of the magazine that ends up in the recycling bin without being flipped open once

Has anyone heard of this magazine called "Duet"? No, it has got nothing to do with two people playing music together. Because you see, this "Duet" is another of this uniquely singapore thing. It is this magazine you will receive (no option to opt out of) once you graduate from the university, and YOU ARE NOT MARRIED.

This magazine comes with a free membership (once again, no way of opting out) to the SDU or the Social Development Unit for the non-Singaporean readers. SDU organizes all sorts of "fun" activities that lets you, who had been buried in your books the past few years at the university and forgotten what it means to have a social life, meet people of the opposite sex! Wow, you get opportunities to meet people of the opposite sex!

Yes, it is our dear government's way of eugenics. You see, one gets the complimentary subscription to "Duet" and membership to the SDU only if you are a university graduate. Because it means you are intelligent and the nation wants your genes. If you are simply a diploma holder, sorry folks, the government does not think your genes worthy enough to be passed on.

While I've no problems with people who may want to go to activities organized by SDU or any other groups and want to meet new people of the opposite sex, I have problems with the core ideas of SDU (and essentially, the government.)

Yes, let people who enjoy meeting new people, who wants to perhaps find a potential partner, go ahead and do it. But do not force everyone else to do the same. Yes, yes, yes, I know that I am not being forced to go to anything I do not want to, but I do not like the idea that I have no choice of opting out of the SDU membership or the "Duet" subscription if I do not want them. And even more, I hate the idea that only university graduates get this. So people who are not university graduates are not as important? Isn't this a message the government sends to the people? That you better not spread your genes around because we only want genes from people who can graduate from the university. Maybe they better start conducting IQ tests for people who wants to become parents too?

I'm extremely irked every single time I find a copy of this magazine in my letterbox because it serves once again to remind me, I am being coerced! I don't even have a choice of saying, hey come on, save the environment, I'm not interested in your magazine or in meeting anyone of the opposite sex (all my friends who are members of the opposite sex, don't get me wrong, I love you all. I'm just not interested in meeting members of the opposite sex to find my potential partner or in such a forced situation and circumstance.) I don't even flip open the magazine when I get it, I simply throw it into the recycling bin. Come on, save your troubles and save the earth. Give me an option to opt out of receiving your magazine please, and also give me an option of opting out of the SDU membership please!

Sometimes I think all these will look so funny from the point of view of someone who isn't Singaporean. It is really uniquely Singapore and uniquely hilarious, these things they come up with.