I suppose it also attracts people that value such things.. Safety at the expense of individual liberties, orderly lives and streets etc. I could never bear it

I suppose it also attracts people that value such things.. Safety at the expense of individual liberties, orderly lives and streets etc. I could never bear it myself. I'm from the Netherlands and I hate the way most areas there are so boring and designed by committee. I'm more attracted to cities where not every brick has to be the prescribed colour. It makes a place so much organic and interesting IMO. And I value individualism much more than an orderly society. I prefer the laissez-faire attitude in Spain over rigid policing. This is why I'd never consider Singapore and choose to live in Spain. But this works both ways, I would imagine a lot of people live in Singapore precisely because things work that way there. Of course not everyone has that choice but I'd say most people that are reasonably well-off do. And Singapore seems to be full of those :)