What goes through your mind when someone says “Let’s go for a drink”?

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A piece of perfectly written article for sharing. Food for thought.

There’s no end to wanting - after the Ferrari and Berkin bag, what’s next?

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By Lee Wei Ling

In 2007, in an end-of-year message to the staff of the National Neuroscience Institute, I wrote: ‘Whilst boom time in the public sector is never as booming as in the private sector, let us not forget that boom time is eventually followed by slump time. Slump time in the public sector is alwaysless painful compared to the private sector.’ Slump time has arrived with a bang.

While I worry about the poorer Singaporeans who will be hit hard, perhaps this recession has come at an opportune time for many of us. It will give us an incentive to reconsider our priorities in life. Decades of the good life have made us soft. The wealthy especially, but also the middle class in Singapore, have had it so good for so long, what they once considered luxuries, they now think of as necessities.

A mobile phone, for instance, is now a statement about who you are, not just a piece of equipment for communication. Hence many people buy the latest model though their existing mobile phones are still in perfect working order. A Mercedes-Benz is no longer adequate as a status symbol. For millionaires who wish to show the world they have taste, a Ferrari or a Porsche is deemed more appropriate.

The same attitude influences the choice of attire and accessories. I still find it hard to believe that there are people carrying handbags that cost more than thrice the monthly income of a bus driver, and many more times that of the foreign worker labouring in the hot sun, risking his life to construct luxury condominiums he will never have a chance to live in. The media encourages and amplifies this ostentatious consumption. Perhaps it is good to encourage people to spend more because this will prevent the recession from getting worse. I am not an economist, but wasn’t that the root cause of the current crisis -Americans spending more than they could afford to?

I am not a particularly spiritual person. I don’t believe in the supernatural and I don’t think I have a soul that will survive my death. But as I view the crass materialism around me, I am reminded of what my mother once told me: ‘Suffering and deprivation is good for the soul.’My family is not poor, but we have been brought up to be frugal. My parents and I live in the same house that my paternal grandparents and theirchildren moved into after World War II in 1945. It is a big house by today’s standards, but it is simple - in fact, almost to the point of being shabby.Those who see it for the first time are astonished that Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew’s home is so humble. But it is a comfortable house, a home we have got used to. Though it does look shabby compared to the new mansions on our street, we are not bothered by the comparison.

Most of the world and much of Singapore will lament the economic downturn. We have been told to tighten our belts. There will undoubtedly be suffering, which we must try our best to ameliorate. But I personally think the hard times will hold a timely lesson for many Singaporeans, especially those born after 1970 who have never lived through difficult times.

No matter how poor you are in Singapore, the authorities and social groups do try to ensure you have shelter and food. Nobody starves in Singapore. Many of those who are currently living in mansions and enjoying a luxurious lifestyle will probably still be able to do so, even if they might have to downgrade from wines costing $20,000 a bottle to $10,000 a bottle. They would hardly notice the difference.

Being wealthy is not a sin. It cannot be in a capitalist market economy. Enjoying the fruits of one’s own labour is one’s prerogative and I have no right to chastise those who choose to live luxuriously. But if one is blinded by materialism, there would be no end to wanting and hankering. After the Ferrari, what next? An Aston Martin? After the Hermes Birkin handbag, what can one upgrade to? Neither an Aston Martin nor an Hermes Birkin can make us truly happy or contented. They are like dust, a fog obscuring the true meaning of life, and can be blown away in the twinkling of an eye.

When the end approaches and we look back on our lives, will we regret the latest mobile phone or luxury car that we did not acquire? Or would we prefer to die at peace with ourselves, knowing that we have lived lives filled with love, friendship and goodwill, that we have helped some of our fellow voyagers along the way and that we have tried our best to leave this world a slightly better place than how we found it? We know which is the correct choice - and it is within our power to make that choice.

In this new year, burdened as it is with the problems of the year that has just ended, let us again try to choose wisely. To a considerable degree, our happiness is within our own control, and we should not follow the herd blindly.

