Redneck syndrome

Whilst most would have seen the supposed debacle that is the Taiwanese variety show "Kang Xi Lai Le" criticizing Singapore's English, it was intricately more interesting to note people's response to the said episode.

No doubt the video triggered a personal laugh at their supposed discussion and the irony that their English is indeed inferior, (yes sue me for being condescending) but what really caught my attention was the response and comments about the video.

You had Singaporeans, all ages and types (well, going by their userids)up in arms over the act of foreigners tarnishing our national identity.



Every other post was defensive in nature and I had to dig real deep and bend backwards to find a post that even came close to mildly resembling humour.

What happened to our ability to laugh at ourselves? Well, it apparently only happens when WE do it. When others do it, it's an insult.
Well...that's almost like being a redneck ain't it?



It's akin to having a tight inner circle and fighting off any attempts to intrude and/or discuss national culture outside of our circle.

Anything that occurs within the inner circle is perfectly acceptable and perhaps even self-depreciating. But the moment someone from the outside steps out of line, then he better have Russian tanks backing him up.

And it's alarming and perhaps a little ironic that we do laugh at other cultures and criticize their languages too. Have we lost the ability to laugh? Is this the facet of globalization that we all want?

Take for example the US. It's normal for them to laugh at themselves (See: Silverman, Sarah; Bush, George W). The moment, however, someone perceived as inferior to their culture criticizes their culture and/or language, they are lambasted as ignorant fools and they should be crucified for their blasphemous act.

Is this not apparent in Singapore? We have become a successful country yes but at what social cost?
By cosying up to America and the developed parts of Western Europe, we have inadvertently created a caricature of Northern Hemisphere chauvinism.
(Well, technically we are a northern hemisphere country but you get my drift)

By believing that we ARE superior to less developed countries who also happen to be un-Anglophone countries, (and coupled with Singapore's obsession to be first in EVERY SINGLE POSSIBLE THING) is this not our own version of Northern Hemisphere chauvinism?
Am I really that surprised by our uproar? No.



God forbid that anyone who barely speaks English should come and lambast us for our language! How dare they!
Yeah, that's the gist of it.

It's sad that while globalisation has brought about the amazing mix of culture, it does rear its ugly head in episodes like these.

If we can laugh at Taiwanese for being overly superficial, why can't they laugh at our language? Who's to say what's right or wrong?
If we can raise our eyebrows at their standards of telly, why can't they gasp at our appalling record of locally produced shows?

The way things are going, I foresee a dark future for the big giant melting pot of global culture. No doubt we'll enjoy the bright side of mixing with different races but we shall also lose the ability to laugh at one another, and more importantly, at ourselves.

References::
http://www.youtube.com