The book is really quite fascinating. It is a study of the human psyche, and it stares straight into the face of evil inside us. I cannot do justice to the book's rich complexity in one short blog post, but let me try anyway.The plot goes like this. After a plane crash, a large group of schoolboys are stranded on a beautiful deserted island. None of them are hurt, and none of them are in danger. There is more than enough food, water and shelter on the island for them to survive indefinitely.
The boys quickly organise themselves. They appoint leaders, set rules for themselves and work together to build shelters and gather food. In effect, they become a microcosm of our larger human society. You look at the boys and you can see how human civilisation operates (and this is precisely what Golding intended, for his novel is allegorical).
What happens next? Well, the boys could have led a peaceful, harmonious existence on an island paradise. In fact, they initially do. However, things quickly break down. A power struggle breaks out between the two oldest boys - Ralph, who is strong and genuinely good-hearted, and Jack, who is just as strong, but utterly ruthless and power-hungry.
At first the boys elect Ralph as their leader. But Jack steadily gains power. Eventually, Jack takes complete control and under his leadership, the entire group of boys degenerate into barbaric savagery. Two boys are murdered and Ralph himself is hunted down like a wild pig to be slaughtered.
How did Jack do it? How did he seize power? Essentially he played on the boys' fears. He told them that somewhere on the island, there lived a fearsome "beast". According to Jack, this "beast" was ferocious, it was no ordinary animal, it was a kind of monster and it was hungry. It hated the boys and was out to hunt them down and kill them.And the only way for the boys to escape the "beast" and survive was to accept Jack as their leader. For Jack was the strongest, the smartest, the best hunter. Jack would know what to do. If only the boys would obey Jack and pledge allegiance to him, then Jack would be able to defend them against their enemy.
Most of the boys were duped. In fact they obeyed Jack so unquestioningly that they would commit murder, upon his command. And that was how Jack gained power.
Of course, the truth was that there was no "beast". It was merely a fiction, a myth, a frightening story that Jack steadily built up over time, by playing on the boys' collective fear of the dark. In psychological terms, the "beast" was nothing more than an external projection of the boys' irrational inner fears. It was through Jack's skilful manipulations that the imaginary "beast" was magnified into huge proportions.
Why am I writing about the Lord of the Flies today? Two decades have passed since I first read that stunningly insightful book. Yet up to today, events in Singapore still periodically remind me of that novel. Most recently, we see media reports like these:
Do "they" really hate us? Is anyone really out to "do us in"? Is there really a "conspiracy" going on?ST July 12, 2008
There is a conspiracy to do us in, says MM Lee
Minister Mentor rebuts human rights groups' criticism of Singapore
By Sue-ann Chia
MINISTER Mentor Lee Kuan Yew last night dismissed human rights organisations' criticisms of Singapore's style of governance, saying that they were trying to 'do us in'.
In a robust rebuttal of these groups' assertions that Singapore is not a liberal democracy, he said that they had never run a country and did not know what was needed to make Singapore tick.
'There is a conspiracy to do us in. Why?... They see us as a threat,' said Mr Lee at an hour-long dialogue during the Economic Society of Singapore's annual dinner ....
ST Aug 9, 2008
Why they hate Singapore
Western detractors are getting the jitters as others copy our model
By Chua Lee Hoong
SINGAPORE is small enough to be a suburb in Beijing, but it has something in common with the mammoth People's Republic. The little red dot and Red China are both countries the West loves to hate.
There are those who wish bad things to happen to the Beijing Olympics. Likewise, there are those who have had it in for the Lion City for years ....
And if so ....... whose conspiracy is it? Ask yourself that.
42 comments:
Among other things, Ms. Chua Lee Hoong is apparently also a psychiatrist-in-training.
Collective fear stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd.
(Bertrand Russell)
Thank you for your comment. When I first heard about that article yesterday (I don't read the ST as I do not like to read government propaganda that treats me like a fool), I couldn't believe ST would print such stuff.
Well, what can I say. I am a 'Westerner' myself (do common folks in Singapore know that the west is as diverse as Asia?) and always get pretty upset when I read something of that sort. It is downright racist and hate speech in my mind. How neat to generalize us as 'they' and use such a strong word as hate. As if the sentiments against foreigners isn't bad enough on this Island already. I do not need the leaders here to stir that dangerous mix further.
