Why no Singaporean will win a Nobel Prize

NEWater SG

While I'm not going to say that Singaporeans are entirely incapable of innovation possessing the great and creative qualities to qualify for a Nobel Prize, it's our inherent cultures that make it so difficult to freely express our ideas in the society we live in.

If I may point out the majority of the population here, we Chinese may have had lots of inventions, but we hardly know who the inventors are. Maybe we have highly romanticized and fictionalized tales of the invention of paper, but nobody knows who the heck figured gunpowder, silk, the bank note, the printing press, or the compass out, et cetera ad infinitum. That's because our culture that dates back millenia has always been obsessing over scholarship and education. Scholars that take and pass the imperial exams become government officials and generals, and one may note that the only remembered inventor of paper was a high-ranking courtier of the Emperor's court. The rest of Chinese society was considered too insignificant to remember, no matter how brilliant their inventions were.

So there you have it. All along, we Chinese have always placed a very low priority in our culture on the innovative and off-the-beaten-track qualities that encourage invention and innovation, preferring the safer path of rote learning and spoonfeeding in education. That's why no matter how much money nations like China or Singapore could throw at our scholars, we'd never have a Nobel Prize - because our societies tend to suppress the factors and qualities that are needed to earn the Nobel Prize in the first place. The casual observer will note that Nobel Prize winners of Asian descent were either born in the West, or moved to the West at very early stages of their lives.

Medicated Oil SG

If you want a Nobel prize, just convert a china or indian professor into singaporean.

Then, you have one Nobel prize for Singapore.

If you willing to spend, the prize is NO issue.

Stop blaming the education system, society and culture.

These things cannot or will never change overnight.

TTFU SG

Give singapore the population of china or india. We can have many many nobel prize

NEWater SG

If you want a Nobel prize, just convert a china or indian professor into singaporean.

Then, you have one Nobel prize for Singapore.

If you willing to spend, the prize is NO issue.

Stop blaming the education system, society and culture.

These things cannot or will never change overnight.

We've been throwing money at foreign scientists for a long time, and nothing substantial has come from them yet. Obviously your so-called 'solution' is false. Next, please.

NEWater SG

Give singapore the population of china or india. We can have many many nobel prize

Given China's propensity for industrial policy which is honestly, another method of command economy albeit in a capitalist environment, one cannot expect a Nobel Prize winner out of a China resident anytime soon.

Medicated Oil SG

It is the MIW solution for throwing money to create all the hubs.

At least throwing money yielded a olympic and world cup medal.

Investing in talent does work.

It is the one that is making the investment who need to be wise.

Chasing the Nobel prize is like organising the existing game.

It is chasing for false and empty glory.

If the experiment or creation does not benefit mankind, it is just another glory seeking work.

Devil7030 SG

TS, just that Singapore excels in many areas and you expect or demand that Singapore must have a Nobel prize winner or otherwise Singapore system is useless according to your logic.

By the way, the award of the Nobel prize is biased towards the western world as the Nobel prize is the product from the western world.

TTFU SG

No nobel prize = failure.

mancha SG

Bangla Desh has a Nobel Prize.

Gosh!

Than means the Banglas here are really foreign talents.

Fcukpap SG

there is no formula for this prestigious prize...but it comes from very very rare imagination and sacrifice to reach this zenith...

just some examples:-

Marconi - humiliated by many as a stupid and crazy scientist for his theory of wireless telecommunication and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1909;

Gao Xingjian - persecuted for his novels that exposes the cultural revolution of his times, betrayed bu his wife to the communist party, and escaped to France to publish his great novel Soul Mountain - the first PRC to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2000..

its not about world class facilities...but a need to oppose conventionalism - empirically, politically and personally...not many can endure that....

Phorum Noob SG

Maybe the smarter and more capable ones have already left the country?

Don't have to participate in reservice and see some of the worst kind of human existed on earth ever again.

VexTeen92 SG

In the past Nobel prize is really meant for what it is. Now its still the same, but with political agenda behind it. They choose the recipients.

Founded by Alfred Nobel, in his last will he state to create a series of prizes for those who confer the "greatest benefit on mankind" in physics, chemistry, peace, physiology or medicine and literature."

