there is a distinct difference between singapore and tokyo, and that difference lies deeper than 6feet beneath.

it is the subway.

but a subway is a subway, you protest. no i think the subway sums up very well the cultures of these two countries. don't get me wrong, i like the mrt. in singapore, the mrt stations are clean, comfortable and welcoming. everything is in great order. the trains arrive on two seperate sides that will never come close and people are shielded from possible death by glass screens and double doors. there is a clear line which tells you to stand back even after all these safety precautions are in place. we're indeed the kiasee nation and the mrt clearly reflects this. you'd have a hard time trying to kill yourself by crashing train here.

as for japan, you feel this whole surge of life. the two trains aren't too far apart, in fact there are tracks next to each other going in opposite directions, pushed apart by a strip of concrete platform. never will they meet [for that would result in collision], but briefly and quickly the pass each other by allowing others to see into the other side. there are no double doors and safety lines here. if you wish you throw yourself onto the track, you may do so. you are free to choose if you want to live or die, no one is protecting you from your destiny. it is as though there is a thin line between life and death and you can stand on the very edge of it, even cross it if you decide to. it turns out that in singapore, we're not only afraid to die, sometimes we're afraid to truly live. we miss out on that adrenalin rush of choosing to live because we really want to - we live because it is too difficult to die.

i love the subway in japan. i love the way i can see into the dark tunnels and take a picture of the train emerging with its bright lights. i love the way i can stand so close to the tracks and feel the stirred air against my face as the train rushes by. i love the way i can make out the metal roads and stare at them if i like. i love the way two trains in opposite directions seem to converge as a blur - it spells out the merging of two sides and the destruction of human boundaries. i love the way the track pit seems to curve because our eyes cannot see it going straight forever.

i love this feeling of life as my own.

+ posted by M @ 6:57 AM