AQ - violence/ Wu yinan

From passage one, the author suggested that "rates and criminal violence are higher in mobile and heterogeneous societies where it is hard to put down roots and establish the social glue that binds people into a community" I agree that this is one of the concerns which Singapore faces today due to the high influx of foreigners which might pose a harm to our society. Singapore is indeed a country with high mobility and is heterogeneous. Currently, roughly 40 percent of our population is made up of immigrants. The influx of immigrants may tear down our sense of belonging by diluting our culture and creates criminal violence only if the govenrnment did not intervene to prevent and ensure social cohesion as well as the encouragement of Singaporeans to accept the immigrants as one of us. Many locals were despondent to the fact that there is increased competition for job and resources with the immigrants. However so, Singapore's government had put in a lot of effort in trying to integrate and bond immigrants and permanent residents into our society. This is done through community based activities. There are also mega cultural projects being launched at the grassroot level to develop rapports and strengthen bonds between Singaporeans and immigrants, and a ten-million dollars integration fund helmed by the MCYS (Ministry of Community Youth and Sports) to oversee such an effort. Hence, this builds tolerance amongst the people and with this understanding, criminal violence could be avoided.

From passage 2, the author mentioned that "traditional parental control has disappeared and many Muslim families are headed by single parent". This social issue is strongly applicable to Singapore today. Indeed, parenthood had reduced over the years due to both working parents and changing lifestyles for both parent and children. This had lead to little time for communication between the two praties and traditional parental control seems relatively insignificant as compared to the past. Studies have shown that this lack of moral education will increase the chances for the child to commit a crime as he/she grows up as adults, and criminal violence is one of the examples. Nonetheless, Singapore's government had implemented policies like the "5-day civil servants work week" such that parents would have more time to interact with their children. Thus, this creates opportunities for parents and children to bond and as a result, insert some form of parental care and control over the child. Hence, reducing the risk of accurance of criminal violence in Singapore.

AQ-xingjie

The author of the Newsweek says that violence is higher in mobile and heterogeneous societies. This means that societies made up of people of different races and with immigration rates are likeier to experience higher violence rates. This is so due to the many varied views and way of thinking among the people which results in conflicts occurring or failure to assimilate into the local environment and way of life. This is of concern to Singapore as Singapore has a high immigration rate with people of diverse cultures. Close to a quarter of our population is made up of foreigners. For example, some foreign students who may not be able to assimilate into the Singapore’s education system which place high emphasise on excellence may ‘de-stress’ or let out their anger through violence means such as hurting others. However, other factors also play a part in affecting the violence rate. One such factor is the individual personality. More often than not, those who commit such violence acts are loners with few friends or companions to support them or offer a listening ear. For those with an open personality, they are able to make friends easily and find support from this core group when they are feeling down, instead of resorting to violence means to let out. Therefore, while mobile and heterogeneous societies do have a direct relation to violence, other factors such as the individual’s personality also plays a part.

Oliver Roy says that violence is due to inequality and cultural differences coming in conflict with high ideals. This means that difference in thinking, way of life, practice, income and what is the perfect example results violence. This is highly relevant to Singapore which is experiencing rising income inequity and foreign discontentment. For example, there were various protests by residents against the building of foreign dormitories or rental flats targeted at the low income near their estates. These residents fear a drop in their flats resale value and an increased crime rate. While the protests remained peaceful, it could turn out worse. Thus, inequality and cultural differences coming in conflict with high ideals does result in violence.

Cherlyn: tjc09_violence AQ

In passage 1, according to the author, “Rates of criminal violence are higher in mobile and heterogeneous societies where it is hard to put down roots and establish the social glue that binds people into a community.” This means that the author thinks that people from different cultures and societies tend to resort to criminal violence as they cannot live with one another. However, I disagree with the author on this point as different groups of people from different cultures and societies are able to live together and get along with each other in harmony. This is very evident especially in my country, Singapore as Singapore is a multi-racial country and there are a large number of immigrations as well. Yet, the people are still able to live together in harmony and the rate of criminal violence is largely minimised in Singapore. For example, Singaporeans living in flats have different groups of people as their neighbours and they are still living together peacefully and some even became good friends with each other. Thus, rates of criminal violence are not necessary higher in mobile in heterogeneous societies as different group of people are able to live together as one big community.
In passage 2, according to the author, he thinks that “this angry young population is highly deculturalised and individualised” is a reason to why criminal violence is so dominant. I agree to his point that teenagers that tend to be more self-centred and only think for themselves will bring about criminal violence as they do not bother about the harmful consequences it will bring to the society. However, this is not applicable to Singapore as many Singapore youths are not individualised and deculturalised. They do care about the society and they do not think only for themselves as youths were taught since young in schools that Singapore is a multi-racial country and people do help each other out as like being one big family. Thus, although the author thinks that the young population is highly deculturalised and individualised, but it is not applicable to my country, Singapore

JOY/tjc09_violence

Passage 1 says that “If barriers of language or culture keep an immigrant child from fitting in, it can increase the risk that he will become alienated and, given enough triggers, resort to violence.” Singapore is a cosmopolitan society where people from different countries are welcomed to apply for residency. With more than 70,000 new immigrants in 2009, this view is very applicable to our country. It is true that language and culture barriers can spark off unhappiness within this group of population and eventually lead to violence. Singaporeans are often judgmental and skeptical towards immigrants, especially if there is the possibility of having fewer jobs available for ourselves. Many times, as I have witnessed in school, foreign students are alienated and are not socially accepted, resulting in segregation even during mealtimes where the foreign students seat in a corner by themselves. Like passage 1 says, such an exclusive culture can stir up unhappiness due to the unjust treatment and this is definitely a trigger in causing them to turn to violence in order vent their anger and seek “revenge” on the locals.

Passage 2 says that “traditional parental control has disappeared”. This view is only partly applicable to Singapore’s context. Traditional parental control would refer to parents having the last say on various subjects with regards to the lives of their children these days. Indeed, the amount of control the adults have on their children these days is less than in the past, as more freedom has been accorded. However, it is not true that parents in Singapore no longer have any control over their children. Many parents still do set curfews and ground their kids when such measures are called for. Majority of the children in Singapore also still do obey and respect their parents, submitting to authority most of the time. Thus I would say that the view of parents no longer having control over their children is definitely not applicable to Singapore.

tjc09_violence/Evelyn/10A202

In passage one, the author states that, “Rates of criminal violence are higher in mobile and heterogeneous societies”. This means that societies that allow for easy immigration and is multiracial tend to have high levels of crime. However this is not true in the context of Singapore. Singapore is both multiracial and high mobility in migration and yet it has managed to keep its crime level to a minimum. This is done through the social integration of foreigners and minority groups so as to make them feel like a valuable citizen in society. In Singapore, Residents’ committees and community centres organise events and activities for residents to take part in and bond over. This gives the residents, who are of different racial backgrounds, a chance to understand each other and grow tolerance. Thus, this tolerance helps prevent racial criminal violence in Singapore. Hence, the view that ease in migration and multiracialism will lead to high level of criminal violence is not true.

