Source: Google "Doodle for Google Singapore" competition
It was yet another National Day Celebration for me but I realise that as I age, I love National Day celebrations more. Although it might be yet another propagandistic event for many and I do agree to a certain extent, I have to say that I enjoyed it.
As I see the images of historic Singapore being screened, I recall those times I spend as a child in Singapore in the 1990s and early 2000s. The iconic Changi Airport Control Tower, Merlion, Singapore River, etc. that used to appear in my Social Studies textbook, my scrapbook when I was in Primary 4, and my art piece in Secondary school compared to the Singapore Flyer, Esplanade, MBS that may appear in the textbooks of the next generation made me realise how much Singapore has changed over the last decade. However, me being the reminiscent kid, loves the old Singapore much much more. As a kid, I love my country and singing the nation anthem and the National Day songs to me was what I defined a sense of pride that I have for my country. Patriotic emotions overwhelm me whenever I listen or sing those songs and that I will do whatever it takes to showcase to others Singapore and everything that I love about it - positive and negative.
I really miss those things that define Singapore in the past - emphasis on racial harmony, on mixing with people of different races, health education and CME, Singapore Kindness Movement, Garden City, Nation Building, preserving our heritage such as Chinatown, Kampong Glam, Little India, Clarke Quay, etc. Though when I become much older, I found these campaigns silly at times but I appreciate the fact that they formed part of my childhood because those were the things that I found myself deeply rooted and attached to. Moreover, they definitely helped in making us more gracious Singaporeans. However, the kids these days undergo such education, no more.
Perhaps that explains why when I stared at the kids sitting in front of me, watching the celebrations unfold, putting up skits on what defines Singapore - Hello Kitty craze, foreign workers issues, haze, Malaysia Cup and football 1994, congested public transport, etc., I feel a sense of mockery towards the celebrations and seriously, is this what Singapore is to you?
Somehow, when you celebrate the Nation's birthday with someone of a different race yet was born in the same country and grew up facing the same monuments, surroundings and shared a common heritage and culture, you feel bonded and it is so much easier to instill in a person pride and love for the country. No doubt we need more babies to ensure the survival of Singapore and we need foreign workers to keep Singapore competitive to attract investments but no pain, no gain. Every choice incurs an opportunity cost. A local born and bred kid is just different from another who is not. The sense of pride that this represents your roots is not there, isn't it?
This leaves me wondering if the kids at my stage of life a decade later will feel the same way for Singapore like I do now? C'mon people, we really need to do something to make them love Singapore the way we do now. Or maybe to the people out there, it does not matter who will live in Singapore ten or twenty years down the road, might not be someone who knows and loves Singapore, so long as they continue to contribute to the nation's economic progress, they are welcome. However, in the face of disaster, would they still be the one to stay and protect our homeland?
If I could choose, I would rather not have such rapid economic progress to enable me to run away from home and face so much congestion and sometimes disdain for the people I meet on the streets. I want the old Singapore to be back - familiar faces around me and people share a similar heritage and culture, seeing kids who are born and bred in Singapore keeping each other in good company, feeling proud and singing the National Anthem and National Day songs loud and happy, feeling the excitement for various races' special occasions like Chinese New Year where time seems to literally stop, Hari Raya, Deepavali, etc. though that may mean I will have to travel less, earn less and not have the latest technological gadget to keep me company. At least I can travel in my OWN country in comfort and not in someone else's country in comfort and would want to stay here for the rest of my life instead of constantly thinking of how to break free.
p/s: My feelings in this post do not in any way represent my position and stand as an educator but it is purely my personal opinions.
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