ESM Goh calls for more considerate conduct online

SINGAPORE — With the Internet pervading more aspects of people’s lives, face-to-face communication has been reduced, causing human relations and awareness of the feelings of others to take a hit, said Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong yesterday.

Speaking at the launch of an exhibition by the Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM), ESM Goh called for more considerate conduct online, saying that words and action in cyberspace have a long-lasting impact.

“Hurling vitriol online may feel ‘shiok’ to the sender instantly, but bad vibes reverberate across cyberspace and fester in hearts and minds long after,” said ESM Goh. “Conversely, being considerate and thoughtful online perpetuates and multiplies goodwill.”

ESM Goh also noted that while Singapore’s rapid economic development had driven wages up, the opportunity cost of time had increased too, leaving people feeling more hurried and overlooking the need to be gracious in everyday life. “If competition drives people to look out only for themselves and their own families, it would be tragic. I do not want to live in such a society even if it is the richest country in the world,” he added.

At the event yesterday, 10 individuals and organisations were awarded for their efforts to make Singapore a more gracious place. Their initiatives include encouraging youth to help the elderly and getting people to share home-cooked dishes with their community.

The SKM’s two-day multimedia exhibition at *SCAPE Playspace, which opens today, is held in commemoration of Kindness Day SG. Visitors can walk through zones featuring stories on acts of kindness. One of the zones features an interactive short film, SW/TCH, which was created by local award-winning director Kirsten Tan and shows two contrasting views of Singapore through a split-screen narrative.

Meanwhile, pre-schools were involved in commemorating Kindness Day SG for the first time this year. A total of 564 pre-schools islandwide committed to the initiative, with teachers conducting daily classroom activities in the weeks beforehand, such as card games that teach kindness.  JORDON SIMPSON

Correction: In an earlier version of the article, it was reported that a total of 564 companies and pre-schools islandwide committed to the initiative. That is incorrect. Only pre-schools were involved. The article has been corrected and we apologise for the error.