In passage two, Olivier Roy claims that "This angry young population is highly deculturalised and individualised." This means that youths today are selfish and no longer in touch with their roots. This causes them to be easily influenced and swayed by what they see in the media and not be able to judge for themselves what is morally right. Hence, they become preoccupied in chasing what they believe is beneficial for them. This is true in most societies today including mine where youth readily follow peers whom they believe are cool. This usually leads to crimes and vices such as smoking, vandalism and stealing. This can be seen by the fact that the number of juvenile delinquents is now higher than it was ten years ago. This worrying trend in my society shows that it is indeed true that the lack of association with one’s heritage combined with a self-centred belief in one’s self may lead to crimes and vices.

TJC 2009_Violence/Kai Lin/10A202

The social issues raised in both passages would not be of much concern to my society.
The author of The Anatomy of Violence in Passage 1 says that immigrant children who have difficulty speaking the local language find it hard to settle in as a result, they are highly likely to feel outcast and possibly even display signs of violent tendencies. I disagree with the author in this social issue because many immigrant children or teenagers who grow up in countries foreign to them do not become violent people who have fought or even murdered. When placed in safe environments with a good education system, these children or students are unlikely to pick up traits of violence, whether or not they have language difficulties. For example, in Singapore, it is common to see foreign students in primary, secondary and even university schools. These foreigners usually perform well in terms of academic results and gain the respect of their peers because of their stellar results in almost every subject except perhaps English, if they hail from non-English-speaking backgrounds. Hence, their schoolmates look up to them and often request for study tips, proving that these foreign students integrate well into the social circles and are hence rarely outcast or shied away from. Also, there are co-curricular activities (CCAs) that bond Singaporean students with them, such as the Chinese Orchestra, Language Club, and International Dance Club, which allow foreign students to interact and form friendships as they feel comfortable in the familiar environment. Thus, these foreign students are very unlikely to act violently due to feelings of estrangement, as they are unlikely to feel that way in the first place. Hence this issue would not be of much concern to my society. However, it would be of concern to my society when these foreign children are not placed in healthy environments. In the case of Nanyang Technological University student David Widjaja, who was an Indonesian, falling to his death after stabbing his professor in 2009, one possible cause of the violent act is because he felt upset that his scholarship was terminated. Without any school counsellors to address his probably extreme feelings of disappointment and depression, David Widjaja vented his frustrations with a violent act on campus. Hence, in this case of an environment that bred aggression and violence as it failed to subdue it, my society should be threatened. However, since this is only a single case and not a trend, I feel that this social issue is not of much concern to Singapore.
In Passage 2, Olivier Roy says that the government in France has faced difficulties in promoting bonding between people living around each other, hence causing riots to occur. I disagree with the author in this social issue because the government can maintain harmony within a town and sustain it for a long time. Singapore has been enjoying peace and harmony for several decades now, due to the government's efforts in building community centres and organising events for the purpose of strengthening the community spirit. Thus, the threat of riots occurring in Singapore would not be of much concern as long as the government improves or maintains its efforts.

Oh Yi Na TJC VIOLENCE AQ

I agree with Passage 1 saying that "If barriers of language or culture keep an immigrant child from fitting in, it can increase the risk that he will become alienated and, given enough triggers, resort to violence." This can be applicable to Singapore as today, the population of almost 4.5 million includes thousands of foreign workers from across Southeast and South Asia. As some of the foreign immigrants are from countries which has only one race, it becomes difficult for them to be working with or living with people of other racial or religion groups. In this case, conflicts may break out and violence maybe be the only solution left. For example, the incident when an Indonesian student studying in Nanyang Technological University stabbed his professor due to his professor failing him for one of his projects. This may be only one out of the many reasons which resulted in the incident as alienation and unfamiliar culture and environment may also be why this Indonesian student resorted to violence. Therefore, language and culture barriers being able to trigger violence is applicable to my society.

In passage 2, Olivia Roy says that "This angry young population is highly deculturalised and individualised. " This is applicable to Singapore as youths nowadays are becoming more rebellious increasing youth crime rates in the society. Most of them usually go with the current flow and do what is popular instead of what is right. This causes many youths to succumb to peer pressure when they commit crimes like vandalism or stealing.  Racial criticisms are also popular among youths today as they hold little or no respect for mostly the minority races. New media aggravates the situation as many youths are able to voice out their negative opinions on personal blogs or networking sites like twitter. Since then, people would be jailed if they verbally or in any other ways insult other racial or religious groups. All these violence-related activies are caused by youths being deculturalised and self-centred resulting in this issue being a concern to my society.

Tjc09_violence/Carmen Chan/ 10A202

In passage 1, the author states that "Rates of criminal violence are higher in mobile and heterogeneous societies". He believes that societies which are diverse make it difficult for individuals to feel as one community, this in turn results in the high rate of criminal violence. This is especially true in societies with different ethnicities and religions. In such societies, it is essential that everyone is made to feel equal and that nobody is singled out. If individuals feel that they do not belong to a community, they may resort to joining radical groups that commit criminal violence. Conversely, if social peace were to be maintained, the likelihood of criminal violence is low. However, I believe that this is not applicable to Singapore. In Singapore, we enjoy social stability and that fact that Singapore is the only country to celebrate racial harmony day is further testimony to our efforts in keeping Singapore a cosmopolitan nation. Even though Singapore is nation comprising of different races and religions, criminal rates one of the lowest in the world. Hence, I believe that this belief is not applicable to Singapore as despite being a diverse nation, we enjoy low criminal rates.

 

In passage 2, the author states that the reason for criminal violence in France is that the young population is highly deculturalised and individualised. I agree with this statement as a population that lacks culture and has a mind-set that 'it is every man for himself' will indeed result in high criminal violence. This is because the young population would be selfish and do as they please, even if it hurt the community. Compounded with that, they will not have any roots to relate to as they lack culture. However, I do not believe that this viewpoint is applicable to Singapore as there is a strong emphasis on culture and the fact that everyone has a part to play in the community, regardless if they are young or old. In Singapore, the young are encourage to take part in Community Involvement Progammes (CIP) which fosters community bonding. Furthermore, the four ethnicities in Singapore practice racial tolerance toward each other. Hence, despite being a cosmopolitan nation, we are in touch with our different roots. Hence I do not believe that this is applicable to Singapore.

