-----Original Message-----
From: Ng Kai Hoe Raymond <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: 05 June 1999 18:06
Subject: Re: [SLP] why why why?
>Alf wrote:
>
>> Unfortunately.. the PAP government WORKS. :)
>
>Let's forget SLP's issue and just talk about Singapore's
>government for a start. I will not tolerate any
>nonsensical extrapolation to ourselves.
>
>I hate it when people say that PAP government works. It
>usually stems from from a self induced sense of security.
>
>One sees the satisfaction of the first level of the Maslov's
>Hirarchy of Needs as sign of a successful government (
>Physiological needs, food and sex). But the sign of a great
>civilization is more than just that. When the first level has been
>achieved, mental enlightenment, self actualization etc are
>actually more important, and our present government does not
>give us that!
Raymond, Maslow's theory, though great, is very outdated. I know because I
wrote a psychological paper
expounding Maslow and the great psychologists in my second year.
>Everyone, even PAP themselves, know that the present
>way of governing and educating the people is not conducive
>under the present social/political climate. During the 1950s,
>it is okie to take a PAPa type of government. In the upcoming
>millenium? _not_ anymore. An overly hirarchical social order
>only weighs upon our own society, we will not be lean and mean
>enough to react to the fast changing knowledge based economy.
>They are keen on changing it, but being product of an
>educational system which is superbly effective at destroying
>any tinge of individuality and creativity, they do not know how to.
>
>And as a more experienced person in worldly affairs,
Eh? Where did that come from? Your foray into communism in the 1950s,
flower-power-generation idealism in the 1960s, Cold War/ Iron Curtain
idealism in the 1970s, New Capitalism in the 1980s, "Reformasi" in the
1990s? You sound as if you have come a long way, Raymond... : ) Are you
some kind of Highlander or what?
I tell you
>now that once any sign that anyone becomes a figurehead
>in this SLP thingy, everything will fall apart. Which is why I was
>so against initially to put LUGS solely in charge of SLP and others
>as official contributors. Chin Qui had once asked myself and
>Rhandeev to be "wholly" in charge of the website,
I asked, because you and Rhan would put a nice balance to the workings of
the Portal. I didn't know politics was going to be involved.
but we had
>rejected, we knew that once politics get into our way, everything
>will turn ugly and a waste of time. Read about the book by the name
>of "Hackers"
>This is not to put you down, but just to tell you that your idea has been
>tried previously, and it has failed, _miserably_. It is true that you are
full
>of energy and the portal will benefit from it. But listen to us as far as
>group dynamics is involved, we have more experience.
Have you formal schooling in Group Dynamics? I have : )
>We must work on the basis of synergy, in that the portal benefits from
>massive participation, and that participants benefit from a synergistic
>combination of talents (reputation and a sense of accomplishment). We
>are opening an open market here, with no barriers to entry. Once a barrier
>of entry is imposed (creating someone in charge), you are dead.
No great accomplisment in the world ever existed without a good body of
governance. That is why communism failed, and socialism floundered.
>Thanks. That is all, back to my hacking.
>
>ps : we may not be ready for a leaderless group (I notice that you are
>always harping on this), but knowing that creating a leader will break
>the group, I would rather venture into uncharted waters.
On the whole, I do agree on some points here, but your analysis and claim to
theories and ideals are seriously flawed. Take a more balanced approach, or
like the Buddha says, take the Middle Path, and things will appear more in
sync. Only then will the Force be with you.
>
>ps : we _are_ sourcing for a server, aren't we? We are talking to
>Hardwarezone.
PS: as a final illustration of the flaws in your theory, the New Republic
works with a Senate too, which is a form of central governance. If there is
no strong Chancellor, planet Naboo would be finished by the Trade Fereration
by now, and Queen Amidala (baby, baby) would be dancing for Jabba the Hutt.
Now is that your definition of Nirvana?
>--
>-------------------------------------------------------------
>Ng Kai Hoe Raymond Pager : 92279944 ICQ UIN : 4878260
>Editor, Singapore Linux Portal http://linux.com.sg
>Email : [EMAIL PROTECTED] / [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>PGP Public Key : http://members.tripod.com/~ngkaihoe/ngkaihoe.txt
>
>'This has given me the greatest trouble and still does: to realize
> that what things are called is incomparably more important than what
> they are.'
> - Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, "The Gay Science"
>
>
>
