Only a vacation for me
10 July 2006

And this would be why I can never work in the local media — Singapore gov condemns blogger for expressing opinions. I’m late to the news again, but I’ve just gotta say this: working in the media (i.e. being allowed to report and comment in a meaningful way) there (here?) is like being in a relationship with someone who’s borderline and extremely insecure.

We all know the government is thin-skinned. That’s sad, considering the country has been, effectively, a one-party state for coming on half a century. Maybe they do not feel like they have a mature long-term relationship with their constituents, and have not been able to trust them — the proverbial possessive and jealous partner. Maybe the constituents cannot be trusted to be faithful?

The sad and ironic thing about possessiveness is that while it may kill the relationship, it may also show just how intensely the possessive person loves his or her partner – and how much they value and need the very relationship they are helping to destroy.
The Lover’s Guide

5 Comments

  1. In Singapore, it doesn't matter that you're working for a foreign media organisation – you're bound by the same rules. That's the saddest thing about living here as a journalist-wannabe.

    Comment by Jean — 10 July 2006 @ 6:31 pm

  2. I think an organisation's attitude toward protection of journalists and commitment to journalistic integrity makes a big difference. But yes, they are all bound by the same rules. Don't be a journalist in Singapore, I suppose. You might as well be a copywriter.

    Comment by andrea — 10 July 2006 @ 9:31 pm

  3. That's the ideal, yes. But yup, I've been thinking about moving on.

    Comment by Jean — 11 July 2006 @ 11:17 am

  4. So you are moving from one overly authoritarian country that tries to control every aspect of your lives, back to one that is supposedly democratic but tries to control every aspect of your lives and has a jealous Napoleon Complex?

    Comment by Terry — 11 July 2006 @ 11:22 pm

  5. Only for a vacation, Terry. We're stopping over to take care of some business, then we're off to the UK. That's the plan, anyway.

    Comment by andrea — 13 July 2006 @ 2:43 pm

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