Wednesday, November 16, 2005

Stupid is as stupid does ?

While flipping through some photographs, I recalled an unpleasant incident during a gathering many months ago. A young lady declared that “Vegetable seller” has “no class” and is a disgrace. I am not very sure whether the comment is directed at me, because my father is a vegetable seller. Frankly I don’t feel angry but felt very sad. I felt sad because suddenly I realized her questionable upbringings. I sincerely do not wish to question her upbringings. As far as I am concerned, I was brought up by a vegetable seller and vegetable selling is a noble profession. As an educated man, I accept that every professions are honorable professions. There must be mutual respects for each other profession. Only a person with low self esteem resorts to attack other people’s profession in the hope of masking his or her inferiority complex.

It is despicable and ill mannered for anybody to degrade another person purely on a person’s parent personality or profession. I do not go around degrading a person because his or her father is a gay, a heterosexual, a potatoes farmer, or a fish monger ! As a vegetable seller, my father don’t go around seeking donations or sponsorship to finance my education. He beams with pride that he gave good educations to all his children with the monies he earned from vegetable selling. I am a cultured man because I appreciate the fact that I am a vegetable seller’s son. To gain respect, I don’t need to act like a wealthy man, I don’t need branded label tagged on my clothes, and certainly I don’t need to parade myself like a monkey with branded clothes, shoes, bag, and accessories. After all, what is there to prove ?

“Class” is not defined by the clothes you wear or how good you are at pretending to be or imitating successful people. “Class” radiates from a person thoughts, words, deeds, and actions. Empty vessel always makes the loudest and most noise, but the bottom line is, we all know it is not music !! Stupid is as stupid does…….

Now, leave me alone in my little corner to sip my cup of aromatic hot black coffee… Hhhmmmm, a vegetable seller’s son also know how drink coffee ? Do I need to parade myself in San Francisco Coffee’s or Starbuck’s outlet drinking American’s coffee to show others I have class ? All I want is my simple black coffee from Taiping ! Life is as simple as that. Don't make it complicated for me !

2 comments:

Polly-Pocket said...

You're so right. "What is there to prove?" parading around in all those glitzy stuff. Unfortunately, that's what is happening, being ostentatious is the theme. It is very sad in some ways, that we have lost the simplicity of life, like having a cup of kopi-o-peng at a mamak store. Yumm..I so miss that. Maybe the more successful a country become, the more insecure the people is. People feel that they have to keep up with all the Joneses and have their morning coffee at Starbucks - it is atrocious how much one has to pay for a cup of coffee at Starbucks. Really, wake up, people - Starbucks is posting a huge profit each year because you have to pay through your nose to look "cool". You can see I'm not a fan of Starbucks.

I'm glad I've read your blog, courtesy of Mr Chuah LH. This "class" thing through how much branded stuff one can acquire really bugs me each time I'm back visiting family and friends. Maybe there's still some sane and simple people back in Taiping, my hometown, too BTW, which I've not been back for a long, long, time. Next time..

Dalai Baru ( CK ) said...

You are very polite with your comment. And, it is also very refreshing to know there still are some endangered species like out there... God bless you.