(just read the ST forum comments and you know what I mean)
There is so much wrong with that article. In fact, people I know in Europe either do not have any clue about Singapore (or couldn't be bothered) or know it as clean etc. Singapore is too insignificant on a world stage to develop any feelings. The writer shows a phenomena I know all to well. Everything that is done here needs to be seen by the world as great, rated #1 etc. It's a small town mentality coming from the issue that Singapore is indeed pretty insignificant on a world stage.
It is the political elite and such cronies that make life less bearable in Singapore by the day. Having lived here for 10 years, I have never seen the government more desperate to use whatever means to rally their people. Even if it takes obnoxious, xenophobic stuff. Disgusting.
Dear Mr. Wang, was waiting for your response to yet another senile blabber by the Minister Mental. Great reference you have used there.
The DEVIL(S) are all WITHIN, not WITHOUT.
Actually the "conspiracy" is only one of the many methods used. By itself alone, it may not work. They also used all other types - hard, soft, sweet, sour, bitter, painful, soothing etc and what have you. I mean, how else could they have done it so well for more than 43 years!
Also LKY once said that there is very little that he does not know about Singapore so don't ever try to lecture or teach him on this. Again another reason why more than 43 years. But LKY is a mortal human so when he die it will be of great consequence to this little red dot because we do not know if his successors are of the same calibre as they may not be able to prove themselves as long as LKY is still alive.
hMM, hMM, hMM....
The machination and manipulation of fear has always been the hallmark of a nasty "leader" or something started with "Tyr".
One can draw parallels from the speech of the likes of Hitler, Maugbe and Stanlin.
Usually such "leaders" will make sure that races and groups not conforming to his/her ideals or those who he/she hated for some particular reason will been render helpless ,gagged ,disabled , barred from some acts, non-expression of speech and sometimes even culled.
After all been said and done,Those with foresight and capability will flee and rebuild the place when it is safe for them to return.
There will also those who hide below the surface trying to defray the damages done. They Comply yet conscientiously protect those who cannot fend for themselves. Example the family who hide Anne Frank in their attic.
In the end,Ralph plan of using smoke signal works however it is caused by Jack plan (of which he will most definitely take credit for) to hunt him down by burning down the island (where will they find food after everything is burned down when they caught Ralph if the ship never found them).
The beast used by Jack to unify his hunters never appeared and accurately deduced as non existent.
And finally They are save by the flame started by Piggy's glasses who was crush by boulder thrown by Jack's henchman.
Piggy ,whose glasses save the boys and inconvenienced by it's other usage, is sacrificed so that a charismatic choir boy can get to lead.
By the way, The choir boy Jack is making things up as he goes along.
Chua Lee Hoong mentioned "Pavlovian behavioural conditioning" but we know who the real dog is.
Well, now we know why schools don't encourage their kids to study literature. 'Cos they might actually learn something useful.
Besides using the strawmen to scare us, this "hate" revelation really takes the cake.
I think the truth goes more like, "we don't hate singapore, we just hate Harry"
Generally, those who benefit a lot will feel LKY and his system is a good deal. They are probably the same people who will defend him and overlook many of the flaws in his system of governance. I am one of those netizens who will always be thankful to bloggers like yourself who give an honest account on the state of affairs.
LKY's wild accusation of foreign conspiracy is a desperate attempt to deflect attention to himself after the IBAHRI report. I have no doubts that the real conspiracy involves the PAP elites hanging on to power.
Their winning dirty is so obvious!
Thank you for your insightful blog.
Very very very irresponsible article by the ST writer. The ST has truly sunk to a new low.
comic - devolution theory of conspiracy
http://mypap.wordpress.com/2008/07/16/conspiracy/
BE PROUD? YOU MUST BE JOKING. I AM ASHAMED HOW LOW WE STOOD TO GET A MEDAL AT ANY COST.
Found this posting and I was shocked. If it is correct, how can someone who has been in Singapore less than 2 years represent Singapore in the Olympics?
Should there not be a 'term of residency' before they are allowed to represent their 'new' country? Can anyone here shed some light?
This is even more digusting. Less than 2 years? How to be proud?
LAST I HEARD, THE KOREAN TABLE TENNIS FEDERATION IS ASKING FOR AN OLYMPIC INVESTIGATION ON THIS MATTER,
Singapore government takes easy way out. Accepting millions of immigrants is unpatriotic.
I don't feel proud if our medals are won by foreigners (less than or just few years knowing Singapore).
