Are we entitled to three meals a day just because we’re Singaporeans?

Last Updated on 2016-09-04 , 11:10 am

Are you entitled to three meals a day?

In a video by Ray William Johnson, he reviewed a viral video about a young boy whose video game was taken away. The boy was furious, as if his entitlement had been taken away. That was when Ray posed the question: Is that an entitlement?

Some of us Singaporeans believe that three meals a day is an entitlement. For each pay package that is offered to us in an interview, it MUST be able to have at least three meals a day. If not…we would rather not work. In the army, three meals (or even more) a day is typical. In everywhere we go, that has become an entitlement.

But is it really one? Should we earn it, or should we let it come to us?

It’s interesting to learn from youngsters on what entitlements they have. Before reading on, ask any elderly whether three meals a day is an entitlement. I guess they’ll say that being able to wake up without fearing that someone will come in to kill him or her is already a privilege. Yet, a fellow young Singaporean would give a different answer: Yeah, of course three means a day is an entitlement. Air-con, too.

Have we reached a stage whereby we forget that we must work for each meal that is given to us?

Maybe. After all, if we want to, we can do this: Dress reasonably and go to every restaurant in Singapore. Have your meal, then tell the waiter that you’ve got no money. Most likely, they’ll just let you go. There are so many restaurants in Singapore—you can feed yourself for a year, and one year later, there will be different waiters.

Having said that, maybe it isn’t us. Maybe it’s the simple fact that our society is too affluent—so much so that simple needs like meals have become merely air to breathe. This is not a fair statement because some people are still struggling to put food on the table, but let’s face it: If you have the device to read this, you should belong to the group that looks at food as air.