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“Study hard, find a good job and retire.”
Whether you’re eight or eighty, if you live in Singapore, you would have heard of this before. This is the formula for Singaporeans. Yes, it seems harmless (and useful, in fact), but could it be that this sentence has also indirectly made us unhappy?
It has been engrained in our mind since we were young that should we study hard and get a nice, general degree like business or engineering, our future is more or less certain. We’ll work in a MNC, get annual increments and finally, retire happily with our CPF funds. Having said that, we should not do anything else—just follow this formula. It has worked for others, so it will work for you.
Imagine a Singaporean as a person walking towards his destination with that formula. During the journey, there might be obstacles. What would he do? Seek advice from his parents, for in the formula, it says, “Don’t take unnecessary risks. Follow the authority’s advice.” What if his parents cannot solve the problem? His parents would seek advice from the Government. After all, all problems will be solved. Just don’t be silly and take risk. Rule #1: Seek for certainty. Rule #2: Follow #1.
More at This is the “Singapore DNA” that makes us work and study like robots every day
Whether you’re eight or eighty, if you live in Singapore, you would have heard of this before. This is the formula for Singaporeans. Yes, it seems harmless (and useful, in fact), but could it be that this sentence has also indirectly made us unhappy?
It has been engrained in our mind since we were young that should we study hard and get a nice, general degree like business or engineering, our future is more or less certain. We’ll work in a MNC, get annual increments and finally, retire happily with our CPF funds. Having said that, we should not do anything else—just follow this formula. It has worked for others, so it will work for you.
Imagine a Singaporean as a person walking towards his destination with that formula. During the journey, there might be obstacles. What would he do? Seek advice from his parents, for in the formula, it says, “Don’t take unnecessary risks. Follow the authority’s advice.” What if his parents cannot solve the problem? His parents would seek advice from the Government. After all, all problems will be solved. Just don’t be silly and take risk. Rule #1: Seek for certainty. Rule #2: Follow #1.
More at This is the “Singapore DNA” that makes us work and study like robots every day
