The ironic inefficiency

AFter spending a year overseas, (well, to be honest, it works out to be about 8 months only), one of the most notable differences between the easterners and westerners is this: Efficiency. Looking at these different Asian civilisations; Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, one thing comes to mind. These people are incredibly efficient. Well, at least for most of the time. Internet connections are everywhere, and are at the speed of light. Such that the term 'Broadband' or 'Dialup' is such a thing of the past that we can no longer imagine any country still depending on these connections. Phillippines still uses dialup, and my now-pseudo-home Australia primarily uses Broadband connections. (I've probably whined about this countless times as to how we have a limited data quota every month) Hello, all the iPhone users in Singapore now have data plans of 12Gb a month (which essentially is limitless considering how much that can actually get you on a phone!). And there I was in Brisbanem, surviving on 5Gb for the entire semester (proud to say that I didn't even finish that 5Gb!)

Anyways, here's the ironic thing I've noticed ever since I've been back. We pride ourselves how efficiently we do things. How we're so small and well connected that we can reach the other end of the island in less than an hour. How we can get phonelines, internet lines or television channels set up in less than 2 days. How we can cook obtain a meal from the nearest hawker centre in less than 10 minutes and how out NTUC cashiers can scan so furiously and bag so quickly you wouldn't even know what hit you. But here's the thing, smses in Aus cost 15 cents each, whilst they cost nothing here. So when I came back this time, sms-ing people was such a PAIN because it ends up taking people 10 smses to conclude that: "Ok, we shall meet at 2pm at Bugis."

Why is this so? Because people just simply reply without initiating something progressive. When are you free? tmr. Shall we meet? ok. What time is good for you and where? I got school in the morning.

This alone takes up 3 smses each, in Ozzie cents/sense (pun intended), 45 cents. repeat this process several times and low and behold, lotsa marnie wasted. Not ot mention time and precious thumb action. I hate sms-ing. And I thought that if I called people, I'd get the job done quicker. Ironically again, NO. Nobody calls anymore! Out of 5 calls I make, 4 will be unsuccessful cos people no longer look at their phones expecting calls. People expect only smses, which free you from the obligation of immediate answering and decision making.

I can't wait to go back to the world of phonecalls.