Meeting Personalities

There wasn’t any objection from the rest of the committee members after the matter was raised up by someone who merely exercises his rights to his opinions. If there were, I am sure the presiding secretary who controls the meeting would have put it to a vote beit a secret ballot or by show of hands.

In every committee there are bound to be sitting ducks. Types of committee members most frequently encountered are:

1. Those compelled by higher authority to be their eyes and ears

2. Those who exploit or abuses their own authority riding on the position

3. Those with vested or self interest and talks only when their personal interest is ignored or infringed

4. Those who wants to milk the institution

5. Those who wants first hand information on the going-ons so they could plan their on-goings

6. Those who uses this channel as a backdoor for political mileages , recognition, awards and rewards. The so-called megalomaniacs

7. Those who are real sitting ducks not ready to take on any responsibility or be of service to the institution they sometimes even forget their own name when called

8. Those programmed to gain. By selling. Beit their own collection, artists, artworks, shows, information, backside or to curry favor.

To get those who are genuinely there to look after the objective, interest and correct running of the institution and contribute to their progress are rare.

Self sacrificing individuals such as these are few and far in between. The question that beckons now is which individual or party controls the vetting process and what are their set vetting standards? And why are the presiding secretary so submissive to individual complaints which should by right after the artworks are installed and exhibited, be sent in through a suggestion/feedback form stating the grounds for complaint rather than be raised as a matter in meeting agendas or in ‘Any Other Business?’ Was it raised in ‘Any Other Business?’ And are there suggestion/feedback forms?

No one knows. No one thought it important.

Compel

Buddhism doesn’t compel. It seeks only to inform. That doing good brings much reward. Nirvana, rebirth, generational blessings, it enables followers to earn merits for the repentance of their sin. So followers flood homes of slighted individuals, infirmaries and the underprivileged, soup kitchens and help diffuse suffering. Day in day out. My dad used to comb seven temples every year during CNY without fail, then gave alms to the poor who lined the gangways. We as childrens help distribute the Ang Pows.

And what do Christians do? Trying to be holier than thou, grimacing that they are more wounded than Christ on the cross, scorning drunkards and driving beggars away from church grounds, bargaining salvation to those with hungry stomachs in exchange for food, going gaga over parish elders, deacons and pastors, praying for more blessings for themselves. Don’t get me wrong . I believe in Christ. But not the laities who kept the altar to themselves. Maybe all the altars should be removed since their understanding is so lowly.

Wuhan

Bad time to be sick. Walk into a clinic now and everyone avoids you like you’re a directionless prick from Wuhan. Cough and the whole meal on a Chinese roundtable dinner belongs to you. Maybe you should pretend to faint inside the bank.