What is the most important to a Singaporean?

[Alu862]

What is the most important to a Singaporean?

A) Wife/husband/partner

B) Getting a 3G iPhone

C) Democracy and Human Rights

 

[zhihau]

What is the most important to a Singaporean?

heheh... most important? face

 

[hughgrant]

$$$$$$$$$

 

[Big Sexy]

the obvious answer is Money. Load of CASH
u are not a singaporean...and i claim my $10/-

What is the most important to a Singaporean?

A) Wife/husband/partner

B) Getting a 3G iPhone

C) Democracy and Human Rights

 

[saratogas]

Without $$$ you won't be a Happy Singaporean!

 

[leetahbar]

What is the most important to a Singaporean?

A) Wife/husband/partner

B) Getting a 3G iPhone

C) Democracy and Human Rights

bread and butter. er...butter on the bread and not on our butts:p. same goes for the kaya

 

[jw5]

heheh... most important? face

bro
hahaha, you "took away" my answer.
Why face?
Just look at the number of people who get themselves into serious debt just to buy expensive houses, cars and material items. Proof that face wins over money.

 

[zhihau]

Just look at the number of people who get themselves into serious debt just to buy expensive houses, cars and material items. Proof that face wins over money.

sadly, it boils down right from the top...

just look at the way how we aim to be the mother of all hubs, look at biopolis, fusionpolis... perhaps that's the way it's supposed to be...

at the ground level, we can't blame the mindless folks since they've just been totally intoxicated with the barrage of consumerism... not just in Singapore, it's all around

 

[jw5]

bro zhihau
I would have to disagree with you this time.
There is nothing wrong with the government wanting to be the best or biggest or busiest in certain things, as these things benefit the country and the economy. In any case, they do have the money to spend on these things, which will reap future benefits.
Examples would be:
Airport - more tourism
Biopolis, etc - more research and development, investments
Port - more trade
Infrastructure - more investments and jobs

The real problem is the collective arrogance and complacency and possibly individual smugness that arises from some of these achievements and certain individuals getting carried away thinking that they are responsible for these achievements.
Together with an over-focus on the top and bottom lines and lack of sufficient compassion and assistance for the poor and struggling citizen, all these create an atmosphere whereby the appearance of materialism and achievement supercedes everything else, including strangely enough, real wealth. :(

 

[zhihau]

bro zhihau
I would have to disagree with you this time.
There is nothing wrong with the government wanting to be the best or biggest or busiest in certain things, as these things benefit the country and the economy. In any case, they do have the money to spend on these things, which will reap future benefits.
Examples would be:
Airport - more tourism
Biopolis, etc - more research and development, investments
Port - more trade
Infrastructure - more investments and jobs

The real problem is the collective arrogance and complacency and possibly individual smugness that arises from some of these achievements and certain individuals getting carried away thinking that they are responsible for these achievements.
Together with an over-focus on the top and bottom lines and lack of sufficient compassion and assistance for the poor and struggling citizen, all these create an atmosphere whereby the appearance of materialism and achievement supercedes everything else, including strangely enough, real wealth. :(

heheh...

we can always agree to disagree, but do allow me to cite an example. IMA was publishing a good deal of research papers with citations in numerous articles by many leading institutes, and it was forced to shut down because it became a criminal waste of resource.

the way i look at it, there are certain things where we need not overspend and yet achieving decent results. reasonable amount of expenditure to better the infrastructure would be necessary, but splurging is a lil' senseless to me.

you're right to claim that it is the collective arrogance that permeates thru' all levels... very hard to rid of that... :(

 

[jw5]

bro zhihau
Well, whoever had the final decision making power to allocate the resources may have decided that it was a waste. Whether it was or not may be arguable, but the decision was given to someone who made it.
The example I would cite is spending too much money on national day celebrations to make it more extravagant than the previous one. This in my opinion, is definitely more for face than for any tangible economic or social benefit.
Whereas for spending on airports, ports, infrastructure, or research centres, it can be debatable how much benefits there will be down the road. I actually believe that these are worth spending more on, even at the risk of spending "too much". But there is no question in my mind that there should not be too much spending on events like national day.

 

[zhihau]

But there is no question in my mind that there should not be too much spending on events like national day.

i do agree that certain decisions have to be made and sadly, i'd only lament that it all seemed as though the scientific arena became like a business ground rather than retaining its purpose of an academia. it became purely business, baby.

i can say for sure that the directions have to be clear, either that or those mega buildings would just stand out like a white elephant. the infrastructure is now there, i'd only hope it would be fully made use of.

last but not least, i second your call for less splurging on events that wouldn't yield tangible economic/social benefits