Our jobs are at stake

God damn it, but it's true - our jobs are at stake.

But no, it's not because hordes of foreigners are arriving by bus, being handed out new IDs, and taking over our jobs.

On the contrary, it's a select group of our countrymen who might jeopardise our jobs. Yes. Your job. My job.

You see, some of us tend to have an I-can-do-better mentality when it comes to commenting on other people's jobs.

For instance, everyone has something to say about teachers.

Aiyoh. How come the teacher never make time for remedial lesson? 
Aiyoh. How come the teacher make you go for remedial lesson when you're already so loaded with homework? 
Aiyoh. How come the teacher never discipline my kid?
What sort of teacher are you? I should really ask the school to transfer my kid to another class.

Fair enough, teaching is a profession that affects our children. So stakeholders - be they parents, guardians, aunties and uncles sitting idly at HDB void decks or the fella who sells kachang putih at Cathay -- have a right to comment and criticise teachers.

So, maybe let's move on to chefs.

Aiyoh. How come the soup is cold one?
Aiyoh. You call this medium rare?
Aiyoh. The food like that also you dare to sell? I can cook better lor.

Fair enough, F&B is a profession that affects our health. So stakeholders, well, you get the idea.

And so on, and so forth.


Not surprisingly, I've read a fair share of attacks on my profession.

I'm not getting defensive -- yet.

But I am getting on the offensive.

Very often, it's easy for us to exist in our comfort zone and make comments about other people's jobs -- without thinking how difficult it is for those who're slogging away.

Aiyoh. So slow lah this news company. 
Aiyoh. How come their studio guests talk so much rubbish one?
Aiyoh. Why that presenter's hair looks like chewed carpet? 

It's not nice to hear disparaging things about our profession. Or the profession of anyone, for that matter.

Just because waiters, teachers, reporters, chefs, drivers, hairstylists make their job seem easy doesn't always mean it really is.

And even if you really can do a better job, so what? Go and do their job lah, why don't you?

We don't expect pats on the back when the job's well done.

But if something -- anything -- crops up while we're on the job, we get a pat -- on the cheek.

And it stings. 

I'm definitely happy with justifiable comments especially if they are constructive and come with suggestions on how we can improve.

But if it's plain criticism stemmed from a sense of superiority, then I think it's not nice.

Perhaps, the next time we are on the verge of criticising other people's work, we should really ask ourselves if we are THAT good at our own job first.