Comments, opinions and an occasional ramble
Over-reaction
The latest news of a planned “black ops” by the government on the local cyberspace has garnered all sorts of opinions from Singaporean internet surfers. I must have read close to 20 entries and I lost count of the number of comments generated in forums and blogs. Of course, few welcome the move.
I’ve not formally stated my stand, although I did criticse the move as a public relations disaster. I agree fully with Wayne that it is a good thing that the government has finally decided to come and take on the online critics. It is only in the spirit of freedom of speech that we welcome the government into the cyberspace arena. One-sided views are definitely no good for democracy. In fact, I firmly subscribe to the views of the French philosopher Voltaire, who said, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”
However, the main problem I had with the impending move (at least from the way it was reported in the Straits Times) is that the “black ops” is not aimed at constructive engagement of debate, but simply to push out government views. If the government is sending out its men to understand and engage the Internet community, I welcome them with open arms. Unfortunately, it seems more like a knee jerk reaction to try and even up the disproportionate numbers of anti-establishment views online with pro-establishment ones. I do not think that is the right attitude, and I believe that no blogger (save the pro-establishment ones) will agree that it’s the right approach either.
The funny thing to me really is, does the PAP need to even resort to this at all? I personally think that there is a big over-reaction with this move. Firstly, the so-called anti-establishment sites are not even popular to begin with. Let’s compare some anti-establishment sites with two moderate/centrist sites. Singapore Election Watch does nothing but condemn every little thing that comes from the government. Singapore Angle and Mr Wang Says So are two moderate/centrist sites that puts forth both anti and pro establishment messages after a careful consideration of the various dimensions surrounding any issue.
Who gets higher traffic? Just looks at the number of comments left on all the mentioned sites. Singapore Election Watch and is simply pathetic in terms of the amount of comments generated, while Singapore Angle and Mr Wang Says So generates alot of discussion. It is obvious what is the preference of Singaporean Internet readers. If majority of Singaporeans are bought by the anti-establishment messages, they would have posted tons of congratulatory messages on every post by Singapore Election Watch to commend these guys for doing such a great job. Sadly, that’s not the case. In fact, there are lesser known anti-establishment blogs that I will not even mention because they get zero comments at all.
I suspect two main reasons for the more extreme anti-establishment to be less popular than the moderates/centrists is quite simply because of lack of variety. Can anyone imagine eating fried kway teow for breakfast, lunch and dinner (no offence meant to the Kway Teow Man, a leading centrist Singaporean blogger) every day for a few years? I’ll probably puke and die after one week. The same goes for reading the same kind of anti-establishment messages over and over again. It might be novel at first, but it will become stale quickly.
The second reason, quite simply, is that Singaporeans who go online to source information on socio-political matters are educated enough to exercise some judgement as to what is worth reading and what is not. If our much vaunted education system produces Singaporeans that are so easily susceptible to being brainwashed by reading some anti-establishment internet postings, I think we can just close down all our schools. Let’s have more faith in the cognitive and critical abilities of Singaporeans. Research has proven that the mass media is not some magic bullet that will definitely change the minds of humans. I believe the same applies to new media such as the Internet. People have brains to think. Any person with a decent education and IQ will question the kinds of messages that are repeatedly relayed by anti-establishment websites. Of course, they too will question the kinds of messages that are repeatedly relayed by the mainstream media. It cuts both ways. At the end of the day, people will exercise their own judgement, and based on what I explained earlier, the moderates/centrists are already winning the battle without the intervention of the government.
Also, I think that the government should not take a uniform view of anti-establishment messages. Not all of them are out to destroy the credibility of the government. I feel that this is especially so in Sammyboy forums, where most replies are kind of like rants and complaints that are not unlike what goes on in real-life coffeeshops. Perhaps the government might think that comments left online are more permanent than talk that transpires in the coffeeshops, so there is a need to take action. I think that this concern is over-hyped. Sure, one can read all the anti-establishment rants and complaints left on Sammyboy forums, but it will take months, if not years to read all of them. People need to work, play and spend time with family. Who has the luxury of time to read everything on Sammyboy forums even if all the comments are there?
Therefore, I think that this latest move by the PAP was totally unnecessary. The moderates are winning the ground on their own, and in fact, as I pointed out in an earlier entry, this move by the PAP could possibly do more harm than good. Now that the cloak and dagger game is on, no one knows who is a “spy” and who isn’t. What would be the safest approach? Be more “kia-see” and assume that everyone is an enemy unless proven otherwise. The poor moderate/centrist bloggers will end up suffering because people are going to view them with much more suspicion than ever.
