Comments on: We only have ourselves to blame http://aaron-ng.info/blog/we-only-have-ourselves-to-blame.html Comments, opinions and an occasional ramble Tue, 22 May 2012 06:49:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: wan simulator appliance http://aaron-ng.info/blog/we-only-have-ourselves-to-blame.html/comment-page-1#comment-23228 wan simulator appliance Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:59:37 +0000 http://aaron-ng.info/blog/we-only-have-ourselves-to-blame.html#comment-23228 It is probably really tough keeping up with all the blog comment spam that gets posted on your site but when theres such a long list of spam comments it really devalues the hard work you put into writing your posts. It is probably really tough keeping up with all the blog comment spam that gets posted on your site but when theres such a long list of spam comments it really devalues the hard work you put into writing your posts.

]]> By: Subliminal Messaging (SM) Goh http://aaron-ng.info/blog/we-only-have-ourselves-to-blame.html/comment-page-1#comment-12315 Subliminal Messaging (SM) Goh Sat, 24 Mar 2007 01:20:17 +0000 http://aaron-ng.info/blog/we-only-have-ourselves-to-blame.html#comment-12315 Don't be silly. Goh Chok Tong wasn't thinking of all you people here when he made that remark. His "losing local talent" spiel was merely a prelude to Lee Hsien Loong's anticipated announcement to increase ministerial salaries. The PAP government is getting pretty good at subliminal messaging. All their unpopular policy announcements are preceded by weeks and months of ministerial pep talks, alarmist pronouncements, staged debates, etc, to condition/hoodwink/bully the general public into compliance. The underlying message this time is that unless you give Lee Hsien Loong what he wants, the entire cabinet and all their superscale minions will migrate en masse to Australia. The "local talents" are the ones who are about to receive a humongous pay raise at taxpayers' expense -- so unless you happen to be one of them, don't get all excited. Don’t be silly. Goh Chok Tong wasn’t thinking of all you people here when he made that remark. His “losing local talent” spiel was merely a prelude to Lee Hsien Loong’s anticipated announcement to increase ministerial salaries.

The PAP government is getting pretty good at subliminal messaging. All their unpopular policy announcements are preceded by weeks and months of ministerial pep talks, alarmist pronouncements, staged debates, etc, to condition/hoodwink/bully the general public into compliance.

The underlying message this time is that unless you give Lee Hsien Loong what he wants, the entire cabinet and all their superscale minions will migrate en masse to Australia.

The “local talents” are the ones who are about to receive a humongous pay raise at taxpayers’ expense — so unless you happen to be one of them, don’t get all excited.

]]> By: » Leaking Talent II: Singaporeans are marketable « e pur si muove - 智に働けば角が立つ;情に棹させば流される http://aaron-ng.info/blog/we-only-have-ourselves-to-blame.html/comment-page-1#comment-12202 » Leaking Talent II: Singaporeans are marketable « e pur si muove - 智に働けば角が立つ;情に棹させば流される Thu, 22 Mar 2007 20:39:15 +0000 http://aaron-ng.info/blog/we-only-have-ourselves-to-blame.html#comment-12202 [...] mleok, on Hear Ye! Hear Ye!, “We only have ourselves to blame“, March 17 2007, comment [...] [...] mleok, on Hear Ye! Hear Ye!, “We only have ourselves to blame“, March 17 2007, comment [...]

]]> By: James http://aaron-ng.info/blog/we-only-have-ourselves-to-blame.html/comment-page-1#comment-12095 James Thu, 22 Mar 2007 01:00:53 +0000 http://aaron-ng.info/blog/we-only-have-ourselves-to-blame.html#comment-12095 Trouble is we are not clear on the motivation and purpose. Trouble is we are not clear on the motivation and purpose.

]]> By: James http://aaron-ng.info/blog/we-only-have-ourselves-to-blame.html/comment-page-1#comment-12092 James Thu, 22 Mar 2007 00:29:58 +0000 http://aaron-ng.info/blog/we-only-have-ourselves-to-blame.html#comment-12092 Dee country got too captivated by ranking just they got captivated in recent years by outsourcing. when you want to compare too much, you are too insecure and dun have your own intel. ranking is not about benchmarking or even calibrating. Dee
country got too captivated by ranking just they got captivated in recent years by outsourcing.

when you want to compare too much, you are too insecure and dun have your own intel.

ranking is not about benchmarking or even calibrating.