Eunice / tjc09_violence

“Rates of criminal violence are higher in mobile and heterogeneous societies.” The author of passage 1 believes that a country consisting of many different types of people is more prone to criminal violence than a country that consists of a single race. He attributes this to the assumption that people of the same race will get along better because of the deeper understanding that they have towards their own racial group. With racial tolerance, people may be unlikely to end up in disputes or fights, which may therefore reduce criminal violence. However, I disagree that criminal violence rates are necessarily higher in heterogeneous countries. In Singapore, the assumption that criminal violence rates are higher in mobile and heterogeneous societies does not hold. Singapore is a multi-racial country and people of many different races stay together in this small land area. Although so, Singapore has low crime rates and minimal criminal violence rates. This shows that it is possible for people of different races to come across one another without resulting in any conflicts. The peace in Singapore can be attributed to the fact that all races are treated equally. No single race is treated better or seen to be of higher class and this is backed by the law in Singapore. Therefore, the view that rates of criminal violence are higher in mobile and heterogeneous societies is not applicable to Singapore’s society.
“Traditional parental control has disappeared and many Muslim families are headed by a single parent.” The author of Passage 2 believes that single parenthood and the lack of traditional parental control can lead to an increase in criminal violence. This is because there is little guidance that the children receive and hence, it might lead to them committing crimes. However, this is not applicable to Singapore’s society. Divorce rates have increased from 4,888 in 1997 to 7,226 in 2007 but there hasn’t been any significant increase in criminal violence rates. This shows that children brought up by a single parent are not necessarily more likely to commit crimes. It can be attributed to the fact that Singapore has a boys’ home and girls’ home that helps in disciplining children that are out of hand. Parents who cannot control their children might choose to send them to the home where there are professionals to control and teach them. There also isn’t any significant change in traditional parental control in Singapore. Therefore, the view that the lack of traditional parental control and being brought up by a single parent will lead to a higher rate of criminal violence is not applicable to Singapore’s society.

Yee Tat /tjc09_violence

In passage 1, the author states that it is neither one experience nor one biology trait that causes someone to commit violence but instead it’s a combination of all factors. The most common factor which seems to have a large impact is living in a mobile and heterogeneous society – as it causes one to feel alienated thus leading to him becoming frustrated and want to release his pent-up anger through a medium like violence. Such cases of social segregation resulting in violence is not very applicable to Singapore as the government tries it best to breed racial harmony between its citizens and encourages tolerance of each other differences and beliefs. Singapore has assimilated many foreigners into our culture and way of life, this reduces the chances of an individual feeling that he is isolated from society and hence may turn to violence as a mean to release his frustration and anger towards the society he is living in. The government also has developed more common spaces for greater interaction between the different races to increase their understanding towards each other. Such practises would certainly prevent violence resulting from lack of tolerance. Hence government involvement in areas of assimilating foreigners and promoting tolerance between the different races and religions shows that the issue of social segregation is of concern to Singapore.

In passage 2, violence erupted in the country in context because people are denied of having a different identity as they seek to be recognized as different group and seek acceptance. When this fails, they use violence as a means of vengeance. This is not very applicable to Singapore, as Singapore is a multi-cultural society where people of different races and religions are seen everywhere. This has resulted in everyone having an identity of their own choice as Singaporeans are used to having other citizens being of a different race and religion. This is thanks to the promotion of social tolerance by the Singaporean government. However in the past, due to differences of racial perception, riots such as the Maria Hertogh riot in 1950 and the 1969 racial riot has erupted before as Malays in Singapore felt aggrieved by decisions made seen to be anti-Malay. Hence the government has worked hard to promote racial harmony to prevent a recurrence of similar episode.

Amirah/tjc09_Violence

In passage 1, the writer of Newsweek says that ‘Clearly culture matters’. This implies that a nation’s culture is partly responsible for the amount of criminal violence committed outside wars and civil conflicts. A possible explanation would be the acceptance of immigrants in a nation. If immigrants do not feel accepted, disastrous consequences could occur which could hurt society as this minority may result to ‘criminal violence’ to get attention or vent their anger. This notion is highly relevant in Singapore as she is a cosmopolitan country with quite a large number of foreigners residing there. If the immigrants here are extremely displeased, a social conflict may occur as the number of foreigners is a significant enough to stir trouble. For example, there are cases where domestic workers attempted to harm their employers. However, this is applicable to a small minority and may not always be the case. Even though there are 34.6% people living in Singapore in 2008, the number of criminal violence committed by them is minimal and almost non-existent. Therefore, although the writer claims that a country’s culture is partly to be blamed for criminal violence, it is inaccurate. Thus, it is not applicable in my society.

In passage 2, Oliver Roy writes that violence occurs due to ‘anger fuelled by unemployment and racism’. This implies that lack of jobs as well as discrimination of one’s ethnicity and skin colour leads to discontentment. This can be applied to my society to an extent. For example in 1964, race riots occurred between the Malays and Chinese. It was sparked by articles in a Malay Newspaper, Utusan Melayu which fueled the Malays’ anger at being mistreated. Hence, racism may lead to violence in my society. However, the author’s claim that unemployment may similarly lead to violence is flawed and not entirely applicable in my society. For example, the 2008 economic slowdown caused many in the airline and banking industry to be retrenched. Yet, there were no cases of violence reported. Hence, the author's claim is flawed and not entirely applicable in my society.

shazunah/tjc09_violence

In passage one, the author states that, “Rates of criminal violence are higher in mobile and heterogeneous societies where it is hard to put down roots and establish the social glue that binds people into a community.” It is inevitable that such societies would have higher rate of criminal violence as these people do not see themselves as a community hence they do not have the sense of belonging and dependency towards their society. This may be due to differences in race and nationality as mobile societies often have higher rate of immigrants into their countries. Such differences may lead to criminal violence when there is lack of understanding due to lack of communication. This is applicable to my society as Singapore has a growing number of immigrants from all over the world mainly from China and India. Such large number of immigrants may affect the livelihood of the residents if these foreign workers are not able to adapt to the local social habits. Cleanliness, safety, transportation and noise were among the major issues affecting the residents. Residents have complaint that during the night of every weekend or public holiday, hundreds or may be a thousand of foreign workers (mostly if not all Indian nationals) congregate over a large area stretching from the rectangular open space in front of the Boon Lay MRT Station to the periphery of the interchange. The masses not only leave a great deal of unsightly litter. Education is not able to resolve the problem as Singapore is increasingly taking more immigrants therefore it is rendered useless. On the other hand, immigrants may also face frustrations as they live in cramped dormitories which are located next to Choa Chu Kang Cemetery. There are also a few other dormitories for such workers in other areas, such as Kaki Bukit, Woodlands, Jurong and Geylang. Some of these locations are far-flung hence causing inconvenience to these immigrants. There is a clear line between immigrants and the locals hence misunderstanding between the two parties can easily trigger criminal violence. Hence this social issue on criminal violence is evidently applicable to my society in Singapore.

