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The cross-generational culture clash.
Posted by JSYL
on
Monday, June 19, 2006
in
Social Phenomena
Here's what happens when you cross a first generation Malaysian Chinese with a second generation Malaysian Australian Chinese: (yeah Bernard I'm a racist against my own race, if that's even possible. What are ya gonna do about it? Bring it. =p)
Her: Oh by the way if you have time today would you please...would you like...to...pick up a free shower head for me today from that stall near Town Hall station?
Me: What?! You don't even need a shower head. Can't you get it, its out of my way- my bus stop's a block from where I work.
Her: Just get it on the way TO work then...All you have to do is fill out a form with your name. I already got one yesterday so I can't go again today. Your dad got one the day before. You're only allowed to get one per person.
Me: Can't you make up another name? I'm sure they're not going to remember what you look like, you went YESTERDAY, and you're wearing different clothes, don't you know that all Asians look alike?
Her: I know, but I'm embarrassed to get another one myself.
Me: You don't even NEED another showerhead, what are you doing stocking up on showerheads when you've got TWO already? Can't you just get a showerhead when you really need one?
Her:But they're giving them away now, they're not going to be doing that forever.
Mer: You're so Asian you don't even really need one and you're getting three just 'cos they're free.
Her: I just want a complete set. See, kiew kiew (Uncle) has THREE bathrooms and we have two.
Me:(spluttering) That's not a set! A set is what you BUY, it comes pre-packaged and you pay for three together, see what you're doing is stealing three showerheads, not buying a set of showerheads.
Her:But I'm doing the environment a favour. Don't you want more people to have environmentally friendly showerheads (it now comes out that they are new 'green-friendly' showerheads being given away)? I would think you of all people would want to PROMOTE environmental causes, you who's always preaching about wasting water.
Him (interjecting): Yeah I mean kiew kiew would get it but we're getting it for him because he doesn't come by the city. So we're spreading the message.
Her: ....and its just like those green supermarket bags. You always want people to use them to 'save the environment'! Well, now I'm doing that! I don't see why you don't want to help me in fighting a just and rightful cause.
Me: That's right, that's the Asian way- justify being cheap to yourself. Dooon't try to pull a guilt trip on me.
First of all, I only cared about preserving water because of that Sesame Street piece I saw that told me NOT TO WASTE WATER. And I stopped telling you not to waste water when you yelled at me that you can waste as much water as you want 'cos its your water since you pay the water bill...WHEN I WAS FIVE YEARS OLD.
So I know for a fact that you don't care about saving water, you just want to get a free showerhead. You've been watching too much Desperate Housewives...sooo manipulative that you just go about things underhandedly to get your own way in the end. But you know what? It doesn't matter if in the end you're actually doing something good, because if your true motivation for doing that good thing is selfish, and not to actually do good, it doesn't make it right and just at all!
I mean, you get a whole cup of water and only rinse your mouth out with one mouthful before throwing the rest of the water in the cup out into the sink and ALWAYS leave the tap dripping, if you just stopped doing that all the time you'd save a lot more water and you wouldn't NEED the greenie showerheads!
Her:Yes, you're right. Thank you. Now, are you going to do it or not?
Me: This is so embarrassing. Look. I'll do it because you told me to and your my mother so I have to do it, but I just want you to know I'm not going to feel good about it.
Him: Good.
*Sigh*
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Her: Oh by the way if you have time today would you please...would you like...to...pick up a free shower head for me today from that stall near Town Hall station?
Me: What?! You don't even need a shower head. Can't you get it, its out of my way- my bus stop's a block from where I work.
Her: Just get it on the way TO work then...All you have to do is fill out a form with your name. I already got one yesterday so I can't go again today. Your dad got one the day before. You're only allowed to get one per person.
Me: Can't you make up another name? I'm sure they're not going to remember what you look like, you went YESTERDAY, and you're wearing different clothes, don't you know that all Asians look alike?
Her: I know, but I'm embarrassed to get another one myself.
Me: You don't even NEED another showerhead, what are you doing stocking up on showerheads when you've got TWO already? Can't you just get a showerhead when you really need one?
Her:But they're giving them away now, they're not going to be doing that forever.
Mer: You're so Asian you don't even really need one and you're getting three just 'cos they're free.
Her: I just want a complete set. See, kiew kiew (Uncle) has THREE bathrooms and we have two.
Me:(spluttering) That's not a set! A set is what you BUY, it comes pre-packaged and you pay for three together, see what you're doing is stealing three showerheads, not buying a set of showerheads.
Her:But I'm doing the environment a favour. Don't you want more people to have environmentally friendly showerheads (it now comes out that they are new 'green-friendly' showerheads being given away)? I would think you of all people would want to PROMOTE environmental causes, you who's always preaching about wasting water.
Him (interjecting): Yeah I mean kiew kiew would get it but we're getting it for him because he doesn't come by the city. So we're spreading the message.
Her: ....and its just like those green supermarket bags. You always want people to use them to 'save the environment'! Well, now I'm doing that! I don't see why you don't want to help me in fighting a just and rightful cause.
Me: That's right, that's the Asian way- justify being cheap to yourself. Dooon't try to pull a guilt trip on me.
First of all, I only cared about preserving water because of that Sesame Street piece I saw that told me NOT TO WASTE WATER. And I stopped telling you not to waste water when you yelled at me that you can waste as much water as you want 'cos its your water since you pay the water bill...WHEN I WAS FIVE YEARS OLD.
So I know for a fact that you don't care about saving water, you just want to get a free showerhead. You've been watching too much Desperate Housewives...sooo manipulative that you just go about things underhandedly to get your own way in the end. But you know what? It doesn't matter if in the end you're actually doing something good, because if your true motivation for doing that good thing is selfish, and not to actually do good, it doesn't make it right and just at all!
I mean, you get a whole cup of water and only rinse your mouth out with one mouthful before throwing the rest of the water in the cup out into the sink and ALWAYS leave the tap dripping, if you just stopped doing that all the time you'd save a lot more water and you wouldn't NEED the greenie showerheads!
Her:Yes, you're right. Thank you. Now, are you going to do it or not?
Me: This is so embarrassing. Look. I'll do it because you told me to and your my mother so I have to do it, but I just want you to know I'm not going to feel good about it.
Him: Good.
*Sigh*
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