Alfred Nobel had died. And now is the Nobel prize commitee deciding how the Nobel prize are allocated. Therefore It is not Alfred Nobel's will anymore.

You cannot deny that there is a political agenda behind the Nobel prize. Just take a look at US's president Obama and Mahatma Gandhi.

Can you say Mahatma Gandhi don't fufil the requirement of the Nobel prize candidate???Mahatma Gandhi don't deserve Nobel prize???

Even the American citizen question and criticise the Nobel prize commitee.

Gandhi spend 27 years for passion of peace. The civil rights movement in south africa, his role in the zulu war, contribution to India's independence, his role in world war one, freedom and partition of india...etc till the day he was assasinated.

Coming to this statement: "greatest benefit on mankind" As a part of mankind, I understand from the US point of view, Obama hold the views and rights to change America. And in the years to come by, if really applicable. The rest of the world can benefit from it. But he had not really done it did he?

Nobel prize always have this Eurocentrism. They award prizes to people who really really deserve the prize, But on the other hand they also hold back on some who really derserve the prize. Especially people of Asian origin. I respect Alfred Nobel. I had no qualms against him and his purpose of the Nobel Prize. Its the people who are in control that is distorted.

You don't need a now-distorted-Nobel prize or a free country to develop or prove your inventions/creations/contributions are worthy/brilliant. I understand that society now in Singapore and China it is very difficult to regain the then rich culture. Every era have their difficulties and restrictions.

It doesn't matter whether is it in Singapore or anywhere in the world. As long as it is from mankind. We should be happy for anyone who get the prize. And for people who are brilliant but never get appointed or anything? I think people who are not blind and is appreciative will not care whether or not they have any titles on hold. They are brilliant means they are brilliant. Those who manage to make it possible struggle tremendously for it.

So actually there is no formula. What Fcukpap said is right. The problem with you is you marginalise people. "Why Singaporean cannot get Nobel prize? or why China people cannot get nobel prize?".

Do you even understand what Nobel prize is all about?? Its for Mankind. In fact, anybody who contribute/leaves a mark in history base on peace, inventions and righteousness deserve our respect. Stop complaining.

skid SG

How can the Nobel Prize be taken seriously if Obama won one for doing.......oh yeah, nothing?

Terminator Hitman SG

mancha,

stop being daft!!just cuz ya like fuckin yer dog dun mean all earthlings love fuckin their dogs too!

Phantomnite SG

Don't be silly. The Nobel prize is invented by a white man, so its more or less a white man turf. And what's more, the Chinese have always been educating the young about the invention of silk, gun powder, tea when schooling. So what's wrong? lol. They are equally respected amongst us people.

Lokey SG

It is impossible. A star are busy rushing people for project and publication. Who in Singapore will let you spend 20 years to dig on worms? Look into Nobelprize.org. Sydney Brenner spend all the money and funding on a questionable quest, this funding would have been kill off in 1 years time if there is no publication in Singapore.

We are too eager to get our results for research. And in the process we try to do the easy things that can yield instant publications. However, this easy things are of low values.

angel7030 SG

maybe we are not as Nobel as the white

angel7030 SG

We are too eager to get our results for research. And in the process we try to do the easy things that can yield instant publications. However, this easy things are of low values.

Our scientists and researchers, be it foreigners or locals, they are more interested with the billions of dollars pumped in by the govt. Free accomodation, condo style, free pools, gyms, country club membership and even transportation, and of course, top wages...

mancha SG

mancha,

stop being daft!!just cuz ya like fuckin yer dog dun mean all earthlings love fuckin their dogs too!

Ha Ha Terminator Hitman always shooting himself in the foot.

He profess to be a "professional engineer" with life long engineering experience starting from kindergarten, solely responsible for 0.5 billion dollars yearly production when in Singapore. We've got a live one here.

angel7030 SG

Ha Ha Terminator Hitman always shooting himself in the foot.

He is model T500G, the latest model of terminator produced, shooting himself on the foot is a re-calibration of his programme is required, he can alway recover it within a few second.