The WTO is an arena for developed countries with powerful delegates "negotiating" with minimal delegates from developing countries.

Trading will always be unfair to developing countries. You got to understand this from both sides.

If you are a European who is used to the lifestyle of richness and good health, you will never want to give that up. If you allow other countries to earn more profits, there's only 1 consequence - your own standard of living drops. The world is only as big as it is, you can't really have fair and equal for everyone. We weren't created to be that way.

Now if you totally disagree with me, I must say, put your money where your talk goes. Go to every beggar in Singapore and give him 1 dollar everyday so that he can buy a packet of rice. Don't bargain with that stall owner over a $20 top; let him earn a few more dollars so he can send his kids to a better school.

I now understand. We Singaporeans cannot afford to just simply leave our homeland and migrate to other countries. When the day comes that we lose our bargaining power to big players out there, the Singaporeans after us will be the ones who suffer.

Coffee farmers in Ethopia are fighting to get higher prices for their produce. When they cannot do that, they plant khat, a narcotic, instead. You see what people will do to earn money for a better life now? No there's nothing wrong if you put yourself in the shoes of an Ethopian farmer. Afterall, it's legal in their country to consume that plant. What about us? Our society as we know it now is safe and financially sound. But if we somehow fall back into a struggle like these developing countries, are we prepared to allow the "proper" way of life as we know it now, go away?

The question is rhetorical. When the cards are down, there are things you will not be able to control. The only way is to not allow that to happen.

I give an example from my own experience. In light of the current bad job market, I have even considered joining a tobacco company if it meant me getting a well paying job. But when I thought real hard about it, I really don't want to. I hate "smoking". The important thing is, I realise how frail my values are when my way of life is threatened. I am glad I have not reached the point of stepping onto the other route.

It's time I reconsider my career priorities.