On top of that, passage two mentions that increased emphasis on multiculturalism and respect for other cultures would solve criminal violence. This is only applicable to the minority, even with emphasized multiculturalism there bound to be disagreements and disputes as there is still distinction between different cultures. There may be acceptance but any misunderstanding can cause criminal violence to happen. This is applicable to my society as Singapore is a multi cultural nation where we celebrate racial harmony to emphasize on multiculturalism. However such bonds and understanding can be easily threatened by terrorist tendencies. Mas Selamat, a JI member captured in Singapore have caused tensions and suspicion between the different religious groups hence such emphasis may not be effective to preventing criminal violence.

Yi Lin / tjc09_violence

The author states that of passage 1 states that "rates of criminal violence are higher in mobile and heterogenous societies". This is not very applicable to my society as Singapore is also a country made up of people of many different races, cultures and religions but Singapore still enjoys low crime rates. These shows that as long as people can respect one another, and not create social segregation, the differences between people will not result in criminal violence. For instance, the government enforces strict law and punishments to people who make negative remarks to other races or religions to ensure peace in the country. Events and programs are also organized by grassroots organizations such as People's Association, Residents' Committees and Community Centres help develop greater common space for Singaporeans to interact. With greater interaction, this enhances racial understanding which can prevent violence to result from misunderstandings. Even though what the government has done is limited as there is still a group of people in Singapore who remains biased towards certain racial or religious groups, criminal violence can be avoided through practicing tolerance.

Next, Oliver Roy states that violence is due to "anger fuelled by unemployment and racism”. This shows that unequal rights will lead to discontentment amongst people. This is true in my society where racial riots broke out due to suspicion and unhappiness among the people. In 1946, Singapore experienced race riots which resulted in 36 dead and 560 injured. It happened as the Malay paper Utusan Melayu was used to arouse feelings of dissatisfaction among Malays by portraying the People's Action Party as anti-Malay. However, if the people are able to clear their misunderstandings towards one another violence would not have broke up. Thus, it is important for the different racial groups to interact and make friends with one another.

Afiqah/tjc09_violence

The author states that one of the instigative causes that have led to criminal violence is the element of extreme gore violence incorporated in videogames. The nature of such videogames instills euphoric achievement upon completion of destruction in the videogames, which prompts children who actively play them to be addicted to the feeling of superiority after exerting their violent prowess. This view is highly applicable to the issue of criminal violence in the Singapore society because the availability of such videogames is becoming increasingly prevalent and fast gaining popularity especially with the installation of the latest Xbox series, Wii and PlayStation sets. The particularly alarming figures are actually the age of videogame players which are getting smaller. Younger children are gaining exposure to games that promote violence daily. This does not even exclude other influences that also promote the same trait of violence- cartoons such as Happy Tree Friends which depict gory bloodbath scenes of adorable animals in a humorous manner in short four minute clips fashion online as well as movies such as Karate Kid which stimulates violence in children as a means of efficient solution to problems as it portrays violent aggressors in an honorable and inspirational light. Therefore I believe that caution has to be exercised among parents and educators in allowing their children to be constantly exposed to influential sources that may trigger violence and aggression.

Hawa / tjc09_violence

The author in Passage 1 said that there is a relation between the culture of the country and the rates of murder and violence in a country. Countries with a greater diversity of culture are likely to have higher rates of murder and violence in a country because immigrants are said to be more likely to resort to violence to be successful in their new country. This may be applicable to Singapore as a cosmopolitan city and there is a constant influx in the number of foreign workers here. Thus, this means that these foreign workers who are success-driven would go all out commit an act of murder or violence in order to be successful in Singapore. However, this view may not be entirely true because if that were so, Singapore would have extremely high homicide rates given the number of foreign workers here. Furthermore, foreign construction workers in Singapore are usually housed in cramped dormitories and do not exactly have very high pay cheques. Despite that, there have been little or no cases of these foreign construction workers murdering their employers for their predicament. Hence, although the view which states that countries with a greater diversity of culture are likely to have higher rates of murder and violence raises concern since Singapore has a multi-racial society, the underlying reason behind this view is flawed. Thus, this makes inapplicable in Singapore’s context.

The author is Passage 2 said that many people perceive violence as “religiously motivated”. This view is highly applicable to Singapore. Since the world was shook by the September 11 incident carried out by Islamic militants, many acts of violence and bombings have been associated to religious views. This issue is of great concern in Singapore today because we live in a country with many different religions. The notion that violence is “religiously motivated” can cause mistrust and suspicion among citizens, which will consequently disrupt the social cohesion in Singapore. This can be detrimental to Singapore as this can lead to other undesirable effects like the racial riots in 1964. Moreover, the recent arrest of the self-radicalised fulltime NSman who was interested in militant jihad may cause further disturbance in Singapore as gullible non-Muslims in Singapore may stereotype all Muslims as being involved in violence which are related to the religion. Hence, this view is highly applicable to Singapore as the terrorist threats which are thought to be carried out by those who are religiously-driven still exist.

LYNN/ tjc09_violence

From passage 1 by the Newsweek, the author claims that there has been an increasing rate of criminal violence in countries with higher accessibility and those that differ in their social structure where it is hard to bond people together as one. This is indeed true in my society. For example, in the recent stabbing incident in Nanyang Technological University (NTU) shows that with increasing accessibility to weapons and the difference in social status may drive an individual to turn violent. On the other hand, it is also an overgeneralised statement. Having differences among countries, let alone individuals, makes them unique. Even if there are differences, criminal violence can still be minimized in countries. My country, Singapore, is a multi-racial society. The government managed to promote peace among all citizens by building a common identity through events like Racial Harmony Day. Hence, the possibility for an individual to turn violent still depends mainly on his characteristics, and not only the surroundings.

Roy looks at the cause of violence as a act of vengeance at being denied their cultural heritage. I think that this is applicable to my society. In 1964, there was a race riot that took place in Singapore between the Chinese and Malay. The cause of the riot was that the ties between People's Action Party (PAP) and the UMNO were severely strained after being competitors in the 1964 Malaysia federal election. As PAP were mainly filled by the Chinese, the Malays may have felt that they were unable to do their part for the country because of their race. This thus caused the act of vengeance using violence. On the other hand, this may be minimal on the global level. Cultural heritage is deep-rooted within a person. For larger scaled incidents like the September 11 terrorist attack, misconceptions by the terrorists can be seen as they take innocent lives. Therefore, this shows that there are other factors contributing to the use of criminal violence and not only cultural heritage.

