American society is terrible stupid and insensitive. You've probably heard everything about the imperialist, insensitive, kaypoh, strong-arm, ignorant population and its government. But you know what's most annoying? Most of the time, the people who are insulting America aren't that bright themselves. They're just doing some American bashing to pretend that they keep abreast (haha...it must've been a man who invented that phrase...keep-a-breast. I keep 2.) with current affairs.

Today I heard a rather intelligent conversation on the bus. It blew my socks off and people should really stop saying that the typical Singaporean has no opinions. This old uncle had opinions alright. And he had sat at the back of the bus, ambushing some poor NJC mugger and started nattering like he was trying to beat the noise of an Airbus taking off the bald runway on his head.

"Eh, boy, you stahdy secandaly issit"

"Uh...no...I study at National Junior College."

"Orhh..like that one...you stahdy what subject?"

"Uh..Physics, Maths, Chemistry and Econs."

"Vely good, vely good, eckonormics is very inteelesting. I last time also stahdy."

"Uh..ok"

"Now also I stahdy. You know the US? The US damn bigshot, but it cause the recession leh. You know that one?"

"Um...the Asian Economic Crisis?"

"Aiyah, I dohknow name lah, but the US go and buy and buy all the oil. Then everybody got no oil, so they bankrupt. That's why I sell the car, now take bus. Den my brother want to start business, but no one wanted to buy, then he also go bankrupt. Your parents go bust or not?"

"Uh..no. We still have a car."

"My parents cannot go bust. Die already. But the US also make them die faster. You know my father ah, work in the erectronics (sidenote: can you imagine what kind of machines this weirdo's father made??") factorery. He work and work, but the US spoil the eckornomy. Den my father get heart plobrem you know?"

"Oh..that's very sad..um, here's my stop."

The only sad part was that I was the only person on the bus who appeared to find any of this exchange amusing. Everyone else was either very good at keeping a straight face, deaf, or agreed completely with what the poor sod had to say.