I'm not saying that ALL Singaporean Chinese middle aged (and older) women are like that. But why do SO MANY of them behave like animals?
This is not a hate post based on race. I am part Chinese myself. It's just an observation... because the Uncles on the whole are ok (though there are some very ungentlemanly ones) ... and the malay and indian aunties are not that kiasu either.
Is that your experience too?
The ones that will push, and shove, and hold up supermarket cashier queues, and rush, and glare and grab everything is more often than not...*drum roll*... a Singaporean Chinese auntie.
Not unlike cockroaches, they have been around a long time, and gone through a lot and are survivors. I grant them that. But surely in today's modern civil society, they would have learnt to move with the times... and not exhibit such primitive behaviour.
Just yesterday, I was at the ATM machines ( POSB of course.. the aunties' choice bank... but hope I don't turn into one of them!)... There were 3 machines, all being used. But there wasn't anybody in the queues.. apart from one Auntie.. in the extreme left line.
So I stand in the second line, that had no one queuing. As soon as this Auntie noticed me in that line, she moves over and stands in front of me. Like she thinks I've got some ESP powers and know that that machine is going to be free soon.
Ok nevermind, I just moved to the next line... on the extreme right. Who in their right mind would choose to stand behind someone waiting in lin when there are 2 other separate lines with no one queuing in them.
Then this Kiasu Auntie, lunges sideways to get in front of me in that line as well. Just then, the person from that machine walks off. So Kiasu Auntie gets to use it... very triumphantly. Then within seconds, the middle machine is free, and I move towards it.
Then I hear a loud "Tssst!" sound from the auntie at the next machine. Her machine was our of cash or something. Haha... She stares at me, and moves back in line. Stare at me for what? You're the one that was like a crab scuttling infront of me just so I don't get to any ATM before you.
You don't push your way to the front and board the bus first.. the bus will leave before you get a chance to board it ah?
You elbow me so you can overtake me, and then start walking slowly again like the hobbit that you are... makes you feel like you're gaining something, is it?
It really irks me when these aunties get kiasu over nothing. One thing's for sure, if war were to break out... it's the aunties who will survive (by trampling over everyone else).. because let's face it, (call them kiasu or whatever) the rest of us just don't have that kind of killer instinct.
p/s- may I suggest to the Ministry of Defence- recruit these aunties instead of our NS men. Sure win war!
p/ps- For my foreign readers who don't understand this phenomena, take a look at this video of this troll of an auntie admonishing a young lady AFTER she had given up her seat to the old bag.
And this one where a young child's hair accidentally brushed her arm, while on the bus. Ridiculous reaction.
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HAHAHAH! I've had a few experiences with such aunties as well! But I remember this particular incident. I was boarding the bus and she was the one trying to push me aside to board.However, I managed to make my way in front of her. And she actually said to me - " don't have to rush"! I gave her that o.O? look. LOL! What an irony!
ReplyDeleteAnother is that I was standing near the exit as I was about to alight at the next stop. Instead of saying excuse me, an auntie pushed me aside! While she was alighting, I pushed her back. She looked worried! Good thing I managed to control my laughter. A tit for a tat I must say.
I think she is just trying to prove a point... that you should wait in line behind her.
ReplyDeleteYou know how it is at the public toilets, sometimes it's a bit confusing whether you should queue behind the first person in line or go to the next cubicle.
In most cases, the safest way is to queue behind the first person in the queue and start a line from there.
thi was not like the toilet queue...
ReplyDeleteThis Bank ATM queue had distinch lines marked out in bright yellow, with arrows.. one line for each ATM machine.
Wasn't one line and then splits into the separate machine or anything like that.
It is common among these aunties that they are either single or the husband ran away.
ReplyDeleteIt isnt fair to make a sweeping statement that singaporean chinese aunties behave like chimpanzees. I have encountered aunties of another race, poking me with an umbrella and try to squeeze up the bus. There's a larger proportion of chinese in singapore, so naturally you might have encountered more unhappy incidents involving chinese aunties. An issue with probability! Hopefully, you get to meet a kind chinese aunty next, that will change your viewpoint ;)
ReplyDeleteIt is fair cuz they really act like monkey banana
DeleteSeriously what is wrong with these aunties..... Maybe it's the elderly way of seeking attention
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking that I shouldn't have watched the videos - they made my blood boil first thing in the morning!
ReplyDeleteSg Chinese aunties are one atrocious lot. They just can't seem to wait! They must be the first to get up the bus, first to get seats, first to get down the bus. Sometimes I wish I can just scream at them and ask them if they want to be the first to go to hell also :p .
