1505

15 May 2010. Bangkok implodes, Singapore mourns the passing of a Titan. I refuse to give way to a monster truck.

" The idea of education as a search for truth, the excitement for intellectual inquiry and speculation - all this are given lip service and little else. And so we have in Singapore intellectual conformity in place of intellectual inquisitiveness. And it all adds up to a depressing climate of intellectual sterility.

If we are completely honest in ourselves, I think we can detect in contemporary Singapore a strange and striking similarity of intellectual climate and social values with Victorian England, together with much of the hypocrisies and cruelness of that age."

"Let's not despise material gains. And there is also a need for some soul. You must never ask the government to provide for the needs of the soul. When your tummy is full, then certain people think more than right now. When they go for arts, music, whatever... But I don't think you want the government to provide comfort for your soul. This is very dangerous. After some time, we tell you what to think.

"We must not underestimate the ability of Singaporeans to think for themselves and come to their own judgement. We can persuade them, but in the end, they make up their own minds."
- Dr Goh Keng Swee.

I respect.