SINGAPORE TRIP 3

“The sanity of society is a balance of a thousand insanities.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Last time I was in Singapore was two years ago when I was attending another conference at the University here. I have visited Singapore on many other occasions before that. What has struck me this time around is the change that is evident. Singaporean society has undergone rather a radical change (relatively speaking, for this extremely conservative country). One still sees the T-shirts for sale in shops and markets that in a jocular vein outline all of the by-laws that prohibit certain behaviours (eg: No spitting in public, no chewing gum, no loitering, no smoking, no littering, etc, etc). This may have been the reason for the “manicured” appearance of Singapore and the relatively low crime rate.

This time round, I have noticed a distinct change. There is litter in the streets, people are beginning to dress more adventurously, body piercing and tattooing are beginning to be seen more frequently, a more liberal attitude is being taken towards what has traditionally been unacceptable behaviour. Personal freedoms have increased, to be sure, but at the same time this has made Singapore begin to go the way of Hong Kong, say, or of Bangkok. Still a long way away from the organised chaos of these two cities, but Singapore is not the Singapore of old.

This may be a good thing and a bad thing. I am certainly one to support the increase of personal freedoms; I think that if there are more avenues for personal expression it is a good thing, but also one needs to be aware that if these freedoms are taken to extremes, then the beneficial effects for the community may decrease. The more people are allowed to place “self” before the “sum total” of society, then the more one may see any individual’s contribution to the whole reduce. It is a fortunate society in which every individual is allowed maximum personal freedom, is able to exercise their right of self-expression and follow personal goals, but at the same time each individual contributes fully to society and the good of all.

I think that when comparing Singapore to most Western nations, one is still impressed by the more regimented, structured, controlled (and even contrived) way that this Asian society functions. Introducing elements of increased individuality, more personal freedom, increased self-expression will certainly improve the way that a Westerner views the fabric of this society, but how will a Singaporean react to this further shift toward “westernisation"? One must remember that the racial and cultural mix of Singapore is quite broad and a happy co-existence of all these different strands in the thread of society may depend to a large extent on a regimented, controlled and closely monitored lifestyle.

What do you think?