MY friends and I love the festive lights of blue and white streaking across Orchard Road.
I can imagine the gaiety when thousands flock there to welcome the new millennium on New Year's Eve. I'm glad it's not all —celebrations will continue for months in 2000.
No doubt, good money will go into the celebrations but it's worth it as long as they succeed in generating nation-wide cheer and bringing people together. It's important to remind people to be hopeful and not fear the new millennium.
If we leave them alone and not hold any celebration, their minds might stray and be taken in by doomsday soothsayers and Y2K nuts. There are people who seriously believe that the new millennium is the start of the end of the world, the coming of some kind of saviour, and also, some kind of devil.
Abroad, there are people who take extreme measures like fleeing to remote areas to set up communes to protect themselves from any disasters. Besides food, they also stock up weapons.
More frightening are reports on cults with suicidal, and maybe, killer instincts too, wanting to create havoc in holy sites in the Middle-East. There is Y2K computer hysteria and its fears of nuclear disasters, computer chips playing havoc with planes, bank accounts and home appliances.
In America, citizens have been advised to stock up on necessities for a short period in case of Y2K disruptions. Should we do the same？ My answer is： Go stock up your freezer because it's a holiday. However if you still have fears, then treat your shopping spree as a civil defence exercise.
Seriously, why should one worry when the government and key organisations have declared that their systems are Y2K compliant？ Our organisations have even ensured that they have contingency plans to handle any crisis caused by outside parties which are not Y2K ready. When there's globalisation, there's always the possibility of a domino effect.
It's hard to control fear when a mass hysteria strikes. At one point during the Gulf War, many housewives here ransacked store shelves to stock up basic necessities like rice after hearing rumours that Saddam Hussein might fire missles at us. A friend told me how his mother came home crying when a neighbourhood shop ran out of salt.
I don't blame them. Having suffered the shocks and hardships of the Japanese Occupation and the uncertainties of the Sixties, they have good reasons to believe in the unpredictability of life.
The older generation is also more fearful of changes. Would they have a place in the new millennium？ Would they fit into the new scheme of things？ Would their age-old traditions fizzle out？
The young, however, seems to embrace the new millennium and all new excitements it promises.
I feel that we shouldn't worry unnecessarily. The Year 2000 is a continuation of a man-made calendar. Look at the major religions which have stood the test of time.
Instead of worrying, we should take this time to think about the kind of society we want Singapore to be in the new age. We should think about how we can contribute to a better world order.（The writer is Assistant Manager, Corporate Relations of SPH）
千禧新年何足懼？
我和朋友們都喜愛那閃耀在烏節(jié)路上的藍白兩色的節(jié)慶燈飾。我可以想象除夕之夜千萬人群涌上街頭迎接千禧年的歡樂場面,而且很高興慶?；顒舆€將延續(xù)數(shù)月之久,直入新年。
這一番慶祝無疑將耗費巨大,但只要能造成萬眾歡騰、全民同樂的氣氛,這錢便值得花；更要緊的是,這可以讓人們懷抱希望,而不是害怕千禧新年的到來。
假如不舉行任何慶?；顒?可能使人心生疑惑,誤信所謂世界末日來臨、千年蟲災(zāi)難爆發(fā)的預(yù)言。有人真心以為千禧新年的到來便是世界末日之始,或是什么救星出世、什么妖魔降臨之時。
在外國,有人更趨極端,為了逃避災(zāi)難,竟離家逃避到偏遠地帶去建立群居村社,不但囤積食糧,而且儲存武器彈藥。
更為駭人聽聞的是,有報道說,某些有自殺癖甚至殺人狂傾向的邪教組織計劃在中東的幾處圣地挑起大亂。還有千年蟲的恐慌,使人擔(dān)心它襲擊電腦體系而觸發(fā)核子大戰(zhàn)、飛機失事、銀行擠提、家用電器大破壞等等。
在美國,有人勸告居民儲存短期內(nèi)的生活必需品,以防電腦千年蟲來襲。我們是否也要儲存一些呢？要我說,要買,就多買些食物裝滿冰箱吧,為的是過節(jié)。不過,如果你還是不放心,也不妨出門大事采購,就當作民防演習(xí)也好。
認真說來,既然政府和各大機構(gòu)都已宣布作足了防御電腦千年蟲的功夫,我們又何必擔(dān)憂呢？全球化難免造成骨牌效應(yīng)的可能,但是即使千年蟲危機由無力防蟲的國外機構(gòu)觸發(fā),我們也已確保有應(yīng)變對策了。
群眾大恐慌發(fā)作起來確實難以控制。記得在波斯灣戰(zhàn)爭期間,一度有謠言說伊拉克的胡先將對我國發(fā)射導(dǎo)彈,本地家庭主婦便紛紛囤積大米等基本必需品,將雜貨店搶購一空。一位朋友說起當時鄰里小店的食鹽脫銷,害得他母親哭著回家來。
我并非在說他們的不是。飽受過日本占領(lǐng)時代的恐懼艱辛,又經(jīng)歷過六十年代的動蕩不安,他們完全有理由相信世事難料。
老一輩人也更害怕變化：千禧年新時代里,可有老一輩人的一席之地？新生事物的格局,他們能不能融入？他們的古老傳統(tǒng),會不會消失衰亡？
年青一代卻全心歡迎千禧年新時代,期待未來種種令人振奮的新事物。
我認為大家無須杞人憂天。2000年只不過是某一種人造的歷法中歲月的延續(xù)而已?？纯茨墙?jīng)受過時間考驗的各大宗教吧。
我們不須擔(dān)憂,卻應(yīng)當借此機會想一想,我們希望新時代的新加坡是個什么樣的社會,想一想我們可為新的世界秩序做出什么貢獻。
I can imagine the gaiety when thousands flock there to welcome the new millennium on New Year's Eve. I'm glad it's not all —celebrations will continue for months in 2000.
