310801, 1430hr, illinois time.

political theory may sound like such an abstract thing that's not necessarily relevant to the common person, but today, for discussion, as well as through my own thoughts while reading the books, i realise it really is very applicable to our everyday life, our modern day politics. joen wrote a rant yesterday about the singapore education system. i actually wrote a very long response to that on his comments page, but the computer lost it. sniff. but heck, i'll do my own rant here. it's been some time since my last intellectual rant. ranting about things other than the weather and stupid idiotic people. ahem.

despite what MOE would like to believe, the singapore education system does not produce the best people. if you would like to believe people being a collective term for our society. if you want to measure success by how many of us can do maths, then yes we're good. but if you want to measure success by how many of us actually realise our potential, then it's possible we're one of the worst, because not only do we not encourage the exploration of the individual, we sometimes suppress and sacrifice them for the sake of the supposed national needs and interests.

i always believed that the problem with the singapore method of policy making is the lack of balance. oh, engineering is a good thing, therefore let's make all our top brains take engineering as long as they don't threaten to kill themselves. oh, life sciences are good now? oh, ok, therefore let's beg every bio student to study biochem or biotech. even our economic down turn right now is undeniably due largely to our over reliance on the electronics manufacturing sector.

this one-track mind is the main problem with our education policy, i believe. plato argues, and i agree, that education is about cultivating the individual, for the purpose of having him serve the social function he is to serve. some people are naturally better at some things, and other people have other skills, isn't it? a society works at its peak efficiency when all the individuals are at their most efficient. and one can be most efficient, to his natural potential, only if he's doing what he's best at. so what's the pt of making all the kids learn maths and science, when some will obviously be better at languages let say. in an over-emphasis on only certain aspects of knowledge, the singapore education system is over simplified and ill-equipped to supply our society with the kind of individuals we need. and it's a injustice to the talents that an unhappy engineer might be born with. faced with injustices like this, how can one find happiness then? not to point the finger at the government to say they caused all the unhappiness among the problem kids, but they do play a part. when the kids cannot find a niche for themselves, for their own natural abilities, how can they help feeling frustrated and stressed up?

man, i sounded so much more eloquent in my comment to joen, but shit, it's gone. damn it.

oh, plato also argued a case for "guardians' of his ideal city - which basically says that they should be just, upright, blah blah blah...and that they should be paid minimal wages. *goh chok tong earns more than bill clinton?!* i can't say i completely agree with plato on this, as he argues that the guardians should derive their happiness from being able to serve the city, and being able to do what's best for their nature. yes, natural happiness arises from finding a niche in society, but considering the kind of training and stringent requirements for the role of a guard, when easier jobs pay and reward better, it will be difficult to keep these talented people commited to the noble cause. the farmer similarly derives pleasure from being able to produce excellent crops, but they also have the additional reward of being able to own land and hence reputation. what does a guard get for being so tough and good? nothing. so i still think some tangible reward is necessary. just don't allow the monetary reward to become the main reason for service. if you say it enough, people will start believing that money is everything. *look at singapore again. sigh.*

it's of course easy to criticise singapore from a theoretical aspect. i know how difficult it is to formulate an effective policy. i know the constraints of our young history and lack of resources. but certain things are still not justifiable. would i be able to make any difference when i enter the civil service? i would hope so. but i worry that i will lost this enthusiasm and optimism before i achieve anything.

i wonder how many of the civil servants or political leaders today still believe.

sigh, so depressing. i felt so sad watching the film on the fall of athens, because it suddenly became apparent to me, that perhaps human nature really is evil, and no system is ever strong enough to safeguard the common interests from corruption by the self-interested individuals. i think i'm a silly person, but i actually really do want to serve the country, for the sake of creating changes and improvements to the people's lives. wish me luck. surprisingly, the core of my beliefs still tends to be idealistic and romantic. sigh. silly girl.

oops, i digressed.