Bruce Barton, one of the original partners in the legendary advertising agency of Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborne, once told the following story:
“One day on my job as a young man in New York, a matter came up about which I happened to have the facts. My boss disagreed, and though I put up a good argument, he somewhat abruptly overruled me.
“I was living those days in a room in the 23rd Street Y.M.C.A. in New York for which I paid seven dollars a week. His home was a fair-sized mansion requiring 10 servants. The morning after our argument, the telephone rang while I was dressing, and I wondered who in New York could be after me so early.
“To my amazement it was the boss, Said he: ‘I have been thinking about our discussion of yesterday, and I just want you to know you were right and I was wrong.’
“The boss with an income of $100,000 a year, calling a $40-a-week youngster to say, ‘I was wrong!’ He had been 100 percent with me; after that he was the biggest man in town.
“Years have gone by and I have known all sorts and conditions of men and women in business, in the professions, and in politics. As an employer, it has interested me to observe how they divide into two classes: those who feel they have lowered themselves by admitting a mistake, and so try in every way to rationalize it, and those who come out in forthright fashion and admit the facts.”
![The Seven-step Verse [七步诗]](https://gintai.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/20120330-230102.jpg?resize=40%2C40){kind=small}
Gintai_昇泰 
That’s the difference between them and us…..!!
To become a Graceful society, our Govt needs to admit their mistakes instead of rationalizing it.
It will take years before we can ever see a change in our govt and their agencies towards admitting mistakes more openly…….!!
LikeLike
It needs a great effort for one to admit a wrong. Regardless what level your position is. This is human nature!
I think,many people are readily to show off that I am smart, very smart and sometimes even over smart ( $2 to $4 night car park – can curb the problem) and is very difficult for people to admit readily that it is so foolish on my part! If not, I think there is no the famous Peanut issue or dogs issue! COE for car ownership, how about 来一个 certificate entitlement on citizenship, to bid in the open market?
Let the market force decide the price! Lol, joking only, joking only! IQ is very important but I think emotional intelligence is equally if not more intelligence! Haha! My views only!
LikeLike
Me seeking an answer. How to admit mistake whence one does not know that it was a mistake in the first place?
Anyone with absolute power can call the shot, mistake or no mistake. And there is no mistake in saying so. Or am I mistaken?
patriot
LikeLike
Angmor that I came across are more humble and ready to admit their mistake .
I am one who is always ready to admit my mistake.
Like it or not,unless you are somebody,admitting its your mistake can save a lot of trouble.
Go to court and claim that I did not commit such act,or the act is due to others’fault,I will landed paying extra.Whether I kenna wan ong or not,just LL and say,I admit I made a mistake,can get discount.
LikeLike
You admit that you made a mistake and you will get a discount. If you don’t admit, they whack you double? Is this the kind of justice we want? Not bias? I thought the law is supposed to fair and equal? Really langgar! I dunno what to say !
LikeLike
Gintai’s blog has become a political blog. Even a write-up like this has been politicized to whack the ruling party. Gintai, what is your stand? I thought you now support PAP, an about-face from the days when you first started blogging, yet now you are back to joining the throngs throwing stones. Are you not? Yes? No? What is it? I suggest you have your head checked because you seem to go where the wind blows and you don’t seem to have a stand. As far as I am concerned you have lost all credibility. You are left, right, left, right, one moment swing this way, one moment swing the other way. Be a man. Make a stand. Stick to it. And please don’t accuse me of name-calling because no name-calling is happening here. You are one confused dude, I’d say.
LikeLike
Haha..,Gintai should admit his mistake.The mistake he made is that he is too kind to entertain and reply those unnecessary comment and criticism for him to have his head check for no reason.
Gintai may be a supporter of certain party but I observe he is someone who speak his mind when writing,maybe too direct but is neutral and harmless.I cannot find any part that he wrote in this article here is whacking anyone.
If I bark at the wrong tree,I will just admit I made a mistake .And Gintai,please listen to me ,be like me and dun repeat the same mistake of replying to those with no sense of humour.
Please dun reply .Roger out.
