lifesong
Everyone needs compassion
Love that's never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness
The kindness of a Saviour
The hope of nations
Saviour, He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave
So take me as you find me
All my fears and failures
Fill my life again
I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in
Now I surrender
Shine your light in
Let the whole world see
We're singing, for the glory
Of the risen King
Jesus, Shine your light in
Let the whole world see
We're singing for the glory
Of the risen king
Monday, September 19, 2005
-10:08 pm
Paranoia.
Too much of a good thing can be bad, likewise in the case of caution. Yes, being cautious is important so that we will be wary of all those baddies lurking around dark corners, waiting to pounce on us. However, should freedom be compromised just because one is overly cautious, or to put it simply, paranoid? Should we all stop going to swim just because somebody has drowned in a public pool or in the sea before? Should we all stop going out at night or walking along the streets after dark, shutting ourselves at home, holed up in our rooms and live pathetic lives just because a girl recently got raped while walking home from the bus stop?
I daresay, if only the world had less of those who are extremely paranoid and too "kiasee" to even step out of the house after 7pm, it would be a whole lot more carefree and happy. Nowadays, children are taught to treat strangers with suspicion, even harmless old men who sit around the void deck playing cards or chess. Mothers would say, especially to their daughters, "Be careful of any man who stands too close to you, you must walk the other way. And don't go into the lift alone with strangers, especially males ok?" And they go on to elaborate on all the bad things which would happen to all those kids who don't listen to their mothers and are a tad bit too friendly with strangers.
Neighbours now eye each other warily, children don't greet their neighbourly "uncles" and "aunties" with a cheery "hello" anymore. Everyone is just contented with minding their own business and leaving their neighbours to do the same. What happened to the neighbourly kampung spirit of early Singapore?
I say we definitely don't need anymore tension and suspicion amongst people in the current terse atmosphere under the terrorist threat. Racial tension is building up at an all-time high and stereotyping criminals like rapists, molesters and robbers, just to name a few, by race or ethnic group is not only irrelevant and unjustified, but also threatens the very fabric of social cohesion our multiracial community. That just belies annoying ignorance and silly unqualified generalisations.
I hope I've proved my point. We can do a whole lot better without paranoia messing up our lives and cause us to fear things which do not need to be feared. Paranoia can restrict what we allow ourselves to do and compromise the very freedom that we have. Paranoia causes self-imposed prison walls around ourselves and basically, you're just giving yourself a lot of unnecessary trouble. Just live life the way you want it and don't worry about the "what ifs". Think about the "why nots". You can miss out on a lot in life and you don't need to look around for somebody to blame because the fact is, paranoia is a self-perpetuating mindset.
It can become a lifestyle, but the question is, will you allow it?
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