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Why is Singapore no longer "cool"?

marginalrevolution.com

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Re: Why is Singapore no longer "cool"?

#171

Post by GeoAtreides »

shell0x wrote: post #141

As a German expat who lived in Singapore for 3 years, it’s still the best country I ever lived in and I’ve also worked in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan HK, and Germany. Everything works, it’s very efficient, public transit and internet is good and it’s extremely safe. It also has great food and has low taxes. Most Western countries just can’t compete and while the UAE is pretty well run in some aspect, there…

As a german, are you ok with the human rights violations happening in Singapore

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Singapore

https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2025/country-chapters/singa...

As a german, are you ok with the death penalty (for as little as 14 grams of drugs)? Are you with violent and cruel corporal punishment (for as little as vandalism)?

Re: Why is Singapore no longer "cool"?

#172

Post by wormpilled »

GeoAtreides wrote: post #171
shell0x wrote: post #141

As a German expat who lived in Singapore for 3 years, it’s still the best country I ever lived in and I’ve also worked in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan HK, and Germany. Everything works, it’s very efficient, public transit and internet is good and it’s extremely safe. It also has great food and has low taxes. Most Western countries just can’t compete and while the UAE is pretty well run in some aspect, there…

As a german, are you ok with the human rights violations happening in Singapore https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Singapore https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2025/country-chapters/singa... As a german, are you ok with the death penalty (for as little as 14 grams of drugs)? Are you with violent and cruel corporal punishment (for as little as vandalism)?

Yes

Re: Why is Singapore no longer "cool"?

#173

Post by JKCalhoun »

"Especially in light of some of the burgeoning anti-Asian sentiment, for instance from Helen Andrews and some others."

Huh? I had to look up Helen Andrews. From Wikipedia: "She wrote that wokeness is fundamentally female, as it prioritizes 'empathy over rationality, safety over risk, cohesion over competition.'"

(And coincidentally you have "Rice Theory: Why Eastern Cultures Are More Cooperative" on the front page and I can see how in her mind there is a line between "wokeness" and "cooperative".)

Re: Why is Singapore no longer "cool"?

#175

Post by shell0x »

GeoAtreides wrote: post #171
shell0x wrote: post #141

As a German expat who lived in Singapore for 3 years, it’s still the best country I ever lived in and I’ve also worked in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan HK, and Germany. Everything works, it’s very efficient, public transit and internet is good and it’s extremely safe. It also has great food and has low taxes. Most Western countries just can’t compete and while the UAE is pretty well run in some aspect, there…

As a german, are you ok with the human rights violations happening in Singapore https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Singapore https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2025/country-chapters/singa... As a german, are you ok with the death penalty (for as little as 14 grams of drugs)? Are you with violent and cruel corporal punishment (for as little as vandalism)?

Yes, for most part. SG has a zero tolerance policy.

I do think the death penalty for drugs is reasonable. Drug dealers destroy families and communities for their own profit. The arrival card in Singapore literally states that smuggling drugs is punishable by death. If you still attempt, that sounds like a “you” problem.

Also the punishment for vandalism or rape sounds reasonable.

The treatment of foreign construction workers is not good and can be improved.

Re: Why is Singapore no longer "cool"?

#176

Post by shell0x »

rschachte wrote: post #144
shell0x wrote: post #141

As a German expat who lived in Singapore for 3 years, it’s still the best country I ever lived in and I’ve also worked in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan HK, and Germany. Everything works, it’s very efficient, public transit and internet is good and it’s extremely safe. It also has great food and has low taxes. Most Western countries just can’t compete and while the UAE is pretty well run in some aspect, there…

That’s a lot of places to live. Moving to the UK from the US for me was already mentally draining logistically so curious how you balance that

When I was in my twenties, I didn’t really buy stuff and apartments in Asia are mostly fully furnished. All my stuff fitted in a 32kg luggage until 2022 or so.

Re: Why is Singapore no longer "cool"?

#177

Post by shell0x »

milchek wrote: post #150
shell0x wrote: post #141

As a German expat who lived in Singapore for 3 years, it’s still the best country I ever lived in and I’ve also worked in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan HK, and Germany. Everything works, it’s very efficient, public transit and internet is good and it’s extremely safe. It also has great food and has low taxes. Most Western countries just can’t compete and while the UAE is pretty well run in some aspect, there…

I would argue even with kids it is great (but of course can be expensive!). I lived and worked there for a couple of years during COVID with a young family and loved it (once the lockdowns and pandemic stuff blew over of course). As you mentioned, for families, it’s extremely safe, everything is well run and maintained so healthcare and education are not a concern. Proximity to other countries for travel is excellent…

The heat can definitely be intense. It can also get a boring fast because it’s such small place, so traveling is a a must! I believe with kids it can be a challenge because there’s conscription for males and that also applied to permanent residents.

Re: Why is Singapore no longer "cool"?

#178

Post by red-iron-pine »

shell0x wrote: post #176
rschachte wrote: post #144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That’s a lot of places to live. Moving to the UK from the US for me was already mentally draining logistically so curious how you balance that

When I was in my twenties, I didn’t really buy stuff and apartments in Asia are mostly fully furnished. All my stuff fitted in a 32kg luggage until 2022 or so.

where in asia is fully furnished? in Japan and China the apartments I was in didn't even come with washing machines, dishwashers, and in one case, AC

Re: Why is Singapore no longer "cool"?

#179

Post by shell0x »

rayiner wrote: post #164
shell0x wrote: post #141

As a German expat who lived in Singapore for 3 years, it’s still the best country I ever lived in and I’ve also worked in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan HK, and Germany. Everything works, it’s very efficient, public transit and internet is good and it’s extremely safe. It also has great food and has low taxes. Most Western countries just can’t compete and while the UAE is pretty well run in some aspect, there…

> Everything works, it’s very efficient, public transit and internet is good and it’s extremely safe. It also has great food and has low taxes. Most Western countries just can’t compete… Why do you think New York or Chicago isn’t like this? What could western countries change?

I think it’s a mix of valuing education more, a strict enforcement of the law with severe punishment, a small area to maintain, electing educated politicians and demographics. Asians tend to commit less violent crimes. Markham in Canada for example has a much lower violent crime rate than most of the Canada and is predominantly Chinese.

Re: Why is Singapore no longer "cool"?

#180

Post by shell0x »

huhkerrf wrote: post #145
shell0x wrote: post #141

As a German expat who lived in Singapore for 3 years, it’s still the best country I ever lived in and I’ve also worked in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan HK, and Germany. Everything works, it’s very efficient, public transit and internet is good and it’s extremely safe. It also has great food and has low taxes. Most Western countries just can’t compete and while the UAE is pretty well run in some aspect, there…

It's strange that you mention the religious part of UAE making you uneasy, and not the modern day slavery.

Because the religious part affects me, the slavery I don’t really notice because they do a good job hiding it?
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