Anonymous power

I took the morning train and experienced a mild version of the morning rush hour today, less crowded but no less uncomfortable – part of the discomfort is to continually trying to find somewhere to stare into without catching other peoples’ glances. Despite the crowd, the train was very quiet - thankfully everyone was sober enough to make the journey in peace and quiet.

I'm reminded of the vigilante project of many people using the Straits time online forum STOMP, who take pictures of people engaging in uncivillised acts such as seat-hogging and music-blaring inside the train. It's amazing that anyone on the streets can have the power to engage in such a shaming campaign, with the ability to take photographs and do publishing all by themselves, all while staying anonymous to the reading public. Question: If they were so irritated and feel so strongly about these acts, why didn't they just confront the mischief-makers on the spot, and rather shame them online?

It is a rather revolutionary use of photography really. Art has its roots on the production of portraits and landscapes for rich people to show that they have arrived. Then it takes on a narrative role in telling of a particular circumstance, and now, it is being crudely used and abused by these people in the name of propagating civil acts. Photography is valued by people only when they are in control of their self-representation - bloggers use this fact to shame people by taking photographs of subjects who are powerless to manipulate, control, or explain the images. There is no story behind the picture anymore, just a static frame of an ugly act being produced.

But there are stories still, from the producer of the picture who claims to represent the situation. For this reason, I find that such photographs shows up the character of the producers rather than the subjects who are blissfully unaware of the pictures, usually as timid self-righteous people who looks for a way to express their indignant pride. And that seems symptomatic of so many Singaporeans, who would rather complain privately about their circumstances but do not dare to step out and make a difference.