all you want to see is make believe

For many of us, the Internet has become the only source for us to voice our opinions in a public domain, being allowed to say whatever you want, whenever and however you want to. This freedom that we're given here is really a liberation from the daily life we lead. Despite the fact that I know only my friends read my blog (and even they are a dwindling crowd, I'm sure. Ha.), I like the idea that I'm allowed to say what I want without having to censor myself too deeply.

However, that doesn't mean I'm going to tell someone to "get out of my uncaring elitist face".

I mean, I may not be all apple-pie-sweet on my blog. I've bitched about people before. But I don't name names, and I don't treat people with condescension, especially if I am in a more fortunate position than they are. We don't live in a world of equal status, that we all know. But that doesn't give us the right to be derogatory towards another person.

And not only does this affect the victim of such verbal attacks; it affects many of us Singaporeans who use the Internet as a verbal sounding board. It is no secret that in Singapore, we aren't allowed to say whatever we want. We are already limited by the government, the mainstream media, and the society we live in. When people abuse their freedom of speech on the Internet, not only does it allow the Powers That Be to take a closer look at what others have to say, it gives them the right to do so. Where does that leave us? Do we really need to give them any more rights to limiting our speech?

I'm a huge supporter of having more freedom of speech, but that does not mean I condone a public bashing of someone else, particularly someone who does not deserve such treatment. If you want to criticize, do it with a modicum of grace. Give constructive criticism. Do it with humour like Mr. Brown. Don't tell the other person to get out of your uncaring elitist face. We know you don't care, and we know you're elitist. Did that really help the social problems that he was going through? I mean, really. How was that any help at all?

I can only hope that this does not mean the cyberworld will have increased restrictions on it. It's bad enough that the real world doesn't give us any allowances at all. Do we really need to give the PTB any more reason to shut us up?