From China: Tao Li, Li Jiawei, Feng Tian Wei
From Indonesia: Ronald Susilo
Some facts
From China, Feng Tian Wei came to Singapore somewhere in April 2007
She instantly became Singapore citizen in January 2008.
Actually this does not surprise me in the least. I think we look around in the net, it will not be too difficult to draw parallels between the scene in LOTF and lets say for instance NTUC, Auto Parallel Importers, The brotherhood, The Press Corp, WP, PAP, China, N.Korea, Iran or any other group really.
They all have one thing in common, there are all led by one charismatic figure who claims no end we all have to prepare to met our nemesis one day. I read somewhere one reason is for this is bc hunting man is by nature hard wired to submit himself to one man leadership. As humans we seem to be able to work better as a team, when we have a command and structure where there is only one and one man up there.
Of course to keep himself up there, that person also needs to be quite a good storyteller. I dont think this is particular and unique to Singapore's case, I see this trend right across the board unfortunately even in Australia, where Pauline Hanson once managed to win a meal ticket riding on the fear of immigrants.
But it is certainly very disappointing to see this printed in a paper of such standing as the ST. I dont think this will happen in the Guardian, Independent, NYT or even the WSJ
The Star
16 Aug 2008
Kuan Yew still a force to be reckoned with.
He was in Beijing for the Olympics, then rushed home to celebrate
National Day. Singapore’s Minister Mentor looks no nearer to slowing
down as his half-century mark at the top approaches.
UNLESS the unexpected happens, the Lee Kuan Yew era will reach it's
half-century mark in Singapore next year.
At 84, Lee no longer resembles the pugnacious 35-year-old lawyer who
became Singapore’s first prime minister in 1959 when it was a
self-governing colony.
But to the disappointment of those who want him to retire, he remains
as active as many politicians half his age, embracing a high profile
at home and abroad that far exceeds his advisory role as Minister
Mentor.
Recently, he appeared in Beijing for a day to attend the Olympics
opening ceremony and then dashed home in time to celebrate Singapore’s
National Day.
Months earlier he was in Europe and spent several hectic weeks
visiting the Middle East.
“He’s here, he’s there, he’s everywhere,” exclaimed a Singaporean, who
joked that it tires him out just reading about Lee’s activities. “He
is so active that he overshadows the younger ministers.”
With the retirement in February of Cuban President Fidel Castro, who
also took office at the same time 50 years ago, Lee suddenly became
the world’s longest surviving political leader.
A handful of long-serving African leaders are years behind Lee in
political longevity.
There is a small difference, though, but hardly significant.
Unlike Castro, Lee stepped down as Prime Minister in 1990 to take up
advisory roles in the Cabinet – first as Senior Minister and then as
Minister Mentor – titles that are unfamiliar in most developed
nations.
At that time, he said he would leave the daily running of the country
to his successors and would play only “a goalkeeper role” in the event
of a crisis.
That hands-off attitude soon lay by the wayside and Lee began to take
the front seat again.
In recent years he has dramatically increased his public profile,
making more and more pronouncements on major foreign and domestic
matters crucial to Singapore.
By comparison, his son, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, a one-time
cancer patient, has become much less active, which sometimes prompts
Singaporeans to ask: “Who is the real Prime Minister?”
At any rate, Lee’s forceful character and his historic role in
Singapore has marked him as the real power, whatever the title he
chooses to call himself.
Lee’s hold on power – especially the nation’s finance, military and
the mainstream media – is almost unbreakable and his authoritarian
leadership, a little softened through the years, is still evident.
For most observers it matters little who is prime minister, as to them
the Lee Kuan Yew era has not been eclipsed.
Will it continue – and for how much longer?
Ask any Singaporean and he’ll swear it will be endless. Kuan Yew,
however, has a different answer. He says he will carry on as long as
his health permits, because he is still useful to the country.
Kuan Yew believes that he has to remain active. “With nothing to do,
no purpose in life, you’ll just degrade, go to seed,” he said during a
public dialogue.
“We've got to educate those about to retire: Don’t retire, work.
Retirement means death.”
Most believe that Kuan Yew is hanging on because of one or both these
reasons: firstly, things will go wrong for Singapore when he goes, and
secondly, the current crop of leaders don’t measure up to his
expectations.
The achievements of Kuan Yew and his team of unusually capable first
generation leaders are indisputable.
