What I’m Thinking About This Week #1
Written on 31 March 2022, Thursday. From my little desk in the living room.
Ever since I started my internship, I’ve been trying to grasp the reasons why companies have CSR goals. CSR apparently stands for Corporate Social Responsibility. Most companies label things like “water and sanitation”, “reducing carbon footprint” as causes which they care about. They talk about the related goals which they’re working towards. Delving deeper into each company’s background, I find that many companies slap a couple thousand dollars on their self-initiated projects and write an article about how they built a clean water fountain in some obscure location and BOOM they just solved our climate crises. Yup…This is what I’ve learnt thus far in my internship…
People on #Tiktok have started comparing the ways that their employees sign-off on emails. The spotlight has been on Gen Z hires (like myself) of late. I like to think I’m a #girlboss (jk I start my day at 3pm usually) so I sign-off with a simple “warm regards” most of the time. I think corporate companies who open emails with “hello comrades” should aim to avoid the usage of language with socialist implications (yes because the same companies seemingly ignore their own top-down decision-making, which tends to compromise the wellbeing of their workers). Am tired of unnecessary pay cuts and being uncompensated for doing extra work. Colleagues and friends tell me that I’m replaceable (Gee thanks…).
Capitalism is ruthless. The effects of how capitalist ideologies enable the exploitation of the working class(es) in multifarious manners has only evolved by leaps and bounds. Today, I read that in Georgia during the nineteenth century, people who were incarcerated in prisons were tasked with “free convict labour”. They were shackled and made to work under inhumane conditions and suffered from a plethora of illnesses, which led to many deaths. Building railways and mansions and whatnot. Companies used incarcerated persons as tools which were replaceable. So if one person died, there would always be another to continue their work. Essentially, this was a way to quickly modernise the Southern region of the United States of America, without needing to expend funds on those convicts. This was in Angela Davis’ book, “Are Prisons Obsolete?”. More discourse on how racism and white supremacy enabled and encouraged atrocities like this to happen is covered in the book.
Upon reading this extract, I wonder how educators teach the history of the prison system to the children of today. I remember when I was in secondary school, we were taught that industrialisation and the introduction of railways, motor vehicles and computers were the best things to ever be bestowed upon humanity. They called it “progress”. “Countries with these are progressive,” our teachers often harped. Are they?
In the past week, an online form from the Singapore government (redacted link here) requesting responses regarding LGBTQIA+ issues and rights was disseminated across several social media platforms. Much to my dismay, it was taken down a few hours after being shared due to an “overwhelming response”. It’s funny how Singapore’s got all the latest cars and drones and even “seemingly significant” wristwatch collaborations (Yes Omega and Swatch, I’m looking at your dainty little velcro straps) and yet has not quite fully understood the phrase, “to build a democratic society based on justice and equality” from our national pledge.
I love our national pledge. I love independence. But have we really achieved it thus far?
On a more graphic note, I think many Singaporeans are mourning the tragic death of Mr Abdul Kahar Othman. The 68-year-old was hung on 30 March 2022 in Changi prison for drug trafficking. I’ve written a post on my LinkedIn here. Many activists are channeling their devastation, frustration, rage and resentment towards the people who allowed this to happen in their social media posts. We’re even having a protest at Hong Lim Park this Sunday.
My heart aches for how the world has succumbed terribly to desensitisation to violence and hatred. My heart is angry for Kahar’s family and for my fellow queer people who felt driven out by our society. I am tired of presenting myself as a young privileged Chinese woman who wants to help everyone but feels so small that I worry that no matter how much I scream, the government will never hear my cries and just fucking listen, for once.
I will end this on a brighter note: Women aged 21 to 35 in Singapore will soon be able to freeze their eggs for non-medical purposes, regardless of their marital status. I’m happy about this because I may consider the procedure in future. Myeggsmytime on Instagram reshared the news with their followers recently. I guess the question of whether I’ll be having children of my own is still up in the air, although I think I’d be a terrible mother. I have my own “mother wounds” to heal from too.
Anyway it’s late. This is what I’m thinking about this week in my little life.