LELING/tjc09_violence

The author in passage one says that “no single experience or character trait is sufficient, no single one to blame.” This means that there are many factors that lead to criminal violence. This is applicable to my country as criminal violence cases in Singapore are often attributed to many factors. This can be seen in the NTU stabbing incident where an Indonesian scholar stabbed a professor before committing suicide. There are many factors that had led to this tragedy which includes stress, difficulty in integrating in the school and inequality treatment. However, there is often one main factor that attributes to criminal violence. Inequality treatment is exemplified in the riot where the Malay newspaper, Utusan Malayu had false reporting that there was discrimination against the Malays in Singapore’s housing policies in the 1960s. Criminal violence usually occurs as a result of unfair treatment that engenders an unbalanced psychology leading to aggression. However, all these grudges of having inequality treatment would not have occurred if the people were able to tell right from wrong. Hence, there are many factors that attributes to criminal violence.

The author in passage two says that criminal violence occurs when “any culture in which inequities and cultural differences come in conflict with high ideals”. This means that a different identity is the main factor that lead to criminal violence. This is applicable to my country as most of the criminal violence cases occurred as a result of lack of common identity. Some of these criminal violence cases include the 1950 maria hertogh riot, 1964 communal riot and 1969 racial riot. However, different identities may not be the main factor. Instead, it is the unfair treatment that people received that cause criminal violence. For example, the 1954 National Service Riots occurred when students were unwilling to defend a foreign government which in their time of need, deserted them. However, the National Service Riots is still a case where Singaporeans do not share a common identity with the British government. Hence, a different identity is still a main factor that leads to criminal violence.

tjc09_violence_01/ Wen Rui

According to the author of Passage 1(Newsweek), he believes that “rates of criminal violence are higher in mobile and heterogeneous societies where it is hard to put down roots and establish the social glue that binds people into a community”. This implies that if people of different culture and race live together, it is difficult to maintain social cohesion and harmony as they have no common background or history to relate to. This can be seen in my society where there had been criminal violence by foreign immigrants. For example, in the recent Kallang rampage in Singapore, a gang consisting of foreigners - Sarawakians organized a gang robbery which resulted in one foreign worker dead and few others seriously injured. Hence this shows that in a country with many migrants like Singapore, rates of criminal violence have increased due to lack of mutual understanding and care for each other. Hence the author view is applicable to my society as Singapore has over 1.35million of foreigners in a total population 4.48 million and that criminal violence by foreign workers has been on the rise.
However, the author’s view may not fully applicable to my society as there had been ongoing efforts to prevent criminal violence and to promote harmony between people of difference races. For example, 800 Integration and Naturalisation Champions from grassroots organisations, go about helping newcomers settle in and integrate into their communities as part of their daily lives. Hence, even if Singapore is a heterogeneous society, rate of criminal violence may not be necessarily higher as there is prevention to curb such problems.

The author’s view of Passage 2(New York Times Syndicate) may not be applicable to my society. The author believes that criminal violence - riots in France were mainly due to “social and economic exclusion”. As the immigrants were not given equal chances in work and other opportunities, it bred dissatisfaction and generated unhappiness. The occurrence of riots in our society would be of concern as it would affect Singapore adversely. This could be seen from the 1964 race riot in Singapore that occurred during Prophet Muhammad birthday celebration which resulted in thirty-six people dead and five hundred injured. Hence, criminal violence – riots would be of concern to our society. However, the author’s view is not applicable to our society as everyone is treated fairly in Singapore, regardless of race or religion and everyone would be given equal work opportunities. According to one of the four guiding principles of governance – Reward for Work, Work for Reward, people should be rewarded based on what they do, not who they are. Hence, “social and economic exclusion” would not happen in Singapore.

In conclusion, the author’s view from passage 1 is more applicable to Singapore.

Wu Yinan/ How far do you agree taht traditional gender roles are a thing of the past?

Traditional roles are a thing of the past because in today's society, women have been given more rights than they had in the past, causing the abolishment of the old stereotypical view of a women's job. Some stereotypes against women may be the lack of education and employment opportunities given for them to compete on an equal footing with men. Currently, there had been an increase in emancipation of women globally, in the form of employment, equal social status, rights and opportunities to education and voting rights. This proves that men are no longer the ones who work as women takes up the post as well. However, some critics may argue that women are still the sole provider for emotional support in a family as they are expected to take care of the children as well as chores even if they work. Rebutting to this point, i argue that traditional roles are a thing of the past although it may seem to prevail in some parts of the world. another evidence to back up my point is that more and more families are hiring foreign domestice workers to act as house keepers and this proves that women may not always be catering to the needs of the family. hence, i believe that traditional gender roles are a thing of the past.

Oh Yi Na/ "They don't connect" Does this reflect the relationship between adults and adolescents today?

Some may argue that the basic interests of adolescents and adults are completely different. Since adults and adolescents grew up in very different environments due to globalisation rapidly changing the times we are living in,  they tend to have different lifestyles and interests. What seem to interest an adult may seem boring to an adolescent. For example, teenagers are more likely to listen to pop music while adults prefer the oldies. Also, adults who are mostly working full-time may be trying to earn as much money as they can while adolescents, on the other hand are mainly studying hard trying to get a good job in the future. This may result in them not being able to relate to one another since both groups of people are in different fields of area acheiving success. However, adults and adolescents still connect as they depend on the support of others to gain success. Adolescents still need to rely on adults for emotional and financial support to acheive success academically. Adults would regard adolescents as a source of motivation to work hard towards success. For example, parents are usually slogging their heads out day and night so as to provide the best for their children. Therefore, even though some may argue that the basic interets of adolescents and adults may differ, they still connect in the sense that at the end of the day, they would still need to reply on one another or even others for support to lead them to success.

Eunice / To what extent should the Singapore government be responsible for taking care of the elderly?

The Singapore government may be expected to take care of the elderly if they are not financially supported. As Singapore faces the problem of an ageing population, special attention may be expected to be given to the elderly because they make up the basis of Singapore’s society. They are also the weaker group of people who need more support in their old age after retirement, therefore monetary benefits are expected to be given to them so as to ensure that they can survive financially. An example of monetary support given to the elderly is the ElderShield insurance scheme. It provides basic financial protection which helps to pay off the expenses for the care of a severely-disabled person above the age of forty through monthly cash payouts. This ensures that the welfare of the elderly is taken care of. However, the Singapore government should not be solely responsible for taking care of the elderly to the extent that the country’s resources are drained because of the growing dependence on the government. The government is responsible for the welfare of Singaporeans but the family unit should work hand in hand with the government to ensure that the elderly are well taken care of. Working children of the elderly who have a stable income should be responsible for providing financial support for their elderly parents. Support from the government should only come in when the family unit itself is unable to solve the financial problems so that the government’s monetary funds can be channeled to improve on other areas such as the education system. Therefore, the Singapore government should not be responsible for taking care of the elderly to the extent that it drains the limited amount of resources, or when the elderly can be dependent on other sources like their family members.

