In Continuum.

Politik

Look at the earth from outer space
Everyone must find a place
Give me time and give me space
Give me real don't give me fake

I never took literature in JC,although i should have now that i think about it.Im not saying that i am a natural at literature,or that i have read Dickens,Shakespeare or have the capacity to understand poetry,the ones that mattered anyway.I havent read any Dickens,or any Shakespeare,and the last book that dealt with poetry had me so confused and baffled,i found patches of hair gone from the top of my head,and bits of those in my fingernails.I am not good in literature,but the interest is there nonetheless,and i mustve been on drugs or having a terrible hangover when i chose Geography and Economics over Literature in JC.

Anyway,i've learned a couple of things from my friends,who took literature.One of the things you get to learn is the interpretation of colours in poetry or books.For example,the colour of white would represent purity and innocence.The colour black would represent something that is unknown,threatening or mysterious.Red,is the colour of blood,rage,passion and sometimes,love.

That is the colour so commonly seen on television nowadays.At least,that is the colour that commonly flashes across my home's television,whenever my parents decide to turn it out and catch the Taiwanese news.Hordes of people wearing red,bearing down the streets of Taipei,with banners and flags,all kinds of things you find in a rally,standing high in the air and waving to the cheering of the crowd.Literally,as i watched the television last night,the city was drenched in the colour red,down every street and every road,as the crowd marched proudly around the town,proclaiming their dissatisfaction towards the government.

Give me strength, reserve control
Give me heart and give me soul
Give me time, give us a kiss
Tell me your own politik

I havent been a close follower of politics,that's for sure.It's a rather common thing for people at my age i suppose,to be interesting in anything but politics.It is the dealings of the older generation,something that is out of our reach to be totally honest.Yeah,teachers in school used to tell us that whatever the government does,it has an either direct or indirect effect on our lives.That was the excuse Mr. Yee gave when he wanted us to catch the National Day Rally,or the Parliament speeches back in my school days.But honestly speaking,i think Singaporean news and parliament speeches are the most boring ones in the whole bloody world.You even see the ministers sleeping at the back of the speakers.I'd like to know the ratings of the evening news,because i doubt if anybody's going to watch that over other channels during their dinnertime.

It is more so,since i came from Taiwan.Though it's rather rare now,but everytime i mention that i am from Taiwan,somebody is bound to comment on how screwed up my government is.It's not like i dont know about it,it's just that i have no interest in sharing my political views.To me,though it has got everything to do with me,i find the process in which the government goes through,to set policies and laws,the way they go about doing so,turns me off and makes me distrust the government even more.That is not just because of the fights and the arguments that erupts in the parliament house,we used to see on the evening news so long ago.But because our government no longer cares about what is best for the people,but rather what is best for themselves.It doesnt matter which political party goes into power,all of them are not comparing who is better now,but who is worse than the other.Which is a really sad and pathetic thing,if you ask of me.

My mother recieved a phone call from Taiwan yesterday,and it was my sister who picked it up.Before the caller from the other end of the line said anything,all my sister could hear were the cheering of the crowd,asking the president to step down.It was crazy over the phone,according to my sister,and it was my aunt over on the other side of the phone.Apparently,she went to one of the venues where the rallies were held with my uncle,and the both of them were going nuts with the crowd.Later on the train,i was told,my uncle went,"Ah Bien,Ah Bien,Ah Bien!",and the people throughout the train went,"Xia Tai!Xia Tai!Xia Tai!"(Step down!Step down!Step down!.I think a part of the people there now,are not exactly there because of their political beliefs,or their dissatisfaction with the president,but really,because it's just fun.

And open up your eyes,
Open up your eyes,
Open up your eyes,
Open up your eyes...

It is inevitable that i must mention V for Vendetta here(I'm sorry,but that is the most politically driven film in my "Favourites" list).I imagine the crowd of Londoners,in the Guy Fawkes mask,marching towards the army of armed soldiers at the very end of the movie.It was moving,and it was a triumph,as they all took off their masks and watched the parliament building,including the Big Ben,get blown up into showering pieces of rocks and stones.Of course,doing that in real life would be deemed as terrorism.Anything is terrorism now,really.I bet if you bring an iPod onto the plane now,or a clock it'd be deemed as terrorism.You cant say "Bomb" on a plane,and you certainly cannot keep your hand inside the inner pocket of your windbreaker.

Give me one 'cause one is best
In confusion, confidence
Give me peace of mind and trust
Don't forget the rest us

You cannot blow up a building in Taiwan to prove that you are right.In fact,you cannot do that anywhere.I think the act of violence is not out of passion,as so many protestors tend to assume,but rather a sign of weakness.It's not a display of strength we are talking about,it doesnt mean anything,to throw punches at people with different ideologies and views.It doesnt make you any more right than that poor soul who suffered a bruised eye and a broken nose,because there is no 'right' when it comes to perspectives.Because they are merely pespectives,and i think if everybody can realise that about politics,if punches can be reduced to voices and understanding,everything is going to be so much better.

Of course,that is what happens in a perfect world.In the perfect world,a writer uses lies to tell the truth,while the politicians use them to cover the truth up.This is the case,even if it means that you are in the country that proclaims the most dignified government in the world: Singapore.Im sure things go on under covers in Singapore as well,and i am sure that it is not full disclosure with the citizens here.I am sure that is the case,but there's no one to challenge it,because there's no better way to go around it.

Give me strength, reserve control
Give me heart and give me soul
Wounds that heal and cracks that fix
Tell me your own politik

In my opinion,though im not the kind of person who is likely to give any political views,i think that nothing is gonna happen,despite the crowd gathered to depose the president.I dont think the president has any reason to step down,because none of the corruptions have anything to do with the government directly.Besides,the rage and anger caused by the failure of the government,is only the result of the human nature.People only want somebody to blame,to be the victim of their dissatisfaction.They want somebody to be responsible,and it happens to be the president because he is such a worthless and useless bastard.I think in the heart of it,the president isnt a menacing devil,with horns and a pitchform.He's just a screwed up person who cant keep his audience interested with his performance.It's like playing Hotel California with a badly tuned B string.

And open up your eyes,
Open up your eyes,
Open up your eyes,
Open up your eyes...

So here we stand,on the brink of a revolution.Something is about to happen,or something might not.It is the unpredictability of the future,that is driving these people onto the streets,with flags and banners,with their voices and so much anger.It is the fear of oneself,themselves,that is making the country turn upside down.What pains me,really is the way the children were pulled into this turmoil.It's not like a five year old is going to have any political view,right?I am twent years old,two decades of my life spent on this good Earth,and i dont have much of a political view to speak of.To me,politicians are all a bunch of idiots,arguing over something that couldve been just settled if one of them quieten down,take a step back and take a deep breath.It is said,that a civilised society cannot survived without a government.But is that the case then,if the government in existent is,in itself,uncivilised?

But give me love over,
Love over,
Love over this...