One of the complaints about Singapore from many people, local and foreign alike, has been that it is a 'soulless' society. Now, we have a new generation of politicians, the P65(yet another meaningless acronym)lot, trying their hand at creating a new Singapore identity, one that will retain the younger generation who seem to be migrating in droves.
Let's look at what has been mooted since the PAP began to woo the younger generation of Singaporeans, via Lee Hsien Loong. Dancing on bar counters has been approved, and a couple of innovative and risque nightclubs have opened. We have a new theatre complex which most local theatre troupes find too expensive to rent. GST has gone up, as have the prices of almost everything else in this town, except fines, including the one for spitting. ERP, taxi fares, peak hour surcharges, all headed north. The gap between rich and poor has widened. The size of the sandwich class has grown. The number of replacement births has gone down. Maid abuse has gone up, and, I am sure, the murder rate. Oh, let's not forget the worst recession since independence, with the highest number of unemployed. Now, we have the Integrated Resort idea, with the franchise for the some of the most expensive real estate in the region. We have also heard some ideas on how to make health care more affordable - but I can personally attest that the partner insurance companies do not live up to their promises.
On which one of these can we hang our hats on, to say, ok, here's an attempt at building soul? Or even defining the soul of nation - and I do not mean the pastiche of icons such as cha kway teow, laksa, fish head curry, the merlion, satay or the Singapore girl.
What I can see from all of these initiatives is that they revolve around MONEY. They push the average Singaporean to slog all hours to pay for the household bills and mortgage. Higher transport costs, extended peak hours (until 11.30pm) mean that we are penalised for merely going to work, then for having the stupidity to work beyond 4pm when peak hour rates begin. To maintain a decent lifestyle (for most people, to pay the HDB mortgage and save for the kids' education, and retirement in a country where we can barely afford to pay the monthly bills) we neglect the family, leaving the upbringing to the maids. The situation is so ridiculous that we have to have a single day each year designated 'eat dinner with your family' day.
The stress of living in this super pressure cooker breeds social problems, including a very high proportion of runaway teens. Teachers today say that teaching is more social work rather than education because parents are so guilt ridden with neglecting their kids, they refuse to discipline them and leave this to the schools.
Ok, ok. Here's the question - where in all of these initiatives is the SOUL element? The only soul I can see is that of materialism. We have in charge a bunch of leaders who grew up in this so called 'soulless' country, who do not recognise 'soul' and who are trying to create a nation according to the 'soul' standards they grew up with - money, money, money. Although, I wonder how many of the new P65 generation really knew what it was to go without when they were younger? Not many, I wager.
Small wonder that their version of it has this symbol - $ - on it. More glitz. More spin. More superficiality and knee-jerk reactions to problems. Tax it. Fine it. What is the long term effect on this society? Any thought given to that? Well, heck, why should they?
While the sandwich class strives, ministers' pay goes up - right after an election, when not a single promise has been delivered yet. Even in the private sector, people are rewarded based on delivery. If we must peg our ministers' salaries to the private sector, we need to assess them accordingly - by delivery, ROI, - in the eyes of their customers, ie their constituents. And no damed excuses - as with the private sector. One bad inning, and you're out. If the average Singaporean has to be whipped, why then, our leadership should adopt the same stringent standards for themselves.
Again, without the means to influence the political process in any meaningful way, to control our destinies because we are so busy just putting food on the table, where will will have the time to build the soul of this nation. Right now, the soul is one that is being defined from the top, ie, the 1% of this country. What kind of soul is that? Where is the voice of the common man? I'd certainly like to hear it, because that's where soul starts.
Let's look at what has been mooted since the PAP began to woo the younger generation of Singaporeans, via Lee Hsien Loong. Dancing on bar counters has been approved, and a couple of innovative and risque nightclubs have opened. We have a new theatre complex which most local theatre troupes find too expensive to rent. GST has gone up, as have the prices of almost everything else in this town, except fines, including the one for spitting. ERP, taxi fares, peak hour surcharges, all headed north. The gap between rich and poor has widened. The size of the sandwich class has grown. The number of replacement births has gone down. Maid abuse has gone up, and, I am sure, the murder rate. Oh, let's not forget the worst recession since independence, with the highest number of unemployed. Now, we have the Integrated Resort idea, with the franchise for the some of the most expensive real estate in the region. We have also heard some ideas on how to make health care more affordable - but I can personally attest that the partner insurance companies do not live up to their promises.
On which one of these can we hang our hats on, to say, ok, here's an attempt at building soul? Or even defining the soul of nation - and I do not mean the pastiche of icons such as cha kway teow, laksa, fish head curry, the merlion, satay or the Singapore girl.
What I can see from all of these initiatives is that they revolve around MONEY. They push the average Singaporean to slog all hours to pay for the household bills and mortgage. Higher transport costs, extended peak hours (until 11.30pm) mean that we are penalised for merely going to work, then for having the stupidity to work beyond 4pm when peak hour rates begin. To maintain a decent lifestyle (for most people, to pay the HDB mortgage and save for the kids' education, and retirement in a country where we can barely afford to pay the monthly bills) we neglect the family, leaving the upbringing to the maids. The situation is so ridiculous that we have to have a single day each year designated 'eat dinner with your family' day.
The stress of living in this super pressure cooker breeds social problems, including a very high proportion of runaway teens. Teachers today say that teaching is more social work rather than education because parents are so guilt ridden with neglecting their kids, they refuse to discipline them and leave this to the schools.
Ok, ok. Here's the question - where in all of these initiatives is the SOUL element? The only soul I can see is that of materialism. We have in charge a bunch of leaders who grew up in this so called 'soulless' country, who do not recognise 'soul' and who are trying to create a nation according to the 'soul' standards they grew up with - money, money, money. Although, I wonder how many of the new P65 generation really knew what it was to go without when they were younger? Not many, I wager.
Small wonder that their version of it has this symbol - $ - on it. More glitz. More spin. More superficiality and knee-jerk reactions to problems. Tax it. Fine it. What is the long term effect on this society? Any thought given to that? Well, heck, why should they?
While the sandwich class strives, ministers' pay goes up - right after an election, when not a single promise has been delivered yet. Even in the private sector, people are rewarded based on delivery. If we must peg our ministers' salaries to the private sector, we need to assess them accordingly - by delivery, ROI, - in the eyes of their customers, ie their constituents. And no damed excuses - as with the private sector. One bad inning, and you're out. If the average Singaporean has to be whipped, why then, our leadership should adopt the same stringent standards for themselves.
Again, without the means to influence the political process in any meaningful way, to control our destinies because we are so busy just putting food on the table, where will will have the time to build the soul of this nation. Right now, the soul is one that is being defined from the top, ie, the 1% of this country. What kind of soul is that? Where is the voice of the common man? I'd certainly like to hear it, because that's where soul starts.
posted by Simone @ 11:16 PM
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