If the PAP truly desires to win over the Internet community, it should do so using other means that are suited to the situation. We don’t take chariots, swords, wooden shields and spears to fight wars today because these tools are totally useless in modern warfare against tanks, rifles and missiles. The current approach taken of announcing a “cloak and dagger” operation is akin to using the wrong weapons for the operation. Let’s consider why some companies hire hackers to improve their software security systems? Because, it takes a hacker to understand how a fellow hacker works. It would be good for the PAP to rethink their strategy of “taming” the Internet.
Note:
I bet those trolls at Singapore Election Watch are going to come and leave anonymous entries flaming me again. If you are an anonymous “black ops” operative tracking this blog, I’m sure you wouldn’t want to do something that’s of the same level as these trolls. So, please report back to your superiors that it’s not a good idea to have the PAP’s credibility go down to the levels of those trolls.
| Print article | This entry was posted by Aaron Ng on 05/02/2007 at 2:58 am, and is filed under Perspective. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site. |
about 3 years ago
KTM is unusually reticent on this issue so far.
about 3 years ago
Wah, I just posted and you replied!
I think he’s probably still thinking about it and deciding if there’s anything he needs to add. He thinks very deeply and doesn’t make an argument unless there’s a need for one.
about 3 years ago
To react is natural, how we react – that is what it is being observed. I can hardly believe that with their years of experience in conditioning, they would come out with such an action that will harm their reputation on a whole.
But then, we have a different set of leaders who have a different style. Of late, our leaders’ problem solving tactics are more direct and looked “short term”. They want to show results quick and to prove their worth. Didn’t a stateman said that three years are needed to see if one is a natural leader. This is an exercise on leadership.
about 3 years ago
“Singapore Election Watch does nothing but condemn every little thing that comes from the government. Singapore Angle and Mr Wang Says So are two moderate/centrist sites that puts forth both anti and pro establishment messages after a careful consideration of the various dimensions surrounding any issue.
Who gets higher traffic? Just looks at the number of comments left on all the mentioned sites. Singapore Election Watch and is simply pathetic in terms of the amount of comments generated, while Singapore Angle and Mr Wang Says So generates alot of discussion.”
Aaron I think you are confusing number of post or frequency of comments with number of readers.
Thats not true. You may have a post with zero number of comments and hardly any activity, but they can have thousands of readers who regularly read their stuff. I know a few writers and one particular grp in the net that falls into this model. They have virtually zero comments but thousands of readers.
about 3 years ago
Animal Lover,
I knew someone will question this when I wrote that. I am not confusing the two. I am aware that there might not necessarily be a correlation between the number of readers and the number of comments. However, I still made this statement because if the comment function is made available and assuming that the website receives hundreds of thousands of visitors every day, I don’t think that less than 5 people will be bothered to comment something. It is the ridiculously low number of comments that made me come to the conclusion.
To take things one step further, since it is so ridiculously easy to comment, why do people not leave comments on anti-establishment blogs if they are indeed so supportive of such information? Doesn’t take more than 10 – 15 seconds to type in a few congratulatory/supportive comments. Even if it’s the case that you mentioned that the site has zero comments but thousand of readers, by not commenting, it shows that most of the readers are not thoroughly bought over by the argument. The impact of such anti-establishment messages are very small in my opinion, judging from the reaction of their readers.
about 3 years ago
aaron,
I think what animal lover is trying to say is each writer has a style of responding to their readers and vice versa.
Let me give you an example, this grp that we all regularly read in our hse happens to be an ultra top secret organization, I cant mention their name, otherwise they will come after us (serious).
But the relationship between this writer and his readers is definitely unusual, I wouldnt go as far as to say it is weird, but that is a good way of describing it, because it is not a normal interactive discussion like Singapore Angle, most of the time he bochap his readers and treat us all like dirt, but at times he is nice and sweet, but to answer your question, they still have thousands of readers, but sometimes not even a single post because I think culturally they are different., that is all she is trying to say.
