Endoh’s Dungeon

One of the very unique behaviours I had discovered as a child is, many people enjoy the act of backstabbing others. That’s during my good old days of Alamak Chat, I think the older generation would definitely laugh over all the silly quibbles. Before I even wrote my first MySpace blog post in 2005, there’s already an article floating somewhere calling it “The Art of Backstabbing”.

How have this art found a second home in our blogosphere too? Singapore’s economy has risen progressively and technologies have improved by a mile since the 1980s, this expression of hatred has endured the test of time and had become a trademark of some individuals. Just like Tupperware was the hot topic among housewives in my childhood, backstabbing has survived to plant its roots in our newer generations and beyond. Do not be confused between gossiping and backstabbing though, it’s really two different things.

Whether backstabbing is a desirable habit, it’s really hard to say. While on a day-to-day living routine, I think many people have suffered from such vicious attacks. On the other hand, backstabbing is also an efficient tool in modern military warfare to garner more support against the intended enemies. Hence, we can’t really give it a definite label.

Haney talked about something similar lately, although it wasn’t anything specific to backstabbing. Just like bullying, both can be done online and offline. Some people are affected tremendously, some took it with a pinch of salt like me. I think the cohort of backstabbers still remain relatively smaller than the frequency of how it is mouthed. It’s truly the lifetime skill (probably the only thing they are good at…) for some and making a living out of it.

Maybe you’re asking, wouldn’t I get mad? Of course I do. If I’m allowed to stab back like how I was taught to use the bayonet in Army, I’ll gladly thrust a thousand jabs in their faces until their own parents can’t even recognize them. But then again - think - what’s the point? To retaliate, is a confession of their success. It’s also a clear exposure of your weakness and low confidence in yourself.

Living through several episodes of backstabbing (and still living through some now), I think I am extremely proud to have survived and no major injuries sustained. The whole key of survival is aligned to one common saying… Ignorance Is Bliss. One thing I have observed about my mentors, they see through tides after tides of backstabbing like a piece of glass. The jargon for it will be… simply bo chup!

I practise the same too, but with a slight twist. I am ignoring (for now), not because I am not aware of it. I am ignoring (for the times to come), not because I enjoyed being backstabbed. I am ignoring solely because the perpetrators are too insignificant in my life to affect me. For entertainment reasons, it’s better to let them continue. Isn’t it funny when two persons are backstabbing me (thinking I am unaware or ill-informed), but little do both of them realized, each of them comes to me separately in private to spill the beans about the other?

Haha… ironical but that’s what I call self-pawned! Factually the sharper their knives, the more lethally they are stabbing themselves and not me. Although I do not understand why some people love to spend so much time on someone they dislike or hate, but it will always be cool to say “Thank you for the attention” despite the fact I need none.

Singapore’s living costs are rising, if there’s a free show to watch… why not? So boys and girls, don’t hurt yourselves alrite?