Xingjie - they don't connect

Adolescents and adults today do not connect as they share different basic interests. The basic interests of today’s adolescents and adults differ greatly in terms of fashion, music, leisure activities. Without a common interest, there is no common platform to bridge the divide between adolescents and adults. For example adolescents listen to pop or rock music whereas adults prefer more soothing classical music or jazz. However, having different interests does not mean that adults and adolescents do not connect. Although their specific interest may differ, their main interest still remains the same. For example in terms of fashion, both adults and adolescents may follow different fashion trends but at the end of the day, they both share a common interest which is fashion. Also, there has been a revival in past leisure activities. For example kite flying has made a comeback with increasing popularity among adolescents. As such, adolescents and adults today do connect as they share the same core interest and also, there has been a revival in past trends.

Yee Tat/ '' They don't connect '' Does this reflect the relationship between adults and adolescents today?

Both adults and adolescents are after success in their respective fields. This spurs them on to excel in their respective fields regardless of their fields. While some may say this is a common ground where both adult and adolescents share, as they realize each other's need for individual success and thus will encourage and support each other to achieving their respective goals. For example, an adolescent is dependant on an adult's monetary contribution to his daily living and hence this may be seen as a form of support to the adolescent's climb to success. The reality of this is that what adults and adolescents view as being ' successful ' in their respective fields may not be acknowledged by the opposite party. For example, if an adolescent achieve the rank of number one gamer in Singapore, adults, especially his parents, may not view it as a success but instead claim the adolescent is neglecting his studies and not pursing in what they view as ' success' - to excel academically. In addition, the road to success for an adult is a long and arduous one, he has to sacrifice his time with his child and thus may not have time to bond and connect with the adolescent. This success for adults usually involves finances and his position within the company. This may not be viewed as a huge success by adolescent as their perception of success may differ from adults as they seek recognition from their peers instead of self-acknowledgement of one's success through his own perseverance and abilities. Hence, an adult and adolescent have different or conflicting views over what is truly ' success' and hence they would not be able to connect through their shared goal of achieving individual success. Therefore, they may not connect due to their different views of success.

shazunah/ a strong family foundation is the best way to address social ills. do you agree?

A strong family foundation may be helpful in preventing social ills from happening. This can be done through instilling strong values at young age. Values such as abstinence may be hold on by many through the years only if they choose to do so and appreciate the value of abstinence. Unfortunately a strong family foundation alone may not be able to address social ills such as teenage pregnancy caused by the lack of education. In the case of teenage pregnancy, constituitional support from schools would be better to train the individual in rational thinking. Teenagers would appreciate abstinence when they understand the consequences of teenage pregnancy. More thorough information can be provided by the schools to deter such social ills from taking place. One of the ways is for schools to teach sexual education that would be relevant to a certain age group of students. This would allow students to have a better understanding and avoid such a problem. In addition, a strong family foundation may not be able to address social ills that result from compulsive behaviour. Such a behaviour would be beyond the control of any family that they would require government intervention in the form of the law and other reformative institutions that may be better at alleviating the various forms of compulsive disoder. Members of family of family who suffers from compulsive behaviour may be sent to rehabilitation centres and asylums for help. Therefore a strong family foundation alone may not be able to address social ills that may be out of their control hence help from various parties is necessary.

Amirah/ "They don't connect" Does this reflect the relationship between adults and adolescents today?

Both adults and adolescents value individual success though in different fields. Thus, in this way they may connect through this shared goal. Due to the competitive nature of the workforce nowadays, adults tend to be career-minded and strive to be successful in their careers. This trait is common among adults and thus, they may not spend as much time with their children as compared to their careers On the same note, adolescents strive to succeed in their academics. Hence some may argue that due to each individual’s drive for success, adults may not spend enough time with adolescents and vice versa making it almost impossible to bond and ‘connect’. However, this similarity in vision may bond both groups more effectively than what society gives credit for. Adolescents’ need adults in their goal for success in the form of monetary support as well as valuable advice adults may have to offer stemmed from experience. For example, an adolescent needs financial support to complete her education as well as basic necessities such as food and shelter which is essential in succeeding in the academic field. Thus, due to this dependence on adults, adolescents inevitably involve adults in their climb to success and hence ‘connect’ over it vice versa. Nevertheless, what counts as a success to adolescents may not seem like a success to adults. This may be a result of the different priorities and expectations the two separate groups have. Adults’ definition of success would tend to be more on the financial scale and how well they are performing in the office while adolescents may not view it as a priority thus not what they would term a success. This is a result of the different roles they play in life at that point of time. For example, an adolescent may think winning an online gaming competition a success while adults may see this as a waste of time and definitely not success. As adults and adolescents have conflicting views on what success means, they may not see eye to eye thus not being able to connect through their common goal to achieve individual success. Therefore, adults and adolescents may not connect due to their different views of success.

Yi Lin/Have new media changed our lives for the better?

New media may not have changed our lives for the better as the user-generated content may cause the problem of unreliability. People can express their views on various topics through the use of new media such as blogs, podcasts, forums, social networking websites and more. The credibility of information is an issue as many sources available are unverified. For example, the information on Wikipedia is written by people of the general public who may lack the knowledge and expertise in that area. Some information may be inaccurate as they are not vetted like the articles published on newspapers and books, the older of media. However, I believe that the users of new media are discerning users and will not blindly believe and all use the user-generated content. Netizens themselves are willing and able to verify information when taught how to do so. They can cross-reference the information found on the new media with the information found on the more reliable and renowned websites to ensure the information is correct. Also, with the help of google and yahoo, people can double check the content on the websites they find useful by going to other websites to look at the relevant content. The information would most likely be reliable if they coincide with one another. Thus, as long as people are able to make their own judgments and do not accept all the information found on the new media readily, the new media has definitely changed our lives for the better as we can get the information we want at our fingertips.

Cherlyn/ To what extent should the Singapore governmentbe responsible in taking care of the elderly?

Some people may expect the Singapore government to be responsible for taking care of the elderly in Singapore when the elderly are unable to take care of themselves financially which will increase the burden of the society. In today’s society, many elderly are unemployed due to their old age and they are not being as physically fit as the young to continue working. As a result, many of them have a loss in income and are not able to provide for themselves. For example, many of the elderly in Singapore today have to go around coffee shops and even dustbins to collect used cans or even go round selling tissue papers so that they can at least earn a little income to provide for themselves. Some of the elderly is so poor that they don’t even have a roof over their head and have to sleep in void decks. Thus, the government may need to provide these elderly financial needs so that their standard of living. However, the Singapore government should not be solely responsible in taking care of the elderly to the extent such that the government’s resources are being drained out. Family members should also be play an active role in taking care of the elderly and not just depend on the Singapore government to provide financial assistance for the elderly. For example, family members of the elderly can live together with the elderly and give them some allowance to spend so that these elderly can still provide for themselves with the help of their family members and not just solely rely on the Singapore government. Thus, although some people may expect the Singapore government to be responsible in taking care of the elderly financially, but there are other factors such as family members that can provide for their family members financially as well.

