🏆 Singaporeans queued for toilet paper and instant noodles – there is no shame in that

Extract from Author

The weekend “panic buying” sparked by the novel coronavirus and the raising of the DORSCON reflects Singaporeans' state of preparedness and generosity, says Annie Tan.

Judges’ Comments

Annie Tan’s commentary on why we should not condemn Singaporeans who rush to the supermarkets to stock up on essentials scores because she tells it in a personal and heartfelt way, using her own and her friends’ experiences to make her case. Her piece shows you don’t need complicated psychoanalysis to explain crowd behaviour if you can tell it like it is.

Author’s Reflection

What is your personal takeaway from your SOAP story?
Our world has changed drastically over the past few months, and we have seen anxiety manifest in many forms. Panic buying is just one example. Many Singaporeans now lay awake at night worrying about things many of us did not worry about before - putting food on the table, rent, job security, our future and our children’s future.  I don’t think there is “correct” or “wrong” way for anxiety to manifest - anxiety is not always entirely rational by nature. I am definitely not saying “panic buying” is right, and we certainly shouldn’t take it to the extreme. But I simply don’t agree with a culture of “shaming”. While we should indeed strive towards being a gracious society, I think kindness and tolerance is also an important part of that, especially in these trying times.

Now that your story has been published for some time, do you have any reflections to share post-publishing?
To be honest, this was a polarising topic, and there was a fair bit of backlash after publication. But I find that in coping with difficult situations, many of us, each in our own ways, try to find some meaning or beauty in what may be perceived to be an unpleasant situation like this. And that helps us to cope with this relentless pandemic.

What did you hope to convey to readers through this story?
I hope Singaporeans will not be too quick to decry or shame other Singaporeans. And if we disagree with something we see, perhaps we can have a conversation instead?

How do you feel for being recognised for your work?
I feel honoured and humbled that it made a small difference to someone else.

Written by
Annie Tan

Tuesday,
11 February 2020

Commentary of the Month Winner