]]> By: Dr Dee http://aaron-ng.info/blog/we-only-have-ourselves-to-blame.html/comment-page-1#comment-12073 Dr Dee Wed, 21 Mar 2007 20:10:52 +0000 http://aaron-ng.info/blog/we-only-have-ourselves-to-blame.html#comment-12073 Dear all: You should read this Newsweek piece by Fareed Zakaria. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10663340/site/newsweek/ Yours sincerely, Dr Dee Dear all:

You should read this Newsweek piece by Fareed Zakaria.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10663340/site/newsweek/

Yours sincerely,
Dr Dee

]]> By: James http://aaron-ng.info/blog/we-only-have-ourselves-to-blame.html/comment-page-1#comment-12004 James Wed, 21 Mar 2007 03:28:37 +0000 http://aaron-ng.info/blog/we-only-have-ourselves-to-blame.html#comment-12004 to add on to pragmatism.... as a 3rd party: We might not as well not do NS and null the idea of citizenship on the identify card. There can't be leadership without follower-ship of hearts and minds (note the sequence, it is never reversed) in the context of any group - country, organization, family or football team. btw, where was it the post here or elsewhere about the mistaken notion of 'meritocracy' - the Lord Young context? Dun mean to sound idealistic but I tink there is such a ting called 'sweet spot'. to add on to pragmatism…. as a 3rd party:

We might not as well not do NS and null the idea of citizenship on the identify card.

There can’t be leadership without follower-ship of hearts and minds (note the sequence, it is never reversed) in the context of any group – country, organization, family or football team.

btw, where was it the post here or elsewhere about the mistaken notion of ‘meritocracy’ – the Lord Young context?

Dun mean to sound idealistic but I tink there is such a ting called ‘sweet spot’.

]]> By: James http://aaron-ng.info/blog/we-only-have-ourselves-to-blame.html/comment-page-1#comment-12001 James Wed, 21 Mar 2007 03:02:42 +0000 http://aaron-ng.info/blog/we-only-have-ourselves-to-blame.html#comment-12001 We are run like Sparta, not Athens. And now, we lack the will to change as well as correct mistakes. Opportunity cost is very high. To me, we started the entropy when streaming was reinforced and exacerbated by stuff like ranking. We atrophied even further when we started believing in our laurels and promoting world-classdom in every sphere, World Cup 2010, Boston of the East, PS21, S21 ... basically it was never bottom up. The music was bad, the dancing was also bad. We are run like Sparta, not Athens.

And now, we lack the will to change as well as correct mistakes. Opportunity cost is very high. To me, we started the entropy when streaming was reinforced and exacerbated by stuff like ranking. We atrophied even further when we started believing in our laurels and promoting world-classdom in every sphere, World Cup 2010, Boston of the East, PS21, S21 … basically it was never bottom up. The music was bad, the dancing was also bad.

]]> By: Amanda http://aaron-ng.info/blog/we-only-have-ourselves-to-blame.html/comment-page-1#comment-11967 Amanda Tue, 20 Mar 2007 06:54:49 +0000 http://aaron-ng.info/blog/we-only-have-ourselves-to-blame.html#comment-11967 I totally agree, which is why I said that staying and trying to change things would be the idealistic thing to do, as opposed to leaving. I totally agree, which is why I said that staying and trying to change things would be the idealistic thing to do, as opposed to leaving.

]]> By: Fox http://aaron-ng.info/blog/we-only-have-ourselves-to-blame.html/comment-page-1#comment-11965 Fox Tue, 20 Mar 2007 04:02:24 +0000 http://aaron-ng.info/blog/we-only-have-ourselves-to-blame.html#comment-11965 <i>"I can’t generalise, but I won’t be surprised if a large number of our best talents are leaving because of pragmatic reasons (i.e. other countries are willing to offer better things than what Singapore can offer). I don’t think people would disagree that Singapore IS a very pragmatic country. And, I think that Singapore is paying the price for being too pragmatic."</i> Aaron: Just to clarify things: do you believe that the reason why bright skilled well-educated young Singaporeans are leaving in droves is that the country is too pragmatic? Or if the emphasis on the pragmatic aspects of life is reduced, more bright skilled well-educated young Singaporeans will return? In other words, if Singapore becomes less pragmatic, then more bright skilled well-educated young Singaporeans will come back to Singapore? If so, how do we be less pragmatic? “I can’t generalise, but I won’t be surprised if a large number of our best talents are leaving because of pragmatic reasons (i.e. other countries are willing to offer better things than what Singapore can offer). I don’t think people would disagree that Singapore IS a very pragmatic country. And, I think that Singapore is paying the price for being too pragmatic.”

Aaron:

Just to clarify things: do you believe that the reason why bright skilled well-educated young Singaporeans are leaving in droves is that the country is too pragmatic? Or if the emphasis on the pragmatic aspects of life is reduced, more bright skilled well-educated young Singaporeans will return?

In other words, if Singapore becomes less pragmatic, then more bright skilled well-educated young Singaporeans will come back to Singapore? If so, how do we be less pragmatic?

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