Home.

My favourite cinema to go to is Cathay for its spacious leg room, new seats and lack of commercial advertisements.

Golden Village has at least 15 minutes of advertisements, which makes your movie experience end really late but if you are running late, then it’s to your advantage.

When this MTV played before the movie rolled in GV, a wave of nostalgia hit me. Then it reminded me of my cinema experience in Thailand where everyone stands for the national anthem before the movie.

Is this propaganda? It looks like it. While the term propaganda has acquired a strongly negative connotation by association with its manipulative examples, I find that propaganda in its original sense is neutral. Public health recommendations, signs encouraging citizens to participate in election or messages encouraging persons to report crimes to the police.

So I welcome this propaganda in the cinema. It aimed at influencing the attitude of a community, especially ours, which seemed to be evolving into a self absorbed, ungrateful society.

Before you complain about Singapore being boring, think about disaster prone countries that are no doubt happening in calm times.

Before you complain about Singapore being expensive, think about countries that tax citizens 50% of their income.

Before you complain about National service, think about countries where you should not be out alone after 10pm.

Peace- it’s the other name for home.

Peace- it’s what we have in the last 46 years.

While these mute Indian children sing their national anthem with much gusto, let us Singaporeans look to our flag and sing with pride.