Comments, opinions and an occasional ramble
The NDP propaganda
I’ve stopped watching National Day Parades for a long time. As a kid, I used to be very excited over them. However, as I grew older, they got boring.
Sure, the organisers try to do something innovative every now and then but these are just cosmetic effects. The boring thing about NDP is that the story is the same. It’s the same old fairy tale of how Singapore climbed from third world to first by overcoming tons of obstacles and adversities under the capable leadership (of the PAP). It gets really boring to hear the same old propaganda every year.
It would be perhaps a little too much to compare NDP to the kinds of massive, feel good parades that Hitler used to do for his fellow Germans more than half a century ago. However, I cannot help but feel some similarities. At each NDP, the “Singapore Story” is replayed over and over again, but which version of the story are we hearing? My take is that we are hearing what those in power want us to hear and hope for us to believe in the story.
Unless I need some mental anesthetic, I’ll probably not watch NDP ever again.
| Print article | This entry was posted by Aaron Ng on 18/07/2008 at 10:36 am, and is filed under Ramblings. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site. |
about 2 years ago
It’s too fascistic for my liking.
I enjoy watching the fireworks though ’cause I like to watch thousands of tax payers’ money burn in the night sky.
Why can’t we just have a carnival parade like Brazil’s? One that is not planned top-down. And the boundary between the performance space and the audience space is blurred. And everyone and anyone can be part of the huge parade instead of just watching the parade.
about 2 years ago
In the first place, I have not even watched one NDP since independence. It is not to my liking.
about 2 years ago
Share your same sentiment. NDP says it all why it is so dull and boring because it stand for Normally Damn Propagandic.
about 2 years ago
Actually I kinda like NDPs…but only the first part featuring the military displays and marches, and the fireworks at the end. Everything else in between is, like you said, boring.
Btw, France also has a military parade on 14 July.
about 2 years ago
Hi Aaron,
I agree with you. It’s absolutely boring, to be honest, and unimaginative.
Anyway, our NDPs every August 9 makes me feel as if I’m living in North Korea.
And now we even have to plagiarise other people’s ideas to celebrate our day of independence.
What is happening to Singapore?
about 2 years ago
check out how Norway celebrates their National Day. It is people, family and children centred. It’s a celebration by the people for the people.
about 2 years ago
NDP = goodie bag
$ingapore firework celebrations also must pay
about 2 years ago
No 2 ways about the NDP. Propaganda…propaganda…..and more propaganda.
The MIWs ie Men -In-Whites actually believe that they are bonding with the people on national day. Well some of the folks perhaps, waiting for some goodies.
As for citizens like myself, I will use the day to wear BLACK and reflect on the situation, how did the entire country end up being managed like a business by an exclusive group ?
about 2 years ago
This song and dance routine is one of the last bastion of PAP to unite (buy and fix) the people by giving them goody bags.
Another whiter than white parade of men and women wearing white.
Another evening walk for the President.
Another exercise to appraise military officers for directorship of govt-linked companies when they retire.
The culmination of the frustration of many active NSmen burning weekends after weekends for the sake of another rah-rah show.
A necessity to fill up the pages and screen of msm.
A very expensive joke!
feedmetothefish
about 2 years ago
totally agreed what u say . every years used our money to do show.. same old shit stories. nowaday if u all notice not much pp put out flag outside the house … cause y . i think everybody know.
about 2 years ago
Honestly speaking I really hope the MIWs go into hell ASAP. I am not sure if I can stand living here anymore.
about 2 years ago
I pity the school children.
I remember when I was just secondary one in Rangoon Road Secondary School, 1969. My school was required to participate in the NDP, and we have to do drills many months before the “big day” everyday, and many on site rehearsals a few weeks before it.
I don’t remember they even border to worry about our school work and also our well being. Not even a bottle of water provided, nothing! They only want a perfect show and that is it. To think back, it is pure exploitation.
about 2 years ago
Well, for one, I enjoy and appreciate fascist aesthetics, though I am aware of the implications – how bodies are dehumanized and commodified.
I just think that our fascist aesthetics are half past six. Seems like the planners cannot make up their mind what they really want; to go all out and create an impressive one or to move along with time.
