Another response to "Be grateful, Singapore"

Mr Cheong Wing Lee offered a different perspective to the one Mr Eric Brooks' penned, and as a Singaporean who moved to Canada, knows what it is like to be a citizen of both countries.

Singaporeans are smart enough to see through spins and propaganda and evaluate the truths for themselves. It is difficult for most Singaporeans to remain silent whilst government leaders lecture them to be thrifty, not to be materialistic and not to demand for higher pay. On the other hand, the leaders reward themselves with pay packages that exceed the leaders’ of the eight richest countries in the world combined.

So Mr. Brooks, before you further make a fool of yourself in Singapore, be grateful to Canada and not complain because of a temporary disruption in garbage collection in Toronto. Be thankful of the good healthcare system and the generous old age pension. If you truly like Singapore you should be a citizen. There are lots of Singaporeans who are willing to trade your citizenship if it is possible.

(Emphasis mine)

I recommend that you read the full letter here. While it is easy to lose our focus when we complain about non-issues, it is just as easy to stagnate when we don't put things into context or allow gratitude to cloud our judgment.

And for that, Mr Cheong, if we ever meet, I'll buy you a beverage of your choice.

(In case you missed it, my response to Brook's letter can be found here.)