So I think what animal lover is trying to say is, culture is a very important factor.
about 3 years ago
there’s a loud minority residing in cyberspace, who happen to set their agendas (and once in a while, embark on a get-together-cum-witch-hunt).
imagine if beggars, bankrupts and the bottom 20% income had blogs and post their views online. i think we’ll take the net a lot more seriously.
any how, the views posted online, no matter how extreme or misguided, still come from real people who live and breathe in singapore, for example wee shu min. the govt, as well as the netizens, should acknowledge that.
about 3 years ago
I agree with Sam. Singapore Angle and Mr Wang so called Moderate Centrist etc etc could well be very conservative from a Western perspective. There is definitely room for more views that a moderate centrist one and I am sure that Singapore Election Watch is very popular it is own very unique way that might not be as celebrated because people might not want to be associated with it.
And blogging is not a question of traffic. At least not for me, and no measure of opinion.
about 3 years ago
Hi Aaron,
At the end of the day, it is horses for courses. What most bloggers fail to comprehend is readers are a bit like cats, they have a tendency of straying from the regular diet read only to explore the full spectrum of the genre.
So no one site can claim ownership of a group of readers unless of course those reader just read exclusively those writers and no one I know really reads like that in the real world, not even when it comes to books or magazines not to mention blogs (eyes roll up!)
So yes, I have to agree with animal lover not because she reads probably the same stuff as I do and she happens to be a member of the super girl league, but to measure all blogs by one measure of scale is to suggest there is only one way of determining popularity and we all know the most delectable fun is when we see or read, yet the writer doesnt know we have done so, that I think captures the real excitement of reading.
The unspoken relationship between the writer and the reader.
about 3 years ago
@ somebody…
cos his secret identity has been exposed????
about 3 years ago
@ somebody 2:
That depends. I probably wouldn’t be posting as frequently now that I know they do that.
Because I don’t like this polarisation thingie they are doing.
Since they’re so smarty unto themselves, they can go solve their own problems.
Moderates who post are like people who don’t have an inch of power either way and then they when they suddenly get lumped into the either/or situation, it’s just no use.
ie. People can go and fight it out. I’ll just buy my popcorn.
about 3 years ago
somebody & somebody 2,
In case you kay pohs need to know, the KTM doesn’t usually blog over weekends and he’s currently tending to his chow tar KT thanks to this really long thread on the Tochi case (licking his wounds?).
If people want to start a witchhunt and accuse the KTM of being one of those secret PAP online cloak and dagger operatives, that’s fine with the KTM. Not like the KTM never kenna accused before also.
The KTM was, the KTM is and the KTM will still probably be around (hopefully) after the current PAP “covert operation” fails. One only has to check out the quality of the YPAP Forum postings to get a sense of the probability of success of their new program.
Aaron,
The KTM disagrees with you that Mr Wang is centrist.
The KTM is of the opinion that Mr Wang is most definitely in the anti-establishment camp (hopefully Mr Wang wouldn’t threaten to sue the KTM for defamation over this expressed opinion). In the same light, perhaps the KTM is in the pro-establishment camp? So big deal. It takes all sorts to make up this world and the KTM fails to understand why people are so excited over such labelling. 
Yes, agree with you that the PAP’s latest move to publicize their efforts to “engage” the blogosphere makes little sense. While the KTM actually sees nothing wrong with the PAP fellas going around to make their points, what’s also true is that we have losers who will go around accusing people of being pro-PAP when people take on pro-estab positions and do not agree with. Such labelling and polemics are not very helpful for civil debate.
ben,
And blogging is not a question of traffic. At least not for me, and no measure of opinion.
Well said.
about 3 years ago
aaron,
Couldn’t sleep. Been tossing and turning in bed because of this online drama, haha. So, thanks for the bedtime reading.
netlander,
If that is the case, we can expect the worse because desperate people will resort to anything because they have more to lose if they don’t perform.
about 3 years ago
somebody 2,
Ya hor. Maybe busy lurking in anonymity. Haha.
about 3 years ago
Perhaps the govt has a motive behind the sending “commandos” into cyberspace? its hard to tell…PAP have always been rather defensive when it comes to criticism thus it comes as no surprise that this is a knee jerk reaction to the so called anti establishment views out there…
about 3 years ago
anyway with regards to trolls, they exist everywhere and anywhere…there is no point in talking to them cuz they are just there to make noise (take a look at GMS blog http://www.singaporealternatives.blogspot.com) for an idea….however, these trolls are now used as a pretext for the “Counter Insurgency” to Balance Skewed Views… so we should be cautious in case we get the brunt of the hammer…
about 3 years ago
Better still, we can assume that all trolls come from PAP.
about 3 years ago
Hi Aaron:
Suppose there is no easier way to gauge the number of visits a website recieves unless one has access to the counter set by the admistrator.