They transformed a poor, squatter colony into the world’s seventh
richest country with per capita GDP rising from less than US$1,000 in
1959 to US$49,800 now.
Thanks to the investment in education, Singapore's first prime
minister has successfully raised a new generation of well-educated
young Singaporeans who are able to build on the island’s prosperity.
That, however, has its political downside for him and his
authoritarian style of leadership.
A gap has built up between these worldly-wise, Web-savvy youths, who
feel little beholden to him and his old values, which had served him
and Singapore well in the past.
The Internet is full of their messages telling him that times have
changed and he should change, too, and allow for more personal
liberties.
This is, of course, not the entire truth.
The more elderly, conservative Singaporeans either support Kuan Yew or
continue to vote for him out of fear that Singapore can get unhinged
when he goes.
Some observers, however, believe that in the past year or so, as Kuan
Yew became more active and inflation worsened, some of this heartland
support may have eroded.
At the same time, the liberal-minded young people have become more
vocal against Kuan Yew, many calling for him to step down.
They say that although he had done much for the country in the first
25 years, his remaining in office is stifling the emergence of new
leaders within – and outside – the PAP.
Kuan Yew’s complaint against the young generation is that they are
ungrateful for what he has done. As one foreign observer said: “Young
(affluent) Singaporeans are beginning to see that a gilded cage is a
cage, nonetheless.”
One letter writer said: “Lau (Old) Lee, I think you should take a rest
from the vigour of politics. You have struggled since 1959 and have
already passed on the torch to your son.
“You have already achieved your aim and ambition. There is not much
for you to do here.”
Still, it's very unlikely that the Lee Kuan Yew era will end on its
50th year
Press Release
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Singapore Kopitiam
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15 August 2008
MM Lee questions younger Singaporeans' desire for multi-party politics
By Neo Chai Chin, TODAY | Posted: 14 August 2008 1035 hrs
The political problems faced by many countries in Asia can be traced back to two words: Money politics.
And the reason such troubles have not taken root here? There is no “money politics” in Singapore, and “we have a Division One team in charge”, said Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew last night.
In many Asian countries, money politics is simply the “code word” for buying votes to gain power, and after that is done, “to recover your expenses plus some profit for the next round of vote-buying”, said Mr Lee at the Tanjong Pagar 43rd National Day Celebration Dinner.
“One of the big problems they now face, in other countries, is the people in power want to reserve the money, keep it for themselves. So, they exclude young able people who want to join their team ...
“The result is, there is no talent inside the existing parties.”
Contrast that to Singapore.
“In other countries, elections do not put up a Division One team. They are a Division Three, either a B team or a C team in charge. In Singapore, we carefully select our candidates ...
“Over the years, with each election, we see the quality of the MPs, their education levels, their competence, their abilities, their energy.
“Their youthfulness is renewed and we have a leadership that’s able to meet the rising standards of the population,” said Mr Lee.
But today’s younger generation does not understand all this, the Minister Mentor said.
“They say, oh, let’s have multiparty politics. Let’s have different parties change and be in charge of the Government. Is it that simple? You vote in a Division Three government, not a Division One government, and the whole economy will just subside within three, four years. Finished.”
Such proponents should study Taiwan, Thailand and the Philippines, where rotating party governments have led to more mismanagement. “And a ‘freewheeling paress’ has not cleaed up corruption, although according to American ‘liberal’ democracy theories, it is designed to do so,” Mr Lee said.
Even in the face of a global recession, Singapore has enough long-term investments to buffer the setbacks, noted Mr Lee.
“Why are we on top of our problem? Because there’s a Government that’s planning ahead, seeing ahead, calculating ahead, making the right decision. Yes, there will be recession around the world. But we will have enough investments already going on,” he said.
As a mentor and advisor to the younger policy-makers, he cited how he backed Singapore’s hosting of the Formula One in September, even though he himself was not a fan. “We cannot stay still. The world has changed – there’s a jetset that travels all over the world because they are interested in the Formula One races. Why? I don’t know.
“I find very little excitement in it. They wheel around and around, and it’s over. And there’s an accident – so what? But I’m told there is tremendous exitement in the way you get the cars, the way you change wheels, the way you drive, and so on,” he said, drawing chuckles from the audience. - TODAY/ra
first read this article on yahoo.com.sg but it disappeared today, so picked it up again on channel news asia webbie.
When what is written strays from what the majority perceives, it creates an uncomfortable state known as Fiction.
