Happy Polling Day, Fellow Singaporeans - 01 September 2023

It’s Polling Day for Singapore’s Presidential Election 2023.

The hopefuls? Mr. Ng Kok Song, Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam, and Mr. Tan Kin Lian.

I’m not aiming to discuss the political implications of this event, merely to memorialise it.

As with all elections, Presidential or General, there have been a great many incidents leading up to it, some heartwarming, others rather disturbing.

As a fairly regular Singaporean, I’m not particularly hoping for major changes to occur, no matter who wins the election.

At the end of the day, my belief remains that, if I want major changes in my life and for the lives of those around me, I have to effect those changes, not wait for somebody else to do it.

That said, I have voted for my preferred candidate - whom I believe will bring dignity and gravitas to the office.

Happy Polling Day, my fellow Singaporeans!

One Singaporean's Thoughts on the USA Presidential Elections 2020

As a Singaporean who has never set foot on American soil, it’s essentially impossible for me to truly understand the deepest issues that affect the country and its people.

That said, it is certainly possible to have formed views and opinions, from talking to people, watching videos made by Americans as well as about Americans, and so on.

So, this is that: An opinion piece. It’s not a scientific dissertation or a research paper. Take it as such.

I like to look at the culture of a place and people, much more than individuals.

My view is that America is culturally extroverted. It wants to be known, to be seen, and it values visibility and outward expression.

You can see this in the movies that they make, the songs that they write, the celebrities that they put on pedestals.

You can also see it in the way that they conduct themselves on any platforms that make them visible - Internet forums, television / videos, social media, and so on.

You are also able to see this in the companies that they build, the practices that they uphold, and the language that they use.

Their heroes are robust, confident, and quick to move into action or speak.

And because they emphasise outward expression so heavily, they imprint (some would say impose) their culture on other countries. And they do it with now-predictable methods and fervour.

Singapore is one of these countries. Of the East and South-East Asian countries, we are, doubtlessly, the most Americanised. Many here would say ‘Westernised’, but I find this to be a far less accurate term.

We see the seeping in on Americanised values - a fair number of which are deeply opposed to our East and South-East Asian ones. I don’t see this as a good thing, but that’s a story for another time.

Because of its culture, it’s no wonder that they are easily swayed by charismatic talkers and strongly-opinionated rebels. These are the traits that they value!

And, of course, of the 2 candidates in the upcoming USA Presidential Elections 2020, one of them truly embodies this set of traits.

As much as many all over the world ridicule and poke fun at the incumbent president, there are many in and outside of America who are passionate supporters.

In case you’re wondering, I’m not one of them. I’m not a fan of his fast-talking, word-flipping ways, and I find his views on science very perplexing. That said, there is no doubt that he is a charismatic man, polarising though he may be.

I’ve said this on many occasions to people that I discuss politics with: Better the evil you know than the evil you don’t.

At the end of the day, the incumbent president is known to speak his mind, without caring about what others think.

Some say that this is dangerous - especially considering he is in such a position of authority.

But this is something that many Americans value. As do I. Political correctness is both a pain and a recipe for weakness of thought and emotion.

And here’s the thing: Because he constantly speaks his mind, we are privy to his thoughts, and that he isn’t going to bother to come up with elaborate lies and deep cover-ups. The people around him may do that, but he’s hardly the kind of person who goes covert. He LIKES attention and undercover operations don’t seem to be his thing.

You have to admit that there’s a certain honesty about that - a rare trait amongst politicians. And I appreciate that.

I have no dog in this fight, and I don’t care if you agree or not. My prediction is simple:

Donald Trump will remain President of the USA after 2020.

Picture from The Boston Globe - https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/04/07/metro/shortest-presidential-election-ever/

And our lives will go on as they always have.