But whatever the government chooses to do in the moment of folly, reasonable bloggers could still ensure the reputation of their blogs and regulate comments posted. I remebered that Mr Wang used to require posters to be members of Blogger. Any trolls or secret agents of the party would have a hard time maintaining their numerous identities and a consistent tone for posting under each. It would also get really suspicious if they neglect their blogs too much.
shoestring:
Trolls as PAP agents? That is a good one
about 3 years ago
ben and KTM,
I agree fully that blogging is not a question of traffic and that it cannot be a good measure of opinion. However, it appears to me that the government thinks that blogging is a question of traffic (I cannot think of any other logical reason for them to do what they just did), and that they think it’s a good measure of opinion too. I was merely trying to point out that based on whatever evidence that one can find now, there is little basis for the fears of the government, that’s all.
about 3 years ago
KTM,
Well, whether Mr Wang is centrist or not in the absence of other blogs to compare is debateable. However, when you place Mr Wang alongside blogs like Singapore Election Watch and Singabloodypore, I think Mr Wang is relatively centrist.
I suppose when we place all the bloggers on a continuum, I would say most will fall in the band of moderate/centrists, although within this group we can probably still sub-divide into another spectrum of its own.
about 3 years ago
The question would be, then – whose continuum are we using? I’m sure that if we were using the PAP’s continuum, we’d all be anti-establishment, just because we are discussing such things.
The ‘continuum’ you refer to is individual in nature. Everyone will have a reason to say, for example, why i am anti-establishment or pro-establishment or anything. (personally i was quite anti-establishment…but then i felt that it was quite pointless to be.)
The disuniformity of your views with respect to the KTM shows this.
Ultimately, we read those on the extreme ends to gain insight and maybe a few sniggers – that ultimately you are right – sorry KTM but we cannot eat KT all day for 3 meals…heh.
about 3 years ago
The reaction has started. The party name has become a label.
It is their fears, we work on their fears. Not on ourselves.
about 3 years ago
Is there any use in identifying them if they are bent on being illusive? They are not even interested in exchanging ideas and getting feedback. And as netlander has pointed out, they are afraid.
But we can identify their messages. They are here to spread their message albeit subtly. So we need to focus on analysing the messages and engage them with our counterpoints. I have confidence in our bloggers and their online supporters. They are an intelligent bunch.
Just ignore the trolls and the noise. As long as we have an understanding that we will not believe the trolls or bother with them.
about 3 years ago
yes, but we have to secure our own cred first. For example, by not countering just for the sake of countering.
about 3 years ago
Whoa just saw ur post on Mr Wang’s blog…u a PAP activist? haha…
Perhaps we can come up with a Forgotten Realms kind of system where each blogger belongs to a certain alignment. For eg, Chaotic Establishment (P65), Lawful Establishment, Neutral Estab (U?), True Neutral, Chaotic Neutral (KTM) , Chaotic Anti (SEW), Lawful Anti, Neutral Anti (Most of the Moderates who lean to the other side).
about 3 years ago
Looking into the scope of the local blogosphere, orumers, netizens, it would be impractical and definitely inefficient to monitor such a vast online space to “rebut” anti-establishment sentiments.
Although in retrospect, it might not be such a bad thing, if, and I say if, these men/women whom the ruling party had managed to rope in for these exercises do seriously believe in the PAP’s doctrine and views. I’ll even say that any of the counter arguments that they provide could prove to be an exciting precursor to any online debate that might ensue. Whether they choose to be anonymous or not, is no longer the issue here, for it’ll be their message which we’ll debating against in this verbal arena, and of the messengers’ vindication of their stand on these issues.
And to Nedstark,
*chuckles* well.. and you know, there might be conservative christian groups all too willing to stereotype you with diabolical cults for promoting terms associating with a game which they believe was used for propagating demonic influences. lol
about 3 years ago
My take is really very simple guys, there is really only one grp in the net who really knows what is really happening.
I just wonder why are they so cool and calm about this “covert” thingy.
What really scares me is they even seem as if, they were prepared for its arrival.
just a thought
about 3 years ago
Arlina,
If you would presupposed that this ‘group’ that you’ve mentioned ‘knows’ and be cool about it. That is good, and I am happy for you.
Whichever group that you are talking about, in my humble opinion is inconsequential lest they choose to inform or talk about it.
If not, its just just a blind and a deaf man trying to give a prognosis on the movie babel.
