During our childhood, we had 'colorblind' vision towards people in front of us. We don't even know how to tell if one is going to kidnap us.
Eventually along the road growing up, some of us somehow had a tint of specific color in our vision according to our respective race - Malay, Chinese, and Indians etc. We were taught we live in a 'colorful' and harmony country since kindergarten. Outside, skin color is different, but maybe deep inside the heart, there is, another tint of color.
Are you currently still, 'colorblind'? Or, you're blind with a specific tint of color in your heart? I'll have to admit that I used to be 'blind' in this sense when I was much younger, dispersing rage through keyboard, Friendster and even my early days in Facebook. Couldn't believe how naive I was with childish remarks but perhaps this is the learning process.
Regardless of race, there are some, or even many of us are blind. Fully or partially. Look at the bandwagons people are jumping in and creating especially in Facebook for disagreeing or boycotting certain incident or people. To be specific, maybe the recent incident where a food critic from Hong Kong & also a dessert shop spokesperson So Sze Wong who commented "Malaysia food tasted awful" and resulted a huge rage and Facebook boycott page then now the dessert shop had given public apology lately through their Page and more. Better than fashion, one season we have multiple bandwagons.
You can read the comments posted in the boycott page by the followers, constructive inputs were very limited. Then, I'm sure you still remember the "Kak Tunda" incident. Most of us certainly doesn't agree with her and also made fun of her remembering how she shouted as if she is not an educated adult and politician. When we are laughing, hating or judging at her, sometimes, many of us actually 'talked' like her even without noticing. Via our keyboard online that is, or maybe, via unhealthy thought hidden deep inside which slowly influenced people around us. And you bet, example above were mostly Chinese. The irony is that when I'm addressing them or myself as a Chinese, I'm indeed a racist. Heard any people from US telling you "Hey, I'm a Chinese, from America."? Perhaps I should start addressing everyone here now simply, Malaysians. Sometimes, I think Chinese could be very racist, remember how elderly used to threaten us "Anehneh is coming to catch you if you are naughty!".
There's a reason why all these are happening, I think. With my limited understanding, these could be resulted from the psychological part of us - Principle of Reinforcement. At this point, you might wonder why I'm not pointing my fingers on other racists over other ethnic? We know it, racism occurs everywhere even in developed nation. I'm ashamed to say that I don't understand the Malay and Indian community enough to comment fairly. I believe that when one points his index finger to another person, four other fingers are pointing back to himself. Why compare towards negativity since it's going backwards? I've learnt bad encounter through my friend with racist Europeans that hate Asians too and the list goes on and on...
Principle of Reinforcement is a psychology term which means "relationship between a behavior and an event that follows it.". There's positive or negative reinforcement. For example, you don't like XYZ, people around you in Facebook kept commenting and sharing negative things on XYZ whether it's factual or irresponsible comment and one day XYZ did something bad on you and your friends. Hence, your dislike turned hate and this kept amplify and when emotion takes over you then you might react irrationally when rage is at peak. Relating to real life example, remember images that your Facebook friends share and there's some words on them or repeated sharing relating to: UMNO, Justin Bieber, BN, Pakatan Rakyat, God, Oppa Gangnam Style, Lynas, Bersih, Thor, Lee Chung Wei, Kak Tunda, PDRM, Samsung pays $1Bilion to Apple with 30trucks filled with 5 cents.......... and so forth?
Sometimes, they could be sparks to catastrophes or even unnecessary misunderstanding especially to the least wise. People with specific agenda will evoke your emotion to get what they want, remember advertisement that makes you feel hungry even if you have just taken dinner or an ad so good that makes you buy a new phone even your phone is still new and in perfect condition? Simply because there's too much information coming in nowadays and how many people actually understand from head to toe of every single thing they are reading? Like it or not, we have already being manipulated from things around us from news, friends, to advertisement. Many of us love shortcuts, it saves time. So when too many shortcuts were taken, it gave birth to a stereotype. It's happening all over the internet and sometimes, you can't even trust the news you read from the newspaper in Malaysia for 100%.
