media causes and helps solve problem it creates?

When controversy erupted over 18-year-old Singaporean Wee Shu Min's blog comments in 2006, her father, Ang Mo Kio GRC MP Wee Siew Kim, did what most Singaporean newsmakers do when they want to set the record straight - he spoke to The Straits Times.
The Wee Shu Min elitism scandal was a Singaporean scandal in October 2006 in which Wee Shu Min, daughter of parliament member Wee Siew Kim and a then-eighteen year-old student on Raffles Junior College's scholarship programme, found herself in controversy after posting on her blog what were viewed by some Singaporeans to be elitist, naive, and insensitive statements against heartlanders.
Dismissing the views of Derek Wee who voiced concerns on job security and age discrimination on his blog, she shot back with a take-no-prisoners diatribe, calling Wee a "stupid crackpot", belonging to "the sadder class" and over reliant on the government. Her post also called for Wee to "get out of my elite uncaring face."[ Her response triggered an avalanche of criticism, as it came on the heels of the sensational suicide of an individual (said to be facing financial difficulties) at Chinese Garden MRT Station. As a result, her name topped Technorati search terms for a week. She has since appeared to have apologized on another blog and shut down her own.



magdalene

well. i am not surprised. these are the elites who are going to rule the country. Great for our reputation and economy...but it does not augur well for the lower rungs of society. They are not going to understand the plight of the poor...They have no inkling of what the poor are going through.

Cecelia

Well, why should they. Their job would be to show the world what a small country is capable of. And she is right. Why should people be blaming the govt for the problems they are facing. It is up to them to change their current reality and not depend on the govt and blame them for their own inadequacies. They were given the opportunity to study and help themselves. whose fault is it that they did not make use of the opportunities they were given. they should stop whining.

Thomas

Well, Cecelia...not everyone is gifted with the ability to do well, even if they try very hard. So they do drop out of the system. And what is worse is that many of them are made redundant due to globalisation. of course they better off than millions in poorer countries, but when they "whine", as you quite callously put it, they are crying out for help. And these cries for help cannot go unheeded as we cannot allow resentment unhappiness to take root.

Neither should we be overly protective of and helpful as it could lead to a crutch mentality. What we need is a good balance, which is not always easy to achieve. It should consist of a govt made up of leaders who care and do what is necessary to provide the helpless with an avenue out of their problems. The people who need help should also be proactive in seeking out ways to help themselves, be more flexible and receptive to suggestions and make it a point ot upgrade themselves to make themselves relevant to society.