In this society, the outstanding ones or the top ones will always attract more focuses from others, which mean they may get more materially support and assistance when they are in trouble. So how about the other? When the common ones need support badly, will we treat them equally, or just overlook them?
These kinds of feeling never existed so strong until the donation on 28th Jan, 2011. A girl from the faculty of science of NUS, suffers from leucocythaemia (a kind of blood disease), needs a great number of money to receive treatment. She is one of the top students of the faculty of science, the ambassador and the representative of NUS, the first honor degree owner, and the pride of NUS. She should have a bright future but the severe disease suddenly ruins her life. Sincerely, I feel sympathy to her and make my effort to help her. However, if the student has no honors, or just a common one who is busy with his projects day and night, will the donation exist and will the professor still willing to sing some songs and appeal us to help him?
From my perspective, everything may change to a different way if he or she is not that top. This happens all the time, all the place. Most teachers from schools pay more attention to the top students in the classes and have no time to care about others, which leads to the other students cannot receive the support they should have and the gap between the top is getting wider.
We cannot regard these situations as discrimination but social unfair and the top-bias. Let’s assume a situation. If two students are both seriously sick without money to receive treatment, one of them is the top of the school, the other one is a middling student, who will get more support and donation from others? The top can easily collect most sympathy from us when they are in the same situation. The minority get the majority assistance.
On the other hand, the majority in the society is the ‘lower classes’, who have the potential to be the top some days. However, few people will concern about them when they are in trouble and need help. The majority can only get the minority support.
Frankly speaking, there is no total equality in society nowadays. We must do something. We, the human beings, have the obligation to treat everybody equally. But what exactly we can do?
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ReplyDeleteYanny, thanks for the thought-provoking post.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, some things in life are never fair, but in a situation like the one you described, I'm pretty sure that regardless of the student's background that s/he will still receive the much-needed help. The case is certainly not one where, because of the student's achievement, that help is rendered.
Rather, I believe that by highlighting her achievements, it was hoped that more awareness could be raised.
There were numerous incidents in Singapore in the past where the public went forward to help generously, and I'd like to stress here, 'regardless of the person's background'.
So yes, in a sense what you'd described may be true in some cases, but not always. Also, could you be generalising when you shared that "most teachers" pay more attention to the top students?
I AGREE ON WHAT Ms Lim said. In my view, something is not given but earned.
ReplyDelete