Gosh are we still on the subject?!
Whether Singapore should have a casino or not...my goodness, what's the big deal? Optimists pin hopes on it for "reviving the tourism industry" and "revving up the economy" and touts it as being able to "create more jobs" while pessimists say "lives and family units will crumble", "Pandora's box will open and evil will be set free" and "tearing the social fabric of our nation"...
Here's my honest, objective, truly neutral opinion.
I don't give a $hit, and people really shouldn't be so overjoyed/underjoyed about it.
There will always be gamblers, that is a curse of mankind. There will always be weak-willed and incompetent people. And then there are those who run the gambling empire and flourish while using other people's follishness to feed off their greed.
Casinos, or no casinos, people will not change. Aren't we pinning a little too much symbolism, hope and influence on a casino?
Both sides are right, both sides are wrong. And they are wrong because they pass judgement on others. I worry for the weak-willed who will destroy society. I rejoice for the fact that tourists will return. Will a casino really make our dreams come true or break our families apart? Why are both views so extreme?
Here's my solution. We keep tabs on how much people gamble. Once the gamblers lose more than 30% of their income, bouncers will toss their butts on sidewalk. But once they win 30% of their income, a tax will be levied. That should take the fun out of gambling.
Or, we make sure they talk to a financial planner before stepping into the casino. Make them fill in tonnes of forms, talk to a person who pretends to care, make them allocate enough money for their future and scare them into thinking they won't survive five more years due to soaring oil prices, economic slowdown and the increasing price of amenities.
These do not apply to tourists of course. We want them to lose so much they can't go home.
"Gamblers with a heart" can donate money to charities, "Underprivileged gamblers" can have one free session that uses false money (all of the experience, none of the vice), senior citizens can get smaller currencies to make the experience last longer (rupiah slot machines, anyone?)
And an area for the protesters to stand and bitch should be furnished with plush chairs, shopping malls and eat all you can buffets to make their protesting more enjoyable.
Hopefully everyone will swarm the casinos and leave the rest of us to enjoy a less crowded Orchard Road on weekends.
Whether Singapore should have a casino or not...my goodness, what's the big deal? Optimists pin hopes on it for "reviving the tourism industry" and "revving up the economy" and touts it as being able to "create more jobs" while pessimists say "lives and family units will crumble", "Pandora's box will open and evil will be set free" and "tearing the social fabric of our nation"...
Here's my honest, objective, truly neutral opinion.
I don't give a $hit, and people really shouldn't be so overjoyed/underjoyed about it.
There will always be gamblers, that is a curse of mankind. There will always be weak-willed and incompetent people. And then there are those who run the gambling empire and flourish while using other people's follishness to feed off their greed.
Casinos, or no casinos, people will not change. Aren't we pinning a little too much symbolism, hope and influence on a casino?
Both sides are right, both sides are wrong. And they are wrong because they pass judgement on others. I worry for the weak-willed who will destroy society. I rejoice for the fact that tourists will return. Will a casino really make our dreams come true or break our families apart? Why are both views so extreme?
Here's my solution. We keep tabs on how much people gamble. Once the gamblers lose more than 30% of their income, bouncers will toss their butts on sidewalk. But once they win 30% of their income, a tax will be levied. That should take the fun out of gambling.
Or, we make sure they talk to a financial planner before stepping into the casino. Make them fill in tonnes of forms, talk to a person who pretends to care, make them allocate enough money for their future and scare them into thinking they won't survive five more years due to soaring oil prices, economic slowdown and the increasing price of amenities.
These do not apply to tourists of course. We want them to lose so much they can't go home.
"Gamblers with a heart" can donate money to charities, "Underprivileged gamblers" can have one free session that uses false money (all of the experience, none of the vice), senior citizens can get smaller currencies to make the experience last longer (rupiah slot machines, anyone?)
And an area for the protesters to stand and bitch should be furnished with plush chairs, shopping malls and eat all you can buffets to make their protesting more enjoyable.
Hopefully everyone will swarm the casinos and leave the rest of us to enjoy a less crowded Orchard Road on weekends.
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