Eoin Ee
No Trespassing. Really. Paint on Plywood “No Trespassing. Really.” is an appropriation of the ‘no trespassing’ sign commonly seen in Singapore. The sign, which is unique to this country because of the four languages, is used to question the rule-following, obedient behaviour of Singaporeans. Privately, Singaporeans crave change and freedom of expression. However, in practice, there exists an unspoken rule of non-action; minding one’s own business and conforming to the status quo. Perhaps courage is when we learn to ignore the rules. If we truly believe that there is virtue in standing up for our beliefs, we must be accountable for our own actions. On the other hand, ignoring the rules might tear the fragile fabric of what Singapore society has become. The stakes may be too high. In the final analysis, would we be able to say that we went beyond our fears? Or did we end up conforming, toeing the line, or consciously accepting the status quo? There is a dilemma. Is trespassing, too much of a transgression? |
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Eoin EE is a third-year student at SMU's School of Social Sciences. He is also the current president of SOSCIETY.