This week's been mighty busy, but been meaning to post about space in Singapore for a while. Or the lack thereof.

The common perception is that the US is freer, more liberal, more diverse, more morally run-down than Singapore. Having studied for four years, I'm pretty sure that perception is both right and wrong. Parts of the US can be way more liberal than Singapore will every be, while other parts, like Utah (for instance), would make Singapore seem like a mecca of debauchery and free-thinkers.

What the US has is space. Tons of it, both physical and mental and emotional. Because it is so big, everyone has the freedom to do his or her own thing, to pursue a niche in life. Of course, that can be both good and bad. Only in the US can you have a bank which gives out free guns with every new account. But then again, only in the US could you push for gender orientation and sexuality to be included in the definition of hate crimes and non-discrimination ordnance.

That's an issue here in Singapore. The lack of space here means that everyone, by sheer societal pressure, gets forced into the same nooks and cubbyholes. Some say that's a necessary thing, that we need XX number of engineers and IT people in order for Singapore to prosper.

I would say that it is no point if those XX engineers are unhappy and drop out of the profession because they are demoralised and frustrated. It is a philosophical disagreement, I suppose, with the fact that we have chosen to at times completely sacrifice the individual for the community.

Such a bargain is going to become more and more difficult to make in a globalised environment, where people can seek out the kinds of lives and careers that they want. The world is literally our playground. But if we allow everyone to get their way, then what about the conservative silent majority in Singapore, the ones who can't fly away to other countries? These are the same people who would object if we allowed same-sex marriage, or liberalised the censorship regime in Singapore.
Is it fair to disregard their views in favour of the liberal minority?

Maybe it's because I feel the same sense of tension. As someone who studied in the US, and someone who works in and strongly believes in the Civil Service here, I see both sides of the argumen t.

I don't know. I don't have an answer, but i do know that we need to find more ways to create this space in Singapore.