Sunday, April 22, 2007
Then I was thinking about all the pointless stuff in this world, why do I spend so many hours on things that meant absolutely nothing to me personally? So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they're busy doing things they think are important. This is because they are chasing the wrong things.
The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning. I've always wanted to do volunteer work or help some unfortunate children earning that sense of purpose that I am helping my community. But now I am turning not getting any younger, what is the point of doing all that? But I do want to get about doing one day, maybe after I have finished my education path. Then the next more logical step is to devote time into building relationships that I hold most dear.
Singapore is building a new Ferris wheel that is slowly taking shape every time I see it, people scrambling for units at Sentosa Cove, Reflections at Keppel Bay, the economy, murders and crime, the debate over Ministers pay raise. The newspapers seem to be always filled with news that have no direct impact or issue with our everyday lives yet people are always so mesmerized by it.
News of new property. Why can't we simply be Singapore? Chase for super-structures and marquee events shows Lion City's lack of confidence. Unless you've been living under a rock, you know there are grand plans in the pipeline for this tiny country.
From Formula 1 to integrated resorts, from skyscrapers designed by architects like Daniel Libeskind to plans to join the upper ranks of the First World list, Singapore seems to be embarking on a massive rebranding.
We aim to be Asia's raciest, sexiest and most happening city, The Capital of Cool in other words.
As if to endorse our efforts, earlier this year, Singapore was ranked No.2 after Italy for it's nightlife and dining in The Global Country Brand Index, which is based on a poll of more than 1,500 travelers and experts.
This would seem to suggest we are close to realizing the dream. But here's the beef: Why do we need to be told what we already know: That Singapore isn't half as boring as it is made out to be? Why do we need to appear on such surveys, enlist brand name foreign architects and describe ourselves as the New York, Paris or Monaco of Asia in order to feel that we're up to scratch in the coolness stakes?
What's wrong with simply wanting to be a better Singapore?
Sure, we need headline-grabbing physical structures and income-generating events – the must-haves for any aspiring world-class city. But they're just the tip of the iceberg of cool, not substitutes for what truly defines a cool city, which is it's soul. Soul, like hip and cool, is hard to define but it's for precisely this reason that nascent world-class cities such as Singapore prize their cachet.
Of course, some would argue that Paris wouldn't be Paris without the Eiffel Tower, but famous landmarks alone don't earn a city a spot on the “cool” radar. And it's likely that Parisians couldn't care less if they aren't on any list of what's hip or cool: They're too comfortable in their own skin to give a damn.
Right now, we seem to be in the process of creating a Singapore with all the physical form and feel of the First World. But scratch that glossy veneer and the reality is far different. By relentlessly chasing after super-structures and mega-profile events, we seem to be over-compensating for a lack of confidence in how cool we are already.
Obviously, this little red dot has a long way to go in developing the soul and spirit to match London or New York. And until we do so, our definition of hip and cool can only be confined to one-dimensional physical structures..
Will the opening of the Singapore Flyer mean we're world class?
The culture we have does not make people feel good about themselves, people are unhappy, the culture is teaching all the wrong things. I myself am feeling unhappy.
So why am I unhappy? Recently all that I've been bothered with was to keep my head above the choppy waters in my national service, it wasn't until recently that I refreshed myself and caught up with the events and lives of the people whom I socially interacted with. I read about all their new achievements that they've recently managed to acquire. I read about all the achievements that others that I know of are getting. Others who are achieving more than me while I mellowed in camp.
Others seem more successful, others seem more happy, others have more. I read about others going overseas for month-long attachment stints, visiting all the exotic places in that country, I read about friends going to the states to study and having a lot of fun there, experiencing a new culture and environment. Could this be the sentiment feelings of envy? Others seem to have caught up with the work that I've put in before. What can I do to set myself apart again?
I had juniors, but now they've caught up. I must really work to distinguish myself apart from the pack again. That is a very solid decision that I've decided what I must do. I cannot remain stagnant like this forever.
5:21 AM
