Eighteen months of living in this country is more than enough to appreciate the pervasive clout of technology on practically every aspect of one's life. The database appears to be centralised: bank accounts, NRIC, EZLink, CPF, NLB library account. Name it, and you'd be lucky to have one aspect not electronically wired. It is convenience that I can only dream of back home.
But I feel that something has been lost. Maybe it is what Wilson and Soo mentioned: the personal touch and perhaps the sense of freedom, as well.
Life here is too fast-paced. The race seems on, all the time. I find it hard to live here...To exist, yes, but to live, it's quite a challenge.
Seven years ago, my family and I had a chance to stay in Jogyakarta, Indonesia. There I managed to live without a cellular phone and other techno-gadgets, but oh boy, how I loved the place. At some point we moved to Canberra where all the more I have come to appreciate the joy of simple, unhurried, uncomplicated life. Picnic by the lake, watching and feeding birds practically everywere, riding bicycle to work, friendly locals. It was a life laidback as one might wish it to be.
I am not saying that I don't like Singapore. Singapore has a lot to teach other nations aiming for progress and prosperity. The technological innovations contributed to the world by this country in areas of medicine, sciences, education and economics are immense. Technology at its best is exemplified well by Singapore.
But I am not a Singaporean.
Yes, living in other countries is certainly very different from here. Things seem to move extrememly fast here....but I guess one need to look at Singapore from a different angle. Singapore is certainly very different from other countries in size, racial makeup etc etc. To be NOT left behind in the world/global race, Singaporeans have to do something...hence, the DT race..... I think. But then again, like you, picnics by the lake (which I had when I was young hundreds of years ago! at the Botanic Gardens :)hehe) friendly neighbours ( giving of festive goodies during Christmas, CNY, Hari Raya and Deepavali....we actually could leave our front doors unlocked and the young ones played together...yes touch touch....;) ) are things that I miss and our young ones do not know any of this at all......sad....but we have to move on.....and not be left behinddddd :)
ReplyDeleteYes Australia rox!! :p The life there is something we should adopt in Singapore!!! :) That is one thing we can learn from them!!! :P
ReplyDeleteIn my 17 months staying here, I should have the same feeling as what you express here, however, I don't and I never tell my friends in China how different life in Singapore is, as I don't have the time and mood to feel my life here. And when I want to say something about it, it's already gone. But when you go back, you will strongly understand the differences. The first moment I landed in Shenzhen on 18 Dec.2009, I asked myself what I came back spending so much money?
ReplyDeleteEfficiency, convenience and information provided by technologies do make people's life easier if you can master them, and make people tired when you use too much and are driven by them.
We are not Singaporeans, yes, so we may feel tired sometimes to get used to the technological life style; while do we have choices? Good luck.
hi eula,
ReplyDeletealthough i haven't got a chance to stay anywhere else...i really appreciate what the govt has put in place for us here....the efficiency is nothing to complain of....but just to note your comment about the so-called common database we have...if u're not linked u won't be part of it...for example, if you change your residential address, only the govt bodies and statutory boards will be updated as they are 'connected' but for other organisations, you still need to update them on your own....i just learned this and I think it's quite frustrating to have to spend time to write and call all the banks, etc, just to inform them of the change in my mailing address!!!! this could have been a situation where technology could have just made it easier, no???
Having been to several countries, I seem to appreciate the intricacies of networking that makes up the ecology of life in S'pore.I suppose it is also the interconnectness of technology that makes things go awfully fast over here.Having said that, while I do enjoy the paced lifestyle abroad, I certainly feel that to a certain extent, the pervasive use of technology does impact the way we do things.Don't you think so?
ReplyDeleteHi all,
ReplyDeleteMy sincere apologies for a very late response. I deeply appreciate all your comments, insights and queries...
@Rachel- You have a point there. Life is continuously changing. That's why, some things should be changed due to the call of times.
@Xernieve- I really love Oz,especially Canberra where the atmosphere is generally relax.
@Daisy- You're right. Our choices are limited. And if we want growth, we have no reason but to conform.
@Ras- I never thought of that. You always have a bright idea to share.
@Su- I think, you're right. It is probably my being a DI that prevents me from fully appreciating how technology could empower us more.