Complexity meets simplicity..
lately i am beginning to experience the ubiquity of an ageing population in Singapore. indeed the problem seemed to have intensified over the years, either that or it is because i neglected and dismissed this social issue in the past. since my new home is now in Tiong Bahru, I have began to notice the number of elderly people around me.
taking bus with elderly people constituting more than half the passengers is a common occurrence. on one of the rides, an issue intrigued me. suppose there are so many elderly on the bus that all the seats have been taken up by the elderly, even with a number of them left standing, who should give up seats? probably it is on a first come first serve basis? in any case, people nowadays are considerably selfish. many a times, i have witnessed a young, able person ignoring an old person wobbling in front of him. not that i had never been guilty of that, but that was in the past. not that i was selfish but more of thin-skinned. the problem of ascertaining who to give up the seat to and how to give it up tactfully. perhaps the person may look elderly but in actual fact, he is not and may even find it offensive. now, i have learnt to be thick-skinned and offer my seat graciously to anyone who deem fit. seriously i think all of us need to develop a social conscience and be socially responsible individuals, towards a loving society!
