Yes, you
read the title correctly. I do mean "hate", not "love".
(You'll understand
what I mean by the end of the article.)
As Singaporeans,
we complain about many things: the government, high COE and housing
prices, foreign talent taking away our jobs… the list goes on.
We have to admit,
though, that compared to most other countries we have it pretty
good here in Singapore.
But I'm not here
to talk about gratitude or about how things really aren't that bad
or even about what the government could do better.
I'm here to talk
about patriotism. National pride. Love for country.
Do you
dream of migrating one day?
Let me start by
asking you: If you had the means to, would you migrate to somewhere
less stressful, say New Zealand or Australia?
I've talked to
plenty of people who dream of the day when they can retire and
leave Singapore for good.
I'm guessing that,
like me, you too have wondered before about what life would be like
if you lived elsewhere.
What we
can learn from a courageous Iranian
Whether you're
someone who has shrugged off those thoughts, or whether you're
someone who entertains those thoughts daily, I'd like to tell you a
story that might just help you to see this whole notion of national
pride in a different light.
When I was
studying in America a few years ago, I had the privilege of
attending a talk by Shirin Ebadi, an Iranian lawyer, social
activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner.
A truly
outstanding woman!
In her talk, Ebadi
described the lack of freedom and opportunities that Iranians face.
She expressed anger toward what she viewed as human rights
violations, which were taking place in Iran.
Ebadi went on to
talk about the beauty of capitalism and democracy, which aren't
present in Iran. She urged people living in democratic societies
never to take their liberty for granted.
"I know where this
talk is going," I thought. "She's going to tell us about what we
can do to help Iranians and get them out of Iran and into Western
countries."
"I'll
never stop being an Iranian"
I couldn't have
been more wrong.
Ebadi concluded
her speech:
"Iran faces
terrible problems. These problems are daunting, and there are no
easy solutions.
"That's why I'm
determined to make a difference. I'm going to give my everything to
help Iran become a better place to live.
"Iran is my
country and my home. I'll never stop being an Iranian."
Wow.
Ebadi loved Iran so much that even though
she hated things about Iran, she would never
willingly migrate. (Since June 2009, however, she has been in exile
in the UK.)
Are you
someone who can't wait to get out of Singapore?
When the speech
was over, I started thinking about how an average Singaporean's
outlook differs from Ebadi's.
A Singaporean
might say, "It's so competitive here and it's so difficult to find
a job. The cost of living is insane. And the government isn't doing
enough for its citizens!"
What do you expect
the person to say next?
Maybe something
along these lines: "That's why I'm going to work hard, and when I
have enough money I'm going to get out of here."
Obviously, not all
Singaporeans think this way, but a significant proportion of the
population does.
Love for
food, love for country
I don't claim to
know the exact reasons why there isn't an overwhelming sense of
national pride among Singaporeans, but I do think it's worth noting
how Singaporeans generally respond to the question, "What's the
best thing about Singapore?"
"The food!" is
usually the enthusiastic reply.
The diverse array
of mouthwatering food that's available in Singapore is something to
be thankful for, but it's troubling to me if the food really is the
best thing about Singapore.
After all, I doubt
that a shared love for nasi lemak, roti
prata or bak chor mee will get us
through a national crisis.
On the other hand,
if you were to ask an American "What's the best thing about
America?" you'll likely get this response: "Freedom, democracy and
the opportunity to pursue your dreams."
(I know this to be
largely true, because I lived in America for four years and I've
asked many Americans that exact question.)
What
describes us vs. what defines us
Why this stark
difference?
I believe that
it's because we Singaporeans, as a nation, haven't asked ourselves
what we stand for.
We have yet to
thoroughly examine what principles and values we hold dear, and
neither have we developed a compelling, collective vision of the
future.
We pride ourselves
on being an efficiently run country, but efficiency is more an
outcome than it is a core value.
Pragmatism—another
trait that Singapore is renowned for—too is more a necessary mode
of operation than it is an enduring principle on which to build a
great country.
Our ability to be
efficient and pragmatic is what describes us,
but it doesn't define us.
We're defined by
what we believe, by what we'll live for and what we'll die for.
A national
and individual conversation about Singapore's future
It's encouraging
that, at a societal level, we've started a national conversation
about Singapore's future.
But there's work
to be done at an individual level, too.
We need to decide
how we want to contribute toward Singapore's destiny, and we need
to decide what Singapore means to us.
Is Singapore just
the place where we'll live and work?
Or is Singapore
where we'll devote ourselves wholeheartedly to a cause greater than
us, something that will go far beyond our lifetimes?
If it's the
latter, then "Singaporean" won't just be our nationality. It will
be our identity.
"Singaporean"
won't just describe us. Instead, it will define us.
Pursuing
your goals is easy, living out your values is hard
At both a personal
and national level, it's easy to pursue your goals, but it's
difficult to live out your values.
Living out your
values requires that, first of all, you take a good look at
yourself and ask yourself who you are, and who you want to
become.
That takes time,
energy and courage—and a people who are united and committed.
In
closing…
I don't claim to
be the most patriotic Singaporean around, but I do believe that our
little red dot has an abundance of unfulfilled potential.
Together, let's
become a people who love Singapore so much that, even if we hate
things about Singapore, we won't think about migrating as the
number one solution to our problems.
At the end of the
day, national pride isn't mainly about feeling patriotic every
9th of August when
the fireworks go off.
It's about
intentionally and purposefully building a better Singapore the
other 364 days of the year.
Let's get
started.
