What exactly is culture? There are many different definitions but I know one thing is for sure: culture is a complex phenomenon with no definitive answer to it. How I see it: It is a way of life, thinking and attitudes by a group of people.
So have you ever thought of what makes Singapore truly Singapore? Well, we do not have a well-defined culture as we consist of a diverse mix of people. I would say our culture is diverse and is constantly changing but there are some trends I have noticed over the years here. So I would like to share with you some of the increasing cultural trends in Singapore in the paragraphs to come.
Think Satay Bee Hoon and Katong Laksa and most would think of Singapore. Over the years, the number and types of food outlets have grown. There has definitely been an increasing interest in food here. After all, Singapore has been well-known for being a food paradise for some time. It hosts a variety of cuisine from all over the world. Perhaps why I say Singapore has a food culture is because one of many Singaporeans’ pastimes is food hunting! Also, there is the annual Singapore Food Festival and continual expansion of the food industry here. Just look at the newer malls such as Vivo City and Ion Orchard, which boasts new food outlets from across the world. You can also be assured you can find 24-hours food outlets here such as those 24-hours Kopitiam outlets and fast food chains which span across the island. If you do not call this a food culture, what is it then?
Then, there is also the culture of entrepreneurship being cultivated increasingly in Singapore. According to statistics, Singapore is the world’s best place to do business! It is no wonder there is proliferation of the entrepreneur spirit in Singaporeans these days. Take for instance local companies such as Schu, Charles and Keith, Raoul and Thai Express. These are just some of the many successful household names that have gone regional and global. There have definitely been many government efforts to encourage entrepreneurship too. SPRING Singapore for example, just launched its young entrepreneurship scheme called YES! Startups November last year with the aim of nurturing and encouraging young entrepreneurs. Therefore, many have come to know Singapore as a leading hub for entrepreneurship these years.
The last trend I have observed is the increased attention being paid to the performing arts scene in Singapore. Just look at the success of The Esplanade, which hosts an increasing variety of global class acts, signalling the growing demand by Singaporeans. How about the growth of TheatreWorks and stand up comedy in Singapore? There is also the annual Singapore Arts Festival which only gets bigger and better year by year. Other evidences of a growing performing arts culture scene in Singapore include Baybeats, Live ‘n’ Loaded, Fuel Festival, SingFest and Ballet Under The Stars. See, there is a whole host of performing acts each year to cater to the growing demand that you will be spoilt for choice!
Above are just some of my interpretations of Singapore’s growing culture. It is not wholesome due to Singapore’s diversity but it is some of the things I would associate Singapore with. How about you?
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Hi Valerie!
ReplyDeleteI feel that Singapore does not really have a culture for itself as like you have said, it consists of a diverse mix of people, and thus it is difficult to identify something about the country which stands out. Having only been independent for a few decades, we lack the heritage required to create an identity for ourselves like say, Britain has.
However I would have to agree that Singapore is associated with quite a number of things; we are well-known for the many opportunities we are presented with to succeed, our growing art scene, and our wide variety of food choices because of our diverse culture. In my personal opinion, I would say that Singapore is most well known for the food we have.
One of the aims of Singapore is to be an entertainment/art hub, and I think that we are generally progressing in the right direction but are still a far cry from integrating it into our culture as it has only been recently established. If we should contrast our art scene to that of London's, we would realize that we are now merely present at the entrance to the arts.
Conversely, I would also like to say that our efforts are extremely commendable as I am a fan of the arts and an avid believer that through all sorts of art, we are able to understand more about our world and our culture. Also, Singapore has taken pride in including its older generations in these new developments. For example, having music and theatrical performances that appeal to the older crowd at the esplanade. We must never forget that culture stems out from the heritage of past generations, and for now, our only connection to this is through the elderly and perhaps preserved infrastructures. Culture is not something that can materialize overnight through progress, it cannot be created but only discovered.
Hi val!
ReplyDeleteApart from all the trends observed above, I feel that the extensive use of singlish has snaked its way in recently. Many people have accepted Singlish as part of our culture and heritage. Just like culture of entrepreneuship and our growing interest in the performing arts, does a compounded interest and passion translate into a part of our culture?
