Top Student in 2010 Said His Hero Was a Video Game Character But His Answer Was ‘Censored’

As a young kid growing up, I had three things I strictly believed in.

Love comes in all shapes and sizes, including hamburgers. Except for escargot. Screw escargot.

Never talk back to your parents, no matter the circumstances. Unless they start interfering with your game time. That’s when shit hits the fan. 

You’re free to idolize anyone you like. And by anyone I mean literally anyone. Even The Annoying Orange.

While that phase might have been long gone (because puberty), it nevertheless all came back to me when I read about Joseph Wong’s story.

Forcibly changing one’s hero to suit the standards of society?

On 3 November, Joseph Wong published a rather thought-provoking post on his social media page.

Okay, that’s not the full version. Here’s what he has written (warning: wall of text):

Its been 7 years and I still remembered it like yesterday. It was late 2010 on an early morning. I was called to school 3 hours before the N level results ceremony.

My teachers congratulated me and told me I was the top student across the whole of Singapore. I was very happy, as an autistic who went from someone who needed help to get dressed till I was 15 to a top scholar 2 years later. I worked really hard for it and I was proud.

But that happiness soon faded and that day became one of the worst days of my life ever. The teachers quickly cut away from my success and a reporter came in to interview me as my teachers set back.

What would you love to do?

She asked,

Me: I want to be a vfx artist and a game designer.

She smiled back : Whats your secret to being so good at studying?

Me: I wanted to prove to everyone someone with autism could be a top scholar.

Her: Is there someone you would like to thank for all that has happened?

Me: I would like to thank the master chief. He has been my childhood hero and he did the impossible I want to be like him.

From there it became clear to the teachers that I wasn’t giving a satisfied response. My english teacher came to me and handed me a script. She told me this is a big moment for our school and we need you to be more ambitious! Just remember these lines when channel 8 and 5 interview you later.

I was against this, I spent 2 years of my life working for this and now I had to conform to a script. To say things I never wanted to say, to aspire to be someone I never aspired to be.

I was confused and naturally later that day when the news came I wasn’t even given a chance to follow my script. Channel 5 catered to english speaking audiences came to me asking me questions that were very unusual and confused me and Channel 8 which catered to the chinese speaking audience did the same. (Edit3 : Please note Channel 5 and 8 didn’t censor me they just didn’t give me the chance to say what I or the school had intended)

The left the school disappointed. And the disappointment didn’t stop there. My relatives were watching the news and as soon as I got home I was bombarded with calls from my relatives asking me why did I say different things to channel 5 and 8.

I didn’t know how to tell them but I had absolutely no control of what I had to say. I felt really disappointed in myself and angry. It didn’t take long for articles written by Singaporeans commenting about my mannerisms and accusing me for lying through my interviews giving polarizing answers.

I even saw later that night an article written from the first journalist. She censored my autism, she completely rewrote everything I said. Writing that I wanted to become a doctor and that my inspirations were local heroes such as Tan Tock Seng.

I couldn’t sleep that night but everyone around me didn’t understand what I was going through. My classmates celebrating, my parents cheering for me. And then a call arrived from hong kong. A hong kong journalist came to me asking me for my story.

I was fking miserable at that time on video conference but I was made to put a smile and answer their questions. And thank god they were the only ones who published my desire to going into game dev and showcased my artwork too including my featured artwork on an alien garden which I made with UDK.

I could not get over it, and when I was in school I was consistently told by the vice principal to NEVER ever talk about video games again. I was a scholar and I should have bigger dreams.

“I just want to be like Monty Oum” I said

Her “I’ve never heard of him, but you would be better off respecting our founding fathers and being a doctor. Don’t you want to find a cure for autism?”

Me “No, I love playing Halo, I want to work for Bungie or be a freelance vfx designer”

She ignored me on that. I endured Stomp articles, various articles by the media for those 3 months lies, people poking fun on my inability to eat properly due to autism. I hated the media and it taught me a damn fine lesson

Left wing, right wing, chinese, english, tamil or malay, all media is manipulative. They have a goal and they go to where traffic is the highest and find any words or quotes from that hotspot to report to satisfy the beliefs of their audience.

I never had a fking god damn say in any of it. And thats why I stopped studying. I hated the school and I knew anything in school that happened onwards for my grades was irrelevant. I started studying e-commerce and video games to build a large enough e-commerce or online service to generate capital to finally do what I do.

Don’t let others take away your voice, be in control of your own judgement. Theres so many people with the mob mentality and their pack leaders will do anything to feed them a fresh piece of news for them to chew on daily. My biggest regret that day was not just walking out entirely and getting my cert via mail.

Don’t say anything if you don’t mean it…..

Edit2: I posted a photo of one of the tailored articles earlier as you can no longer find the archived articles from 2010. But I’ll have to shelf it back for safety. Singapore isn’t exactly a free place, I fear the names and logos on the article may implicate parties.

