"The one with standing up for ourselves...."

We Malaysians are by far, docile creatures. Don't you think? I am, on the surface generalizing and by that, I might've gone as far as being race-specific here but let's face it - when was the last time we stood up to what's right?

For instance, Person A books a seat (and by booking, I'm referring to our obnoxious habit of putting a personal item onto the seat therefore assigning that its ours) during a seminar's lunch break. As Person A lines up at the food queue, Person B accidentally (can also be considered the other way around; come on, you'd have to be blind not to notice the seats already taken) sat on the seat initially designated by Person A. What's trivial is that, as soon as Person A gets back to the table - he/she automatically makes a bee-line to another seat, carefully covering up the fact that someone's already taken up his/her seat that he/she thought had been spot-on his/hers. Follow?

Now what does Person A do, now that he/she's in another seat? Easy, he/she acts like nothing had gone awry and that the world is indeed utterly spinning as usual. But what does Person B do? Monkey see, monkey do right? He/She also plays the same charade. Masing-masing buat dunno je. In the end, nothing matters because everyone gets a seat. Yipee, make love not war (so they say).

Another firm example - we Malaysians are very timid creatures that it's hard to notice any of us asking questions during seminars, workshops or even lectures. We know we need to (because we've slept half the duration of the time) but we decide that our inquiries are too lame to attend attention. As a matter of fact, it might offend the masses, which are especially there for the free food after.

I also remember a young me going through adolescence, where I often find myself being overly timid to stand up for myself - usually pulling myself to think that there's something wrong with myself rather than the other party.

The question is, it's not right and considering a much bigger circumstance would be undesirable. It's not the seat that matters as a point, but the whole idea that we should stand up for what is ours. Of course, I didn't expect them to have a cat/dogfight over a seat (how would we portray ourselves, being adults?) but instead there should be an mutual understanding in respect for one another. On a much bigger scope; imagine if our wakil-rakyats did not take a stand for our country, or their people. Oh wait. they already aren't.

Sorry...:p

There are times in which silence is golden, but herein lies the notion that we should voice it out wisely. Action speaks louder than words, but words can make action speak on itself, no?

Now, have you been docile lately? Or are you already one? Somehow if you are, I'd try to change for the better. You owe yourself the respect of doing so.

-JeP