Evelyn/ "They don't connect". Does this reflect the relationship between adults and adolescents today?

Adults and adolescents tend to share a common goal in chasing their dreams despite being in different fields. Such a goal will push both adults and adolescents harder in order to excel in their respective fields. Hence, they will share a common understanding in the importance and need for individual success. This can be seen in today's society where parents and children tend to root and urge each other on in their own way, proving moral and emotional support. Some may argue that this need for individual success will will escalate into an obsession breeding self-centered individuals that wil stop at nothing in order to achieve their goals. This is to say that individuals in society may in fact be pulling away from each other. However, while such practices do happen, they are a mere minority. Most of society do care about other individuals while trying their best to achieve their goals. This can be seen in school where teachers do their best to support and nurture the youth in reaching their goals in life be it sports, academics or arts even though their primary job is to teach. Many companies that are run by adults also do offer scholarships and grants to teenagers with the talent and drive that may or may not be in the company's field of expertise. The fact that such groups in society are willing to give up their time, effort and money in order to help others improve proves that society is indeed not self-consumed in the obsession to succeed but rather using it as a common ground where individuals young and old do connect.

Afiq/ Have new media changed our lives for the better?

Some may argue that new media has not improved our lives for the better as it has led to the abuse of freedom of speech by ignorant users. Given the nature of new media which feeds on user-generated content on a variety of online platforms, users have the opportunity to voice their opinions via the same medium even though their personal thoughts could verge on sensitive issues. Ignorant users who freely express themselves at the expense of others' welfare without much consideration would be abusing their freedom of speech by agitating other users with their hurtful words or comments. This pervasive issue have the potential to attract unnecessary chaos when socio-political topics are broached, such as ethnicity and religion and gives rise to controversies. In the case of universities in Canada, the restrictions placed on students and staff on whether or not they are allowed to express their ideas freely via hosted web content seems to vary from school to school. Northwestern University, which was involved in a controversy with a hosted web page regarding the holocaust, still allows web content with freedom of speech, but any controversial opinions must have a disclaimer that explains that the content does not represent the views of the school. This indicates the near possibility of resticting freedom of speech which would usually be accompanied by hateful content. However, this generalisation could prove otherwise as not all users are insensitive and many are relatively responsible users. User generated content on the Internet also are constantly under the watchful eyes of netizens who would regulate content regularly to ensure information disseminated are not only objective, but also accurate and succint. This helps to maintain order online so as to prevent widespread discrimination or exploitation of users. In Singapore, netizens play an active role in upholding freedom of speech judging by the quantitive number of cases reported daily. Ultimately, new media has presented users with an exponential source of knowledge and incorporated the value of equality among users through freedom of speech.

Wen Rui/ To what extent should the government be responsible for taking care of the elderly?

The Singapore Government maybe expected to be responsible in taking care of the elderly when the elderly are unable to take care of themselves financially in which this will increase the economic burden of the society. As some elderly do not have enough savings for their retirement, they often face the persistent problem of having to pay expensive healthcare bills. As they are more prone to illness, these frequent medical bills would be a drain to their finances. Hence, the government may need to intervene and provide the elderly with ample and financial help so as to protect the welfare of the elderly. For instance, the Central Provident Fund (CPF) , Medisave, Medishield and Medifund (3Ms) are policies implemented by the government to keep healthcare services affordable to all Singaporeans, especially for the elderly and the lower income family groups. Therefore, the government may be expected to provide financial aid so that the elderly would still be able to support themselves.
However, the Singapore government should not be solely responsible in taking care of the elderly to the extent until the government’s resource are drained out and the society becomes too dependent on the government to provide monetary aid for the elderly, regardless whether the elderly are able to take care of themselves. There are independent elderly Singaporeans who are able to provide and support themselves without the aid of others due to good long term retirement planning. In such cases, the Singapore government should not be responsible in taking care of them financially and this would prevent an over-reliance on the government which is unhealthy for the society. By not over providing for the elderly, the Singapore government would also be able to focus on the other areas such as providing financial assistance for education to the needy. Therefore, the Singapore government should not be responsible for taking care of the elderly when the elderly are financially stable or when it neglects other aspects of the society.

Leling/ "They don't connect" Does this reflect the relationship between adults and adolescence today?

Some may argue that the basic interests of adults and adolescences differs and thus do not connect. With differing interests, adults and adolescences may not have common topics to talk about,engendering less communications between the two. This can be seen in the different types of music that adolescences and adults are interested in. Most adolescence are interested in pop songs while most adults are more interested in music that are popular during their generation. For example, many adolescences are into kpop while adults are more interested in songs sung by The Beatles. However, there are still common interests shared by both adults and adolescences that still connects them. As times have changed, the disparity of interests between adults and adolescences have also narrowed. For example, many adults are as into playing online games on facebook as the adolescences today. Similarly, many adolescences are also interested in "retro" fashion during the seventies and eighties. Such common interests between adults and adolescences help them to have something in common, bridging the two. Hence, adolescences and adults still connect because of the many interests that are shared between them today.

Carmen Chan/ "They don't connect" Does this reflect the relationship between adults and adolescents today?

Some may say that adults and adolescents do not connect as teenagers may be more technologically adept as compared to adults who may be intimidated by technology which may be foreign to them. This is evident as today's youth have grown up with technology. Known as the Y generation, teens have lived in a technological savvy world and hence it is no surprise that they may be more technological adept than adults. However, this is an over-generalization and cannot be applied to all adults and adolescents today. This is due to the fact that adults are also as technologically adept as adolescents as they do use technology; just for different purposes. For example, majority of working adults have to use technologies such as computers and mobile phones in their work. Hence, adults and adolescents do connect as they both use technology and in some cases they both share the same technology such as Facebook.

Kai Lin/'A strong family foundation is the best way to address social ills.' Do you agree?

