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I was in Singapore this year and it's a fantastic place, but it is very artificial. Citizens have a hard time communicating with each other through the 4 very d

I was in Singapore this year and it's a fantastic place, but it is very artificial. Citizens have a hard time communicating with each other through the 4 very different official languages. People are also on edge about immigration and the peaceful multicultural facade hides a darker side of racism in Singapore.

clebio 12y ago
This is an interesting comment, thank you for the perspective. I think you mean 'facade' where you wrote 'fasard'? I don't want to assume, though -- it might be a word I don't recognize, or transliteration -- honestly asking.
- hackerboos 12y ago
  You're right. Written in haste and not proof read.
visakanv 12y ago
Could you give me examples of places where things are natural (as opposed to artificial), and where people have an easy time communicating? Just curious about the spectrum.
- hackerboos 12y ago
  I don't know of any other country that has ethnic quotas and such tight control over the housing market as the HDB does in Singapore. As for communication, most other countries have a single dominating language. In Singapore, Mandarin should be the dominate language, but the government has intervened to give each language an equal footing. It just doesn't work.
  - Gigablah 12y ago
    Well, that's why English is the common language here.
    - yen223 12y ago
      Singapore used to be a major British colony, that's why English is big over there.
  - shadowsun7 12y ago
    > It just doesn't work. It does, actually.
    - deleted 12y ago
      [deleted]
  - visakanv 12y ago
    > As for communication, most other countries have a single dominating language. In Singapore, Mandarin should be the dominate language, but the government has intervened to give each language an equal footing. It just doesn't work. Are you suggesting that the Indians and the Malays in Singapore should've had to learn Mandarin instead of English?
  - hackerboos 12y ago
    Nice guys. Downvoting my opinion.
    - visakanv 12y ago
      I'm not sure if you noticed my question so I'll ask it again: > As for communication, most other countries have a single dominating language. In Singapore, Mandarin should be the dominate language, but the government has intervened to give each language an equal footing. It just doesn't work. Are you suggesting that the Indians and the Malays in Singapore should've had to learn Mandarin instead of English?
      - hackerboos 12y ago
        I noticed your question. I chose not to answer it.
        visakanv 12y ago
        How then do you justify the idea that "Mandarin should be the dominant language"? Is it simply because Singapore has a Chinese majority in its population? Are you aware that the majority of Chinese in Singapore didn't actually speak Mandarin prior to the "Speak Mandarin" campaign? And even if Mandarin "should" be the dominant language, at what point should this have happened? While SG was still a crown colony? After the Japanese Occupation, when SG was a part of Malaysia? After being unceremoniously booted out of Malaysia, when racial tensions were harsh and volatile within Singapore itself? Genuinely curious to understand your perspective.
        shadowsun7 12y ago
        I don't think his perspective is shaped by much knowledge of the history of the country, or the history of the region. Of course, I might be assuming. But @hackerboos: just a friendly heads-up. We're not downvoting you because you 'gave an opinion'. We're downvoting you because you didn't justify your assertion.
  - deleted 12y ago
    [deleted]
nubela 12y ago
"Citizens have a hard time communicating with each other through the 4 very different official languages." - Then you obviously haven't heard Singlish.
krysjez 12y ago
You are spot on about the xenophobia and racism, and way off about communication and artificiality. -- A Singaporean.
lazylizard 12y ago
yes we're multi racist! but the influx of foreigners have provided common ground for native/original/ethnic(???) singaporeans to build our identity. 'us' is now singaporean chinese, malay, indian etc. even the malaysians are becoming part of 'us'... 'them' is now south asians from south asia, chinese from china, and other people from other parts of south east asia..

clebio 12y ago

This is an interesting comment, thank you for the perspective. I think you mean 'facade' where you wrote 'fasard'? I don't want to assume, though -- it might be a word I don't recognize, or transliteration -- honestly asking.

hackerboos 12y ago
You're right. Written in haste and not proof read.

visakanv 12y ago

Could you give me examples of places where things are natural (as opposed to artificial), and where people have an easy time communicating? Just curious about the spectrum.

hackerboos 12y ago
I don't know of any other country that has ethnic quotas and such tight control over the housing market as the HDB does in Singapore. As for communication, most other countries have a single dominating language. In Singapore, Mandarin should be the dominate language, but the government has intervened to give each language an equal footing. It just doesn't work.
- Gigablah 12y ago
  Well, that's why English is the common language here.
  - yen223 12y ago
    Singapore used to be a major British colony, that's why English is big over there.
- shadowsun7 12y ago
  > It just doesn't work. It does, actually.
  - deleted 12y ago
    [deleted]
- visakanv 12y ago
  > As for communication, most other countries have a single dominating language. In Singapore, Mandarin should be the dominate language, but the government has intervened to give each language an equal footing. It just doesn't work. Are you suggesting that the Indians and the Malays in Singapore should've had to learn Mandarin instead of English?
- hackerboos 12y ago
  Nice guys. Downvoting my opinion.
  - visakanv 12y ago
    I'm not sure if you noticed my question so I'll ask it again: > As for communication, most other countries have a single dominating language. In Singapore, Mandarin should be the dominate language, but the government has intervened to give each language an equal footing. It just doesn't work. Are you suggesting that the Indians and the Malays in Singapore should've had to learn Mandarin instead of English?
    - hackerboos 12y ago
      I noticed your question. I chose not to answer it.
      - visakanv 12y ago
        How then do you justify the idea that "Mandarin should be the dominant language"? Is it simply because Singapore has a Chinese majority in its population? Are you aware that the majority of Chinese in Singapore didn't actually speak Mandarin prior to the "Speak Mandarin" campaign? And even if Mandarin "should" be the dominant language, at what point should this have happened? While SG was still a crown colony? After the Japanese Occupation, when SG was a part of Malaysia? After being unceremoniously booted out of Malaysia, when racial tensions were harsh and volatile within Singapore itself? Genuinely curious to understand your perspective.
        shadowsun7 12y ago
        I don't think his perspective is shaped by much knowledge of the history of the country, or the history of the region. Of course, I might be assuming. But @hackerboos: just a friendly heads-up. We're not downvoting you because you 'gave an opinion'. We're downvoting you because you didn't justify your assertion.
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]

nubela 12y ago

"Citizens have a hard time communicating with each other through the 4 very different official languages." - Then you obviously haven't heard Singlish.

krysjez 12y ago

You are spot on about the xenophobia and racism, and way off about communication and artificiality. -- A Singaporean.

lazylizard 12y ago

yes we're multi racist! but the influx of foreigners have provided common ground for native/original/ethnic(???) singaporeans to build our identity. 'us' is now singaporean chinese, malay, indian etc. even the malaysians are becoming part of 'us'... 'them' is now south asians from south asia, chinese from china, and other people from other parts of south east asia..