Singapore's new Opt Out Culture - In Search of Mediocrity

Singapore

'Ugly' food gaining acceptance in Singapore but more education needed, businesses say

Singapore's workers should embrace broader definition of what counts as a good job: Lawrence Wong

Commentary: Businesses can attract more talent by looking at skills, not PSLE results and past salaries

Above are 3 headlines in CNA on lines. What is the common message? 

Accept blemished food, accept lower jobs, accept lower qualification? The Pioneer and Merdeka Generations were brought up with the message, In Search of Excellence'. We want the best, we want to be the best. And that was how Singapore excelled in many fields, the best workforce, the best economy, the most efficient nation, press a switch, everything works. Zero tolerance, zero defects, no mistakes etc etc.

What is happening today? In Search of Mediocrity? I admired people that are not choosy on food and willing to eat blemished food, simple food or little food, some out of necessity. There are many people that are trying to make ends meet, fallen into hard times. But this must not be the way to go. If we can get the best, we must go for the best. If not, the slide down the road to third world will become a reality, sooner or later.

If the spirit of a nation is to make do with half bakes, half baked measures, half baked ideas, half baked goals, anything also can, where would the country be heading to? What is the fuss all about in the AHTC case? Why dig and dig and never ending? In a tidak apa attitude, In Search of Mediocrity, the current SPH saga should be swept under the carpet with a tap on the wrist. Let's move on.

Why are Ministers paid in the millions? Because we want the best, mediocrity is not acceptable. We want to pay top dollars for the best, not monkeys, not mediocres.

A nation that thrives on the principle of accepting poor products, accepting poor quality goods, accepting poor results, is on a treacherous path down to the abyss. Living on poor quality, substandard goods, substandard workers, substandard qualifications must not be a matter of choice. This must be a matter of no choice, fallen into hard times. This must not be the desired way of life, like the freegans that chose to live on throw away foods. Even the foreign workers here would frown and protest when the food is not to their likings and would demand for better food.

Is Singapore going to throw away with all the top or best awards that it used to claim? The best airline, the best port, best worker, best university, best civil service, best city, best hotel....to be thrown into the rubbish bin?

Would you go to a doctor or dentist without the paper qualification to certify that he is proficient? Would you build a house with a few illiterate workers that can put some bricks together and lay some pipes and wires? Your grandma can be a better cook than some chefs on a few recipes. Would you hire the grandma to be the chefs in a 5 star hotel?

Why is there a drive towards accepting mediocrity? Thrift is a virtue. No wasting food is a good habit. But choosing to live on poor quality food or throw aways is another thing.

Aspiration, aspiring to be the best may be difficult to achieve. But getting half way there is always better than sliding down the slippery road into the longkangs or choosing to live in the longkangs.