Check this out, posted one friend on my Facebook wall, with a link to a survey of 148 countries in which Singaporeans were revealed to be the least positive people on earth. At the bottom of the happy pile along with Iraqis, Armenians and Serbians. Good luck in misery city! he wrote. Our friend Marcus offered deeper analysis over brunch in a trendy retro cafe. That is not his real name by the way - in this authoritarian democracy, the majority of people are very reluctant to go on the record with anything remotely negative about Singapore. And negative Marcus is: We are programmed to think only about ourselves, he exclaimed. The only thing that matters is money - helping people is not important. Marcus is Chinese Singaporean but was educated in Canada. After five years back home he is desperate to leave again, because, he says, Singapore makes him unhappy too. In Canada people were helpful and friendly and they respect each other regardless of whether you are a manager or a bus driver. The problem here is that we measure everything in dollar bills - personal identity, self-respect, happiness, your sense of worth - it is all linked to how much money you have. But only the top few percent earn serious cash - so everyone else feels worthless and apathetic. We went on to discuss the numerous theories about whether it is materialism making Singaporeans unhappy or uncaring - or the fiercely competitive education system, or Confucianism, or the governments historic emphasis on economic growth above all else. Happily my morning sickness has passed, but despite becoming visibly pregnant, it was still rare for anyone to offer me a seat on the packed commuter train without my having to ask first. I do not know if I would have had a better time in London, but in the Singaporean rat race you are certainly on your own. An unhappy conclusion, I am afraid, from misery city. bbc/news/magazine-26546169
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 07:55:51 +0000
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