3 ms·
This perspective focusses on our cultural preferences, but there Singapore has very liberal immigration policies relative to other rich countries, providing ma
by jvm 14y ago
This perspective focusses on our cultural preferences, but there Singapore has very liberal immigration policies relative to other rich countries, providing many from more impoverished neighboring countries a route to advancement.
Also note that its human development index is higher than the UK's, so we're talking about a country that, on paper, is extremely good at providing for its residents: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Human_Development_Index http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Human_Deve...
From an American perspective of course, these things are not impressive: we don't need green cards since we are free to work anywhere in a giant, highly-advanced, not-particularly-repressive society. But from the perspective of someone living in, say, Indonesia, where living standards are very low, the possibility of immigrating Singapore could potentially be a godsend.
Obviously it's shady what happened to the guy in op's article, but it's not like there is some other magical country where nothing bad every happened to anyone.
- api 14y agoI didn't say it was the worst place on Earth. There are obviously a lot of candidates for that, and I can see how people from some surrounding regions would prefer it. But it's definitely not something to idolize unless you really love a micromanaging surveillance state with ridiculously unbalanced penalties for petty and victimless crimes. As this story suggests, it's also an authoritarian oligarchy in which you have no real rights and can be "disappeared." I honestly found it disturbing to see it idolized by smart people. Do they have no appreciation for cultural freedom? Or do they really believe that yuppie upscale boutique fascism is an ideal worth aspiring to? Seriously, watch a film called THX-1138. "Buy, and be happy..." Sometimes I think politicians watch dystopian films and think "wow! that's a great idea! I never thought of that." Learn to appreciate your local ghetto. Like the song says: you don't know what you've got 'till it's gone.
- jchan 14y agoAnd you're not some sort of "intellectual" idolizing ghettos? I have to go in and around one very often, and hearing "learn to appreciate your local ghetto" from some Random Internet Dude is almost farcical.
- malnourish 14y agoI lived in a few 'ghettos' for years, growing up. Yes, there is crime, yes, bad things can happen. But I fear the ghetto very little even now. I am a Caucasian, although that should not matter. If I was a women, I might fear the ghetto, but I might fear parking garages and late night walks, too. That says something about our society. Still, I fear living in a state like Singapore more than I fear a ghetto.
- bwang8 14y agoWell, you probably never(?) lived in a state like Singapore. You are basing your fears only on stories like this. Imagine the opposite way around, Singaporeans probably fear more about living in a ghetto than their own state.