If its our diversity and ever-changing landscape that makes Singapore unique, our culture is then largely based on the present. Hence, I fear that the word "culture" may have lost its meaning.
Hello val, I'm back.
ReplyDeleteI think the aspect of culture is so rich in its complexity, it encompasses a host of values, inclinations, practices etc. I feel it sufficiently embodies a habitual quality- something is regarded as culture because society accepts it as such, allowing it to pervade our way of life. Therefore, our culture is as we define it to be,through our inclinations and actions.
The streak of competitiveness is the basis for the 'law' of survival of the fittest. This has been propagated by our preceding generation, continued by our current generation and will definitely persist in the future. To me, this is the singaporean culture- the competitive culture.
I would say that is characteristic of our forefathers and expected by us and this is clearly evident in MM Lee's remarks during the Kent Ridge Ministerial Forum 09. In short,the assertion is that if our current generation does not work as hard, or rather, even harder than those before us, we will cease to lead and succeed in the capacity that we have thus for.
It's not a 'uniquely singapore' culture- with regards to the academic sphere, Asian countries are especially competitive and obsessive about exam grades. However,it seems there is little doubt that this is an inclination we all share as Singaporeans: to compete with each other, in this vicious rat race.
Maybe not everyone wants to outdo others, maybe some of us would like everyone to just do our best and be happy with the rest...(sadly, it's idealistic to feel so, to say the least)Nevertheless, sometimes we have no choice but to follow the rules (of the competitive culture) and play the game of life, to carry on this shining Singapore.
Hi Valley,
ReplyDeleteI feel that Singapore's culture is easy to define. It's weird for me as a Singaporean to say what the Singapore culture is. But possibly this is what any other foreigners would say of us:
1. A highly-competitive educational system
2. An authoritarian government leading to a rather tame citizens with a lack of will to 'free' themselves.
3. Clean and cosmopolitan city
Our educational system sets us apart from many other countries around the world. Firstly, our illiteracy rate is one of the lowest in the world. Arguably, our educational system is highly competitive where most of Singapore students would score the best in international exams from Cambridge. This education culture has its pros and cons but I would think it creates a culture where its people might become too book-bound and less creative.
Many foreign literatures speak of Singapore's governance as an authoritarian one that leans towards the side of socialism, while proclaiming that we are a democratic state. That is very true in that the PAP holding power since its independence makes Singapore seem like a de facto one-party state. Also, Singaporeans have been criticised as politically conservative, that I would not deny, as we seem to lack the freedom enjoyed by the other countries around us. To me, this culture of a relatively conservative society could stem from our geographical location in Asia. We're big on family ties, speak Singlish an universally unknown language which only Singaporeans can understand, and the lack of political vibrancy distincts us from any other country in the world.
Also, that our country is attempting to establish itself as an arts hub, but to associate Singapore with arts would still be jumping the gun a little. Anyway for everything else I agree with you most about the food culture! Rojak ftw!
Hi Val!
ReplyDeleteLike you said, Singapore does have a very diverse culture, taking bits of everything and creating a melting pot of cultures. However, there are distinct things that are unique to our little sunny island.
For instance, there is the infamous Singlish. Used by almost everyone in Singapore, it is a double-edged sword that continues to baffle foreigners. By using Singlish, it makes Singaporeans feel a little more at home and thus, is part of our culture. There are certain things that we say that just cannot do without a Singlish term or two. Otherwise, the phrase would lose its effect.
I think it's great you pointed out the entrepreneural spirit in Singapore as we are just a mere red dot on the map and other countries may tend to underestimate us due to our size. The fact that we have grown from a fishing island to a city state today is quite a remarkable feat. Especially since our only resource is our people.
So I think our culture may be diverse and different but that is what makes us Uniquely Singapore!
Cultural imperialism! Our televisions have been taken over by Americans reality shows and serial dramas. Since U.S is the largest exporter of its culture goods and Singapore is a small nation and hence imports a lot of media from other countries, especially the U.S, our culture is being infiltrated dominantly by the States.
