We got to be more proactive!

I recently came across this article of "Politics? Not for me" where a talented Singaporean (I assumed he is because after all he managed to get into a top university) said something like this, "A lot of it has to do with contentment. I'm happy with the way things are, there's no reason to be an activist. I've benefited from the system, I don't feel that there is anything worth changing."

I am not trying to criticise this person in particular. I am just trying to reflect on what he said. If we have benefited from our current system, then can we just say that there isn't anything worth changing? How about those people who have not been able to benefit from current system? Can we just say that, "Oh! I benefited can already what! Why should I care whether or not other people benefit? As long as I benefit jiu can liao loh!".

I beg to differ. We are living in the society where there is always another group of people who has not been able to benefit from the current system – the poor, the underprivileged, and the destitute. Does that mean that they are ought to be forgotten? A good example is our education system. Our education system has evolved over the time and it is widely-recognised that it is at world-class standard. Now, supposed during the 70s, there was this person who benefited from the 70s system said, "Oh, I have benefited from this system, so let us just keep this system because I see no need to change since I benefited from this system." Then what will happen to us who are living the in 90s or now?

Have any of us thought of this – if those people who benefited from the education system in the 70s did not push forward with the reform of the education system, would more people in the 90s benefit from the reformed education system? Without these reforms and changes, we will not be able to benefit from current education system that is more holistic and allows more people to pursue more diverse interests and passions.

What I wanted to say is this: Just because we have benefited from current system and thus do not see the need to change is a dangerous view. To passively wait and only when we see problems then we change may be too late in some cases. We should, instead, take a more proactive stance and continue to seek improvement to come out with a better system that allows more people in society to benefit.