• About Us
    • Fact Checking Policy
    • Ownership & funding information
    • Volunteer
  • Subscribe
  • Letter submission
    • Submissions Policy
  • Contact Us
The Online Citizen Asia
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
The Online Citizen Asia
No Result
View All Result

"We Are Mahjulah" nothing more than emotionally-charged propaganda

by onlinecitizen
20/02/2016
in Letters
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0

By Donovan Choy
What is propaganda? Merriam-Webster defines it as “ideas or statements that are often false or exaggerated and that are spread in order to help a cause”. We Are Mahjulah, this week’s latest social media sensation, amounts up to nothing more than simple good old-fashioned emotionally-charged propaganda.
The message of “We Are Mahjulah” is simple.
The narrator, Divian Nair, raises the question of unwillingness in why Singaporeans will not defend their motherland with their lives, since Singapore is the only home we’ve ever known. He begins by sketching an alarming anecdote of a suicide bomber in ION, where the viewer is treated to a frightening scenario of their parents right in front of them, and “holding the hand of your partner or your child”.
Right off the bat, Nair launches an emotional barrage upon the viewer. There is a clear attempt to appeal to the viewer on an emotive level, not a rational one. He makes no effort to participate in the latter, preferring to confine his message within the easy limits of “We need a glue to bind our country and ‘Mahjulah’ can be our glue”. Why doesn’t the patriotic narrator delve into any examination of Singapore, much less a thorough one? It’s not difficult to guess, and I’ll venture a presumption: Simply so the video will remain emotionally appealing and mentally simple for the lowest common denominator i.e., the average citizen, to process.
If I were trying to persuade Singaporeans to embrace their country, I would explore its rich history, look at the sacrifices our forefathers have made, examine the current political climate, the policies our politicians implement and so on. Nair doesn’t bother himself with the nitty-gritty; he understands that it’s far more troublesome for the viewer to think, so it’s easier to bombard them emotionally.
Even the name of the video – I Will Not Die For Singapore – is titled in a clickbaity fashion that tries to rouse a potential viewer emotionally, a technique typical of digital news sites with monthly site traffic quotas to reach and advertisers to please.
The video is then peppered with vivid imagery of the Jakarta bombings, and cherry-picking of patriotic-fuelled moments that Singaporeans can relate to such as the late Lee Kuan Yew’s funeral, an SAF soldier applying camouflage cream, and a snapshot of a viral incident last year when a foreign worker climbed to a child’s rescue. All the while, the background of the video is laced with a particularly emotive loop of music, serving to further stir the viewer’s emotions.
While Nair urges Singaporeans to “address this undercurrent of… indifference” for the sake of our loved ones, the irony is that he preys on this specific value. Emotionally-charged propaganda such as this one dupes only the politically illiterate masses, evident from its social media virality.
In conclusion, We Are Majulah doesn’t present to us one rational argument to be supportive of Singapore. Despite its seemingly good intentions, it tells us to love our country blindly because this is our home, and that Singaporeans need to bind together through a common ‘glue’. If you truly love Singapore, or want to find a reason to do so, going about it in this manner as the video suggests is simply being dogmatically obedient, and not that much different from the radical terrorist blowing himself and your loved ones up in ION because “God told him”. Instead, educate yourselves politically, critique rationally and ask questions, however, inconvenient they may be.

For just US$7.50 a month, sign up as a subscriber on The Online Citizen Asia (and enjoy ads-free experience on our site) to support our mission to transform TOC into an alternative mainstream press.

Related Posts

Why is Gautam Adani’s Indian empire in turmoil?
AFP

Why is Gautam Adani’s Indian empire in turmoil?

02/02/2023
India’s Adani shares plunge again after stock sale cancelled
AFP

India’s Adani empire loses more than $100 bn after fraud claims

02/02/2023
Former political prisoners calls for abolishment of ISA and apology from PAP Govt on 60th anniversary of Operation Coldstore
Civil Society

Former political prisoners calls for abolishment of ISA and apology from PAP Govt on 60th anniversary of Operation Coldstore

02/02/2023
Indian state picks new capital after kicking out Singapore consortium
India

Indian state picks new capital after kicking out Singapore consortium

02/02/2023
Anwar says Malaysia “not in hurry” to reinstate GST as he vowed to protect the low-and middle-income groups
Economics

Anwar says Malaysia “not in hurry” to reinstate GST as he vowed to protect the low-and middle-income groups

02/02/2023
Grab SG appoints PAP MP Tin Peiling as director of public affairs and policy
Business

Grab SG appoints PAP MP Tin Peiling as director of public affairs and policy

02/02/2023
Subscribe
Connect withD
Login
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of
Connect withD
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Latest posts

Why is Gautam Adani’s Indian empire in turmoil?

Why is Gautam Adani’s Indian empire in turmoil?

02/02/2023
India’s Adani shares plunge again after stock sale cancelled

India’s Adani empire loses more than $100 bn after fraud claims

02/02/2023
Former political prisoners calls for abolishment of ISA and apology from PAP Govt on 60th anniversary of Operation Coldstore

Former political prisoners calls for abolishment of ISA and apology from PAP Govt on 60th anniversary of Operation Coldstore

02/02/2023
Indian state picks new capital after kicking out Singapore consortium

Indian state picks new capital after kicking out Singapore consortium

02/02/2023
Anwar says Malaysia “not in hurry” to reinstate GST as he vowed to protect the low-and middle-income groups

Anwar says Malaysia “not in hurry” to reinstate GST as he vowed to protect the low-and middle-income groups

02/02/2023
Grab SG appoints PAP MP Tin Peiling as director of public affairs and policy

Grab SG appoints PAP MP Tin Peiling as director of public affairs and policy

02/02/2023
Malaysian cleaner sells his land to donate two dialysis machines worth RM 80k to the dialysis centre he works at

Malaysian cleaner sells his land to donate two dialysis machines worth RM 80k to the dialysis centre he works at

02/02/2023
Gautam Adani: the Indian tycoon weathering stock market panic

Gautam Adani: the Indian tycoon weathering stock market panic

02/02/2023

Trending posts

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

by Yee Loon
30/01/2023
25

...

Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall

Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall

by Yee Loon
26/01/2023
24

...

Two Indian nationals paid about S$330 and S$730 respectively for forged certificates submitted in their S-Pass application

MOM found issuing EPs meant for foreign PMETs to PRC waitress and general worker

by Correspondent
26/01/2023
41

...

Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

by The Online Citizen
26/01/2023
59

...

Indian rupee falls 60% since signing of CECA while Singapore becomes top investor in India

by Correspondent
25/01/2023
69

...

They have done a fine job of confusing us about the jobs situation

They have done a fine job of confusing us about the jobs situation

by Augustine Low
01/02/2023
30

...

February 2016
M T W T F S S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
29  
« Jan   Mar »

The Online Citizen is a regional online publication based in Taiwan and formerly Singapore’s longest-running independent online media platform.

Navigation

  • Editorial
  • Commentaries
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Community

Support

  • Contact Us
  • Letter submission
  • Membership subscription

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Fact Checking Policy
  • Privacy Policy

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Civil Society
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
  • Politics
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Subscribers login

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

wpDiscuz