I READ with interest and some frustration last Monday's article, 'Seat taken? Tissue can't be an issue'. Let's start with the tissue issue. This practice simply allows everyone in the group to queue for food at the same time, finish eating and allow others to have the space. Why tissue? It took a genius to come up with this one. It's cheap, yet of value, light yet flat enough not to catch the wind. For the lone diner, it's a necessity. If it seems impersonal, get your creative juices flowing. This practice probably originated when self service was introduced.

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Yes, I totally agree that our tissue habit is because we are more gracious society. Those that don't like the tissue likely do not eat at coffeeshops/foodcourts during lunch hours.

If I see the tissue, will take away and use it in the toillet.

Who knows the tissue can be used? How dare you are that you will use it in the toilet? Maybe the tissue was used for spitting before. Horrible!

I got no eyes to see meh.

Condoning tissue packs = reservations only obviates curing ourselves of a hogging ugliness/sharing disability. Even Singaporeans' seat-'choping' belongings in South Korea - in an old news report - were dislodged by Koreans unused/disgusted with the kiasuness. If tissue packs were a local shorthand for 'reserved' universally, how come 'reserved' signs on tables are still used/sellable here?

If it isn't official and not legally binding, why should anyone oblige those using tissue-packs or anything else in lieu of officially-installed reservation signs - however fashionable the practice?

The letter-writer mis-attributes 'environment' when kiasuness curbs civility here. For instance, dangerous lane-changing without signals to not cue speeding up by those pre-empting overtaking by lane-changers. Or faked dozing by those fearing rejection should offering public-transport seats be rejected.

Kiasuness (selfishness/unsharing) and face-frailty (cowardice?) should be recognised as such and not be excused/inured as 'environment' that's somehow 'unavoidably Singaporean'. Seat-offerers need only ask - before rising - if a seat were needed and if declined, retain it without any need for chagrin or mortification.

No acting skills for dozing needed. If the offeree declined on grounds of 'embarassment' - that's her/his choice and shouldn't impugn the offerer's integrity/sincerity. Which feudal age are we still in bandying 'first-world' this or that in the same breath?

Simply remove these tissue and lay your butts. There is no seat reservation in foodcourts and hawker centers. Only at restaurants. Want to pick a quarrel? Come la.

which school of martial art you belong to? don't tell me is Po Chi Lam :O

jousterr, just curious, and perhaps you've answered me elsewhere, but if you could repeat for my benefit (if i do come back here to check): have you had to jostle for a seat (esp when eating out alone) with many others within the roughly 30 min you have to eat during the normal lunch hour in a crowded CBD food center on a typical weekday? what would/did you do if you found you always had to circulate around to even find an empty/unreserved seat while balancing a bowl of hot noodles say, asking numerous bodies if the seat was available, often to no avail, since i suppose you wouldn't descend to using a pack of tissue to reserve seats?

i'm sorry, but labeling people who buy (into) the tissue-reservation system as "kiasu", "face-frail" etc is just that - name-calling. how does it actually solve a real/practical problem (i notice you'd made some suggestions, which i'd critiqued on, did you respond thereto?) for busy, stressed out people who just need a place to sit and eat? why should anyone be labeled such just bec s/he is not generally interested in interacting with strangers when s/he really just wants a seat at/on which to eat? we should really get down to solving the problem, of which there are several facets.

For me, I think placing of tissue pack on those table is not a very wise idea.
When eating, I try to refrain resting my arm on the edge of the table.
Observe...carefully....there might be some food remains on those seat too.
I do it by getting a hot drink first and place it on the available table, next the food. A glass of hot drinks should be better indication than a pack of tissue, plus also the bird wouldn't disturb my cup of drink.