my ambivalent attitude

Thursday, August 10, 2006

It's the season of red and white again - the 2 main colours on our country's flag which represent brotherhood and purity respectively. Over the past 2 weeks, congregations of NDP festoons mushroomed all over Singapore in designated neighbourhood areas, miniature Singapore flags could be seen on public buses and Taxis and flurries of excitement could be felt across radio signals as the DJs enthused about the highlights of National Day, with melodious National Day songs filling the gaps of their almost relentless talking. But something strangely appeared to be lacking.

I vividly remember the sea of Singapore flags being hung outside the windows of HDB estates many years ago when I was still living in Teck Whye Lane. Those were the days when my siblings and I would offer to help my Grandpa hang the Singapore flag based on our own initiative and it was a joy to behold the sight of so many flags hung by residents voluntarily. Now, the situation is sadly reversed. While I was once pointing out the few households which did not have the flag displayed during my childhood days, I have to respect those pathetic few units which still keep to the tradition of flag-hanging today. Truth be told, my family is also one of those who had long discarded this soulful custom.

But does the discontinuation of flag-hanging during National Day translate into a reduced emphasis on Singapore's birthday? Not necessarily so. With the fast proliferation of the Internet, many Singaporeans have taken to podcasts and bloging to express their love for Singapore through the many nitty-gritty they experienced in their lives on the tiny island. The series of podcasts were inspired by MrBrown and some examples are miyagi and willythecop. Through these avenues, Singaporeans relived the fond memories they had of Singapore, in a way paying tributes to the country on this special occasion. Despite the dying off of the habit of flag-hanging, Singaporeans have found new methods to show their patriotism and this is something that provides comfort in the hearts of all citizens.

scribbled at 12:10 PM