It is undeniable that a strong family foundation may be able to instill values in children when they are still learning and need guidance. Young children depend on their parents to set good examples for them and educate them on having a good character and living by the right values. If their parents have created a loving and supportive family, the children would be likely to enjoy their siblings' affection and good parenting, leading them to value love and good leadership, amongst other values. This is evident in how most children tend to take on the characteristics of their parents or older siblings. However, a strong family foundation like the one mentioned above may not be able to address social ills that result from compulsive behaviour such as compulsive shoplifting and murderers who kill because they cannot control themselves. In this case, government intervention in the form of law and other reformative institutions would be better at alleviating possibly uncontrollable behaviour. This is because these crimes are difficult to prevent or address through the family. Reformative institutions such as prisons and rehabilitation centres have the facilities and expertise to tackle compulsive behaviour at its root cause. For example, psychological therapy and counselling are often sentenced to people who commit crimes compulsively as it is after all a psychological problem. Therefore, a strong family foundation is insufficient to address social ills. Government intervention is required to work with it in order to alleviate society's problems.

Lynn/ "They don't connect" Does this reflect the relationship between adults and adolescents?

“ They don’t connect” Does this reflect the relationship between adults and adolescents today?”

Adults and adolescents do connect even though they may have different responsibilities and obligations, achieving success in their respective fields in this case, work and school, is still of significance in today’s society. In the workforce, adults may strive hard for a high position and while for adolescents, they may work hard to achieve success in academia and in their personal life. An example would be Mr Mah Bow Tan, a member of Parliament and also part of Tampines Group Representation Constituency. He is a good role model of one that managed to connect with adolescents even though he may be success-oriented. By being part of Tampines Group Representation Constituency, he attended meet-the-people session where adolescents could raise their problems to him and an ideal solution can eventually be worked out. This shows that adults and adolescents can actually connect when they work hand in hand to achieve success for both parties. However, some may argue that adults and adolescents do not connect because of their obsessions with individual success formed self-centered individuals. On their journey to achieve success, individuals who are self-centered may even be too busy to find time to interact with each other. A good example would be Singapore’s local famous filmmaker, Jack Neo, who had an affair with another celebrity despite being a married men. As a father, he could have spent more time with his family to strengthen ties, but he did not do so. This shows that adults may not place much emphasis on staying connected with adolescents afterall. Hence, the lack of interaction between adults and adolescents that would mean connecting with each other may be lost due to different priorities that they have, in this case, success would mean most to them instead of amiable relationships. On the other hand, this may imply only for the minority, as there are many adults and adolescents that actually have close relationships with each other around the world.

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JOY: Have the new media changed our lives for the better?

The amalgamation of traditional media such as films with the interactive power of computer and communications technology, new media has made a positive impact by allowing interaction from viewers and readers from all over the world. Unlike traditional media which only allows the dissemination of information, new media encourages participation from viewers and readers, such as by giving them a platform to air or act out their views. An example would be the free hugs campaign, a social movement, which started in Australia. Individuals showed their support for the campaign on their blogs, and a music video regarding it was posted up on Youtube by a band. Through such use of new media, many came to know about the movement and the campaign was thereafter carried out in Singapore as well by those who supported the campaign. Of course, this would also mean new media encourages viewer interaction on negative activities such as terrorist activities. However, that is only the minority, whereas majority of new media users do not use it in such a negative way. Therefore, new media has in such a way, changed our lives for the better.

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Kai Lin/To what extent is Singapore a family-friendly society?

Singapore has a family-friendly workforce culture. The government and companies in general have many policies and schemes that help employees strike a good work-life balance. Because of a declining fertility rate, the government has taken steps to encourage procreation by giving mothers extended maternity leave. Some companies such as Creative and Keppel Singapore also have family-friendly schemes. By having ‘Eat With Your Family Day’ at least once a year, these companies are sending the idea that they recognise the importance of family life to their employees, whether young children or elderly parents are the ones who need time and attention back at home. However, in terms of school life, Singapore is not family-friendly. Students often leave the house in the morning and return home in the afternoon. They only get to spend the weekends and evenings with their parents for some important bonding. In fact, some career-minded parents would even not be home in time for dinner and end up hardly communicating with their children on a daily basis. As such, parents with schooling children may not feel that Singapore is family-friendly because of their differing schedules. However, not all parents are career-driven. They can apply for leave to go on vacations with their children once in a while because of the very same policies provided by the government and companies. Therefore, Singapore is a family-friendly society.

Yina: How far should a state have a right to monitor the actions of people within its borders?

I think that a state should have a right to monitor the actions of people when racial and political issues are not being handled well in a country. These sensitive issues can cause harm to the society as people living in the country may start to segregate due to different views or beliefs. This would cause the country to be unable to be economically productive as they find it hard to cooperate with the people in their own country. For example, due to certain political issues, Bangkok is now having a internal conflict due to a certain political party wanting to take over the government. This has caused Bangkok to lost lives of their citizens due to violence and also a economic loss of tourists visiting Bangkok. Therefore, I feel that the state should have a right to monitor actions of people whenever it comes to political issues as serious consequences affecting the economy and society are severe. However, I feel that the state should not have a right to monitor the actions of people when personal rights are being infringed. When their personal rights are taken away, people would be very unhappy for not being able to enjoy the freedom of what they want. This would result in citizens not being supportive of their own government causing the government to lose power. For example, in Singapore, smoking is banned in many public areas like the bus stops, at coffeeshops and even at void decks. This has caused many smokers to be very unpleased with the law as they feel that their personal rights are being taken away. With these public places being banned from smoking, smokers are left with very few public areas to smoke at when they are outside. Thus, I feel that the government should not monitor or control the actions of people when personal rights are being infringed. Even though they should not monitor people when it affects personal rights, I feel that the state should still have a right to monitor actions of people if political or racial issues are involved,

Carmen Chan/ How far should a state have a right to monitor the actions of people within its borders

The government should have a right to monitor the actions of the people within its borders, especially during stressful times such as war; as long as its monitoring does not result in the violation of human rights. The state possesses the highest power and therefore has jurisdiction in virtually all areas that society has to deal with. Hence, it does have the right to monitor the actions of people. In times of war, famine, disease and violent acts will arise. In such times, the general public is unable to control and detain the situation, thus requiring the intervention of a higher power. For example, the state should have the right to implement a curfew during a war. This helps keep the people safe and reduces the chance of a violent protest or riot that may result in more deaths. During the recent clash between the red shirts and the yellow shirts in Thailand, the state intervened and imposed a curfew to monitor the actions of the Thais. This action has prevented more deaths and kept the people safe. Thus, the state should intervene in times of war to help control the situation. However, the state should not intervene when it violates human rights. The purpose of the state monitoring is to benefit the people; however when the state crosses the line and invades the privacy of people, this right should be revoked. For example, the CIA in America has the authority to monitor anyone without the person legally consenting to it. This has resulted in the unhappiness of Americans and resulting in Americans losing faith in their legal system. Hence, I believe that the state should have a right to monitor the actions of people when in dire situations such as war but not at the expense of the privacy of people.