*The writer is director of the National Neuroscience Institute. *

Aww.. I miss blogging so much.. But hate to say that I am still not that semangat to blog yet I have all my travelling post not done yet although I thought of not blogging them because it was such long time ago already. After chatting with Si Mun that day about how great Bangkok is, I’ve decided to write about one of my favourite trip of 2008. Not now, maybe later.

To start of my 1st post of the year, I want to do a recap of what happened in 2008. Ok ok, I’m outdated. Still relevant? Hmm.. it’s my blog after all, I write what I like to write. Who cares if it’s 2nd week of January already!

#1 Working in the same place, started off with increment, got demotivated numerous time. Now holding a portfolio that I am quite happy with, life’s better towards end 2008, still surviving.

#2 Own 3 pairs of Crocs. Broke 2 pairs of Cyprus (gosh, I still don’t know how on earth I did it!). Happy with my current Sassari.

Haiya, I searched the entire laptop can’t find the pictures of the other 2! Dammit

#3 Started blogging "consistently". 80 over posts sitting in my archive.. Still working hard to be a true blogger. p/s: to start with, I have included the watermark in my pictures

#4 Attended so many weddings that I have lost count of it.

#5 Bought my 1st laptop

#6 Went to Shenzhen (China) for the 1st time. Looking forward to go back again…

#7 Went Hong Kong Disneyland and Macau for 2nd time in consecutive years. Tried super expensive HK Steamboat, laughed over it.

 
Tsim Sha Tsui night view, expensive steamboat, Macau St Paul’s

#8 Bang ppl for the 1st time, kena bang by ppl for the 1st time also. No pictures, after accident where got mood to snap pictures. Arghh, proof that I am not a true blogger.

#9 Watch Gary Chow’s concert before he won the Golden Melody Awards Best Male Singer. OMG, he is such a great singer.

#10 Watch 5-7 movies. Not a big deal huh. I tell you - is a big deal for me lor! LOL.

#11 Flew to Redang Island and totally in love with its lovely beach. Gosh, it was the BEST ISLAND ESCAPE ever!

#12 Completed my ACCA studies and graduate before turning 21

#13 Followed my dad to Bangkok. The BEST travel destination I’ve ever been. It’s shopping heaven, food heaven, Thai people are just soooooo damn nice! I so wanna go to Bangkok again. Describing my Bangkok trip in this post won’t do justice. I can’t wait to announce to the whole wide world how great is this place!

#14 Travel to JB and SG n-times.

#15 Attended a course in Singapore again and met saw KY from kyspeaks.com. Arghh.. missed the chance to say hi! That’s another travel post.

In the Singapore Flyer, Orchard Rd Xmas Deco

#16 Bought so many pair of shades. and broke so many of it. LOL.

#17 Own a brand new Ipod Nano 4G. Purple colour summore.. @ DISCOUNT plus lots of FREE original accessories. Don’t jealous

#18 Started gym to be more healthy, loose some weight and er.. check out cute guys. Hehe.

#19 Own my 1st Coach Handbag and 2nd in 4 days. Thanks boss…

#20 Travel so frequently. Penang, Redang, Ipoh, JB, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Bangkok, ok not that much lar, but flying more than 5 times in 6 months is a tiring job. I salute those season travellers.

#21 Celebrated my 21st birthday with wedding-like (according to my friend) party :p

#22 Got my platinum credit card. Haha, it’s supplementary only with very low credit limit. Almost over swipe my 2 cards, bank account went negative TWICE! Gosh, how did I survive this?

#23 Learn to buy expensive clothes and shoes. Haha, for working mar. Started using minimal make up to work - tell me about it, I can’t leave the house without my MAC mascara (update: my MAC mascara failed on me, damn, I’m getting Lancome for a change!) & Stilla concealer! Better stop spending and save! Recession!

#24 Lost my cousin.

#25 Last but not least, went NY countdown with the gang. Can you believe that it is my first time countdown w/o my parents? Hmm.. I miss you girls..

Alright, better stop now. My battery is dying off.

No updates until I am done with my ACCA application. God, help me.

 
The Best Hot Chocolate - by Chili Espresso