The Dark Side of Singapore's Economic Miracle

Singapore's transformation has been celebrated as one of the greatest economic miracles in history. A city-state with zero corruption, an efficient government and the 4th highest GDP per capita in the world, Singapore has managed to build a reputation of an ideal country.

But the reality might be a little different...

Sources and references:

[YanZeLifting]

As a Singaporean student, what you have to say about our social & economic situation is a fairly accurate representation of what's going on. When quantity and quality of work is the #1 thing in society & your life, people will inevitably forsake other pursuits like having a family. The overworking is certainly a major cause for concern, my mother used to work for a Bank of China branch, working hours lasted until 10 - 11pm from 8am. I remember my teachers in primary school telling the class how they stayed up till 3am in the morning marking our work, barely getting any sleep for lessons the next day. The country doesn't have a lot of land either, so housing is difficult especially with a growing population due to massive immigration. There's bits of discrimination against immigrants, especially those who come from China and India since they are the most prominent, but I don't discriminate when they come in because my ancestors came from China, and I know Indian friends whose families have been here since Independence, we're all stuck in a stressful situation together and bigotry will only result in unnecessary strife. Lee Kuan Yew's vision was fruitful and the people did receive the benefits, but when you progress so fast, you'll lose the older generations. The good thing is that nowadays, active efforts are made to teach the elderly how to use technology, learn new skills, & so on.

[nk]

As a Singaporean adult that failed badly in their “streaming” system. I say this video is accurate. Once you fall on the wrong side of the road, you have little to no resources for you to pursue your dreams. It took me years before I found my footing but alas am faced with housing problems. Only in Singapore where you’ll have someone that makes 4-5 grand a month and is still staying with his parents.

[VanaeCavae]

As a Singaporean, I agree with you on the issue on overwork leading to less creativity. I have worked for over 10 years at my job .I was very busy as i was focused on my job . When the pandemic hit, the industry i was in (aviation) was hit very very badly. I did not lose my job but my work hours were cut greatly. I found myself with alot of free time as a result and I decided to write a fantasy novel. I completed it and found a great sense of satisfaction that i never felt in all my years of work.

If the pandemic had not hit, i would never have written a novel as the thought of it would never have crossed my mind because i was so busy with work.

[eokii]

I know of a Singaporean guy who lived and worked in South Africa for a few years as an engineer. While in South Africa, he owned a house, a car and he wasn't so busy as he only worked 40-hours per week (8-hours per day, Monday to Friday) hence he had more personal time on the weekends and after work.

However, ever since he returned to Singapore, he's been miserable as even though he earned more money back in Singapore than in South Africa, he still couldn't afford an apartment of his own (let alone buy a house), hence he had to move back into a tiny apartment with his parents, he couldn't get a car as he'd have nowhere to park it or drive it to and he was overworked. Unlike in South Africa, he had no work-life balance in Singapore.

[ImJuStoOGoOd]

Born and raised in Singapore, I can sum it up. We Singaporeans work hard for expats to enjoy their lavish life. Glad I'm out of this hell hole.

[raymasraymas]

This is brilliantly made at many levels. As an expat, the Kiasu mindset starts off as being funny, until it soon becomes stifling. I remember enrolling my daughter in an after school ballet class. What is a little fun and recreation for us, is a matter of serious personal “enrichment” for them. They even threatened to throw my 4 year old out of class because she preferred to wear the outfit gifted by her aunt rather than the one prescribed at the class!
As you rightly say this is the flip side of the country’s success

[djungelskog]

It's not just in Singapore, more people are beginning to realize that maybe hard-work isn't all there is to life anymore. In the end, what is success if you're not fulfilled and happy? In this kind of system we're expected to work for the majority of our waking hours, with a lack of time to do things like spending time with your loved ones, self reflection and the things we enjoy, and even before that we've spent 20 or so years of our lives grinding to score well in exams. This is a more arduous task if we have scholarships to maintain since not all of us are well off enough to pay the exorbitant fees institutions charge. Families can't spend much time with each other because of hectic work culture and it has a domino effect on the whole of society. When a child doesn't get the attention they deserve because mommy and daddy are too busy providing for the family and otherwise, how will this affect society in the long run? If we only have one life, is this how we're gonna use it? It's so obvious why there is a global resentment for the current status quo. You may defend it all you want, but many of us have had enough of it.

[mabel]

As a Singaporean, I can confirm that a number of people in this country are obsessed over grades and work, as if those were the only things that mattered in life. This sort of mindset causes unnecessary stress and other physical, mental and emotional health problems. Well, I guess that's how some Asian societies function, because the situation is worse in China and Japan.
I once read a story about a boy in Singapore who committed suicide because his parents were not too happy with his grades, even though his grades were actually quite good. But his grades weren't good enough for his parents, who set a very high expectation on him.
The govt has taken some measures to reduce school-related stress, such as abolishing exams for primary 1 and primary 2 students and abolishing secondary school streaming, but still, some students feel the stress of having to meet their parents' high expectations.
This sort of culture is one reason why I am going to move to another country if I have the money for it. I'm not gonna stay in a country with a culture that doesn't really care about the people's welfare.

[kfk]

I had a colleague which is also an expat from India. Now, he is working in Malaysia and turns out life is better there even though earn less over there. He told us that the concept of clock has no meaning in Singapore. Sleep irregular, eat irregular, lifestyle irregular and social is slim to none. I fully agree with him, I went vacation in Malaysia, you can appreciate the true meaning of leisure, layback and cheap. Yes, we can laugh our neighbor less than success but I want them stays as they are because it bring tears to my eyes whenever I tasted the colorful life.

