Singapore
is a unique country that is not a country, a nation that is not a nation. While
many countries have developed themselves into distinct nations with distinct
people and culture, Singapore
is in a reverse process. We seem to have abandoned the path most travelled by
young and old nations, to build a country into a nation of people, proud of
what they are, their distinct and unique culture.
Singapore
is in a process of deNationalisation. We have gone through a 40 year process of
nation building when the people were talked and educated about nationhood,
about being Singaporean, about defending the country, about us as a new people
of a new nation. We were progressing quite well and could be a nation today,
when the citizens are proud of what and who we are, that we are a successful
and rich nation with our own people, our distinct culture and way of life.
Did we fail in this process and a new philosopher has taken
the people along a new ideology of no nation, no nationals, but just an
economic organisation where anyone with some merits or ability is welcomed to
reside in the island? Our citizenship is given away freely, our national identity
prostituted and bastardised by new residents and ever changing and evolving.
Our national identity is in a constant state of flux, and we do not know where
we are going or what we will become, maybe a vague idea of being international
citizens, or citizens of the world, but no country?
Our national mantra, or just mantra without the adjective of
national, is survival of the fittest regardless of creed, colour or country of
origin. We sell our citizenship, we sell our little piece of land, we sell our
strategic assets, we sell our jobs and people to foreigners with no qualms of what
the consequences will be when everything is sold. The next thing we will be
selling our parents and children and wives, if they make economic cents.
Nationalism and citizens of a nation have lost their meanings.
Singapore
is pioneering a new paradigm of deNationalisation, without borders, without
citizens, everyone a resident for only one reason, economic well being. No
sentiments, no emotions, no roots, everyone be proud of being a migrant and be
prepared to be migrants again in someone’s country when everything is sold and
gone, including their rights as citizens. Citizens that cannot contribute
better than foreigners are best discarded in favour of the latter. There is no
need for frivolous ideas of nationalism, patriotism, loyalty or defending the
country, for there is no country or nation to defend and be loyal to. Such
ideas are just silly aspirations of medieval people. Clinging on them is
meaningless and has little economic values.
This deNationalisation process has been gaining momentum in
recent years without much fanfare or any official pronouncement of its
existence. Perhaps it is just an unconscious outcome of years of pragmatism
that is stretched to become another animal of different stripes and colours.
Was there an originator of this trend, or it just happens, just like the
population explosion over the last 10 years and the ballooning of property
prices due a grave shortage in supply and an overflow of demand? No one knows a
shit how it happened or had an inkling that it is happening.
Why is there a need to call ourselves Singaporeans?
‘Sinkies’ is any time more appropriate in all aspects. The bottom line of such
a philosophy is all about self and self interest above all interests. And the
idea of country or nation is simply superfluous, a meaningless attachment. The
next thing to be sold away will be the soldiers and all the weapons and
equipment of wars when there is nothing left to defend for. DeNationalisation
will eventually lead to no nation, just a corporation run and own by a few
elites.
21 comments:
You are spot on in your analysis. De-nationalisation could also be called internationalisation or globalisation or in my vernacular : HOTELISATION driven gloriously by Self Interest, which means "my life, my business, leave me alone!"
So what's the problem? I think it's awesome!
Even you are tripping over yourself trying to "define" Singapore : cuntry? Nation? City state?
Me? I've defined it so crystal clearly there's no confusion or ambiguity or contradiction : it's a HOTEL.
RB, I really don't know what to say. I remember 20 plus years ago I was very proud to identify myself as sinkie when I was overseas. Now a day i normally lie low
But how come NS cannot be denationalised hah?
Why must only local born Sinkie Males serve NS?
And how come despite denationalisation, PAP still remain the strongest party to win 60% votes to form the national, not denationalised, govt with 93% seats hah?
Because PAP govt is smart. They know best what to nationalise and what to denationalise to achieve what they want.
WP is also smart. They know when to be strongest opposition and when to be ready to form govt to achieve what they want, that is to at least win seats during elections.
Smart Sinkies know that it is better to make more money now, like flipping properties, or to become own boss by employing cheap foreign talents, than to join the opposition. Or if not, try to migrate to get away from it all.
So there you are, only the smart Sinkies or politicians can be happy and satisfied in denationalised Sinkieland or elsewhere now.
What RB said struck a chord in my heart. Depressing but is true We are no longer a nation. Just an international market place where those with money and skills will thrive. Our G has become the operator of the market place and own several lucrative stalls there.
I read in the papers and saw pictures of the excessive force used by the police and SCDF to evict a few teenagers and a single mom from their rental home, I just could not believe that our country has come to this!
There is no more humanities in Sinkieland.
Sinkieland has become gloomy and dark.
After reading the case of the eviction of the single mom and her children from their rental home, I find it very odd.
