For the elite or just elitist?

last SG · 2005-11-22T21:26:00+00:00

just because u study in best school, best programme gifted or not will not make u clever. I know of many people who are business kings with just PSLE educat...

stellazio SG

they're clever,at least in book terms.. Laughing

Salman SG

No sir, we pick the losers to run our country because we pity them. The acheivers who work hard must be short changed because they are to be burdered to carry the load for the loafers.
The govt also encourage all citizens to breed like flies so that we can have a bigger population.

Gazelle SG

I am curious how could you judge them that way? Have you been to the same educational system? Do you have tests or proof to support what you have said?

I am sorry to say this, I think you are being too judgemental and you are doing it without any knowledge of the subject.

To me is similar to what we are talking here.

Gazelle SG

You better be as good as you think. If not, you will just be another loser.

robertteh SG

A country that is well run will be one that nurtures the right conditions for business to thrive even for the small-timer. Such a country that is pro-business will produce a lot of entrepreneurs who in turn produce a lot of jobs.

We do need some professors, academicians and elites from the universities but let us not kid ourselves this group of education products will not lead to job creation.

At the most this group of academicians may help to supply manpower need for our public administration and the teaching professions and research.

Our leaders in the initial years have underestimated the importance providing the population with broad-based practical education as posted to the Feedback Unit three years ago as this type of education will equip students with readiness to apply knowledge and become entrepreneurs one day.

So our leaders under the banner of meritocracy keep sending people to the universities or elitist schools only to produce many academicians and elites who are mostly waiting for high paying jobs instead of producing jobs.

Today, our leaders have succeeded in producing many academicians or educated unemployed. This is the price we are now paying for past oversell of education for education sake.

Singapore could have become a much more competitive country if we had equipped the population from the start with practical knowledge application instead of all the paper chase.

So today we are running short of entrepreneurs but we do have a lot of good degree who we are running out of ideas how to be better entrepreneurs and create jobs.

breytonhartge SG

why do you worry, coming out to the work force will very quickly adjust that us them mentality... besides it is not how much you know up there that counts, but it is how much of your up there you can apply that counts.

If one is a maladjusted individual then all you will be seen is, is just that.

we have a lot of very smart people in Singapore who cannot apply their smarts, they may be scholars etc... but it only goes to show that they can study. Making it in the real world is a very different matter.

So what if you smart academically but have no "street smarts" pfttt!

stellazio SG

i'm quoting to mr soh's post on being the best in school..and there you have it..in school only your results counts.. Laughing

Gazelle SG

I would like to correct you. these children are intellectually gifted not just acedemicly smart. good acedemic result doesnt mean you are gifted.

RETARDED_MORON SG

In meritoratic systems such as Singapore’s, there is bound to be some guise or at the very least, a certain degree of distinction between the rich citrus fruit and the sour grapes (oh my god, what an analogy), and the gap is inevitably going to be broader in the years to come as our education system is steered towards “catering to the different needs of the students.” More gifted programmes for the [email protected], and more condescending streams like the technical stream. The surfacing of such elitist individuals is somewhat expected and not much of a shock. The better we become, the less humility we will have; it has been a normal part of every single society which has succeeded. Americans are a perfect example.

archon1234 SG

Elites of every society tends to isolate themselves from the mainstream. However, the definitation of "elites" in our society has changed quietly over the past few years. Since the dot.com bubble burst in 2000, we have seen more and more "foregin talents" from 1st world to 3rd world flocking into Sg. The massive inflow of foreign talents is a strong indication that our local "elites" and "mainstream homelander" are not as competetive in one way or another.

If we are still struck with the old 1990s concept of Singapore elitism...good luck. Regardless who u are, we are facing a global competetion right here in Singapore. From our past record, our local "elites" seems to lost the favour in the eyes of our leaders' eyes, as compare to our foreign talents. If our local elites are omni-potent, then why do we need to import so many global talents in the first place?? Let's face it all Singaporeans should work together, not practising the old society segregation idealogy eg "elitism".

Salman SG

This idea that we somehow have an elite social strata is simply nonsence.
If you want to know what class consciousness is, go to UK.
Singapore is an immigrant society, there is no such thing as aristocrats or so called traditional elite class.

There are two reasons why there is no elite classing in Singapore.
1. meritocrasy
2. corporatisation of businesses.

charlize SG

No elites in Singapore?

But the PM himself said there is. So how? Laughing

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/138218/1/.html

plo30360 SG

There are two reasons why there is no elite classing in Singapore.
1. meritocrasy
2. corporatisation of businesses.

Laughing

Salman SG

Elite in the sense that they earned their positions thru hardwork.
There is nothing wrong with having such elites in society.

Not elites in the sense where you have stratas and permanent social classes.
You will see that a lot in the west, especially in UK.

charlize SG

I really don't catch your arguments leh.

One day you say no elites, then another day you say nothing wrong with having elites. Laughing

LazerLordz SG

Forgive a man who's last hope of winning his war lies on technicalities and Oxford definitions. Laughing

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