARGGG, ALL-SO-ORDERLY, just go and get the freaking newspapers, ITS FREE FOR NUTS. They put it out for everyone, and ITS FREE means you CAN take all you WANT. No one can say sh*t if someone takes a whole stack of it, a civilised person would not do that though.

Well, I personally traveled around a lot. For you, it makes you appreciated things here, but for me, its the opposite most of the time

I am quite a critic though

 

A bit out of point....but correct me if I am wrong... I believe that the people distributing the papers are paid to do their job. Today is a free paper from SPH. Free paper involves lots of sponsorship from advertisers, and those "Distributirs" are merely ambassadors from SPH making sure that the papar(or the ads =]) get read by the mass public.

 

A company hiring and paying people to give out free newspaper?

Doesn't make sense to me at all, less its a way of advertising.

Its like as if the newspaper is a big deal. Oh wells, definately not to me, just.....lame.

 

 

Just to add, does it make sense that if person whom was giving out the newspapers is away> there is a queue> but no one from the queue is taking the newspapers, it is free for all in/out of the queue to take for themselves? It certainly does for me.

But I reckon I will get "killed" by the stares from people if I did it..

Edited November 5, 2007 by ezzo