Edit3: Guys the government has NOTHING to do with this, while I do not like the way things are run entirely this is a conflict between me and the teacher of which while I’m upset I do not blame them and I understand their wish to make a really big entry for their first N level Scholar. The reporters were told to edit my initial script by request of the teachers.

That’s all. Congrats, you got through all that.

If you didn’t because you’re brain dead from work and just want someone to explain it to you, I’ll be glad to be that guy.

Somewhat briefer Synopsis:

Joseph is an autistic, and actually needed help to get dressed till he was 15. By the time he was 17, however, he had beaten out the entire N Level cohort to clinch first place.

Not a mean feat, by any means. And the nation evidently thought that too. Streams of reporters were thirsty to get an interview, and the school was happy to oblige.

But what Joseph thought would happen, didn’t quite materialize that way.

A reporter got the ball rolling by asking some relatively simple questions. (Compared to N Level questions anyway).

Reporter: What would you love to do?

Joseph: I want to be a vfx artist and a game designer.

The reporter smiled back : Whats your secret to being so good at studying?

Joseph: I wanted to prove to everyone someone with autism could be a top scholar.

Reporter: Is there someone you would like to thank for all that has happened?

Joseph: I would like to thank the master chief. He has been my childhood hero and he did the impossible I want to be like him.

While it can’t really be called extraordinary, it’s definitely not something that will make his mum cry. The dude’s got a dream and he knows it. The hero part? Just motivational. Who doesn’t want to be like Master Chief?

But the teachers didn’t like it.

They handed him a script, claiming that it was a big moment for their school, and they needed him to be more ambitious.

Well, I for one can’t comprehend anything more ambitious than trying to be like Master Chief. Have they even seen the dude? He’s practically invincible in his cool suit, and travels around space with a hot space hologram!

But to each his own, I guess.

Channel 8 and Channel 5 soon came for their turns, and Joseph had to entertain them with his unwanted script. Which would have been fine and all, had there not been a slight flaw.

They asked pretty different questions.

And by different, I mean unusual.

The script was obviously not prepared for that (it’s an interview, not a damn exam), and the reporters left disappointed. Although I’m sure it’s peanuts compared to Joseph’s.

Things just went south from there.

Apart from being bombarded by calls asking him why he said different things to the news stations, he also drew flak in articles.

And then he saw an article written by the very first reporter.

“She censored my autism, she completely rewrote everything I said. Writing that I wanted to become a doctor and that my inspirations were local heroes such as Tan Tock Seng.”

Ironically, it took a Hong Kong media outlet to publish Joseph’s real thoughts, as well as his featured artwork.

But it might have still been tolerable, had the vice principal not made a new year’s resolution: convince Joseph not to talk about games ever again.

Joseph: I just want to be like Monty Oum.

Vice-principal: I’ve never heard of him, but you would be better off respecting our founding fathers and being a doctor. Don’t you want to find a cure for autism?”

Joseph: No, I love playing Halo, I want to work for Bungie or be a freelance vfx designer.

She ignored him.

For the next three months, he had to endure numerous Stomp articles, various media articles that fed on lies and people poking fun at his inability to eat properly due to autism.

“Left wing, right wing, chinese, english, tamil or malay, all media is manipulative. They have a goal and they go to where traffic is the highest and find any words or quotes from that hotspot to report to satisfy the beliefs of their audience.”

It reached a point whereby even Joseph couldn’t handle it anymore, and he decided to quit school.

“I never had a fking god damn say in any of it. And thats why I stopped studying. I hated the school and I knew anything in school that happened onwards for my grades was irrelevant. I started studying e-commerce and video games to build a large enough e-commerce or online service to generate capital to finally do what I do.”

Now, seven years on, he has finally said what he wanted to convey all those years ago.

Comments

Netizens were largely sympathetic.

Although there’s one dude who voiced out what everyone’s probably curious about.

This kinda reminds me of the Korean drama Pinocchio. Same premise; same build-up. Originally a story built by lies, it was carried on by deceit, and effectively ruined an individual’s life.

Only difference? Joseph is real.

Admittedly, I can’t talk much; I’m working for a media outlet myself, and have undoubtedly, intentionally or unintentionally, put pen to paper in many matters I do not fully understand.

However, Joseph, just know this.

Your words, your suffering and your unwillingness to give up, even after 7 years, have reached the public.

And they are not unheeded.

So keep doing what you do, and continue working towards your dreams.

And I, for one, will definitely be looking forward to the day you help helm Halo 10: Master Chief’s Return, Again.

All the best, Joseph!

Since you’re here, why not watch a video about an NTU student who went all out to impress his crush, only to end up in…tragedy? Here, watch it and do remember to share it (and also subscribe to Goody Feed YouTube channel)!

This article was first published on goodyfeed.com

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Featured image: Halo Waypoint/ National Library Board