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Disneyland with Death Penalty

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Re: Disneyland with Death Penalty

#11

Post by causi »

bowsamic wrote: post #7
causi wrote: post #3

Singapore, Gibson details, is lacking any sense of creativity or authenticity, I find it interesting the impression I personally formed of Singapore exactly matches the one Gibson did over a decade earlier. I understand how a particular kind of person could see it as a paradise, but personally I found it the most depressing place on earth.

Is it better or worse than Dubai? Or similar?

Kind of depends. It's more sterile. Dubai you get the impression they generally care about you having a good time, at least if you're Western. Singapore they care about you looking like you're having a good time. Singapore doesn't have the de facto slavery problem of the Emirates, though. Food is definitely better in Dubai.

Re: Disneyland with Death Penalty

#12

Post by fatnoah »

That's fascinating. I spent a few days in Singapore on business in early 2002, and while my impression wasn't quite so bleaks as described in the article, my main impression was that parts of it were very much like something out of the World Showcase at Disney World.

Re: Disneyland with Death Penalty

#13

Post by cromulent »

Last time I was there (around 2005) the newspaper reports of FDWs (Foreign Domestic Workers) falling to their deaths whilst cleaning the outside of highrise windows without safety equipment were very disturbing.

Seems it is still happening.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/average-of-12-people-...

Re: Disneyland with Death Penalty

#15

Post by systemvoltage »

causi wrote: post #11
bowsamic wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is it better or worse than Dubai? Or similar?

Kind of depends. It's more sterile. Dubai you get the impression they generally care about you having a good time, at least if you're Western. Singapore they care about you looking like you're having a good time. Singapore doesn't have the de facto slavery problem of the Emirates, though. Food is definitely better in Dubai.

I always found phrases like “Food is better in X city than Y”, just silly.

Re: Disneyland with Death Penalty

#16

Post by pydry »

causi wrote: post #11
bowsamic wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is it better or worse than Dubai? Or similar?

Kind of depends. It's more sterile. Dubai you get the impression they generally care about you having a good time, at least if you're Western. Singapore they care about you looking like you're having a good time. Singapore doesn't have the de facto slavery problem of the Emirates, though. Food is definitely better in Dubai.

>Singapore doesn't have the de facto slavery problem of the Emirates

It kind of does. They import Bangladeshi construction workers to build all the glitzy skyscrapers and infrastructure and shove them in dorms 16 to a room.

Im not sure if they confiscate their passports or not like in Dubai but i think they still do those contracts where they have to pay an agent and work off their debts.

A fair number die because of lax health and safety that is lax because theyre "only banglas".

If there are differences in how theyre treated vs dubai theyre more a matter of degree than character. Theyre very much at the bottom of singapore's racial hierarchy.

Theres the occasional case of maid slavery as well.

Re: Disneyland with Death Penalty

#18

Post by nireyal »

There’s much to love about Singapore if you understand, or are willing to learn, Asian culture. It’s more collectivist than individualistic and while that certainly comes with trade offs, it has many benefits. I’ve lived here for almost 3 years and it feels like living in the future. No where is perfect but the quality of life here is amazing. The people I know who don’t like it are almost always white folks who don’t interact with locals and don’t want to understand Asian norms.
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