ReplyDeleteOMG- I can't believe what I'm seeing. 5 years away and I have THAT to look forward to when I come home? Lets not get started on the 'orrible taxi rides. 'major cringe-fest'
ReplyDeleteagree it's not fair to make such a sweeping statement that many chinese aunties behave like chimpanzees!
ReplyDeletemajority of people living in SG are chinese anyway.
i have had my fair share of experiences from other races behaving atrociously too.
such people unfortunately, come in all shapes & forms :/
I'm from Malaysia. Chinese aunties here behave the same way. I work at Boost Juice, and gawd.. I hate it when they're complaining "why the drinks not full ah?"
ReplyDeleteive met many squeezing u and pushing u in order to get a seat be it bus or mrt, but mine is mostly indian. be it town or something.
ReplyDeletebut it happens esp when i take purple line to little india to my friend who stays there. the people can get really rude. thou i don't deny there are other ethics who does this too, not only indian nor chinese or any others in this case. its just.. well, aunties.
but sometimes its not over-reacting to be put off by people's contact w urself. i hate it alot when sweaty and sticky people touches me and stick themself to me when sitting beside etc. its quite gross. but hair? omg. its nthing big. shes overreacting big time. HAIR. goshhhh
agree also that it isn't fair. But then it's actually quite annoying to have someone's hair touching your sleeveless arm. If she told whoever she was talking to nicely, I think it would have been resolved perfectly well.
ReplyDeleteThis is generally a chinese thing,you will encounter it in Singapore,Malaysia,Hong kong and to a lesser extent Taiwan.The Japanese and Koreans generally do not have this problem but there are always exceptions.I believe this kiasuness is the reason chinese people survive and prosper whether they are in their ancestral land or overseas.Singapore would never have become successful without chinese kiasuness.If you know chinese history you will understand this better,it is a survival mechanism,they did not become the most populous race ever in the history of mankind by being timid but I agree that it can get annoying and some people take it too far.Glad you brought this up,good post.
ReplyDeleteI am auntie myself, and I get it from another auntie whereby my handheld umbrella accidentally touch her (In the moving bus). I get scolded instantly although I apologize numerous time. She say it did not hurt but is annoying when thing touches her.
ReplyDeletehi there, I know this blog post has been around for quite a while now but I can't help to share my experience today. As an expat sometimes I just don't understand why some "aunties" (I know it's the culture here but do prefer to call them moody middle age ladies. no offense but really I wouldn't want to call some strangers my aunt especially they are the least polite at times) behaves the way they do. There's just so much happenings that I've lost count already. just today, I was in a bus and when it's at my stop, this lady was in front of me. She was already by the door when it opened. I was late for an appointment at that time so I said excuse me (she was blocking the way). she turned around and glared at me. as she got down she kept glaring at me as I walk away and kept mumbling stuffs that I don't understand (sounds intelligible). She did mentioned a lot of excuse mes so I take it she's talking about me. I was just so appalled by that. really, all I did was just to say excuse me politely and she made it sounds like it's just wrong to do that.
ReplyDeleteonce I was waiting for the train at tanjong pagar during peak hour (you know there's just so many people trying to go home). and when the train came, my boyfriend and I tried to get into it but this lady stepped on my feet and just grind it like my feet was some cigarette butt. when i was about to retort, she screamed "don't touch me!" at my boyfriend and said the f word before pushing the both of us out of the train. the train closed and there's just no way to confront her. the others who witnessed it can only breathe out 'she's so fierce'. seriously my boyfriend wouldn't want to touch someone with an oily face and greasy hair like that (no offense I was just really offended by her behavior)
all in all, I just want to say that I really don't understand why they could treat that to other people. I really DO love Singapore. it's a really nice country to live in and I've met some of the most intelligent people here. and I absolutely love the mixed culture but there's only that much one could tolerate.
Once when I was going to school early in the morning so the bus is pack like sardines. I was forced to stand near the exit on the bus so I tried to keep my way out of the exit as much as possible so that there will be room for people to exit the bus, and there is enough space for 2-3 people to get out of the bus without squeezing too much. But this auntie have to shoved me till I hit the door hard and glared at me, yelling at me for blocking her path. Like excused me? How do I know you are going to exit the bus? I don't grow eyes at my back, you could politely say excuse me, and the fact that the bus is already packed doesn't leave me much room to make way for you. I really can't stand these type of aunties. I hope I won't be like this when I reach middle age.
ReplyDelete