ReplyDeleteBesides television, new communication technologies such as the Internet has allowed streaming of videos and p2p sharing of files. This has largely increased our accessibility to more media goods, or those that are banned from in Singapore. This further exposes us to their culture. Gradually, we become more and more like them as we are being influenced by their way of lives, even the way we speak!
But one cannot deny that Singapore has not been putting in efforts as well. Definitely one of our "uniqueness" lies in the diversification of races living cohesively and integrating cultures has provided this lovely mish-mash of exotic food (food esepcially the food!) and our lingo used.
Yet they are tearing down the shophouses which I feel is destroying our heritage and our personal identities. The new malls look really high end but it really kills our heritage. Pity
Like what cheryl said about cultural imperialism. We are being americanized in a way through tv shows being imported into our local country. However, thanks to our multi-racial society, Taiwan,India,Indonesia media products are also being imported here and thus it creates a significant impact in our lives. Not the way we speak because we have our very own Singlish, but how we relate ourselves to the outside world. As a Singaporean, Im proud of our diverse culture as being one nation, one people, one SINGAPORE! :D
ReplyDeleteas culture is a template for living, and looking around the way we are brought up as well as our environment, our country is defined by
ReplyDelete1) FOOD!
2) LAWS
3) EDUCATION
why so? look around us, we are a food hub, always has always will be. we have such jealous contenders that malaysia now claims that some of our local food is considered their gastro heritage
laws because, we're such a FINE city that everywhere we go there are ways to claim cash and damage fees from us
Education, because if you're working in the govt sector, you wont' go anywhere without an important paper.
my 2 cents valerie!
isaac
http://pitstophere.wordpress.com
I think Singaporean culture is very unique, and it's something that all of us should be proud of.
ReplyDeleteI personally find Singlish to be a huge part of our local culture. There are so many terms which are used only in Singlish, and the efficiency of the language is underestimated. If you haven't realised yet, Singlish actually takes away all the extra unnecessary words and shortens sentences.
In England someone would say "Have you eaten yet?"
Here we say "Makan already?"
In the US someone would say "Where is the washroom?"
Here we just say "Toilet where?"
SO EFFECTIVE.
when my friends from other countries come to singapore, they'll definitely be feasting on singapore's food!
ReplyDeletei think this is what makes singapore culture so special. we have our uniqueness and we bring them out to people who aren't from singapore.
as jeremiah mentioned, singlish is also a form of singapore's culture. we made it special, that even people from overseas are trying to pick it up when they come to singapore!
I guess food is definitely a part of Singapore's culture and of course Singlish. Culture to a certain extend is created by the people and then passed down through generations.
ReplyDeleteIt was most likely someone in the distant past saying that he/she needs to go home la, don't like that lor, please lah! which stuck and was picked up by others who were influenced by that person and in the end being passed down the generations because they started to speak in that way to their kids.
Kinda like the socialization process huh?
Hey val! to me, the Singaporean culture is all about Food, Singlish, and the ever present kiasu-ism amongst all the citizens here.
ReplyDelete1) Food food food. I am a food junkie and I am proud of it. I remember my days in polytechnic where my friends and I went out almost every other night on a food hunt, from Pasir Ris to Boon Lay and it was really fun. Another thing I would identify our Singaporean food culture is the rise of the Prata Flavors. I miss the days where it was just the simple eggs or gosong, but the newer creative ideas in the recent years like Cheese Prata, Ice Cream Prata and Chocolate Prata have driven me crazy! I always have trouble choosing what kind of prata to eat.
2) Singlish is another beautiful thing that has no right or wrong on this very small and sunny island. It was probably the result of the coming together of our diverse cultures, and struggling to find a common language to speak through English. Somehow or rather, the different aspects of the languages each culture knew diffused into one another and voila! Singlish was born. Beautiful isn't it?
