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Why I’ll Never Return to Singapore

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Re: Why I’ll Never Return to Singapore

#101

Post by collyw »

rfnslyr wrote: post #90
sleepyhead wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

An I expressed my opinion. I think you are the one who needs to calm down given your words.

The OP posts about his direct experience in Singapore which are his reasons for leaving. You posted reasons for not coming into the US, that would not affect OP. Is he going to Guantanamo Bay? No. Does he murder civilians? No. Is America a beautiful and exciting country? Yes. It's the government and military which is fucked. If the OP's points for leaving were political, you would make some sense.

One thing I notice when I passed through the States, is that you are constantly being bombarded with advertising, subliminal messaging, NLP. Trying to sell you something, or mold the way you think.

(The fact that a large proportion of Americans seem to think they have a "right" to bear arms shows that more than just the government and military that are fucked.)

Re: Why I’ll Never Return to Singapore

#103

Post by rfnslyr »

sleepyhead wrote: post #95
rfnslyr wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The OP posts about his direct experience in Singapore which are his reasons for leaving. You posted reasons for not coming into the US, that would not affect OP. Is he going to Guantanamo Bay? No. Does he murder civilians? No. Is America a beautiful and exciting country? Yes. It's the government and military which is fucked. If the OP's points for leaving were political, you would make some sense.

Oh did I upset an American - poor you. I pointed out that all countries have flaws. I used the US as an example because OP is an American. Most of the blog post is about government policies so you don't make much sense.

No, I'm not an American. Why did you use extremes when OP didn't? He's talking about the product of government policies regulating citizens every day lives, the result of which is unsatisfactory for OP, not extremist situations in which political prisoners are shipped off to a torture camp or civilians in different countries are killed.

Those are both terrible things, yes, but hardly affect the day to day lives of people or their decisions, sadly.

Re: Why I’ll Never Return to Singapore

#104

Post by collyw »

mathattack wrote: post #75

The complaints about Singapore all seem true for many years. Sure it's a little sterile. Sure it's conservative. Sure it's small. These have all been true. It's also open to outsiders, and a model for good governance, and a mutli-cultural hub. It's ok to leave, but to say, "Screw you, I'm gone forever and never coming back" just seems childish.

Anecdotaly, I have two friends who lived in Singapore for a couple of years. Both them said the same as the author.

Re: Why I’ll Never Return to Singapore

#106

Post by rfnslyr »

collyw wrote: post #101
rfnslyr wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The OP posts about his direct experience in Singapore which are his reasons for leaving. You posted reasons for not coming into the US, that would not affect OP. Is he going to Guantanamo Bay? No. Does he murder civilians? No. Is America a beautiful and exciting country? Yes. It's the government and military which is fucked. If the OP's points for leaving were political, you would make some sense.

One thing I notice when I passed through the States, is that you are constantly being bombarded with advertising, subliminal messaging, NLP. Trying to sell you something, or mold the way you think. (The fact that a large proportion of Americans seem to think they have a "right" to bear arms shows that more than just the government and military that are fucked.)

What's wrong with the right to bear arms?

Re: Why I’ll Never Return to Singapore

#107

Post by thaumasiotes »

slaman wrote: post #58
thaumasiotes wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly what are you thinking of when you refer to "the military propaganda in the US"? I've never had the impression that the military was held in particularly high regard; serving in the military is the sort of thing you might be ashamed to admit that your children do. Or look at how college students object to even allowing recruiters onto the campus. Obviously, attitudes differ place-to-place. But I found your phr…

Perhaps it's harder to see looking from the inside, but most other cultures are MUCH less Military obsessed than the US just about any way you measure it...

I'm willing to believe this. I was serious when I asked "what are you thinking of?" I'd like some examples.

Re: Why I’ll Never Return to Singapore

#108

Post by yardie »

blisterpeanuts wrote: post #88
yardie wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As an American living in France, this is how I feel about the French. But I've heard the opposite from other brits about Americans. We're too friggin nosey. We want to know where you live, where you went to school, what you do (this is really big blunder a lot of Americans make), and why you're here.

Agreed, I have been told by Europeans that it's not common in their region to ask what you do for a living. It's as though they'd rather talk about real things rather than mundane money-related humdrum topics. It's rather refreshing, actually. Quite the opposite from Taiwan where I lived for a couple of years. People would ask questions that in the West would be considered incredibly intrusive: how old are you, what…

It's a difference in mentality between old world Europe and America. Even in the 21st century some aspects of Paris (where I live) are still classist. And the most straightforward way to determine class is by your occupation.

Americans ask what do you do because we are, honestly, interested in what you do all day. I work in computers, after work I enjoy discussing computers, tech, drinking. In a previous life I was a bartender, wind tunnel tech, and traveler. But I don't do that now and if I wasn't behind the bar most people wouldn't know I lived that life. So what do you do is an icebreaker for me.

Re: Why I’ll Never Return to Singapore

#109

Post by ghshephard »

Kurtz79 wrote: post #80
ghshephard wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm looking at my Social Visit pass - you nailed it, it says in bright red: WARNING DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKERS UNDER SINGAPORE LAW But - you get that message while you are still on the plane (and presumably have a chance to turn back?) Yes - GardenByTheBay is beautiful - as are the two conservatoriums (one of which they replicate Dry, Cool Mountain Highland Environment - which, is quite an accomplishment in Hot, Humi…

Makes much more sense that what you have to declare in the US landing card: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3289/2949309916_5393a54eb5_o.j... I mean, seriously.

In Spring, 2001 I was in the midst of filling out my H1-B forms to become a permanent resident of the US when I came across that form (that I had to fill out to keep the process moving forward) - I just looked at it, and said to myself, "Really, I have to answer whether I have ever been involved in 'Genocide'?"

I felt insulted enough that I just dropped the process and I've been on a TN visa ever since.

Seriously - If I had been involved in Genocide, do they expect me to answer "Yes?"

Re: Why I’ll Never Return to Singapore

#110

Post by ghshephard »

creamyhorror wrote: post #97
msohcw wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for speaking some sense. I suspect the author got the notion of Singaporean pride wrong. We're far more prideful when we feel attacked or maligned by foreigners, despite the day to day lamentations. You've stated arguments I agree with, but I do honestly feel that you're overgeneralizing to a large extent. I think it helps if we consider again what you mentioned about size. Singapore has a relatively small pop…

> My guess is that the detriment is at least an n^2 term, with less sharing of ideas, interaction and encouragement to pursue risk. Absolutely. That's part of the reason for the lower level of risk-taking and innovation here. It boils down to having a small population. > As a student, I increasingly see people pursuing the entrepreneurship and more risky careers, rather than "selling out". Yes, this is definitely a t…

Regarding Risk - what are the issues/concerns about bankruptcy in Singapore? In the United States, most of the risk is borne by the lender, and, in the event of financial collapse - the individual usually is able to come back swinging after a few years in the penalty box - which certainly reduces the downside to taking risk. If they finance with venture capital, or a LLC, then even those several years in the penalty box aren't a concern - ALL of the financial risk is borne by the VCs.

The reduction of cost-of-failure plays a very large role in whether people are prepared to risk failure.

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