When a orifice associated with Factual discourse spawns Fiction (perhaps in an attempt to alter perception aka reality), this generates even greater tension.
This lends more weight to the nagging thought that perhaps the Gini is really out of the bottle - economically as well as reality.
jc
wow you say LKY is jack? you not scared you get sued for defamation ah?
singapore is small and insignificant, to say the world hates us is kinda of an over-recognition.
but then again, if we go around pissing others off one way or the other, and think that our $ reserves are might, think again:
[url]http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/15/opinion/15krugman.html?em[/url]
I doubt our education system and society wants to allow people to think abt the future very much.
Well, the good thing is that more Singaporeans have grown up and they aren't such naive little boys anymore. A sampling of posts from around the blogosphere:
1."Walking The Thin Line Between Stating the Obvious And Fear-Mongering" . - by SG Politics.
2. "... Governments can, by the construction of an imagined external foe, effectively manipulate the dispositions of the people. A siege mentality, by creating a hostile "them", also creates a friendly "us". Undoubtedly, the "us" also contains the Government, the effect of which is that a siege mentality leads the people to empathize with the ruling Government." - Musing of an Aspiring Polymath
3. "Could we BE more full of ourselves? To hate someone, one has to care enough to do so. Singapore certainly disturbs "Westerners" due to the (perceived) lack of freedoms here, certainly .... But HATE? Seriously?!" - By Packrat".
4. "Why They Like Singapore" - ByBy XenoBoy.
5. "Dear Ms Chua Lee Hoong ...!
As much as I do not like vomiting on any day of the week, your piece today did it of all days, today - our National Day." - By Scroobal
6. "I have travelled the world for the past 32 years. I have never encountered or heard a single person or group who hates Singapore - or even dislikes the Republic ....The world has other problems, and people elsewhere simply do not care about having Singapore on their radar screen of dislike." - Mr Bruno Serrien.
lol, of cos I'd agree to that ... no one can noe the future ... as long as ppl remain open minded
No wonder the country is screwed. Division One is the second tier. Premier League is the first.
Mr Wang,
Thanks for the vignettes from ST. I do agree with you that Singaporeans are constantly being socially manipulated.
The article posted anonymously titled ' MM Lee questions younger Singaporeans' desire for multi-party politics by Neo Chai Chin, TODAY, also points out the blatant inference by MM Lee that the country is PAP. This itself is nothing new, but goes further to reinforce your point.
I think that Singapore gives itself too much credit sometimes. 'Conspiracy' and 'hate' are rather strong words to use and I am inclined to agree with Mr Bruno Serrein's view that few outside Singapore really give a hoot about our achievements. And that is in itself a problem with the West.
I must point out that although the Western world may not care for our achievements, there is some hint of truth that some western establishments simply cannot swallow the fact that something done differently in another part of the world can produce scalable and repeatable results. The Beijing Olympics is one very good example. Instead of congratulating China on a spectacular job of the opening ceremony, some Western mainstream media chose to harp on the overplayed tune of the lack of human rights, even after the broadcast.
For sports such as diving, blind nationalism from a certain country in the West has even prompted some commentators to put down the efforts of the Chinese, even going so far as to allude that the judges are biased.
I don't agree with the scare tactics of PAP. But I would urge Singaporeans to have more confidence in their abilities. We shouldn't be so ready to ackowledge criticisms from the West. White is not always right and they do not set the standards. Every nation must choose its own destiny.
Obvious Grey, you wrote:
"I don't agree with the scare tactics of PAP. But I would urge Singaporeans to have more confidence in their abilities. We shouldn't be so ready to ackowledge criticisms from the West. White is not always right and they do not set the standards."
Actually this statement already shows that you got bamboozled by the PAP.
LKY's statement came soon after the IBA criticism and must be intended to deflect that criticism.
But the IBA is not the "West", anymore than the Olympics is the "West". The IBA has members from 195 bar associations and law societies around the world, and the President of its human rights arm is a distinctly non-white non-Westerner. (A black South African, actually).
But then, you got fooled already ... too late.
One comment from "Auntie Lucy" is rejected for being frivolous.
(Oh, I'll officially add "frivolous" to my comments screening criteria some time soon).
wow im seriously glad u wrote this article. when i read the ST article over breakfast - i almost fell of my chair. "There is a conspiracy to do us in" and "West loves to hate" - its total rubbish!! how can they publicize such news?! im appalled.
One more comment rejected. This poster posted some news article about Australia, but I could not see any relevance to my post. The news article had nothing to do with William Golding; fear-mongering; Lee Kuan Yew; Chua Lee Hoong; or even Singapore.
orange, we seem to hv an inclination to piss off other countries w/o us knowing it. we dunno how to be diplomatic and say nice things abt others w/o saying bad things abt ourselves.
we also fail to look into ourselves and raise ourselves out of mediocrity in ways that hv self respect and self esteem.
in a globalized world, everyone is an equal big or small. Nvr say big can do better bcos they are big, and small is puny so do a little means good already.
Nobody cares as long as u can deliver with impact. Saying China is good is like saying India is bad. Saying we are good is like China should do 300x better.
It's like gg for a job interview. There is no need to say bad things abt other companies or yr previous companies. Just say abt yrself and wat and how u deliver, and let other ppl decide.
Rejected another comment from "Auntie Lucia" as it is irrelevant. The comment said nothing about William Golding; Lord of the Flies; Jack; the "beast"; either of the ST articles; or any of the 4 questions I posed at the end of my post.
Singaporean political blogs combined probably have lower readership than XiaXue.
So you do u think Mr Average singaporean likely to believe?
Ms Chua or Mr Wang.
*hehe*
Maybe we cansole ourselves that Mr Golding is not singaporean (we are not alone in stupidity)
NoName
Oh dear, Mr Wang's blog post is the feature article on SDP's website.
http://www.yoursdp.org/index.php/perspective/feature-blogs/885-the-devil-chua-lee-hoong-a-harry-lee-
The monsters are coming to get you now, Mr Wang. Quick, shut down this blog, declare your allegiance to Harry, or run for cover!
Is this the lowest ST has ever been? ST has published some ludicrous writings, but I don't remember ever reading something this idiotic.
Well swop, Mr Wang. Now we know where you're coming from.
anon 5.45pm, kindly dun spout nonsense. it shows u got nothing better to do.
though the 'beast' may be a powerful ploy to keep people under control, but is it more powerful than ... waxing lyrical about a misunderstood deity to gain followings?
in other words, is the message of 'goodness' more powerful than the message of fear?
the devil may just be the one who preaches 'good news'..:)
Er, actually i felt that our neighbour from across the causeway would love to see us fail..
One comment rejected, since it was not a comment on my post, but merely sought to advertise another website (in other words, spam).
Another comment rejected, since basically it said various things about me (I lack objectivity, blah blah blah) but failed to actually comment on any of the points in my post or explain how they are lacking in objectivity. Therefore the comment is rejected for irrelevance.
Anon said:
"Er, actually i felt that our neighbour from across the causeway would love to see us fail.."
However, neither ST article was referring to Malaysia. So I don't really understand what your point is.
It saddened me greatly to read your comments about William Golding's magnum opus. By drawing references to comments made about Western liberal society and comparing it to the events narrated in a work of pure fiction, a grave disservice has been done to Mr Golding and the island he created.
Mr Golding was a far shrewder author than many people will ever know or want to acknowledge. His prose had a hard edge and he made the cold blooded decision of imprisoning his characters on a little inconsequential island. If we are half discerning, we will realise that all was done for the good and interests of his publisher, the endless bountiful stream of royalties he would recoup (Robert Kiyosaki, eat your heart out, Richer Dad has beaten you to the punch) and to secure his next-of-kin's interests by giving them sole all-rights-reserved status to his estate and abundant book sales proceeds. Alex Garland and other aspiring imitators could then be sued, demolished and bankrupted for copyright infringement.
The recurrent theme in Lord Of The Flies was that in island life there were no free lunches, the exception being the omnipresent spinner of the yarn. Everyone else had to make the effort to spike the fish out of the water.
A safe emerald green and clean living environment came at a price, hence, pagination requirements were put in place to prevent the lagoon piranhas from eating the marooned characters alive in chapter one.
It was not a surprise the castaways gradually evolved into ISO certified infertile Easter Island Moai statues. Thereafter the mannequin jester of the Scorpion God proclaimed that the chapter shackles would in time be loosened although never removed. Patience, it seems, remains a permitted virtue whatever hemisphere or ocean of the world we live in.
Hi Mr Wang, my point is that thought there is, most probably, no conspiracy in the western countries to "do us in",im not so sure there isn't one across the causeway.
There may not be goblins but a gremlin is still to be feared.
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