The Hypocrisy of Moral Indignation

It was my army buddy Kevin who texted me from Singapore to inform me of this story. Grace and I almost flipped when we read how a teenage blogger Miss Wee Shu Min was given counselling for 'elitist' remarks.

I can certainly understand how Miss Wee's remarks could have come across as insensitive. Government should help older workers. There are both moral and economic arguments for it. The older generation of workers did not have as many education opportunities compared to the younger generation. They are therefore less equipped to cope with the effects of globalisation. Having been part of the nation building generation, there is a good moral case why they should be given extra help so as not to be left behind as the country progresses. In terms of political economy, it is also not desirable to have an underclass because a social fracture would make it even harder for the country to integrate into the global economy. The benefits of globalisation must be shared to keep society cohesive.

In economic jargon, even though globalisation creates winners and losers, a pareto improvement can be achieved by distributing some gains from the winners to the losers. Of course, how to do it without distorting incentives or creating dependency is the tricky part. With a little more education in economics and life's hard lessons, I am sure Miss Wee will come around.

However, the level of moral indignation aimed at the teenager beggars belief. I can't even decide for which of the following reasons I find most perturbing about the whole episode - Is it the oppressive political correctness that prevents anyone from giving their frank opinions? Is it the fact that people cannot deal with sarcasm? Is it the pettiness in people that makes them take issue with a youngster, and thus themselves behaving like insecure teenagers? Is it the disgust that even a blog on the internet has to be silenced? All in all, this is a warped form of censorship.

But there is a silver lining. Grace and I are impressed with Miss Wee for daring to state her views, and very eloquently as well. As the chinese saying goes, the waves behind push those waves in front. It is heartwarming to see the spunk in the new generation of young Singaporeans. Government should help older workers. But it is youngsters like Miss Wee Singapore needs.

[endnote: Just as I finished this blog, I saw this indignant letter published on ST

Oct 26, 2006 'Insensitive' blogger also lacked humility, empathy

I REFER to the report, 'Teen blogger counselled for her 'elitist' remarks' (ST, Oct 24).

I believe Miss Wee Shu Min has drawn enough criticism for her insensitive and offensive remarks. Hopefully, she will learn from this saga and move on.

The public should spare her further personal insults and allow her to concentrate on her exams, bearing in mind that she is just an 18-year-old with a major examination coming up.

What I am dismayed about is how her father, MP Wee Siew Kim, appears to agree with her opinion and sided with her when he said: 'She wrote in a private blog and I feel that her privacy has been violated.'

If Mr Wee feels that his daughter's privacy had been violated, is he implying that the Government was wrong to punish bloggers who posted racist comments on their supposedly 'private' blogs that were viewable by anyone with just a click of a button? I should think not. One should always be responsible and conscious of his choice of words, be it in an essay or a blog.

In the article, Mr Wee also stated that '(Miss Wee's) basic point is reasonable' and 'some people cannot take the brutal truth'.

I have read Mr Derek Wee's commentary and I feel that he is not the unmotivated or whiny, discontented worker that he was portrayed to be.

Mr Wee was merely airing his fears about how older workers are finding it difficult to cope with today's competitive and practical reality.

At no point did he state that he was dissatisfied with his job and I believe he will 'get on with the challenges in life'.

It seems that Mr Wee Siew Kim endorsed his daughter's 'elitist' remarks and that her only mistake was insensitivity.

The issue at hand is not merely about insensitivity; it also involves values like humility and empathy.

If Mr Wee's only concern for his daughter is about being politically correct, then I am afraid he is missing out on something fundamental.

Hopefully, Miss Wee will learn from this episode about humility and empathy as well.

Yang Sixiang ]

What a sanctimonious piece! First, he asked every one else to move on from the 'saga'. Why on earth is he writing this letter to the ST Forum in the first place? So he gets his say, but others should not. Second, Miss Wee made no racist remarks and is no bigot. He draws a totally unnecessary comparison between the racists blogs and Miss Wee's. Third, he wants to be the moral police and patrol the internet for those who lack the values (empathy, humility) he deems necessary?

Moral indignation is jealousy with a halo.
H. G. Wells