Speaking Good English
I recall an interesting lecture from my "Sociology of Education" module. I learnt that there are a few kinds of capitals that each person possess. They are: Economic Capital, Cultural Capital and Social Capital.
Economic Capital, we will leave aside for the time being. It quite literally means money and all income generating assets. At present moment, you either have it, or you don't. We touch on this later.
There was a particular 10-mins period during the lecture when we were given a juxtaposition between English and Singlish. It was hilarious! This is one particular example that was the most impressionable and the only one that I can remember, goes something like that:
Scenario: There are many people in front of you and you have to walk through the crowd.
British: Excuse me Sir/Ma'am. I would like to get across, could you make way for me please?
Singlish: Paiseh / Sorry / Siam! / SKIUS!
Laugh! The whole lecture burst out in laughter! However, before we get drowned in the fun, we have to sober ourselves and think of the lesson behind it. This is a module on Education, and Education is a topic that is intrinsically linked to the word "success". This is an example of Cultural Capital. English educated, English educated, English educated. We have heard this phrase a gazillion times. The issue in our refusal, or inability, to use "proper English" is not about compromising the closeness between us Singaporeans. The issue lies in our lack of possession of the Cultural Capital that enables us to move up the socio-economic ladder.
I believe each of us have our own experiences of being able to form close friendships with some, and merely be acquainted with others. "Birds of the same feathers flock together". How about rephrasing it "People of the same Cultural Capital come together". This leads us to Social Capital.
Social Capital is the social network that you possess, ie who you hang out with. Pageant competitors, models and celebrities dominantly hang around with each other precisely because they possess similar cultural capital. An example would be the similarity in the level of attention they receive from the public. How about "nerds"? Scholars? Businessmen who have a similar thirst for the risks and excitement involved in business? What is the Cultural Capital that you possess? Look around you. "You are who your friends are".
Economic capital is the most obvious capital. It matters to most people and ranges from basic subsistence to a lifestyle of luxury. Once again, you either have it or you don't.
I have a friend who commented upon seeing one of our fellow students drive off in his Mini Cooper from the school carpark, "Basket, our school has so many Ah Seah Kia (rich kids)."
I replied, "You always look at the car and not the reason why they can afford to."
His reply was, "The reason, you will know the moment you are born."
Most definitely, I had to correct my reply by asking him to look at how the Ah Seah Kia's dads or grand-dads became prosperous.
Looking around you, are you in the company of the rich or people living from paycheck to paycheck? You may or may not be rich even though in the company of the rich (Let us be more specific. It is easier to understand when I mean self-made rich and not those born with a silver spoon in the mouth). Now, I put forth to you that if you already are, you possess the qualities that will take you to prosperity, just like how it took your peers to it. The question now lies in whether your conscious attention has been brought to these qualities that will allow you to do something about it.
Economic Capital, Cultural Capital and Social Capital are closely linked with each other. Too closely. There is no saying which capital will lead to the further development of the next capital. The causality can be in all directions. Personally, I do not possess the Economic Capital. Therefore, my strategy is to explore and acquire qualities that will allow myself to associate with the successful and great men.
Success I will attain one day. When I do, and when people ask why, the best indicator will be the Great people around me, themselves. And why am I able to surround myself with these Great people? It lies in the positive habits I seek to form today. This most definitely includes eliminating the "ahs" and "lahs" from my conversations. What are the positive habits you will form today?
Economic Capital, we will leave aside for the time being. It quite literally means money and all income generating assets. At present moment, you either have it, or you don't. We touch on this later.
There was a particular 10-mins period during the lecture when we were given a juxtaposition between English and Singlish. It was hilarious! This is one particular example that was the most impressionable and the only one that I can remember, goes something like that:
Scenario: There are many people in front of you and you have to walk through the crowd.
British: Excuse me Sir/Ma'am. I would like to get across, could you make way for me please?
Singlish: Paiseh / Sorry / Siam! / SKIUS!
Laugh! The whole lecture burst out in laughter! However, before we get drowned in the fun, we have to sober ourselves and think of the lesson behind it. This is a module on Education, and Education is a topic that is intrinsically linked to the word "success". This is an example of Cultural Capital. English educated, English educated, English educated. We have heard this phrase a gazillion times. The issue in our refusal, or inability, to use "proper English" is not about compromising the closeness between us Singaporeans. The issue lies in our lack of possession of the Cultural Capital that enables us to move up the socio-economic ladder.
I believe each of us have our own experiences of being able to form close friendships with some, and merely be acquainted with others. "Birds of the same feathers flock together". How about rephrasing it "People of the same Cultural Capital come together". This leads us to Social Capital.
Social Capital is the social network that you possess, ie who you hang out with. Pageant competitors, models and celebrities dominantly hang around with each other precisely because they possess similar cultural capital. An example would be the similarity in the level of attention they receive from the public. How about "nerds"? Scholars? Businessmen who have a similar thirst for the risks and excitement involved in business? What is the Cultural Capital that you possess? Look around you. "You are who your friends are".
Economic capital is the most obvious capital. It matters to most people and ranges from basic subsistence to a lifestyle of luxury. Once again, you either have it or you don't.
I have a friend who commented upon seeing one of our fellow students drive off in his Mini Cooper from the school carpark, "Basket, our school has so many Ah Seah Kia (rich kids)."
I replied, "You always look at the car and not the reason why they can afford to."
His reply was, "The reason, you will know the moment you are born."
Most definitely, I had to correct my reply by asking him to look at how the Ah Seah Kia's dads or grand-dads became prosperous.
Looking around you, are you in the company of the rich or people living from paycheck to paycheck? You may or may not be rich even though in the company of the rich (Let us be more specific. It is easier to understand when I mean self-made rich and not those born with a silver spoon in the mouth). Now, I put forth to you that if you already are, you possess the qualities that will take you to prosperity, just like how it took your peers to it. The question now lies in whether your conscious attention has been brought to these qualities that will allow you to do something about it.
Economic Capital, Cultural Capital and Social Capital are closely linked with each other. Too closely. There is no saying which capital will lead to the further development of the next capital. The causality can be in all directions. Personally, I do not possess the Economic Capital. Therefore, my strategy is to explore and acquire qualities that will allow myself to associate with the successful and great men.
Success I will attain one day. When I do, and when people ask why, the best indicator will be the Great people around me, themselves. And why am I able to surround myself with these Great people? It lies in the positive habits I seek to form today. This most definitely includes eliminating the "ahs" and "lahs" from my conversations. What are the positive habits you will form today?
posted by keching at
7:56 AM
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