[jctzha]

Sebagai rakyat Malaysia, saya sangat kagum dengan pendidikan dan pembangunan yang diterapkan di Singapura.
Tempat saya bekerja saya boleh melihat Seletar Air Port dan Serangon Island setiap hari sejak 2006.
Sehingga sekarang, terdapat banyak bangunan yang telah dibina di atas tanah yang dahulunya laut.
Pembangunan yang dilakukan Singapura adalah bersifat aggressive, sangat pantas.
Saya sering bertemu dan berurusan dengan Chief Officer Singapura, Taiwan, Philippines, China dan lain-lain.
Saya memang akui pendidikan saya ditahap rendah namun ini bukanlah satu halangan untuk kita beramah mesra.
Warga Singapura yang berumur sekitar 50 keatas adalah lebih mesra berbanding 30 dan kebawah.
Saya berharap dimasa hadapan, kita boleh bertegur sapa tanpa memandang tahap pendidikan.

[mandalinaveen]

I visited Singapore twice in 2006 and 2015. I have observed that in 2006 Singaporeans are really proud of their success story but in 2015 I can see some unhappiness. This may be because of gaps in wealth distribution which is common in any free economy.

[Chu_Strums]

As a Singaporean, I'm very impressed by the accuracy of this video! The issues that you've raised hit the nail on the head, it's almost as if you're a local here (are you? haha). Growth is a logarithmic curve - and it seems like as a country we're reaching a plateau where it's harder to push for more. I think you rightly stated that the strategy that worked in the past will not work for the future. Now that we've reached "economic success" as a country, our goal and therefore strategy for the future has to change. But as a country, I don't think that goal and strategy is clear to us yet.

[silverchairsg]

Honestly as a Singaporean I feel the people in China, Japan and Korea have it much worse than us. Much worse working conditions, a lack of social welfare and trust in public institutions for the Chinese, and the extremely long working hours and all the restrictive social pressures to conform and stuff for the Japanese and Koreans.

[icybeast]

I’ve been speaking to family and friends about this vicious cycle and I’m glad you made this video. I’m from Gen Z, and I feel like my generation will not be able to afford housing, pay more taxes, pay more of everything while wages stay the same.

I’ve already seen my peers ‘take it easy’ with the hustle of life and pursue work-life balance, seeking opportunities elsewhere, etc.

I’ve read some books (Read: From Miracle to Complacency, Nicholas Walton) and articles that claim we’ve gone soft or complacent. But I wonder are we really? Or have we seen how unsustainable the current system is.

[takr_rn]

As a Singaporean studying in secondary school, I agree with being burnt out. Recently, our end of years exams have ended. I will be moving on to secondary 3 next year, so I am pressured to chose what subjects I want to take. It’s not easy to just pick whatever you want. They will always put the people who are better in the subject first before yourself no matter how much you like that subject. As a very average student interested in art and not too worried about things like biology and additional maths, I am shunned by many people and they say that I should be taking pure subjects instead of wasting my time on art. They keep telling me that anyone who chooses to take art in secondary 3 is out of their mind or are stupid. Yes I am burnt out. There is always that thought at the back of my mind that I have to be good in at least one subject, I have to get an A in this subject, I need to be best at this subject. Not only to please teachers or parents, but also to please myself. The education system is truly tiring and competitive, it’s always about how well you do that determines your strength as a leader sometimes as well. I lost count of how many nights of sleep I lost preparing for exams and to know that I won’t be one of those prioritised for that specific subject after working so hard because my score is average, it just hurts to be honest. I see so many of my friend succumbing to depression and anxiety for the pressure to get A’s just so their parents won’t take away their devices which is their only escape from reality. I really hope this mentality of working hard will just be dropped soon.

[Engi]

I’m a Singaporean student, although we don’t say we are stressed. We actually are saying that behind a fake face pretending to be happy so we don’t stress out our already hard-working parents.

[freefalling]

Agreed with most of the content, especially the Kiasu mentality. Though that said, every country has their own problems, no country is perfect. It comes down to how that country adapts to their problems, and whether the trade-off is worth it.

[equator]

As a former Singaporean, I had planned to move overseas. I moved to Canada in 2004, and although it had not been easy initially, I finally settled down. The pasture is not always greener on the other side but overall I felt more at peace in Canada. Singapore however is always a nice place to visit, and eat, when I see my relatives.

[mahenderansenthilkumar]

As 3rd Gen Singaporean, with both my parents and grandparents having seen it’s rise, I can assure all audience members this video is very true. I like in the North, the people stuffing area you could say which no foreigners really know. My grandparents worked in the Naval base and later Shipyard there, seeing its transformation from a Kampung to a Town Centre. Life is very stressful, and it’s not a happy one. Everything is competitive, and the ones who can’t keep up will fall.

[MaestroDraven]

Great video. My wife and I just moved to Singapore from Toronto, and we can tell you that the problems discussed in this video are worldwide, including in places like Canada. The only reason they seem more huge in Singapore is because of the small land size. The rents here are crazy, we knew that before we moved. We were ready for everything that Singapore was going to throw at us, and we acknowledged it, because the opportunities we have here are 10 times better than in Toronto. We were attracted by the modernity of the country, the people, the cuisine, the focus on law and order and a civil society, kids being taught actual education, instead of Woke propaganda and nonsense, etc. The biggest fear we have is how we'll be viewed as expats who moved in. So far, everyone's been extremely nice and courteous, but we know not everyone feels that way. Therefore, our focus after moving here was to integrate well, go with the flow, and contribute to the society of Singapore. My wife is a very talented and experienced anesthesiologist, and she was hired to bring her vast knowledge to the country. Her personal objective is to train the locals here on proper techniques and standards so that Singaporeans can pass on the knowledge to the next generation. If you're going to move here, make it clear as best you can that your objective is to contribute, rather than take away.