How to eradicate poverty in Singapore

(04-11-2013, 05:12 PM)WolfT Wrote:

(04-11-2013, 03:52 PM)NTL Wrote:

(04-11-2013, 02:19 PM)WolfT Wrote: The poor in sg at least are not deprive of education. They still stands a chance to become middle class in e next 20 yrs.
If u r born in a poor, u likely hungrier for opportunity and money.

Of coz the opportunity and money must come from legal means. There are people (both well-to-do and poor) who are desperate to try all means to get richer.

No matter what is the income level, there will always be the bottom 20%, or bottom 5%. The prices of goods within a country will be set based on a general acceptable level for the whole population, which will definitely be considered as 'expensive' for this group of people. So even if the bottom 20% can be earning a higher pay then now, they will still be consider poor. There is no end to this matter.

So, how can one really eradicate poverty?

Not possible to eradicate poverty, lets not bluff ourselves!
What we really do to help them is by giving them chances and avenue to upgrade their mindset and skillset and hope they can get out of the proverty cycle.

yes, further enhance social mobility and level as many as playing fields as possible.

As mentioned, Education is primary mean in improving/enhancing social mobility. My concern is with parents spending so much money in private tuition, has our social mobility slowed down or reversed?

Any thoughts on the upsurge in private tuition and social mobility?

(04-11-2013, 04:38 PM)Temperament Wrote:

Quote:"I have readers, some of them friends, some graduate students whom I pay to read lecture notes or books, record them into MP3 files, and e-mail them to me. "

From the above, do i have to go further. i think she should have all the support of the state. So in Singapore, if you can make it even though you are very disadvantaged in one way or another, not only it's really amazing you are marvellous too.
My point is it seems we are a very "Meritocratic Society".
Everyone for himself.

So, that few graduate students represent all of Singapore.
And those who had helped her along the way had, in one sweep, been classified together as "Everyone for himself".

Lastly, getting paid for reading lecture notes/textbooks is not really that obscene since university math textbook/lecture notes are super thick and can be real difficult to dictate.

I think we look at Singapore society differently. Therefore, I suppose the exchanges should end here.

One more... If everyone is for himself in Singapore, valuebuddies will not exist.

(04-11-2013, 06:57 PM)yeokiwi Wrote:

(04-11-2013, 04:38 PM)Temperament Wrote:

Quote:"I have readers, some of them friends, some graduate students whom I pay to read lecture notes or books, record them into MP3 files, and e-mail them to me. "

From the above, do i have to go further. i think she should have all the support of the state. So in Singapore, if you can make it even though you are very disadvantaged in one way or another, not only it's really amazing you are marvellous too.
My point is it seems we are a very "Meritocratic Society".
Everyone for himself.

So, that few graduate students represent all of Singapore.
And those who had helped her along the way had, in one sweep, been classified together as "Everyone for himself".

Lastly, getting paid for reading lecture notes/textbooks is not really that obscene since university math textbook/lecture notes are super thick and can be real difficult to dictate.

I think we look at Singapore society differently. Therefore, I suppose the exchanges should end here.

One more... If everyone is for himself in Singapore, valuebuddies will not exist.

O. K.
you got a point.

When i said to my wife about the Australian who has no arms and legs and yet can go so far, i mean if he was born in Singapore can he goes so far? What help on the way he has had by the state and society and family. i have my doubts he can make it if he was born in Singapore.
That's all.

Hi Uncle Temperament,

I do not know much about this person. Just wondering what are the assistance he received from the soceity and government of Australia. By the way, what's his name, so that I can do some googling.

Thanks.

(04-11-2013, 07:22 PM)NTL Wrote: Hi Uncle Temperament,

I do not know much about this person. Just wondering what are the assistance he received from the soceity and government of Australia. By the way, what's his name, so that I can do some googling.

Thanks.

http://www.google.com.sg/url?sa=t&rct=j&...mk&cad=rja

(04-11-2013, 07:29 PM)Temperament Wrote:

(04-11-2013, 07:22 PM)NTL Wrote: Hi Uncle Temperament,

I do not know much about this person. Just wondering what are the assistance he received from the soceity and government of Australia. By the way, what's his name, so that I can do some googling.

Thanks.

http://www.google.com.sg/url?sa=t&rct=j&...mk&cad=rja

This guy is inspiring.

(04-11-2013, 07:22 PM)NTL Wrote: Hi Uncle Temperament,

I do not know much about this person. Just wondering what are the assistance he received from the soceity and government of Australia. By the way, what's his name, so that I can do some googling.

Thanks.

Nick Vujicic was just in Spore recently but I always thought he was an American.

The wiki entry is quite interesting. From the brief summary there, my impression is that he makes the most of his lives through his sheer tenacious will. And that's not something that any assistance from the state can do anything about.

And I get irritated when people starts to assume that our govt is not doing anything to assist the less able and disadvantaged segment of our soceity.

A sg+ episode on social mobility highlighted that some schools has integrated visually impaired students with the mainstream student. That's an example of what the govt is doing. There's probably more that we are not aware of unless we are involved in the programs in some ways.

And why is there always the need to compare with other countries? Does other countries always has all the collective wisdom of dealing with societal issues? Or should we stop and consider that sometimes we do have a thing or two to other more 'advanced' countries with a much longer history.

[Disclaimer: The post is not a direct response to posts by Temperament]

Reading thru the wiki link, seems like Australia did not do much for him. His will seem to come from his parents and religion.

Thanks Uncle Temperament and Lonewolf for introducing me to this person.

(04-11-2013, 08:43 PM)NTL Wrote: Reading thru the wiki link, seems like Australia did not do much for him. His will seem to come from his parents and religion.

Thanks Uncle Temperament and Lonewolf for introducing me to this person.

This is the link to the video when he came to sg to give a speech.

http://video.xin.msn.com/watch/video/spe...link-email

(04-11-2013, 08:18 PM)lonewolf Wrote:

(04-11-2013, 07:22 PM)NTL Wrote: Hi Uncle Temperament,

I do not know much about this person. Just wondering what are the assistance he received from the soceity and government of Australia. By the way, what's his name, so that I can do some googling.

Thanks.

Nick Vujicic was just in Spore recently but I always thought he was an American.

The wiki entry is quite interesting. From the brief summary there, my impression is that he makes the most of his lives through his sheer tenacious will. And that's not something that any assistance from the state can do anything about.

And I get irritated when people starts to assume that our govt is not doing anything to assist the less able and disadvantaged segment of our soceity.

A sg+ episode on social mobility highlighted that some schools has integrated visually impaired students with the mainstream student. That's an example of what the govt is doing. There's probably more that we are not aware of unless we are involved in the programs in some ways.

And why is there always the need to compare with other countries? Does other countries always has all the collective wisdom of dealing with societal issues? Or should we stop and consider that sometimes we do have a thing or two to other more 'advanced' countries with a much longer history.

[Disclaimer: The post is not a direct response to posts by Temperament]

i think you got a point too. The problem is it's very difficult for most of us to think too kindly of our CHENGHU because of their keep on stressing that we should never be a Welfare State.
The structure and nature of CPF also makes us think not too Kindly of our CHENGHU. And ...etc...
Anyway, i think no Asian countries has gone the Welfare System.
It may or may not be a better system. But i think a few countries in the west have succeeded.