Choice of word

I was watching a female magazine tv show on the weekend. They had this one topic on shopaholics and showed a Dato’ and Datin couple shopping mindlessly at KLCC. But throughout the segment, the host (who obviously only dubbed her voice in the studio) kept on reminding the viewers that we should shop according to our means, which did not relate at all with how the couple was spending thousands of ringgit at one go on the show. It just didn't jive with the whole scene.

The way that Datin delivered her script was OMG downright snotty weh. Something like “I really LOVE shopping. I won’t feel complete if I don’t shop at least once a week. Try asking the promoter here, I shop here WEEKLY. When she sends me photos of new arrivals, I will ask her to keep those that I like and I will come on the weekend to try them on. Normally I’ll buy one or two pieces. I WILL make a purchase. Tak pernahlah tak beli” with that boastful gesture and tone. Even my mom felt uncomfortable watching the scene.

Seriously, you should have listened to the script. Like “Sayang, aren’t they all pretty? I want to buy them all, boleh?” with her hand flailing in the air, pointing to five pieces of heavily beaded kaftans at Aseana which I think would cost more than RM2000 each. To which her Sayang replied with “Ok, you can take all of them, but after this I want to get something for myself too” and off they went to spend unnecessary items at another shop for the Dato’. It wasn’t me who said the items were not necessary, it was the admission of the Dato’. He told that he would not wear the things that he was going to buy that day. But he MUST have them. Kalau tak, rugi.

On the point why the Dato’ felt compelled to shop anyways, the Dato’ said “Saya rasa kita mesti reward diri kita dan shopping itu satu kemestian untuk semua orang. Mesti beli sekurang-kurangnya satu barang untuk reward diri kita. Tak kisahlah mahal ke murah. Saya buat ni every week” – verbatim. Like, seriously dude? 

Granted it may just be a slip of the tongue. Maybe the Dato’ had meant “Saya rasa kita mesti reward diri kita dan rewarding ourselves itu satu kemestian untuk semua orang. For me, shopping is one of the ways”. 

And get this, the Dato’ is a motivational speaker! Can you actually believe that? 

Choice of word old man, choice of word. How can you make a living from speeches if you recklessly let things slip out of your mouth? Wonder if anyone will still be interested to go to his talk after watching that segment.

Now, I’m not questioning the real personality of the two. For all I care, they can spend millions of dollars buying clothes. It’s their freaking money. But what I don’t get until now is the point of that segment. Was it to show how rich people get to spend their money? Because if that was the intention, then I think that’s just insensitive of the scriptwriter, the director and the producer of the show. With the current economic climate, showing how the couple is able to spend money like nobody’s business while most of the world is struggling or only living off minimum wage is just not cool. Reminds me of this. How is this type of show going to teach our kids (and their parents, to a certain extent) to be penny-wise?