Today my Literature teacher conducted a poll with her lower Secondary class the other day. She asked them if anyone had carried out a kind act and quite a number of them raised their hands….now, before you even open your mouth and claim that thus is a sign of improving morals amongst the youth of today, listen to the second part. She then narrowed the scope and asked if anyone had done a kind deed that did not involve money. Guess what? Only one hand was raised.

And I wonder why?

I wonder what today’s children have been learning, because, you see, personally, I have always thought of a kind act as one that did not necessarily concern money, and more often than not, it should simply be someone perhaps helping another fellow human being. But now, do kind acts equal money? I should hope not.

Anyway, what sort of values have they been taught? I know it is well-known that no one listens during Civics and Moral Education lessons, but, what about at home? Where are the parents who are supposed to teach their children the correct values and concepts? Or are both parents too busy clocking in extra time at the office to bother?

If you have not already realised, most parents these days rarely have time for their children. Conversations are limited to greetings in the morning and night, and maybe a few quick words now and then. Many children will come home after school to an empty house or maybe an empty house with a maid and a dog. It seems to me that for all the high-flying businessmen and women Singapore has, it would all be a waste if today’s youth do not even know what a kind act is.

I do not see much of a point in having a large house, a chauffeur, a maid and an address in one of the so-called prime districts if you cannot even eke out any time to spend with your children to teach them the right values and morals. If so, I would much rather trade all that for a society where parents actually have the time to spare to teach their children and to care for them properly!

In my school alone, a lot of my classmates have noticed that more and more of the lower Secondary children are becoming more and more flippant and even downright rude. They do not look us in the eye when we talk to them, or ask them for help. Their tone and posture scream arrogance, and most times, they act as if we are not even there! However, we remember when we were in the same level as them, and recall that if someone older than us approached us for help, we would respond as best we could, and try to help them, as most people would.

This is rather alarming news, because it basically means that there has been a slow but steady degeneration of the values in Singapore’s society. It makes me wonder what the Singapore of the future will be like, seeing as the children of today truly are tomorrow’s leaders. To me, there is little point in having a booming economy, high-flying acts and jet-setting businessmen and women if, when they return home, they are emotionless, have few morals and values, and are too busy to care about their own children’s upbringing, leaving it all to the maid at home.

What will Singapore be like in the future, hmm?

last - next