Facebook Post by James Lim
December 8 at 1:38am
I never expected this photo to garner so much response and criticism. I am also not used to having my pictures put under such scrutiny on the internet. Some thought that the intention of this photo was to belittle, degrade and shame these innocent labourers who wanted nothing more than to take a short lunchtime nap. Others were angered that this picture was trying to show these foreign workers in a bad light.
Many echoed support for the dignity of these workers, saying that there was nothing wrong for them to take a nap there (which I totally agree by the way). Some remained neutral and instead commented on how well this photo was shot (I was very happy to read those!). It was both fun and painful to read through the comments - some of which were nasty and immature.
I was both heartened and disheartened by the comments from those who aired their views. Heartened because there seemed to be lots of empathy for these workers and understanding that they deserve more respect from us (especially Singaporeans) for the work that they do.
On the other hand, I was also disheartened that the intention of my photograph was taken out of context and misinterpreted by some. But I guess that's the beauty of photography - everyone interprets a photo differently and it tells a lot about one's inner thoughts and somehow also shows the maturity of the viewer.
Of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinions but what I could not accept is that the one who reposted this photo did not include the original caption, which I feel would have brought out the beauty and the intention of this photograph (that was afterall, my photograph and I feel that if someone were to hijack it, at least take everything including the captions!).
I would say this whole episode has shown me the good, the bad and the ugly of social media and how people use (and misuse) it. I guess it is also a good time for everyone reading this to examine ourselves - more specifically, the way we view this whole issue of respect for our foreign workers.
If you are one of those who went "what's wrong with them sleeping there, they deserve our respect for the hard work that they do", then I salute you for realising that these workers are humans too and that they deserve dignity.
But I challenge you to go one step further and show your appreciation and respect for them by personally thanking these labourers for their hard work the next time you bump into them. I think that the biggest tragedy is that we fail to acknowledge them for the amazing work that they do and we often do not do enough to make them feel like they're a part of our society.
So the next time you see a foreign labourer, talk to them, give them a pat on the back (or a high five), buy them a drink, buy them lunch, or just say a simple "thank you". It goes a long way. Trust me when I say this, because I've done it before and you'd be surprised what such a simple gesture could do. It would definitely make their day, and it will also make your day too. Try it!
For those trolls who think that this act of sleeping outside the station during their lunch break is a sore sight, and choose to express your distasteful and retarded views on the internet, then perhaps it is high time to examine your (lack of) maturity.
Thank you for taking your time to read this and for your (constructive) comments. Remember to thank our hardworking foreign labourers the next time you see them!
Cheers!
Facebook Post by James Lim
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James's beautifully captured (and very appropriately captioned) picture is a common scene in Singapore. These foreign labourers and construction workers come to Singapore to work at tough and often risky jobs that are shunned by Singaporeans, use the little time they have during their lunch breaks to take a nap at wherever they can. Often this means whatever shady place they can find at their worksite.
There is absolutely nothing wrong for them to be taking a nap during their lunch breaks. Afterall, not only are their jobs often physically demanding and tiring, it is the only time during the day which they can take a short rest.
And given that their jobs often carry the risk of physical injuries, that short nap can mean a more alert worker which would reduce the likelihood of any accidents.
But yet there are those who would chose to take this picture or similar situations out of context. This group of people seem to take delight in belittling these foreign workers, whatever ways and means they can.
And websites like 'All Singapore Stuff' and 'States Times Review' delight in such people and feed their prejudices with equally exaggerated and twisted stories, playing up on stereotypes, prejudices and emotions. They do not care about the actual facts of the situation. They do not care that these foreign workers are humans too, and deserving of a measure of respect and dignity.
They claim to be pro-Singapore but in reality, these people do not care about Singapore's well-being. All they really care about is how they can twist and exaggerate their next story to attract more traffic to their websites so that they can collect advertising income.
Prickly Porcupine
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