Why haven’t we learnt from courtesy campaigns?

Why don’t people realise they’re annoying?

Are these signs of a stressed society?

How did we become a “shame-based” society?

Commuters with mental health issues

Should we confront people on trains?

No PDA, no nose picking, keep distance

An ongoing SMRT campaign, meant to inspire a gracious commute culture, has laid down the law on what’s acceptable, or not, on the train.

Two bubble-like characters – named “Dotties” by SMRT – are accompanied by the caption, “Don’t groom in public”. One is shown clipping their toenails and the other, applying make-up.

It got the internet talking about the boundaries of personal grooming in public.

But after decades of public etiquette and courtesy campaigns across Singapore, why is there still a need for this conversation? And if Singapore is a first-world city, why don’t we have a handle on what’s acceptable and what isn’t in public?

In this episode of the podcast, I chat with Elysia Tan, a clinical psychologist, and Shila Naidu, a trauma therapist, to work through how to behave on public transport?

Highlights (click/tap above):

4:08 Why have we not learnt from decades of courtesy campaigns?

9:54 Why don’t people realise they are irritating others?

14:29 Are these behaviours a reflection of a stressed society?

18:08 How did we become a “shame-based” society?

21:59 Commuters with mental health issues

24:41 Should we confront people on the train?

28:24 No PDA, no nose picking and distance please!

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh, Amirul Karim & Natasha Liew

Executive producer: Danson Cheong 

Editorial producer: Elizabeth Law

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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#tup #tuptrf

An ongoing SMRT campaign, meant to inspire a gracious commute culture, has laid down the law on what&rsquo;s acceptable, or not, on the train.
Two bubble-like characters &ndash; named &ldquo;Dotties&rdquo; by SMRT &ndash; are accompanied by the caption, &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t groom in public&rdquo;. One is shown clipping their toenails and the other, applying make-up.
It got the internet talking about the boundaries of personal grooming in public.
But after decades of public etiquette and courtesy campaigns across Singapore, why is there still a need for this conversation? And if Singapore is a first-world city, why don&rsquo;t we have a handle on what&rsquo;s acceptable and what isn&rsquo;t in public?
In this episode of the podcast, I chat with Elysia Tan, a clinical psychologist, and Shila Naidu, a trauma therapist, to work through how to behave on public transport?
Highlights (click/tap above):
4:08 Why have we not learnt from decades of courtesy campaigns?
9:54 Why don&rsquo;t people realise they are irritating others?
14:29 Are these behaviours a reflection of a stressed society?
18:08 How did we become a &ldquo;shame-based&rdquo; society?
21:59 Commuters with mental health issues
24:41 Should we confront people on the train?
28:24 No PDA, no nose picking and distance please!
Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (<a href="mailto:natashaz@sph.com.sg">natashaz@sph.com.sg</a>)
Read Natasha&rsquo;s articles:<a href="https://str.sg/iSXm"> https://str.sg/iSXm</a>
Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: <a href="https://str.sg/8KNT">https://str.sg/8KNT</a>
Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: <a href="https://str.sg/v6DN">https://str.sg/v6DN</a>
Filmed by: Studio+65
Edited by: Eden Soh, Amirul Karim &amp; Natasha Liew
Executive producer: Danson Cheong&nbsp;
Editorial producer: Elizabeth Law
Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:
Channel: <a href="https://str.sg/5nfm?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/5nfm?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/5nfm</a>
Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/9ijX?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/9ijX?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/9ijX</a>
Spotify: <a href="https://str.sg/cd2P?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/cd2P?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/cd2P</a>
YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
---
Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: <a href="https://str.sg/wvz7?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/wvz7?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
Get more updates: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
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Google Play: <a href="https://str.sg/icyX">https://str.sg/icyX</a>
--
#tup #tuptrf

Natasha and her guests unpack the latest current affairs, every Thursday.

Synopsis: Join host and correspondent Natasha Ann Zachariah every Thursday live at noon, as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests. 

Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah

Executive producers: Danson Cheong

Editorial producer: Elizabeth Law

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media

Synopsis: Join host and correspondent Natasha Ann Zachariah every Thursday live at noon, as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.&nbsp;
Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah
Executive producers: Danson Cheong
Editorial producer: Elizabeth Law
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media