Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Are we a forgiving society, or should we?

I was not aware of the Ms Ris Low saga until one day, my nine year old daughter asked me,"Mum, what is boomz?"

She was having dinner with her cousins, and they laughed and joked about that the whole dinner.

The whole episode did turn quite ugly, had brought some bitter taste of cruel reality. I cannot help but wondering,"Are we a forgiving society?"

Sure, Ms Low did her part wrongs, she should have brushed up her English; she should not have medical condition which mostly caused her to steal (??? I wonder); she should keep her mouth shut, as advised; she should be much sober, if she wants to be forgiven and forgotten her past....

However, the media easily forgot, she is anyway a 19 years old, what more for one to bear to be dragged down from the throne of glory into the mud of disgrace?

It was media to blow her up one day, then thumb her down another day...

Even after she was forced to resign from the title of Miss Singapore, the media still find "amusing" to report more on the court order "she,(Ms Low) is not allow to shop alone....and she must continue to seek medical treatment..."

At the second thought, I wonder "should our society be forgiving? to what a degree?"
Social sanction has been one of most effective deterrents to unwelcome behaviour, that is one of sociological facts. (HS101, reminds you, soci-students)

Should she, Ms Low, be treated that way only her and time will tell. I feel extremely sorry for her. I would like to give her a chance to live, to reach her dream, to changer her life.... but I, am not society.

That brings back a lot of memory of our good old Durkheim, "Does society make Ms Low that way? Will society be responsible for her future, whatever she may turn into?"

Wish you an eternal peace Durkheim, as we still seeking the answer.

My sincere wish to Ms Low is to do her part. She has to deal with her own sins. The "I don't care" attitude and vain goal of life has to be forsaken. I hope she will learn to seek some more inner meaning of life rather than to be "a shining star and center of attention" for some wrong reasons again.

From Today, Oct 7 Wednesday:

Ris Low ordered by court not to shop alone Channel NewsAsia - Wednesday, October 7Send IM Story Print

Ris Low ordered by court not to shop alone
SINGAPORE: Former Miss Singapore World Ris Low was back in court on Tuesday and ordered by a district judge not to go into a shopping mall unaccompanied by a family member.

In a review of her 24—month supervised probation, District Judge May Mesenas also reminded Ms Low to take her probation seriously.

It was revealed on Tuesday that Ms Low had to re—take her examinations at the Management Development Institute of Singapore after invigilators found revision notes in her pencil box in August.

Ms Low claimed that she had forgotten to remove them.

Her lawyer, Mr Sng Kheng Huat, assured the court that his client remained committed to serving her probation, and would undertake not to repeat the mistake.

The District Judge also told Ms Low, who stayed silent during the 10—minute hearing, to continue with her medical treatment and medication. The 19—year—old suffers from bipolar disorder.

On May 5, two months before she won the pageant, she pleaded guilty to five cheating and criminal misappropriation charges, with 60 other charges being taken into consideration.

Over two months last year, she had spent almost S$8,000 on items such as gold anklets, mobile phones, lingerie and meals in luxury restaurants using seven credit cards that did not belong to her.

Ms Low, who gave up her crown last month after the scandal over her conviction made the headlines, will appear at another probation review in three months’ time.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Personally I feel that we should move on. :) Every one made mistakes in life. Ris Low is no exception.

Let who he is without blame cast the first stone. :)

Prisca Lim said...

Yep, I agree with you!