Indifference or Ignorance?
Good day, today has been rather entertaining as it is, and will continue to be, as it is a week filled with festivities. However, in the midst of all the joy and celebration, in a rather pessimistic point of view, you’d see the the ugly side of this festivities.
Shall we begin with the occasion of the festivities. Everybody loves Boxing day, the lovely 24th of December where you would be busy boxing (read: not giving a sharp jab in the face to score points) up gifts for people whom you care or wish to present a heartfelt gift.
This will then be followed by the day of Christmas. A wonderful celebration of love and gratefulness towards practically everyone and everything. Just a marvelous event.
Also, just after, the New Year. Where you set everything of the yesteryear behind and strive forward with not only a renewed resolution, but determination and goals as well.
Thus, we approach today’s topic. In the late evenings of Boxing day, many would gather at a nice spot, together with friends and such, to do a massive, loud and fun countdown. The screams of joy echo around the globe upon the arrival of Christmas. Many, would term this to be a party. Indeed, beside the road screaming your lungs out probably is fun (and yes I have done it myself regardless) But we should always refrain ourselves from crossing boundaries that differentiates between partying for a celebration or acting like a mad hooligan. I have been in several countdowns, mostly for Christmas, New years and Independence day, and I have seemed to notice many of the general population (and please, if you’re thinking any racial stuff, I can assure you, this act is shared with harmony amongst all races, just like what Malaysia is known for, right?, heh) tend to act exactly what was described latter.
It is understood that a country which is located around the equator, we do not receive any amounts of snow, and a white Christmas has only been an ideal vision of what many would view that special day to be.
Therefore, ingenious chemists and businessman (sorry, not gonna quote the entire workforce here) alike took the effort to create a non-toxic foam spray which if sprayed upwards in massive quantities would certainly emulate a snowing night. Oh, the sight would be lovely. Or would it? You see, although the intent of this product was to be fun, however, as you would expect, this has been taken overboard. This so called party people abuses this spray with acts such as disrupting traffic, molestation and such.
There was a video, taken in Penang, which I haven’t got the link (it was on Youtube I think), you can clearly see this hooligans, massing the roads and spraying all the cars that drive by. Now lets think just a little deeper than the surface, you see, they not only blind the driver by blocking the windscreens (read: plural) but there is not guarantees that the additives used within the foam spray is not corrosive towards the car, or its finish. How would you like it if just because you were driving home from dinner for Christmas with your beloved family, just to find out you mowed someone down ’cause you were blinded by a joint act of foolishness.
Now moving on, other than blinding drivers, there have been cases where this sprays have been used to blind females. You know, white sticky stuff all over your face, the crowd pushing around, then you realize there is this hand up your skirt or on your chest. Somehow, I can’t bring myself to think that parents and the innocent girls might have been that ignorant to not know such risks are around. Indifferent? Maybe.
Now look, I’m not implying that countdowns should be completely ignored, just a reminder that sometimes, countdowns in a more controlled environment, would be better; in every way.
Pretty long stuff eh? If you till here, you’re doing good, ’cause I think that many wouldn’t have bothered to read this far =/ But we’re not finished yet. You see, large crowds of people wielding their spray cans of doom and destruction, well at least until the propellant or the foam compound has been used up, will probably leave loads, and loads of trash.
Singapore slaps you with a fine and hangs you up for community service if you’re caught littering. The government probably could collect enough money to allocate a small amount of funds for the defense budget if they were to slap fines on this sort of occasions. And again, lets look just a little deeper than the surface. Who is going to clean up after you? Hmmm? It’s just mind boggling how selfish people can be. Malaysia isn’t exactly an underpopulated country. If this sort of occasion was common, I really just wonder would Malaysia really have first world infrastructures, or would it be a country which would have problems with waste disposal problems and the government is forced to allocate a sum of money to deal with this problem.
Yes, you have a right to party but please, do it in a manner which it would really be less chaotic. For once be a little less selfish and act accordingly, probably you’d feel a lot more satisfied thinking if that thing you didn’t do, helped someone else in one way or another. Wake up and smell the roses people.
Oh, and have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!!
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