Journey to the West?
I was reading a post on Intelligent Singaporean on the reasons why Singaporeans emigrate to other countries. Basically, what the author said was that emigrating Singaporeans did so because of the tolerance and freedom of other western countries and that these qualities overrode all the good points of Singapore, despite the negative aspects of foreign countries. The inclusiveness and accpetance they found abroad was infinitely preferable to the inanely busy pressure-cooker rat-race that we find in Singapore.Doubtless, there are many who agree with him. Singapore, for all its safety and efficiency, is certainly lacking in social friendliness, inclusiveness and accountability. We have a Kiasee/Kiasu culture that to some is essential and endearing but I find sad and at times repulsive. I don't know about all Singaporeans, but in the circles that I grew up in and among my friends, it is the rare Singaporean that is concerned with issues in society and things outside of their immediate view. It is a kind of apathy that I abhor, a willing ignorance or mayhap subconscious fear of the government and its actions. Politics and civil liberties are over their heads, not their business, and so they don't care about it. This I feel is the reason why we don't have political freedoms. Not because of government repression, but because of an instinctive fear and unwillingness to fight in the average Singaporean. Because we lack the will to fight for it, we lack the responsibility and maturity to have it and defend it and are unable to pressure the government into letting us have it.
Yet despite all these intellectual concerns, I don't think I will leave Singapore. In the end, it is my homeland. It is the place where I grew up, where my heart is. America is big, and free but it has its problems as well. Canada may be wonderfully tolerant, but too much liberty is bad as well. I still can't bring myself to abandon the culture I grew up in, the people I grew up with, the bonds I have, the ties I've forged. It is one thing to say "that country is more free, I think its better to live there", its another to say "I'm going to leave everything I know and love and go to where it's nicer". Another part of me rebels against emigration for another reason, the idea of patriotic duty. This may not have been the land of my forefathers or my ancient ancestors, but it is my land. I was born here, raised here, and I see its problems. Does that mean I take off and go to a place where there are less problems? Do I leave my home because its uncomfortable intellectually to stay? I guess it would be pompous of me to say no, but I still say no. I think that the right thing to do, would be to fight for it, though everyone else may not. To at least try to do what you feel is right. The author is right when he talks about the pressure of Singapore. The constant stress, the immense pressure to succeed, and the materialistic and ultimately worthless nature of that success. Its a problem, but instead of avoiding it, or running away from it, maybe we should try to change it.
I realize that the author's words may have merely been intended to justify the actions of those of us who have migrated. I don't think that it makes them any less human or justified. Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, thats what the creator endowed us with right? I guess I'm just too backward to admit that "Singapore is not a place where such dreams flourish". Too idealistic to admit that my efforts, probably won't amount to anything anyway. But I'll stay on, and do my best to live there anyway, because thats what I believe in.
So said Aerasio at 10:42
9 Comments:
YES!! WE FIGHT FOR IT!. hahaha. But thinking of it, arnt we being somewhat westernised? well, they seem to be fighting for everything. lol.
i mean, that is of course if we start fighting for everything. ha
actually, what u said made more sense to me than intelligentsingaporean. I wrote a comment on his blog when i read it the first time. But after giving it some thought. I think people can only spout such stuff because they have something backing him, as for his case like the person before me said "the canadian government". Its cool that you stil have a heart here for Singapore. I mean, there are alot of stuff here that i really can choose to hate, but if i had the money to move out from such a pressure cooker lifestlye i would and i believe everyone would.
Have a good life
>>what u said made more sense to me than intelligentsingaporean... I think people can only spout such stuff because they have something backing him, as for his case like the person before me said "the canadian government".
hmmm. just want to clarify that intelligentsingaporean did not write that article. he just reproduced an article written by a girl.
Hello Clarence :)
I'm IS's fan. So can't resist to put a comment here, hehe. All the best for your exams!!!
Hai...now you want to be back in Singapore, you wait until later lah then say.
Then again, you also don't have sharp backside like dad. Haha.
aerasio do u mind if i publish your essay in full on IS? i think it deserves greater publicity.
insp.
hey... i'm too impatient to wait for a reply. if u disagree with the publicity, just drop me an email.
cheers.
Yo Clarence..you dun think this you dun think that...if migration was a matter of whether you want to make things better or stay to make things better, we be all stew here till heaven come...
however, you are clearly idealistic, ferverntly nationalistic - and i think that any individual who loses their idealism behind any flag - be it the singapore one, the canadian one or the united states one, is missing the point. we owe no duty to states, citizenship we are born with , nationalism is a age-old disease condemned to the antiquated folks - you are a young idealistic smart chap - why bother with stupidity?
- Anon 101
# kajagoogoo Says:
October 12th, 2006 at 5:50 pm
Hi Aerasio
I am very curious in how you are going to stay and make a difference to the elitist/repressive environment that is uniquely Singapore under the current regime?
Political activitism at the student level has been serious curbed since the ruling party survived the student riots during 50s and 60s. Singapore and Singaporeans have been depoliticised by the current regime through the systematic erosion of civil society institutions such as societies from participating in the political sphere.
ISD/Defamation suits/Mind control through the main stream media are used to control dissent and stifle fledging thoughts of alternative forms of governance and of being governed. Potential rivals are systematically co-opted into the regime through ministerial/parliamentary posts.
Foreign publications are stifled from publishing any critical reports that allege that we are not as meritocratic as we claim to be.
Yes stay and fight, but what you are going to do to be counted rather than writing in the blogosphere (which is a good start). :-)
kajagoogoo
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