What is Singapore Culture?In recent years, it's hard for one to open up the newspapers and not be bombarded with headlines such as :
"Things that make us uniquely Singaporean",
"Things that make us proud to be Singaporean",
"What makes us Singaporean?",
"How Singaporean are we as a nation?" and more importantly,
"What makes
you a Singaporean?".
Singapore seems to suffer from an inferiority complex as it struggles to upkeep its national identity in the face of globalisation. Many might feel that Singapore doesn't have an identity or a culture unique to itself, or at least positive ones to be proud of, but is this really so?
Or perhaps our young age of independence can justify the paling richness of culture and heritage when compared to neighbouring Thailand or Europe from far beyond. But age shouldn't be a quantifier for how rich one's culture is, should it?
When one thinks of Singapore, icons such as the HDB and kiasu-ism (the fear of losing out to others) immediately comes to mind. Kiasu-ism as well as kiasi-ism (being overly timid) are often used as markers of national identity to Singapore. But many don't realise that this is not solely unique to Singapore; that it is evident in many neighbouring Southeast Asian countries because of the pressure to not lose out to competition.
The spoken language, Singlish is another distinctive characteristic of Singaporeans. It is the blend of many different languages such as Malay, Mandarin dialect and English in our everyday speech. Singlish is met with much disdain by the government and certain English-educated affluent individuals, but I think it is a lovely and interesting display of how our nation is a melting pot of cultures. Besides, it has its own rules of syntax, similar to other official languages.
For instance, you can't say: That is an insane
la thought!
No Singaporean would get you.
The sentence only makes sense if
la is put at the end for emphasis - That is an insane thought
la!Like Switzerland, it's hard for Singapore to define its own unique culture for it's influenced by its surrounding neighbours and its geographical location. Just as how we can distinctly separate Switzerland into its French, German and Italian regions; Singapore is made up of Chinese, Malay, Indian and European immigrants.
I think Singaporeans should embrace this amalgam of diverse backgrounds and be proud of it.
Perhaps it's because Singaporeans are too comfortably kept in their sheltered protected environments and have yet to be exposed to other cultures and environments, that they suffer from a cultural cringe and fail to appreciate what Singapore is/has - a safe haven free from natural disasters and calamities.