The reason why they rented landed property and keep shifting is odd.
And as a result, how their children schooling is affected is also odd.
Usually, I don't have empathy when something is odd. Do you?
After the next GFC has walloped most of the national economies, we could witness an increase in the applications for foreign work visas. People will be fleeing their economically battered cuntrees and flock to Singapore - - where because of it's open economy and vast stores of capital both public and private, and also ONE PARTY GOVERNMENT, will be thought of as one of the best cuntrees to be in because chances are, Singapore will recover quickly.
A fresh new wave of immigration is coming soon. Get out your welcome mats.
9 million by 2020. What a smokin' and rockin' HOTEL. At 9 million souls, there'll be a whole new level of AWESOMENESS.
I'm excited! I'm looking forward to being an extremely dirty old man :))
Quote:
“People know what they do; frequently they know why they do what they do; but what they don't know is what what they do does. “
Unquote
Michel Foucault (15 October 1926 – 25 June 1984), French philosopher, author of Madness and Civilization: A History of Insanity in the Age of Reason (1964).
This is the best piece of yours I have read, mainly because I see you as having put your finger on what's really happening here.
If the europeans stop going on holidays, there will be no demand for the cheap goods produced in asia. A lot of factories and business will be in trouble and interest rate will raise due to risk involved.
Reuters
[US snooping revelations cause trouble for allies]
"Revelations of a huge, secret U.S. Internet spying programme have raised awkward questions for allies,
forced to explain whether they let Washington spy on their citizens or benefited from snooping that would be illegal at home.
U.S. law puts limits on the govt's authority to snoop at home but virtually no restrictions on American spies eavesdropping on the communications of foreigners, including in allied countries with which Washington shares intelligence.
That means Washington could provide friendly govts with virtually unlimited information about their own citizens' private communication on the Internet."
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/09/usa-security-allies-idUSL5N0EL0O220130609
The whole process of denationalisation started with Woody Chartow idolising so-called foreign talents. We are seeing the rotten policies depriving our citizens of our basic needs.
redbean 819:
The US Federal Government spies on EVERYTHING. It has huge resources for gathering, archiving and analyzing data, and well funded "alphabet soup agencies" (e.g. CIA, FBI, ATF, NSA, DHS...blah blah) doing the heavy number crunching. They even outsource soe of it to, guess where...INDIA!
Even the connection I have to your blog writing this mundane comment has been logged into at least one of their many systems.
The US Federal Government is the Global Cop.
Business Insider
[Some Tricks To Keep The Govt From Spying On You]
"What we should all know, though, is that this is not the end of privacy.
It's just the beginning of being more careful with communications you consider sensitive."
http://www.businessinsider.com/how-keep-the-feds-from-listening-2013-6
Data mining is big time in the West, and everyone using the net, where you surfed, what you surfed, are stored and can be used against you one day.
Singapore national is now just one of the many other nationals staying here. The many demands made by the one-party dominant State on the Spore nationals such as national service and compulsory national education are not applicable to other nationals here.
Globalization often link to talent in mass media, hiding the true intention in fact is maximize profit for the rich.
However one must understand it just of the many tools.
Automation is another.
As new technologies emerge, Automation is somehow start to cross path with certain part of section of globalization.
And the winner will be.. the rich.
A sovereign nation should have obligations to its citizens, whereas a corporation have its obligation to its shareholders.
The government is elected by its citizens to serve them, whereas the professional managers of a corporation once employed tents to serve themselves more than its shareholders and the common workers. Its policy of hire and fire are the norms.
Singapore looks like being run like a corporation than a sovereign nation, and yet enjoys its privileges of a nation (country with its own peoples) like printing its own currency, operating a national airline, shipping company, accorded. favorable trade agreements, etc.
What can the UN do if a government of nation fails its duty?
@638:
>> The government is elected by its citizens to serve them,
Actually it is to represent them. The elected MP's don't even do that well. So how in hell does one expect the government to "serve" the citizens who elect them?
Your best bet is typical human nature: sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. The Government is not made up of magical super human beings (although they'll tell you that to justify their salaries). The Government is made up of individuals like you (not me: I would fail miserably) and our more worthy friends -- ordinary people with decent skills, and, lest we forget, ordinary human failings in judgements and choices. i.e. EVERYONE fucks up.
>> Singapore looks like being run like a corporation than a sovereign nation, and yet enjoys its privileges of a nation
Exactly spot on. Much better than organised crime. If you're on top, you make loads of dough -- legally and you get all THE POWER.
So you're rich and almighty powerful, but you are hated by millions.
Is it worth it, you ask? For some people, most definitely!
Imagine yourself as a big-wig in the sovereign corporate plutocracy...would you give it up?
I don;t think so ;-)
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