Channel NewsAsia - Monday, June 9
SINGAPORE: Has fiercely—pragmatic Singapore turned into a nation of idealists and dreamers?
Going by our youth’s lofty ambitions — a space cadet, a rock drummer and even a journalist in the mould of Woodward and Bernstein of Watergate fame — articulated at the recent Pre—University Seminar, it may seem so.
Such idealism mostly surfaces on the personal front, however. When it comes to the collective, our youth are still finding it difficult to escape the streak of pragmatism that runs deep in Singapore.
Perhaps, this is most clearly seen from their sentiments toward the Association of South—east Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Singapore undergraduates are among the most ambivalent about calling themselves ASEAN citizens, according to a recent survey commissioned by the ASEAN Foundation.
At a time when Singapore is chair of the 10—member grouping, this finding is striking.
Despite our leaders’ commitment to the region — going by their efforts to have the landmark Asean Charter ratified — our young elite and future leaders seem less so.
In the eyes of Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Community Development, Youth and Sports) Teo Ser Luck, our youth want to see “value and benefits” in their endeavours.
Along the same lines, National University of Singapore political scientist Reuben Wong told TODAY: “If ASEAN were richer, with more resources, if being a member means you get benefits, I’m sure Singaporeans would be proud to be a member.”
What to make of this “what’s in it for me” mindset?
To be fair, it is not confined to Singaporeans alone. On the flip side, the survey suggests that this attitude manifests in the enthusiasm toward ASEAN among the grouping’s least—developed nations — Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Calling their enthusiasm “not surprising”, survey researchers Dr Eric C Thompson from NUS and Dr Chulanee Thianthai of Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University said in their summary of findings: “From a purely rational—choice perspective, they would logically have the most to gain from membership in the Association.”
Even the European Union — a regional grouping with a much longer history — shares this experience, pointed outDr Wong. Newer EU member states such as Estonia see membership through a “value—laden” lens, he said.
However, given that Singapore is in a position to make a difference in the region, should the idealists among us lament the pervasiveness of a “self—above—others” outlook amongst our budding adults?
Should we worry that we will go from producing world—class computer chips to manufacturing world—class selfish brats?
The idealist in me would like to think not, heartened by the fact that our young also dare to dream to “change the world” for the better.
For example, despite a seeming ambivalence about ASEAN, Singapore youth in the polytechnics displayed a lot of heart to raise funds for the victims of Myanmar’s Cyclone Nargis, even as companies preferred to donate to China’s Sichuan earthquake victims, as TODAY had reported.
Closer to home, how do we ensure that personal ideals are also rooted in collective ideals, in a Singapore where economic pragmatism has been the calling card that helped transform it from a resource—poor island—state into the New York of South—east Asia?
For, without collective ideals, what is to stop a new breed of educated, mobile young Singaporeans from taking a mercenary approach on where they call home, or whether to use Singapore as a “launch pad” to chase their dreams as Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Vivian Balakrishnan has urged them.
It may be time to ask what effect an emphasis on economic pragmatism would have on our collective ideals. Otherwise, the all—important question our youths will fire is: What is in it for me?
If we want to stand a better chance of keeping them here, Singapore as we know it must evolve quickly.
Perhaps, a good start is to engage our idealistic youths on our old ways of thinking, even taboo subjects, such as the relevance of ethnic self—help groups today or media regulations. — TODAY/ra
ASEAN is an organization that is sucking money out of singapore to support the third world country members like malaysia
singapore youths are not class experts, they are just exams machines. but most are defintely brats..spolit brats..