Agreeing with you, I am getting very tired of the Singapore story, national education messages. The short story doesn’t justify why we should be hearing the same thing year after year.
All in all, kitsch-y.
about 2 years ago
In the first flush of independence, the parades may have meant something. The so called “singapore spirit” probably existed back then.
But in the ensuing years, the “equation” went like this: PAP=singapore, singapore=PAP. Historical narrative was hijacked & subverted, and propagated with the help of our subservient national press, making these NDPs nothing more then ego boosters for these buggers in power and their minions.
Its sad really.
about 2 years ago
I used to like NDP when I was a kid. After having gone thru NS, now I
think its a huge waste of time and money plus a total inconvenience for motorists like us. Scrap the whole thing and let us sleep in peace!
about 2 years ago
I disliked the party members wearing all white to the parade. It is not a party gathering, it is a national day celebrating the nation and the people, NOT THE BLOODY PARTY”. By the way, it is getting damn boring and it has such a NK feel to it now. I will go out of the house and not watch it at all.
The worst is the National Day speech. I hope that everybody remembered the “mee siam mai hum” dish. Should make that the national dish too – real classic, I would say. Let’s see what he can come out with this time.
And the children did not know that they are being made use of. How sad.
about 2 years ago
Hey tunkudon, =)
Talking abt hanging of the SG flag, my place here the Town Council damn kiasu; they OTOT(own time own target) send people come and help the whole block hang the flag……
Wayang much??? LOL
Now hang flag liao the wet clothes cannot hang beside it…. hang inside house also cannot dry fast enough…
This sux big time~~
On topic abt NDP: I also tio NDP saigang before; every weekend makan either KFC(rarely) or SFI food. The ‘off’ they also don’t let people keep… must clear immediately….
Guess what i do? I just kena posted to the new unit only then kena this saigang already… Sit inside the bloody hot vehicle and be a ‘towing crew’; means that if got breakdown, we all suppose to ‘wayang’ as though is purposely break-down then connect tow bars to tow the vehicle away….
All so wayang, dunno waste how much money changing the 300+ over track paddings PER vehicle(if i didnt rember wrongly) and i think there were more than 1 round of changes cos of rehearsels… You must know that one track pad also not cheap….
I also dont watch NDP la… Waste time, waste money, waste jet fuel, waste electricity, spoil peoples’ mood, wayang-show…
Mebbe ND rally still can watch because so can see if got any Ministers sleeping or not hahahaha!!!!
about 2 years ago
Hey Joe, now no more Mee Siam Mai Hum but recently MrBrown made a podcast on the ‘Do us in’ thingy; it’s about Kopi and kopi-tiam~~
Mebbe that LHL will mention abt Kopi next???
about 2 years ago
Happy INDEPENDENCE Day Singapore
It is not a birthday. No one can deliver a country.
It is our independence day from the colonial influence. I will take this opportunity to remember the person who rally the common people’s support to vote in an independent local political party regardless of race, language or religion.
He is the REAL reason that we gain independence from the British. The elitist British then need to get rid of their perceived threat to their continued leeching (through governance) of the local populace.
He is the unfortunate victim of that entrapment.And later labelled as a communist chauvinist. He was hoping that his political dependent will help to get him out but the story that follow is one of betrayal. During that time and before that they also mass import coolies and workers who suffered unnecessary ill-treatments so that they can leech profits for their companies.
So to the late person and his descendents and surviving relatives. Thanks for your family REAL contributions to Our beloved homeland’s INDEPENDENCE.
The success of our Nation is due to the efforts of our citizens and real talents (who became citizens here) who helped shaped our homeland.
To the real talent citizens who came and stayed ,citizens who ventured out to learn/pursue happiness and contribute to our success. Thanks you for your strength, we welcome you with open arms.
about 2 years ago
The NDP is a fossilised yearly event. The same old format of military parade and childish mass displays that dates from the 1960s ‘military tattoo’.
It tells Singaporeans how infinitesimal they have progressed from those pioneering days as a nation. In fact, the ruling party has surreptitiously altered the course of our nationhood to one with more in common with a dictatorship.
about 1 month ago
The importance of August 9 is not abt the parade or the goodie bags. Its more of being able to celebrate in peace.