- Joined
- Jul 25, 2008
- Messages
- 13,976
- Points
- 113
The Chinese forumners here are not racists. We do not like ah nehs, but neither do we like ah tiongs (which are of the same race). It is not the skin colour, it is their behaviour we can't stand, a behaviour stemming from the culture and values of India and China.
We are also not xenophobic. We do not have an unfounded, irrational fear of foreigners. We welcome most of them, the ones that will make a contribution and will fit into SG. We do not want the stereotypes chao ang mohs, the PRs who get a SG passport of convenience but jump ship when it is time for their sons to do National Service, the fair-weather FTs who will leave SG once they can find better jobs in other countries and when they can emigrate to their preferred country, using SG as a stepping stone.
So what is the right word to describe us?
Are we chauvinistic? We do not have a belief in national superiority. We do not have a long history of inventions, military and economic achievements. We have been conquered and occupied, by the Javanese, the British, the Japanese. However we have a relatively short period of prosperity, and our education system produce elites that think they are superior to the ordinary Sinkies and to the rest of the world political and corporate leaders, hence they think they should be paid millions. So maybe some chauvinism among the elites.
Are we patriotic? The children of immigrants born in SG i.e. the first-generation Singaporeans may be, as we are born here and grew up here. However the next generations are more cosmopolitan and do not have such strong attachments to SG. The new immigrants' loyalty and patriotism is untested and suspect. So patriotic may not adequately describe the majority.
So what is the best word to describe us? I know, I know, some smart alecs will say: losers.
We are also not xenophobic. We do not have an unfounded, irrational fear of foreigners. We welcome most of them, the ones that will make a contribution and will fit into SG. We do not want the stereotypes chao ang mohs, the PRs who get a SG passport of convenience but jump ship when it is time for their sons to do National Service, the fair-weather FTs who will leave SG once they can find better jobs in other countries and when they can emigrate to their preferred country, using SG as a stepping stone.
So what is the right word to describe us?
Are we chauvinistic? We do not have a belief in national superiority. We do not have a long history of inventions, military and economic achievements. We have been conquered and occupied, by the Javanese, the British, the Japanese. However we have a relatively short period of prosperity, and our education system produce elites that think they are superior to the ordinary Sinkies and to the rest of the world political and corporate leaders, hence they think they should be paid millions. So maybe some chauvinism among the elites.
Are we patriotic? The children of immigrants born in SG i.e. the first-generation Singaporeans may be, as we are born here and grew up here. However the next generations are more cosmopolitan and do not have such strong attachments to SG. The new immigrants' loyalty and patriotism is untested and suspect. So patriotic may not adequately describe the majority.
So what is the best word to describe us? I know, I know, some smart alecs will say: losers.
