How to push away responsibility in Singapore like a tai chi master: 'Blame the Government'
Daisy Irani
Tabla
April 3, 2025
We know Singapore is a nation of high efficiency. Trains run on time, food arrives in minutes and even the haze knows when to come and go.
But, within this well-oiled machine, there exists an equally well-honed art - tai chi.
No, not the graceful martial art where Boomer uncles do slow-motion moves at the park. This is Singapore-style tai chi - the fine art of deflecting responsibility and pushing the blame onto someone else.
In the local context, tai chi doesn't mean balancing your energy - it means balancing your excuses. It's when someone subtly shifts responsibility onto an unsuspecting victim - like a human game of passing-the-parcel where the prize is the "blame".
Everyone, from your boss to your husband has mastered it.
It's a highly evolved skill which produces tai chi experts of different levels and forms. Some practitioners are subtle, others are grandmasters of deflection. Here are some I know of:
The 'I was just following instructions' type
This person never takes independent action. No matter what happens, the response is:
"Boss said one."
"The system is like that."
"MOH rules, not me."
You can never pin the blame on them. They just follow law lah!
The 'Let's form a committee' master
Some people will never take the blame - they spread it out:
"Let's discuss this at the next meeting."
"Let's get a task force to review it."
"Let's wait for further instructions."
From whom? For what? By the time a decision is made, the problem has solved itself - or become someone else's problem.
The 'Blame anything in your sight' genius
When all else fails, he blames external forces:
Late for work? "Rain was too heavy."
Sales are bad? "The economy is like that."
Your kid is rude? "TikTok's fault."
Lost money in stocks? "Because of Musk. What to do?"
These people are untouchable. Nothing is ever their fault.
Tai Chi friends: The sneaky deflectors
Friends never openly fight. Instead, they gracefully pass blame like they are in a Bollywood dance sequence.
You rush to meet your friends for lunch. The restaurant is packed.
Mona: "Daisy, it's full ! You were supposed to make the reservation!"
Kavita: "Yes, I offered, but then you insisted, so I let you."
Anu: "You're becoming very forgetful these days! Now what? I'm famished!"
Me: (On the back foot) Really? Did I?
I beg and implore and get a table. Lunch done. The bill arrives.
Anu: "I thought Rekha was treating us for her birthday?"
Rekha: "No, no, birthday was last week, yaar. We said we'd split!"
Kavita: "Did we? I thought we'd decided on 'whoever loses at rummy' pays!"
All: "Daisy!"
Daisy: "Wait, I lost? So now I'm paying?" (strained laughter)
Your friends are never wrong. Just grin and bear the blame.
Tai chi at home: The domestic dodge
When it comes to household chores, tai chi levels reach Olympic standards.
Husband: "Did you pay the utility bill?"
Wife: "I thought you were handling that."
Husband: "You always do it."
Wife: "Ya, but YOU are actually paying for it, no?"
Husband: "So?"
Wife: "Are you wearing the pants in this house or am I?"
Boom. The bill is unpaid and the husband is to blame.
Kitty party tai chi: The blame game in sarees
Everyone wants to attend the kitty party, but never host it.
Rekha: "I thought Mona would do it this time."
Mona: "No, no, Sangeeta said she would."
Sangeeta: "Ya, but only if Preeti couldn't!"
Preeti: "I assumed our new member, Nisha, would volunteer."
Nisha: "Wait… this is my first party!"
And just like that, Nisha is now hosting.
The ultimate tai chi move: Blame the Government
Finally, if all else fails, there is one move that always works. When no one wants to take responsibility, blame the Government.
Too many cars on the road? ERP, COE, LTA policy.
Hawker food prices rising? Trump's tariffs.
MRT delayed? Signal fault.
Blaming Government is the safest tai chi move globally. No one will argue, and everyone nods in agreement.
Why do we let tai chi happen?
The problem is we don't confront tai chi artistes. Why? Because confronting someone is too troublesome.
Do we want to argue? No.
Do we want a long debate? No.
Do we want a drama? Definitely no.
So, we sigh, shake our heads, and get tai chied!
Final thought: Can we ever escape tai chi?
Probably not. It's too deeply embedded in our survival instinct. In our "cover your backside" attitude. Tai chi is in our DNA.
Anyway, next time you see someone masterfully pushing the blame, don't get mad. Take a moment to appreciate the grace, skill and technique involved.
And, if someone tries to pass blame onto you? No worries. Simply smile and tai chi it forward.
