18?
18? What is that you may be wondering? It may come to your mind as it’s a number without any significant meaning or perhaps someone is turning 18 or it could be something else as well.
If you have all those in your mind I guess you can put them aside because 18? is a mysterious number but it is one of the prominent crop of graffiti that has popped up around the streets of Kuala Lumpur.
Sprayed at strategic urban and public places and applied within a seemingly socio-political agenda, the 18? Graffiti and it is like for example, “Legalize Ganja”, “Ada Apa Dengan National Service? (What is Wrong With National Service?)”, “Pertahankan Hak Asasi (Protect Our Rights)” takes its place alongside advertising banners and the billboards portrayed in our urban skylines.
This documentary that you will be watching soon is attempting to uncover the motive behind the graffiti around the streets. You can also download the clip at Danny Lim’s website.
I was tagged by Swifty to do this meme; to voice out my opinions on this film whether it is positive or negative. Let’s see what I can do about it.
What do I think about this movie?
It is not longer under the sheets and we all know that politics are corrupted and dirty in every single part of the world. It was never clean in the first place anyway. This clip highlighted a lot of thoughts that can make you ponder further about the politics and how our country’s system works for its people or rather the citizens of Malaysia.
I do not condemn this movie nor am I addicted over it but what it was trying to tell us all was pure facts and the facets that we are facing day by day. To you, it may be a negative movie that can corrupt the youthful minds of the teenagers in this country or it may be the other way round such as serving the purpose of “educating” all of us to see what is really wrong with the system of our country.
Look, I am not here to berate our country’s system but honestly, what do we actually gain from it? Corruptions happen almost all the time and even if they pledge to not take bribes or the politicians promised to do something beneficial for the citizens, how far do they actually go with their words? Broken promises are more likely to be seen.
If you observe everything carefully you will eventually find loopholes in our system and it may be fundamentally problematic in certain areas. I know that spraying graffiti all over the streets in Kuala Lumpur is actually wrong but this is a way for those people to express their views on certain issues concerning the country. Or it may be plain rebelliousness to spray on the public walls. We would not know what is going on in their minds.
Even though we have freedom to speak out but how many of us are daring enough to do so? One sensitive word may get you thrown into the Internal Security Act and because of that reason people feel fear within them and in order to speak their minds they had to look for alternative ways. Hence the graffiti on the walls.
One thing I’d like to point out is that what good does National Service do to the teenagers in this country? Yes, you may criticize me for saying this but I really think that to really instill unity amongst the people in Malaysia; the three month stint would not do any good. Okay, maybe it will help in a way but not fully. I personally think that in order to instill unity amongst the citizens, the Government has to start from square one. They should start of by instilling nationalism, unity, and peace among the three races in Malaysia when the children are still growing up. Not when you are 18, then only you start learning what unity, nationalism, etc is all about. Do you not find that it’s too late to learn all those? And three months, what wonders does it give? Hey, it’s not easy to change the perceptions in people and what they believe in the first place.
It is an interesting insight into why the graffiti was created in the first place or this documentary may just be another reason to blow things out of proportion. I do not know because we all differ when it comes to thinking of what is right or wrong. For me I think it’s a great insight to show us what is actually going on. And it is one of the ways for the society to express their emotions or thoughts and there is nothing to be said about our political system anymore. I am sure most of you guys would get what I am trying to say here.
We all have the rights to criticize how the Government works but what is the percentage level of success that we can change the whole governing system? Nada. We want to change but are the politicians willing to change for the better? This is what I ask. I may be biased for all I know but humans are naturally selfish and they are worst when it comes to their own. The same goes to politicians. If they can benefit themselves and their pockets, why the heck do they need to change even though they “speak” about all the changes for a better future? It really is time to walk the talk rather than talk the talk.
This documentary is not controversial or a negative because I believe there is a motive behind it that the filmmaker was trying to express and it really is up to you to get the hint or stay up guessing — forever. All the views had been laid down in this clip and if you do think and go the extra mile to decipher, you will understand what he was trying to express in this clip.
Believe me, we all can make a difference; it’s only up to the individuals are they willing to do so or not.
I’m going to take a pragmatic view on this ;-p While I applaud the filmaker for expressing his thots through a film (everyone wants to be a Michael Moore, eh?) it is but an individual’s opinion on a specific theme.
We all do feel strongly over certain subjects at certain points in our lives. Some take action, some don’t, but truth of the matter is, every single action begins with an individual. We’d all like to hope for a ripple effect thereafter.
I’m not about to stand on a soapbox to yell “Give me Liberty or give me Death” but as an individual, I think I (we) owe myself (ourselves) and mankind a better future. To that, we each have to effect change in a positive way. I don’t agree that only politicians can effect change … I think as inidviduals, we all have that pristined right to do so.
So rather than going to watch something like “what’s eating gilbert grape”, why not ask ourself a simple question … “what have we done lately to help Mother Earth?”
If anything, politics are just made up by a group of people who thinks life should be governed as such … there are many parties of principle within the governance, but very little men with principle
alex iskandar said this on July 17th, 2006 at 3:08 pm
Thanks very much for the input, Kyels! I’m sure many will agree with your entry here, even if they don’t, it should actually give them some cause to start reevaluating their values. I’ve already added a link to your entry in the original meme page (which is here, to those who are interested).
Swifty said this on July 17th, 2006 at 4:15 pm
Swifty,
No problem dude. It was in my mind after all what I said in this particular post. Even though it may not make a difference to the people out there I just wanted to put in my input on this matter. And yes, people should start reevaluating their values in life.
Cheerios!
Kyels said this on July 18th, 2006 at 2:21 pm
Alex,
I do agree with you. Politics are just like a set of rules that are made to govern us, the citizens of what we should do or should not do; just like rules. But the most important is to have principles in life in which I doubt everyone has it. Sad case, I know but what else can we do. Even if you and I are willing to help Mother Earth but the others are not — difference is hard to make.
I wish everyone would further think of the consequences of the actions that has been taken and try to reevaluate their principles in life but who are we to tell them what to do in the first place. If they are willing to make a change and be different, then for all purpose they will.
We all can make a difference but the matter is that how far are we willing to take the chancesin doing so?
(:
Kyels said this on July 18th, 2006 at 2:27 pm
Very interesting, Kyels!
eric aka senor enrique said this on September 5th, 2006 at 4:32 pm
Eric,
Yes, it definitely is interesting.
(:
Kyels said this on September 5th, 2006 at 5:05 pm
Well, it is a good thing that at least the graffiti artists have not been tracked down and arrested - in all likelihood, unlike what the Government Down South would’ve done…
The bottomline is, if you want things to change, you’ve got to do something about it - however small and seemingly insignificant. Otherwise you will only end up with the government that you deserve.
artemis said this on November 7th, 2006 at 9:05 pm