Have a good day.
about 3 years ago
Azmodeus,
Let them… haha… i always enjoy debates with these groups… and there is no commandment which specifies that brothers in Christ need to have the same view on things (i happen to be a Catholic myself)…
However i shant say more lest i do something which gets me into hot soup with the Sedition Act…
about 3 years ago
“One thousand,
“Two thousand,
“Three thousand, Four!”
One thousand,
Two thousand:
“Free Thousands — Try!”
You heard them
Scream Thousands,
Prone Thousands — Right into War!
One thousand,
Two thousand:
“Lemmings… Strive!”
about 3 years ago
nedstark,
Aiyah, nothing new to me, seriously. Look at how those blokes from Singapore Election Watch label me as a government stooge. I think pre-empting them is fun. By doing that, I rob them of the only thing about me that they can think of and write about. True enough, I don’t see any posting from them.
about 3 years ago
Aaron,
Haha…ah well…Goh Meng Seng has it worst. But truth to tell, you do not strike me as leaning towards the establishment…i must say i always thought u were on the fence but leaning slightly to the other side. In DnD speak, ur neutral “evil”:P
about 3 years ago
Stark,
Haha.. I have my copy of Neverwinter Nights 2 beside me. I don’t think I’m evil. If I have to classify myself in DnD terms, it would be more of Chaotic Good.
Chaotic because I don’t buy the establishment messages all the time, and as for good, that’s because I normally don’t intend evil to happen when I write. I usually write with good intentions in mind.
about 3 years ago
Hmmmm…good game NWN is….hey…thats true…if u look at the whole view…however my definition was from what i think is the view of the estab and the mainstream media, since the words used in their article seem to suggest that we are a bunch of commies hiding in the jungle known as cyberspace and to deal with us requires “counter insurgency” efforts…
If we recall the aftermath of LKY’s Dialogue, there were several letters to the papers condemning the younger generation for being ingrates and so on so forth. Assuming that they were not written by hantu, it can be inferred that from their POV, we are “evil” and they are “good”.
Thanks for pointing the part about chaotic good though…
about 3 years ago
*smiles* seems like you guys do play NWN.. *chuckles* haven’t touched mine for a year or two.. though I prefer the pen and paper version where I have been a DM for a few years.
Stark,
Well.. it really depends on your values and personal position with regards to the letters written to the press. I don’t think they refer the younger generation as been evil by not feeling grateful to the elder Lee. More like chastising them for their lack of appreciation of his work and vision in crafting Singapore in the way it is now.
As for me, I am just neutral mostly.. lawful neutral *smiles*
Regards
about 3 years ago
Maybe by labelling Internet users as the enemy of the state, there would be justification to invoke the ISA? *gasp*
Well, that’s my 2 cents worth of conspiracy theory. :p
about 3 years ago
maybe one of our politicians could sue Singapore for defamation…then they dont have to arrest anyone, just close the borders to anyone trying to travel can already. heh heh.
about 3 years ago
Aaron,
perhaps u can talk to guojun about conspiracy theories…he is full of them
about 3 years ago
@KTM
care to deny out right here and now that you are not a member of this counter insurgency?
your response here and on your blog are the on the same line of when I accuses my kid brother of finishing all the cookies… namely something like …. …. “why you every time also accuse me of that one….”.
Being
1. Playing up the victim role
2. Had cleverly skirted the issue by accusing the accuser instead
3. No outright denial means no need to outright lie means no getting caught lying.
4. Was accused of that frequently in the first place precisely because there is a vast amount of history and facts to suggest so.
Ha ha… these 4 points applies to both you and my kid brother. and BTW he is guilty as hell of finishing up those cookies…. are you?
about 3 years ago
one wonders if people like somebody 2 are indeed actually the pro-establishment ones.
ie. trying to exacerbate the polarisation and thereby escalating the state of affairs into a ‘witch-hunt’, which will have the moderates vs. the anti-establishment picketing one another.
Then the conflict escalates, and the govt steps in.
And then, end of story.
about 3 years ago
This discussion shows to me clearly why there will not be a more inclusive democracy any time soon:
The reason is simple: The government cannot be totally demonized.
There is stability in Singapore, there are clean streets, etc. Therefore Singapore Election Watch may have the right attitude, but no chance, simply because there many moderates (I don’t think it’s wrong to be a moderate, but if you want democracy, then real opposition to the regime is a precondition)
I think the only thing that could bring change is an economic crisis (or similar event)…