Rags to riches

How much is tradition worth?

$1000? Can i buy your culture with that? $10,000? can i have your heritage too?

I just finished watching a documentary, 'Rags to Riches', done by a student from NUS. The topic for the document was the annual NUS Rag and Flag day. The release date is a timely 2 weeks before Rag day 2011.

I think the producers did a very good job. If this is his portfolio, and if i watch it as his employer, i'd be impressed. That is- if i didn't know better about the topic of this documentary.

In this film, Colin guided the audience slowly through a gradual process of controversy unraveling one after the other. If i may take an audacious guess, I'd say that he was guiding the auidence towards what he believes about Rag. That is mildly propaganda, isn't it? On more than one instant, it feels like what the interviewees said were framed up in a slightly different context, or the interviewees were guided towards his desired answer. And what is that? If i may be frank, i feel that the only answer that the producers were looking for, is controversy. Massive sensationalisation throughout the documentary. It's a series of "let's throw out the big figures! so how much did you spend? Oh so Rag is supposed to be for the public? Oh so Rag is about charity? So why not give the money to charity? Anymore controversies to offer? let's bring it all out!" To then wilfully guide the interviewees int0 giving him the shots that he wants. I'm sorry sir, that i cannot accept. This is the evils of mass media sensationalisation. and you're more than professional before being professional already! good job, colin.

Everybody has their own views, I can accept that not everyone enjoys Rag. I can accept that some believe we should kill Rag. But i cannot accept that somebody is picking up Rag to pull out controversies for his own benefit. it outrages me.

So what is Rag? Why have i done it for 4 years? I think any person who has done NUS Rag will tell you that Rag is a tradition. Rag is faculty pride. Rag is bonding people from the faculty together. this is the unspoken consensus among all faculties- And i say that without doubt. Ever wondered why participating bodies from various facs, who do not communicate with each other, all have the same notion about Rag? That is just the way tradition works isn't it? I can't give you a face to tradition. I can't decide one day that i want all NUS students to be active in sports, and start calling that a tradition now can i? A tradition is an unspoken consensus, a shared way of life that is determined by the environment (not unlike evolution's environmental pressures). As such, it is unique to every environment. So for NUS, Resident Halls is a tradition, burning the midnight oil to chiong exams is a tradition, having forum bazaars is a tradition. Rag is a tradition. Everything else that people say about it, to me, is really just noise.

Yes, you can't deny that Rag today has strayed from it's original intention. That is true. Rag is no longer about charity, it's not longer about giving back. But things evolve with time, isn't it? is that necessarily good or bad? Sometimes, things just change, do we need to go back? really? why do we need to trap ourself inside the box? so it's not about charity, but it's a tradition! a beautiful one too! you wanna kill it? join me for a day at the tentage, talk to me, then tell me again. can you bear to kill it? i don't think there is any other way i can convince you.

solutions for the controversy-

I believe that charity is simply sth to make ourself feel even better about rag. why not just separate rag and flag? it might be for the better. on one hand, we no longer lie to people about rag being for charity and stir up loads of controversy, and on the other hand, if we separate the 2 events, we probably can do a better job for flag so as to benefit more people. so yea, why not? how to do it? i believe if you can market rag out to be a hotpot of controversy, you probably can artfully manipulate the audience and market rag as sth entirely different.

Im not a supporter of extravagant floats. I'm somebody who likes to work within a budget. try to squeeze as much out as you can out of what money you have. that challenge is exciting isnt it? so on top a new marketing strategy, why not impose a stricter budget on all floats?

i think.... the guy really did a good job with the film. if it's on anything else, i wld've given him 2 thumbs up. but i think in this case, all i can say with his massive sensationalisation, i think he probably has never done rag. otherwise, i dont imagine how he could bear to do this to it. and if this is to beef up his portfolio, i think he has just chosen to thrash sth very special for his own benefit. what a sad sad documentary to watch. and to be released jsut before our rag. good job colin. =.=