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