LikeLike
Agongkia ah,
Why did you instruct me not to reply to your comment? You want to take over my blog is it? Tell you what, you may do so after 20/10/12 – one year anniversary of this blog. I’ll stop by then. Time is running out. I already explained to you the reasons before. ( Refer to this post’s comments pls. https://gintai.wordpress.com/2012/07/19/three-pedestrian-crossings-near-sim-lim-sq/ )
When I praised the govt (few times like this one here https://gintai.wordpress.com/2012/07/10/mos-tan-cj-singapore-ederly-do-not-want-assistance/), I was accused of being a lackey by some. And now there is a ‘white fellow’ saying I’m anti-govt. Either way also kena lah. Now they say that I need to go IMH to see a psychiatrist becuz I like to play all kinds of styles and patterns like left, right, centre, front, behind etc! They say I must make up my mind and can only play one style or I go see a suku doctor. I must play it straight, cannot anyhow play play lah. Alamak! Only one comment I made here on this post and I got hit like that. How come they never ask you to see a “suku” doctor? Only I suku ah? I thought in cyber world, lots of suku netizens around?
I think we go drink Laing Teh to cool down lah. Only you understand me. The rest are just as confused as a blur sotong.
LikeLike
“Gintai’s blog has become a political blog. Even a write-up like this has been politicized to whack the ruling party.”
That statement is easily made by you but can you substantiate it? Is it based on your gut feeling, figment of imagination or on facts? Any genuine criticism against the govt is construed as being anti-govt or political in nature? How I wish that this complex world could be viewed in such black/white without any shades of grey! I’ve got feedback that I’m being “bought over” by the establishment and offered goodies. You see how wild their imagination can be including yours albeit on the other side of the coin.
I speak as an independent minded Singaporean. It’s never a political blog. It is never my intention to promote any political party here. Why should I? Here you accused me of being anti-govt. But if you go to TRE where my post “Please fly our national flag”, is re-produced, I was condemned and accused as a “lackey!” 118 comments whacked me for being pro-govt until I see stars. I was being crucified publicly there with all my entrails gleefully lynch and dug out by those mindless irrational mob! They attacked me on anything they fancy. None of the 118 comments there share your view here. I suggest you go there to post this comment there. Maybe you will get a better answer to your doubt? I’m sure they will entertain you there. Lol!
Really I find your comments here refreshing! I’m quite glad to see a different viewpoint here. I find it a consolation that you post a contrary view here. I can’t help laughing after reading your comment. Hahaha! Yes you are right, I am quite a confused dude really. Which is which now? Pro or anti govt?
Like I say, I just just spoke the truth. If it’s a spade, I’ll just call it a spade. That’s what I am.
http://www.tremeritus.com/2012/07/31/please-fly-our-national-flag/
PS: I can’t prevent others from saying what they want. I don’t want to resort to arbitrarily censor comments here just like I allow your comment to go thru here. Actually, you are correct in a way.
LikeLike
Most social/political blogs are just social/political blogs.
Me don’t see anything wrong with blogs being political.
patriot
LikeLike
Patriot, political blogs have to be registered. That’s the law!
LikeLike
Hi Deane:
Do pardon me for my ignorance, didnt know that there is such a
law. And thank You very much for the enlightenment, appreciate it.
patriot
LikeLike
Patriot,
Deane is correct. The Online Citizen was compelled to register as a social political site. There is such a law. As such, if I declare my blog to be a political site, I will have to register it.
LikeLike
That is why I always like to talk about Char Bor,Yes ,Char Bor in Gintai blog so that it will look less like a political site .I Yong Sing Liang Khoo and is helping Gintai secretly but many think I another cheekopek.
I prefer it look like a porn site than a political site.Blog can last longer.
LikeLike
You don’t even need declare. The powers-that-be, if they deem your contents warrant your blog be labeled a political site, will request that you register; if not to take it down. You may not have intended for your blog to be a political blog but you are also to be held accountable for comments made by your readers.
LikeLike
So sorry. Do not know there
is such a law. Will not any how joke
and talk nonsense.
LikeLike