Try this. Taken from Facebook and there's words on it so it must be true.
Anyhow, I'm glad to have social media around and it helped me to see with my own eyes that regardless of ethnic, there's always good people and the bad people.
Did all Mat Rempit comes in one race? Remember annoying road bullies of your same ethnic?
Are all PDRM bad people and not trust worthy? What if happened that you were robbed and they solved the case in three days, would you have a different thought by then?
Are all rapist/kidnapper come from one race? Oh, how about those that sell drugs?
Are all poor people in Malaysia from one race only?
Are all rich people in Malaysia from one race only?
Are we so busy minding only our own business and busy criticizing regardless of what?
Did racism, favoritism and corruption happen in Malaysia only among one race?
What's wrong if we are criticized for something that still has large room for improvement?
What's wrong if we support people that do a better job regardless of race?
What's wrong if we give personal opinion that you might not like to listen?
What's wrong if we discuss things openly as a mature adult?
Should we be so superstitious and blind to only support something that is planted in our head be it right or wrong since young instead of really analyze about it? Why not we have a broader vision that emphasize on outcome and what's right without bias? No one can succeed alone. In the language of national car, I honesty like Proton cars' handling, Perodua cars' reliability. Maybe, Proton's handling is better might due to Lotus technology. Perodua cars' reliability is better due to collaboration with Japanese partners.
I'd be interested to see mutual collaboration of Proton & Perodua. Honestly, who would love to be criticized or to criticize their own country's product or people so much? I am very proud on my ability to converse in English, Chinese, and Malay, it became handy in life and work especially when I visit other countries. I know many Malaysians enjoy gossiping about somebody at foreign country in front of us speaking our national language so they won't understand. Hating is mentally consuming and tiring. I'm sure if you have friends abroad visiting Malaysia, you'd bring them to nice places you know and trying the local specialty food. Sometimes from appearance, one might show negative reaction but deep inside the heart they could be feeling what's opposite. Like parents, they expressed with such a fierce and angry look for your wrong doings cause they love you so much but some may not know how to express.
I do hope to see a better Malaysia, I'm sure everyone who identifies themselves as Malaysian does. It starts from you and me who's reading this, one foot step at a time. Do it, influence people around you or your family members to really think for betterment regardless of who you are. Pray is good but don't just pray, take the effort and make it happen. Stop emotion from blinding us today and why not we keep a positive mentality. Not believing totally on what we're being told could always be better than believing in the wrong things.
Lastly, wanted to share this quote. "My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." - John F. Kennedy. I think it's fair for me to say 'Malaysians, don't ask what your country can do for you, ask the voted politicians and yourself.' It's compulsory to love your country but not necessarily the politicians cause they are the people whom we put up to work for the country and everyone.
A happy 55th Merdeka to all fellow Malaysians and allow me to dedicate my version of patriotism.
&.b.t.w. - I couldn't imagine how life would be if I 'balik Cina'. I was told that people over China don't fancy raw food like sushi, finding western food could be hard, it's worse if I crave for banana leaf rice, nasi lemak, John Hong Kong, Roti Planta, Laksa, Char Kueh Teow, Cendol, Ais Kacang and a lot more that I have yet to try from different culture........ Kill me.
&.&.b.t.w. - Was quite excited and surprised when I spotted a Proton Gen2 at Taiwan.
&.&.&.b.t.w. - Realized that the horse riding dance in Oppa Gangnam Style could be a good exercise in the morning and also alarm tone, haha. You need to familiar with hopping, then remember lift your leg higher in this sequence according to the beat: left, left, right, left, right, right, left, right and so forth. You get the idea, or could refer to the MV, keep repeating then add on 'the horse riding hands'!
&.&.&.&.b.t.w. - I don't understand why some people feel so angry with the words 'cina babi', some news reported this as racial remark too? But honestly Bak Kut Teh in Klang are really nice though, unfortunately it's not Halal la...
&.&.&.&.&.b.t.w. - I used to march in the high school band in every single year for the Merdeka Parade. Hope there's perfect weather on the 31st, wanted to visit the parade and take some photos.