3) This is the one thing about Singaporean culture that i dislike. Generally I am a very laid-back person who enjoys the simple things in life like a good cup of coffee wherever and whenever. I remember the insane hello kitty craze years ago which drove all the Singaporeans mad. I never really understood kiasu-ism but one thing i know for sure is that it is the root of us Singaporeans being listed as one of the rudest countries in the world!
Hi Val,
ReplyDeleteSingapore is probably one of the few countries that have people of different races living alongside each other in harmony. Because of this, you mentioned that it recognizes itself as a diversified nation. However, this could also mean that Singapore has no distinct culture as any race that tries to outdo another would be dampened by the government. Our strict laws is thus a contributing factor to reduce any dominating culture in Singapore.
Globalization has also made it possible for the infiltration of American Culture into Asian backgrounds. Singapore, having a less dominant culture has hence, been influenced at a rapid speed. Compared to other Asian countries, Singapore is considered more 'westernized'. This could be attributed to the fact that Singapore has no dominant culture.
However there are traits of being a Singaporean such as 'Singlish' and 'Kiasuism'. Singaporeans are easily spotted overseas with their large cameras slung over their necks and possible piling of food at a buffet table. They are instantly recognizable also by the way they speak. Hence it is difficult to miss a fellow Singaporean overseas, due to these traits. Whether or not such traits portray us in a negative light, these are precisely the factors that make us Uniquely Singaporean!
Reply to Adeline:
ReplyDeleteHey Adeline!
Yup I also feel that Singapore has not quite established a culture on a whole for itself due to its diversity and thus, I have only talked about some common associations people might make with Singapore.
Like you mentioned, when compared to other cultures, such as London's arts scene, we are definitely not quite there yet.
However, I also think that we should be applauded for our efforts to instill a sense of culture in many different areas in Singapore. There has definitely been efforts on the meso and micro level to promote certain activities that could be a possible culture here in Singapore in the future.
Kudos to you on your ending! To quote from you, culture "cannot be created but only discovered". Certainly, we are not able to "force" people into doing certain things but perhaps we can only help them to realize certain patterns about the activities here in Singapore!(:
Reply to Danielle:
ReplyDeleteHey Danielle!
While Singlish has been increasingly associated with Singapore, I do not think that it is a growing Singapore culture because firstly, there are many people in Singapore who do speak proper English. Very often, people remember the bad things and perhaps the media's focus on Singlish in Singapore has made more people associate Singapore with Singlish.
Secondly, talking about compounded interest and passion translating to culture, I do not think Singlish is a growing Singapore culture because it is a negative trait, albeit unique, that the majority of us would not want to pick up I believe.
So, I do not see Singlish as a growing culture in Singapore.
You mention about Singapore's culture being baesd on the present if its our diversity and ever-changing landscape that makes Singapore unique. However, I beg to differ. Who says that activities have to have as long as our society keeps changing? For example, we can enjoy food as much as we used to even if our society becomes more diverse or if our landscape changes. In fact, we could possibly be open to even more food varieties here!
Overall, a stimulating comment! Thank you Danielle!(:
Reply to Hilda:
ReplyDeleteHello Hilda!
Nice to have you back!
Indeed, culture is who we are. We define what it is through our inclinations and actions, like what you mentioned.
Your point on a growing competitive culture in Singapore is extremely insightful! You not only provided examples but even elaborated on it! Certainly, I see where you are coming from and I agree that there is a growing trend of this competitive culture in Singapore. Well, in order to not be left behind, perhaps sometimes we have no choice but to compete with one another, even though we might not like it! It is the survival of the fittest, like you said.
I am lucky to have you as a reader as I always learn something new from you! Thank you for your time once again!(:
Reply to Jasmine:
ReplyDeleteHi Jasmine!
Thank you for your insights on Singapore's growing culture!
You have brought up a good point about an Education culture here in Singapore. Indeed, it is very apparent by the massive promotion of Singapore as an education hub. Other countries even praised Singapore for its education system. Many want to emulate our education system! Also, there is alot of emphasis on education on Singaporean students themselves. All these definitely point to a growing education culture in Singapore.
There is also a possible clean culture evolving in Singapore, like you brought up.
