SINGAPORE: “Have we, as a society, regressed as a whole?”
A third-generation Singaporean, whose grandparents were among the country’s early immigrants, recently posed this question online after noticing just how much Singapore has transformed over the years.
In a post on a local forum on Wednesday (Oct 22), the man wrote that he no longer recognises the version of Singapore he grew up in, the one that was hailed as “a garden city, the jewel of Asia and the cleanest city in the world with the best education and public transport system”.
He said the trees that once lined his neighbourhood streets have vanished, replaced by large stretches of “flattened land prepared for new housing projects”.
He also noticed that people today seem to have little regard for cleanliness or nature, pointing out how “Grab drivers and smokers” often leave litter behind while waiting for their orders.
He added that even the charm of local shops has faded. “I don’t see my neighbourhood bubble tea shop or Prima Deli anymore. Instead, there are mala stalls in every food court and Chinese franchises on nearly every corner of the country.”
Regarding the public transport system, he noted that it now seems far more prone to breakdowns and delays, a situation he seldom experienced when he was younger.
The man went on to share that it’s not just the environment that has changed, but the people as well. Based on his observations, children nowadays are becoming “ruder and lazier”, while some elderly people insist on doing whatever they want without considering others.
Some commuters, he noted, have also become more disrespectful, either “cutting to the front of escalators or no longer bothering to queue before entering the train”.
He also noticed that many people would rather film incidents than step in to help when someone is in need, and simple courtesies like saying “hi,” “please,” or “thank you” have become rare.
Moreover, according to him, some foreigners do not seem interested in fitting into the local culture. “Foreigners or new citizens refuse to integrate into our society. I observe people or service staff conversing in their mother tongues, expecting others to understand, even though English is our main language.”
“We also don’t celebrate other cultures or learn to embrace diversity beyond public holidays. Instead, we are taught merely to tolerate our differences and cultural practices.”
Concluding his post, he wrote: “Where exactly did we go wrong? It’s simplistic to assume it’s the fault of the government, immigration, and globalisation. I just don’t feel patriotic and proud to be Singaporean anymore, but I am really trying. Or am I just an entitled Singaporean romanticising the past?”
“Singapore is a much better place to live in.”
Many Singaporean Redditors chimed in on the comments, saying they didn’t agree with the man’s post.
“Have you been to other cities around the world? Say somewhere metropolitan like London, Melbourne, Seoul? Singapore IS a garden city,” one said.
Another wrote, “Yeah, you are an entitled Singaporean romanticising the past. The things you mentioned existed in the past and in many cases, were worse. Singapore is a much better place to live in. People won’t be flocking here if that was not the case.”
A third shared, “I don’t know about your housing estate, but contrary to your observation the town council where I live has planted way more shrubbery and flowers in recent years. The pathway is shaded with trees too. It really is quite lovely. I even see plants being planted in road dividers.”
A fourth remarked, “Every generation has its problems, you just didn’t see the problems the previous generations dealt with.”
In other news, a senior commuter who’s in her late 60s took to social media on Thursday (Oct 9) to complain about a bus driver who deliberately refused to let her alight at her intended stop.
Sharing her experience on the COMPLAINT SINGAPORE Facebook group, the commuter, Facebook user Cherry Chacko, said the incident took place early in the morning while she was taking bus service 23.
