I regret to admit that I’ve always seen Arnold Schwarzenegger as all brawn and no brains. This little documentary changed my mind. He broke the rules and emerged a hero. Can we have heroes like that in Singapore? I doubt so. He went AWOL when he was in the army. He stole food from the kitchen. One major factor contributing to his success is the forgiveness and flexibility of the Austrian army. They actually built a gym for him in the camp. That’s how far they were willing to go to accommodate one man’s dream. The folks at the camp can now proudly say that they contributed to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s success.
If he had done all that in Singapore, he would have been put away for a long time. No ifs. No buts. They would rather import foreign athletes.
© Chan Joon Yee
