I am supposed to be filling my head with protecting groups or profit-maxing but there are just a tad too many things already spinning in my mind.
SS tutorial has always been kind-of refreshing for me. It is always awakening to the soul to ponder about issues in life that are already happening yet got overlooked along the way. Today, it was about the good old "
National Identity".
Not too long a time ago a guy from the United States of America came for a short visit to Singapore. After a not-too-long (in fact, it was merely half a day my holy goodness) immersion in this community he let out a comment. He said,"Singapore is kind of diverse, and it looks much like certain parts of the US because you can see just so many people doing just so many things at the same time at the same place."
He was, for your very valuable infomation, inside the National University of Singapore, or more commonly known as the National University of STAIRS.
Anyway, initially I took that comment as a compliment sort-of, but little did I know at the time there was still a next line to come.
"But I still like Malaysia better because there seem to be a more immense culture there this place (NUS) seems to lack."
Just in case you have Short Term Memory, the guy who said that is an American.
Like anyone else, we are entitled to our own personal opinions and he has the right for preference just as everyone else. So have I.
In my extremely humble personal opinion, Mr. US there has made an unfair comparison, and perhaps also a little biased one. Firstly, he has only been on this island for not even half a day when he made that remark. While he is partially right in saying Singapore has a very diverse collection of nationalities which can be compared to the States, he has not exactly seen Singapore as SINGAPORE. What he saw was essentially a portion of the Singaporean community caged within the boundaries of Kent Ridge campus. OF COURSE there are many people doing many different things at the same place, because everybody has different commitments! So tell me, can you really see - I mean SEE - and tell how a country's culture is like, just by looking at the canteen of a varsity campus during lunchtime? How is this a fair judgement then?
Secondly, the comparison between Singapore and Malaysia wasn't made on equal grounds at all. He was in Malaysia as a visitor - albeit a month - with a status so highly regarded. I'm not being sarcastic here, but look. If you go to a place with people constantly running around you, attending to your every need, and taking you out for as much fun as they could ever think of, would you or would you not develop a liking for that place you feel like King? YOU WOULD. And if people constantly take you out to have a first-hand contact with the very community you are visiting, would you or would you not be able to
experience, and in turn,
appreciate that very place after ONE MONTH? Who are you kidding, OF COURSE YOU WOULD! And one more thing; how much culture exactly can you experience in less than half a day, in a busy buzzing varsity canteen with almost everybody running late?
As such I can safely say, Mr. US, you have made an unfair comparison here because the Singapore you judged was a Singapore you perceived from what you saw over a very short period, but the Malaysia you compared with, was a Malaysia you've experienced.
(And a
good impression they deliberately tried so hard to portray)
I reiterate, I am not being sarcastic. Who-ever believes in me?
We've discussed, that the lack of a national history due to a relatively young nation is one of the main contributing factor to the perceived lack of national identity in Singapore. Singapore has only been a nation for 40 odd years, so what's so much to identify with the country, when there hasn't been enough time for happenings to consolidate into national history, right? I really agree to this point. Seriously.
I mean, Malaysia doesn't exactly fare so much better on this matter. Asked myself, what's so Malaysian about me, and to my dismay I could say none. Do not scorn at me you brothers and sisters of my home country, but ask yourself - place your hand over your heart and search your soul - what exactly is SO MALAYSIAN about you? When I say SO MALAYSIAN, I mean not things like "I speak Mandarin with a Malaysia accent" or other trivial stuffs. I mean things that make a difference.
Can't answer, can you?
So you, listen, do not go about criticizing other countries about the lack of a national identity because we have none. Do not go about telling other people that some certain countries are weak etc and could not fend for themselves because they have no water no food no everything and have to rely on MALAYSIA. You who think your country (unfortunately mine too) is THE BEST and ABOVE ALL OTHERS are just ignorant. Do you seriously think that some certain countries are made up of snobs? I'll tell you blatantly that the biggest snob I have ever encountered in my entire life, came from where you are currently residing. So who's the pot calling the kettle black?
I don't know about you, but I've always find it humiliating when people who share my nationality do things that disgrace the reputation of Malaysians as a whole.
