Distributed Everything

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_optimum

I went there last week for the first time in twelve years, and it was shocking. I told them as much.

No sooner had I got off the plane and acquired some local cash than I was herded in to a long line for taxis. Walking down the demarcated isle toward the rest of the well-established queue, I mused "Would you like efficiency with your totalitarianism? Apparently not!" As I approached the queue, a functionary suddenly changed the demarcation belt between myself and the queue, causing me to have to walk for miles in one direction then double-back. It was so ridiculous, so Kafka, I burst out laughing.

Two days later at my hotel, I mentioned my eagerness to depart to an employee who was from the Philippines... his eyes darted aside, then looked me in the eyes briefly, turned around and mumbled loud enough for me to hear but nobody else "I hate this place too", while pacing off down a corridor.

The claim to multiculturalism is laughable. Wealthy Singaporeans clearly look down on neighbouring Indonesians, Malays and Philippinos, possibly also the Indians, and are largely ethnic Chinese, often living off the profits of dynastic capital accrued running businesses in those very same neighbouring countries. I did meet some Indians who were born in Singapore - but alas - had never been to India, and appeared to be basically culturally relegated to a sort of mid level service sector niche. It seemed to me that they'd never built up the courage or economic platform to leave.

I even met a wealthy Chinese Singaporean who smugly quipped that his family grew rich running palm oil plantations in neighbouring Indonesia - the same sector causing the smog in Singapore - but that of course they burned theirs far away and clearly had nothing to do with the recent air quality problems!

Sitting in the airport departure lounge, waiting to fly out, a state-sponsored television channel blared feel-good pro-state propaganda to weary travelers. Suddenly, the national anthem came on. Interspersed with its antiquated, politically-populist, Malay-pattois verbiage (you wouldn't catch the rich speaking the common language) were smoothly integrated, carefully contrived scenes of the Singaporean miracle: a multicultural table of youth happily consuming artificial foods, a laughing young man in uniform (doing his compulsory military service), and a couple of friendly, smiling police. That was just the icing on the cake.

Won't be back in a hurry. Sorry, Singapore.

>I did meet some Indians who were born in Singapore - but alas - had never been to India, and appeared to be basically culturally relegated to a sort of mid level service sector niche. It seemed to me that they'd never built up the courage or economic platform to leave.

Are you saying that all Indians in Singapore are working in mid-level service sectors? Is that really what you're saying?

> Sitting in the airport departure lounge, waiting to fly out, a state-sponsored television channel blared feel-good pro-state propaganda to weary travelers. Suddenly, the national anthem came on. Interspersed with its antiquated, politically-populist, Malay-pattois verbiage were smoothly integrated, carefully contrived scenes of the Singaporean miracle: a multicultural table of youth happily consuming artificial foods, a laughing young man in uniform (doing his compulsory military service), and a couple of friendly, similing police. That was just the icing on the cake.

I'm sorry you don't feel the same way about Singapore. I wouldn't expect you to. Yet patriotism exists in every country at different levels, and if you're saying that this is propaganda, then I have nothing else left to add, because to each, his own.

Oh, but I would like to add that while there are many people like yourself who can seem to turn every good into a bad, there are, thankfully, a good number of people who are more perceptive.

I'm not saying I agree with it. But at the same time I think that as long as it is not abused (to be addressed below), it is intended to prevent the new class of "independent journalists" from writing baseless stories without getting their facts right.

> In my view it's really self evident that such a law is rife for abuse if a site doesn't toe the governments line.

Exactly. Contrary to what many may think, if or when the government does begin to abuse this right, I can assure you that we, the citizens, will be up in arms and take them to task.