Stop blogging and start doing!

Here’s something interesting which I came across today as I was browsing for new material for this week’s entry:



The full report can be found here: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/375693/1/.html

From blogging to taking action!

So, it seems that Singaporean bloggers are finally doing more than just typing out, discussing and imposing their opinions on serious issues online and are actually trying to reach out to the public by making public appearances and engaging in public debates and trying to make an actual difference! Hurrah! Good for them!

Here we can see the bloggers shifting from the typical interactive model of communication with their fellow online buddies and moving to a more face-to-face discussion of ideas like public debates which is in line (somewhat) with the transactional model of communication.

I feel that this is a good step up for these bloggers to convey their ideas and opinions more effectively as

1) Communication is not restricted to purely verbal cues and use of language only as is in an online setting

2) They are able to engage non blog/net-savvy people and convey their messages to a larger audience

3) The anonymity of the Internet is eliminated, bloggers will have to be more responsible in dissemination of information to their target audience

They’re really just here to hear what they want to hear! (Say that quickly 10 times and it’s a tongue twister!)

The bloggers were on hand to discuss several issues of Singapore’s public transport system which were brought up in their proposal to the government for improving public transport. For those interested to read on their proposal, you can find it here: http://theonlinecitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/proposal-vff.pdf

The issues discussed included:

1) Increasing motor-vehicle taxes

2) Subsidies for public transport

3) Enforcement of higher service standards by public transport operators.

4) Environmental issues concerning transport emissions

These were some of the responses from those who came to listen to the discussion of ideas (watch the youtube clip from 1:10 onwards):

“It concerns my living... because my pocket money will be getting less.”

“I think it interests everybody, right? Because transport fare is too high, so everyone is affected. Everyone.”

“Transportation should remain affordable, especially for the needy.”

Notice that no one commented on the standard of service or the environmental issues, rather all were more concerned about the fares and the issue of money. This got me thinking, “So all these people came and all they cared about was really just the fare hike announcement...” It seems to me that, whilst it may be on hindsight unfair to judge over 100 people over comments made by 3 people who were interviewed, those who came to witness the debate perceived and internalized only the monetary aspect of the discussions.

This, in my opinion, is a good example of perception theory in practice. From their responses for the interview, we can get a basic idea of how these 3 attendees have selected, organized and interpreted the ideas that were discussed by the bloggers that day. For them, all that mattered was how to cope with the fare hike and were interested particularly in ideas that would help to alleviate financial burdens in the face of the impending fare hike.

And so it was, bloggers and non-bloggers alike on the 14th of September 2008 came and gathered to the oft-empty and underutilized Hong Lim Park Speaker’s Corner and had a ball of a time discussing and debating on Singapore’s Public transport System and the October fare hike.

Wow...Public speaking AND a proposal to the government! Even the anti-blogger and cynic in me have to applaud that. Well done.