MONEY MONEY MONEY!!! Is that all there is to it?

as usual, when reading garota, i always get ideas and am inspired to write.

i remember that at the first meeting that Youth Connect had, we were made to draw something that we feel reflects what Singapore is. i drew a machine that printed money. the catch is, the cogs of this machine and the raw material that went into this machine are people (i.e. us). Singapore is a very effective money making machine. there is no doubt about that. and as we develop, it would seem that that is all that we are. it would seem that that is all the nation wants of us, make shit loads of money, pay our taxes, consume, raise the GDP, raise the GNP, raise it up our fucking arse.

and it seems that the safest thing for us to do is to align ourselves with our nation's expectations of us, and be efficient money generators, to be well greased cogs in the machinery, to fuel our engines of economic growtn. and we would be a lot happier if we do not hold any greater dreams for our nation other than to see it as a cash cow to be milked for all its worth.

is Singapore really all about economic rationality? it would seem like it is. and it has been very successful in ingraining that into the its people. it is thus no wonder that many young, intelligent, talented Singaporeans choose to leave. Borders are porous to talent. and being so ingrained with economic rationality, it really doesn't matter where these young, talented, intelligent go-getters are, so long as they are able to maximise their purchasing power and still have a life to enjoy it.

can Singapore really compete on those grounds? can Singapore really become the country that offers the highest purchasing power? no. i do not think that that is possible. there must therefore be something else that binds our most talented to our nation. what can that possibly be? what is the one thing that you can only do in your own country? be a world renowned scientist? earn shit loads of money? raise loads of kids? i don't think so.

so what can it possibly be?

it must necessarily be that we, as citizens, have the privilege of building and defining OUR own nation, OUR home.

alas, it would seem that the conditions in Singapore doesn't really allow us to do so. not unless you are connected to the inner circle of the political elite. it is no wonder that people get disenfranchised, disillusioned, become good Singaporeans, buy into the entire pysche of economic rationality, discover somewhere else where they can maximise their purchasing power, pack their bags and go.

i find the irony rather unfortunate.

a very wise old man (no, not MM) once explained that HOME comprises of 2 things: HOpe and MEmories. the responsibility of giving hope and collecting memories cannot be shouldered by the government alone. it must be a colllective effort of all Singaporeans. it is thus, in my opinion, time for the government to empower Singaporeans to bear this responsibility of coming together and collectively build OUR Singapore, OUR HOME.

will that happen? will the goverment allow an environment that is conducive for Singaporeans to band together to collectively bear the responsibility of building our nation? or will the government still go on being the over-protective parent that they have been for the last 40 years?

of course there is another side to the argument. will Singaporeans, as a people, grow up enough to earn the government's trust that we can shoulder this responsibility? or will we remain little more than petulant kids, always demanding for the government to do this and that for us, without taking responsibility to think for ourselves, to act for ourselves?

who should move first then? the goverment or the people? or is this a chicken and egg question?

i say that the government should be the one doing something about it. simply because they have the greatest ability and responsibility to. not to accede to our every request, but to educate the people on how to take up this responsibility of self-governance, of nation building (beyond just economic rationality). the people should start to think, to learn, to seek. and in unison, as one moves back and create space, the other is able to come forward to fill that space adequately.

will that happen? i shall remain hopeful... at least for now.