I have a favourite pastime – surfing internet forums and comment boxes.
However, unlike some regulars on the forums, I seldom post anything. In fact, I am more of an observer rather than a debater that has the time and energy to last 100 posts.
Nonetheless, there is something alluring about reading the thoughts and feelings of the ordinary man on the street.
In the forums, many people feel that their opinion is independently reasoned and thought out, and feel deeply offended when people disagree with their opinion, because it hurts them inside.
The hurt is also aggravated by a deep illusion in life – the sense of a unique identity that creates the ego. In fact, what people perceive as their own independent opinion is not so independent actually.
In public opinion, certain lines of reasoning, when propagated through the mass media, spreads itself like a virus. People pick it up and often forget where they pick them up from. For example, the reasoning that ‘free speech creates chaos’ in Singapore is so prevalent that many people forgot the origins of that phrase. They use it from time to time and classify them as “personal opinion”. 
However, when a personal opinion contains bits and phrases borrowed from the same, properly planned propaganda campaign, its not personal opinion anymore. You are brainwashed. This applies to many religious groups, MLM companies and political parties.
As hints of the General Elections increase, its also time for Singaporeans to wise up.
Of course, we can be assured everyone remembers where “boomz” and “shingz” came from. =)
