MWS: Poverty Simulation

I first came across this in TODAY and Mothership picked it up as well.

What do I think? It is not important since I am only blogging for myself.

I think for too many participants this will give them a false sense of knowing what it is like to be poor. Short of living it yourself, great art and literature especially the latter is what transport us into their realm.

Sorry, to me this is mostly gimmick and I applaud some SICC members for calling it out as such albeit with more political correctness.



Update: Feb 7 7:55 am

My elder daughter pointed out this article on AsiaOne to me early this morning.

MP Tin Pei Ling put it across very diplomatically, a reminder to me that how politics have changed. It was inevitable that our leaders will often play "customer service" these days. A more confident leader will have left us some more memorable sound bite which would go viral and some character values that is good for us.

That was how TNP reported her,

MacPherson MP Tin Pei Ling also saw the programme as a "fresh idea".

"I am glad Singaporeans care for one another, though I would also encourage more people to volunteer with VWOs (voluntary welfare organisations) or the community to have a better and more rounded understanding of how being poor is like in Singapore," she told TNP yesterday.

But for someone who has earned her right to speak candidly, this is the unvarnished version. Madam Fion Phua, 45, founder of volunteer group Keeping Hope Alive

Madam Phua urged those who are sincere to help the needy to put kindness and compassion into action and not role-play it. "Do you think acting like a man who has lost his arms by tying yours behind your back for 24 hours is going to help? 

I told my daughter I completely agree with Fion Phua. I even reminded her years back when she was in primary school they had set up a stall in the canteen to sell some home made jewelry, I told her to ignore what some of the parents and teachers said about entrepreneurship. It was just for fun and she had learned next to nothing about selling, much less entrepreneurship.