Another year, and nothing's changed. Same over-earnest, over-the-top attempts at celebration, and I'd bet half of the nation has not a clue of what they're celebrating. Is our history and struggle for independence that boring or shameful? I think not, what then warrants for such elaborate, empty and pretentious displays of sights and sounds on this day which exists simply to remind ourselves of and indulge in the success that's been wrought by our assumedly wise forefathers? If I truly loved this land beyond words and the need to coverup dissenting opinion, I'd be happy to celebrate any day; be ready to stand up for her in any way. But I don't, because she's robbed me of my dignity; birthed to control, there is no pride in our labels of citizenship when all of life's concerned with greater self-sustainability and betterment of a society that I'm told to care for. What does it mean to you to be Singaporean, they ask. What's the point of talking about idiosyncracies, local cuisine, culture-building and people-development when the abstract and reality fall horribly off-tangent?

We, the citizens of Singapore,
pledge ourselves as one united people,
regardless of race, language or religion,
to build a democratic society
based on justice and equality
so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and
progress for our nation.

What a bunch of bollocks.