Responses on the NUSSU Wall
Image Credit: NUSSU Welfare
From Anonymous: NUSSU WALL, YIH
General comments: Apalling quality of writing AND editing! Writer’s folly or editor’s irresponsibility?
Text highlighted: “In a NUS sex survey conducted by the ridge in January, 53.6% of respondents were virgins, including all respondents from SDE.”
Feedback: What does this sentence mean? What is your vendetta against SDE?
Text highlighted: “While FASS students tend to be viewed as more liberal, the large concentration of homosexual and bisexual respondents may be a clear indication that these communities tend towards the more creative or abstract forms of study.”
Feedback: Poor research man!! Seriously are you an arts undergrad?? Defame my fac & uni!!
Text highlighted: “While housing agreements issued out to all residents on-campus specifically require doors to be ajar when members of the opposite sex are in the room, there is no mention of denying sex and other sexual activities, prompting most residents to hint at some ‘free shows’ in some halls and residences.
Feedback: YOU EVER LIVED ON CAMPUS IN NUS??
From Suhas, Year 2: Email
I loved your article on the NUS sex survey. I was frankly amazed at how you took a bunch of simple questions (which I remember filling up and dismissing as just a sensational piece) and wrote something really worthwhile, analysing the data in remarkable detail.
Though, there there’s just one mistake - “og” instead of “of”. But then, I’m sure you’d know that already so I apologise if I sound finicky.
I find it surprising that people focus so much on the statistics because as a journalist, you’re not in control of that. Journalists are responsible for analysing the data and making it meaningful and so, in that respect, I believed you did the most out of the limited and possibly erroneous data given.
Regarding the Malay communities that you mentioned, I wanted to ask how the community can tackle such sex-related issues when Muslim law forbades any tacit compromise on such issues. I’m reiterating what you said - “religious institutions could attempt to bridge the gap with social realities by confronting them in a direct and relevant manner” but this doesn’t really help when the attitudes of the religious clergy doesn’t change, right? Their outlook on the matter outweighs whatever secular education is given in school, doesn’t it? But here I’m relating to my experience with religious power in Indonesia and, in Singapore, the case may not be the same.
From Alvin: RIDGEONLINE
Sample size was only 56. Too far of a stretch to generalise to the entire NUS population. And besides, the sampling looks like it was haphazardly done, with no sampling frame and all the random selection. That said, if the article was meant to be funny, it was hilarious.
From Moses, Year 2: Email
The first thing that my friends and I were curious to know after reading the survey was the sample size of the survey which was not stated anywhere in the article. As a reader, it aroused my suspicion because the claims which the surveyor was making were rather controversial. For example that 85.6% of non-virgins were from FASS and only 5.36% were from Engineering who were actually second highest. I immediately wondered if 1) the sample size was small which would have led to inaccuracies and possibly such skewed statistics and 2) if the sample sizes of each faculty were of the same size or not.
With these 2 doubts as to whether the statistics were accurate, I could only proceed with reading the article with skepticism. And with the writer failing to allay my doubts and at the same time alleging many other controversial statements like the large percentage of gays and lesbians, the article failed to convince me that I should take it seriously.
The second thing which sprung out at me was: why was an English language senior being quoted as if he were an authority on the subject of sex and sexual morality? Perhaps a professor of sociology or some other distinguished commentator would have added more credibility and weight to the article. Even failing which, perhaps a sociology major or philosophy major would have been more credible given the subject matter.
Thirdly, I took serious objection to one of your interviewees’s views viz Wong. Wong says, “consensual homosexual intercourse, anal and oral sex are NOT a crime before, now and forever.” This opinion is wrong on a factual basis because consensual homosexual intercourse has been and still is a crime, not only in Singapore but in a great many countries in the world. In fact, the punishment for homosexual acts in many countries is actually death. My objection however does not lie in Wong’s misguided views but rather that the writer failed to rebut the factual error. By ignoring the factual error, it gives the impression that the writer is agreeing to Wong’s viewpoint. Finally, the grammatically erroneous sentence structure also contributes to the lowering Wong’s credibility. Perhaps this could have been edited instead of being preserved verbatim for the readers to cringe at.
Fourthly, the homosexual law comes from section 377A and not Act 377A. The Act, or legislation, is the Penal Code. But the specific provision lies in s.377A of the Penal Code. So legally trained readers would probably have noticed the error and this would have perhaps lowered the writer’s credibility in their eyes.
Fifthly; generally, I did not have a good impression of the various interviewees. Their quotes, made them appear to be singularly uninformed indivuduals. E.g. Hoong, who asks “ I don’t see why two willing parties engaging in sex is a crime.” Any discerning reader would straight away think of various reasons. Firstly, a morality argument. Secondly, a social argument. So by printing what Hoong says and not expounding on her comments, she appears to be giving a very superficial opinion. Then again, perhaps this was the writer’s intent.
This brings me to the good points about the article.
Firstly, I suspect that the writer’s intent was to be controversial. Hence, the statistics and assertions about sex taking place in toilets and in YIH etc. This was done very successfully. The article is indeed controversial. I know a great many people who have read it and are spreading this issue of The Ridge because of the Sex Survey. So kudos for upping the readership.
Secondly, the article was professionally written. I especially like the way statistics are given to back up a point. E.g “NUS STUDENTS PROMISCUOUS” then boom! A whole buncha incredible statistics. This method of shock and awe really works, especially on educated people. Because educated people love statistics.
The layout, and sub-headline (or whatever u call it..i dunoe) are very professional looking. Love the sub-headline. It catches your attention by asserting that Singaporeans have 0 libido. Insults you, and therefore makes you want to read it to rebut it.
So that’s all my comments.
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