However, I do not feel that lack of political vibrancy is a growing culture in Singapore because it is not something that the people in Singapore here are passionate about. I do not think that they want this.
Having said all that, everyone has their own insights pertaining to Singapore's growing culture! Whatever it is, we all know that Singapore is still our home!(:
Reply to sundaytv:
ReplyDeleteHey sundaytv!
Singapore is definitely unique. Singlish is definitely unique too. However, like I mentioned to the other readers, I still do not think it is part of our growing culture for the fact that it is a undesirable trait that the majority of Singaporeans would not want to pursue I believe.
However, I respect your views! I understand that we all have different views and I guess we shall just all see what kind of culture Singapore has in the years ahead and whether Singlish will be part of it ya?(:
Small fishing island to still small but remarkable city state! Go Singapore!(:
Reply to Cheryl:
ReplyDeleteHey Cheryl!
Cultural imperialism has definitely seeped its way into Singapore.
There are also evidences of Singapore's heritage slowly being eroded away like you mentnioed! Let us hope that Singapore still manages to remain unique and discover its culture in its years to come despite all the changes happening around us!
Thank you for your insights!(:
Reply to kandidkester:
ReplyDeleteHello!
Hmmm I feel that cultural imperialism is a concept but not a culture? It is happening to Singapore but that does not make cultural imperialism a culture. I hope you get where I am coming from(:
Definitely glad to hear you are one proud Singaporean!(:
Reply to pithosphere:
ReplyDeleteHey Isaac!
Hahahaha interesting way of putting across your definition of the growing culture in Singapore! You definitely injected humour in there!
Thank you for your interesting comment!(:
Reply to ghostwiththemost:
ReplyDeleteHey there!
Yes, I agree with you that Singapore's growing culture is very unique, having a blend of both Eastern and Western culture.
Well, Singlish is associated with Singapore but like I mentioned to the rest of my readers above, I feel that it is not a growing culture because it is a negative trait that the majority of Singaporeans would not want to pursue. We shall see if Singlish becomes a culture of Singapore in the years ahead ya?(:
Thank you for your comment!(:
Reply to Christina:
ReplyDeleteHi Christina!
Yes, I think many people agree on the part where there is a growing food culture here in Singapore!
On Singlish as part of a growing culture of Singapore however, there are debates on it and my stand is simply towards the opposition!
Whatever it is, I am glad that Singapore is slowly but surely establishing certain cultures unique to us!(:
Reply to AM:
ReplyDeleteHello there!
It seems like there is a growing food culture here and it will continue to!
Like you mentioned, culture is something that is passed on from generations. Thus, from this perspective, I do not think that Singlish can be called part of Singapore's culture yet because it has only been evolved officially probably around 2000 or a few years before that? I feel that it is still too early to call Singlish a growing culture, or culture for that matter, because of the time and also because it is a negative trait that I think the majority of Singaporeans would not want to pursue even though they might use it. For the growing food culture for example, there has been evidence of it since the early years of Singapore(:
Reply to J-max:
ReplyDeleteHey there!
Great observations there ya, especially the part about the rising prata flavours! Haha one of my favourite apart from the traditional kosong and egg, is definitely mushroom cheese prata!:D
True, there is no right or wrong when it comes to Singlish. Whether or not it will become a culture of Singapore, I have my doubts but we will see what happens(:
I never knew that we were listed as one of the most rude countries in the world! We sure should work on that!
Reply to Amadea:
ReplyDeleteHi Amadea!
I definitely agree with you that Singapore does not have a well-defined culture as we are diverse, as mentioned in my entry too. That is why, my entry was also based on a growing culture in Singapore and not explicitly saying what is Singapore's culture because I feel that we have not established that as a country yet.
Certainly, though, there are many associations made with Singaporeans, such as the exmaples you pointed out. However, associations with Singaporeans does not necessarily translate it to Singapore's culture as these associations might be flawed in a sense that it is a generalized or one-sided view only.
I am excited to see what Singapore's culture will be like in the years ahead! Are you?(: