An Excuse for Being Mean

Something written on Singapore in Seah Chiang Nee's Down South in The Star paper serves food for thought. A Sunday incident in a train where a commuter refused to give up his seat to a pregnant woman even when he was asked purportedly caused a furore in the island republic. The man reportedly had blamed it on the tough life and had even been quoted as saying Life is already full of suffering, why should I reward the pregnant woman for bringing one more life into this world? When talking about suffering, it always reminds me of Buddhism which undeniably has always appeared negative to many people for acknowledging its very existence. That was regardless of the fact that it offers a way out of suffering and regards it as a learning experience. When Seah wrote As the recession bites harder some find unconventional ways to get spending money while others show their meaner side, it seems to suggest that the train commuter was mean as a result of the present recession that had hit Singapore. Now, I wonder if there is an excuse for meanness at all. Or does that meanness merely speaks of a twisted mind. Perhaps, you who are of a saner mind would prefer to think that lean time ought to bring out the best in a human...