No doubt, good money will go into the celebrations but it's worth it as long as they succeed in generating nation-wide cheer and bringing people together. It's important to remind people to be hopeful and not fear the new millennium.
If we leave them alone and not hold any celebration, their minds might stray and be taken in by doomsday soothsayers and Y2K nuts. There are people who seriously believe that the new millennium is the start of the end of the world, the coming of some kind of saviour, and also, some kind of devil.
Abroad, there are people who take extreme measures like fleeing to remote areas to set up communes to protect themselves from any disasters. Besides food, they also stock up weapons.
More frightening are reports on cults with suicidal, and maybe, killer instincts too, wanting to create havoc in holy sites in the Middle-East. There is Y2K computer hysteria and its fears of nuclear disasters, computer chips playing havoc with planes, bank accounts and home appliances.
In America, citizens have been advised to stock up on necessities for a short period in case of Y2K disruptions. Should we do the same？ My answer is： Go stock up your freezer because it's a holiday. However if you still have fears, then treat your shopping spree as a civil defence exercise.
Seriously, why should one worry when the government and key organisations have declared that their systems are Y2K compliant？ Our organisations have even ensured that they have contingency plans to handle any crisis caused by outside parties which are not Y2K ready. When there's globalisation, there's always the possibility of a domino effect.
It's hard to control fear when a mass hysteria strikes. At one point during the Gulf War, many housewives here ransacked store shelves to stock up basic necessities like rice after hearing rumours that Saddam Hussein might fire missles at us. A friend told me how his mother came home crying when a neighbourhood shop ran out of salt.
I don't blame them. Having suffered the shocks and hardships of the Japanese Occupation and the uncertainties of the Sixties, they have good reasons to believe in the unpredictability of life.
The older generation is also more fearful of changes. Would they have a place in the new millennium？ Would they fit into the new scheme of things？ Would their age-old traditions fizzle out？
The young, however, seems to embrace the new millennium and all new excitements it promises.
I feel that we shouldn't worry unnecessarily. The Year 2000 is a continuation of a man-made calendar. Look at the major religions which have stood the test of time.
Instead of worrying, we should take this time to think about the kind of society we want Singapore to be in the new age. We should think about how we can contribute to a better world order.（The writer is Assistant Manager, Corporate Relations of SPH）
千禧新年何足懼？
我和朋友們都喜愛那閃耀在烏節(jié)路上的藍白兩色的節(jié)慶燈飾。我可以想象除夕之夜千萬人群涌上街頭迎接千禧年的歡樂場面,而且很高興慶?；顒舆€將延續(xù)數(shù)月之久,直入新年。
這一番慶祝無疑將耗費巨大,但只要能造成萬眾歡騰、全民同樂的氣氛,這錢便值得花；更要緊的是,這可以讓人們懷抱希望,而不是害怕千禧新年的到來。
假如不舉行任何慶?；顒?可能使人心生疑惑,誤信所謂世界末日來臨、千年蟲災(zāi)難爆發(fā)的預(yù)言。有人真心以為千禧新年的到來便是世界末日之始,或是什么救星出世、什么妖魔降臨之時。
在外國,有人更趨極端,為了逃避災(zāi)難,竟離家逃避到偏遠地帶去建立群居村社,不但囤積食糧,而且儲存武器彈藥。
更為駭人聽聞的是,有報道說,某些有自殺癖甚至殺人狂傾向的邪教組織計劃在中東的幾處圣地挑起大亂。還有千年蟲的恐慌,使人擔(dān)心它襲擊電腦體系而觸發(fā)核子大戰(zhàn)、飛機失事、銀行擠提、家用電器大破壞等等。
在美國,有人勸告居民儲存短期內(nèi)的生活必需品,以防電腦千年蟲來襲。我們是否也要儲存一些呢？要我說,要買,就多買些食物裝滿冰箱吧,為的是過節(jié)。不過,如果你還是不放心,也不妨出門大事采購,就當作民防演習(xí)也好。
認真說來,既然政府和各大機構(gòu)都已宣布作足了防御電腦千年蟲的功夫,我們又何必擔(dān)憂呢？全球化難免造成骨牌效應(yīng)的可能,但是即使千年蟲危機由無力防蟲的國外機構(gòu)觸發(fā),我們也已確保有應(yīng)變對策了。
群眾大恐慌發(fā)作起來確實難以控制。記得在波斯灣戰(zhàn)爭期間,一度有謠言說伊拉克的胡先將對我國發(fā)射導(dǎo)彈,本地家庭主婦便紛紛囤積大米等基本必需品,將雜貨店搶購一空。一位朋友說起當時鄰里小店的食鹽脫銷,害得他母親哭著回家來。
我并非在說他們的不是。飽受過日本占領(lǐng)時代的恐懼艱辛,又經(jīng)歷過六十年代的動蕩不安,他們完全有理由相信世事難料。
老一輩人也更害怕變化：千禧年新時代里,可有老一輩人的一席之地？新生事物的格局,他們能不能融入？他們的古老傳統(tǒng),會不會消失衰亡？
年青一代卻全心歡迎千禧年新時代,期待未來種種令人振奮的新事物。
我認為大家無須杞人憂天。2000年只不過是某一種人造的歷法中歲月的延續(xù)而已?？纯茨墙?jīng)受過時間考驗的各大宗教吧。
我們不須擔(dān)憂,卻應(yīng)當借此機會想一想,我們希望新時代的新加坡是個什么樣的社會,想一想我們可為新的世界秩序做出什么貢獻。