28 September 2007

Musings - Do We Have Soul?

"...We have lost sight of the joy and excitement of public service, helping our fellow men. The joy and excitement of seeking and understanding of the joy of the miracle of the living the duty and the grandeur. We have lost taste for heroic action in the service of our people...." (see here)

I was reading the blog by DPYadav. He posted the interview he had with David Marshall. You can find out more by following the link.

I haven't got down to reading everything, yet. I came across this paragraph and another before that - questioning our soul. I have always felt that living in Singapore is Good but somehow, I also feel that something is missing. The missing link keeps nagging at me and forbidding me from rating Singapore as Great. At times, it even seems to suggest that I need to rate Singapore as Average. I can't find fault with Singapore yet I don't feel any particularly strong attachment to this country. Why is that so? So what is this missing link?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

The kampong spirit is missing. We are are just so engrossed in our material pursuits!!! :(

Ape said...

Indeed, indeed. Not just the kampong spirit. What captured my attention is the willingness to service in public service for the sake of serving...and not because for the high pay.
I wonder how David Marshall would have felt if he lived till this year...when ministers get pay hike.

Anonymous said...

because they give a little and take a lot??

Ape said...

No. To me, it is not about how much they give or how much they take.
It's about why they take up office in the first place? Is it because civil service pays well? Or is it because they genuinely wants to serve the people? Making lives better for the people?