The urgings of Singaporeans.

It is very interesting the way a people react, when an outsider holds a mirror up for them to peer into. I do this, daily, for Singapore. However, it is abundantly clear that many Singaporeans don't appreciate being shown their own reflection. They have a typical reaction to it. Each and every poster, from Singapore, who has commented on my tendency to comment on Singapore in a truthful manner tells me one thing: leave.

I find this very interesting. The universal response of Singaporeans to anyone who writes in the least bit critically, or honestly, or openly, is to ask them to leave Singapore. Not one of them has said anything along the lines of "We find your viewpoint eye-opening, however it might be difficult to admit, so please hang around and comment some more...". No. What they always say is: go away.

What I find most interesting about this tendency of theirs to urge the messenger to depart, is that they never actually look at the validity or content of the message itself. They never seem to consider whether, in fact, the point being made is true or not. All they seem to be able to see is that the comment is not a COMPLIMENT...and then they react negatively. In Singapore, there is freedom of speech, as long as you only say wonderful things about the way things are. The moment you actually speak the TRUTH...everyone gets unhappy about it. I find this most amusing. It is land that not only lives in denial, but rejects those who are not in denial along with them.

It is not just on the question of critical comment that Singaporeans have urged us to leave. Only a small fraction of my posts are critical of Singapore (though it is telling to note that the Singaporeans who complain of them, write as if all the posts are critical...even though some are even complimentary). I am also urged to leave whenever I write of educational matters or tell of the lack of solid support we have received for our son's educational needs. Again, the response (this time in very aggressive words) is for us to be asked to leave.

Now, none of this would really matter. Except for one thing. You see, what I find most odd is that not one commenter, whether it be on my blog writings, or my educational writings, or the situation with respect to the education of our children, has ever asked us to stay. Not one Singaporean has ever suggested that we should stay on and enjoy the hospitality of their nation. Not one has extended a verbal welcome online...all of them are urgings to go elsewhere.

This is, I think, the most revealing aspect of the situation. You see, to my mind, the most valuable person in a society or an organization, is the person who is telling you what you don't want to hear. For that person, and perhaps that person ALONE, is the only one who is telling you the truth of things as they are. The ones who always tell you what you want to hear, are lying to you. They are the "yes" men, who will never let you see things as they are. Yet, in Singapore, the truth tellers are asked to leave and the yes men are urged to stay. We have never been in the category of "yes men" and so have never been offered any real kind of welcome, on an ongoing basis.

Singapore is a country that doesn't know who to value. The ones they embrace tend not to be ones who can offer anything new or substantial to the country (just think of all the "top guys", here, who seem not to have a single idea of their own, as far as I can determine); whereas the ones they wish elsewhere are actually the ones who have something novel to offer. No doubt this is largely due to the fact that Singapore is a nation built on conformity: it is a case of the bland leading the bland. Anyone with any real spark of originality or character, or insight, in such a framework, is really, really unwelcome.

Some Singaporeans wish we would leave, because we challenge the way things are, in some ways. I tend to express my thoughts on the place - and we are trying to do something non-standard in the way of educating our children. These two characteristics do not endear us to those who like their city to be a place without change; a place in which no one challenges the way things are, in any way, at any time.

The funny thing is that what I am doing is very mild. I am doing nothing more than trying to meet the educational needs of my children - and speaking my mind on what I observe happening in Singapore. In most societies, these activities would be regarded as SO inoffensive that no-one would mind in the least. In fact, they would probably welcome the stimulus of the conversations that result. In Singapore, however, to comment freely is regarded as unacceptable; to wish to educate one's children in a non-standard way, is also not to be tolerated. The problem, therefore, is not with what I am doing or saying - but with the way Singaporeans are: they just do not have much tolerance for outside views or ways different to their own. There is only one way to do things: the Singaporean way. Anything else, is to be asked "to leave".

This is darkly amusing. You see, if a nation's people are so intolerant of outside perspectives or new ways of trying to do things, then that nation is on a path to extinction. Nowhere that is not open to outsiders, open to change, open to review and feedback, is going to develop in a healthy way, in the modern world. It is going to fail.

So, please, by all means ask all who give Singapore feedback, to leave. Please, by all means, ask all who challenge the educational system, to depart. In the end, it is Singapore that shall lose by its closed-mindedness.

P.S: I am writing this post in response to yet another commenter who has asked me to leave Singapore. He is doing so because I wrote negatively of Singapore's electricians and entertainment industry! A more rational response would be to regulate both industries to eliminate the problems revealed...but no, the Singaporean approach is get rid of the critic, not to address the problem! (You see it is quicker and easier to silence a critic, than to solve a problem. If no-one is left to speak about a problem, Singaporeans think it is equivalent to solving the problem, because no-one is speaking about it anymore. Great stuff.)

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and seven months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, five years exactly, and Tiarnan, twenty-eight months, please go to:http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html I also write of gifted education, IQ, intelligence, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, College, University, Chemistry, Science, genetics, left-handedness, precocity, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, wunderkind, wonderkind, genio, гений ребенок prodigy, genie, μεγαλοφυία θαύμα παιδιών, bambino, kind.

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H.L. Mencken: view of Singapore.

H.L Mencken, the American writer and "man of ideas" died in 1956, thus he never got a chance to comment on modern Singapore, however, I believe I have found a comment of his that fits the way Singapore is.

H.L Mencken (for Henry Louis Mencken) wrote:

"The men the American people admire most

extravagantly are the most daring liars;

the men they detest most violently are those

who try to tell them the truth."

If you substitute "Singaporean" for American, the quote holds true. It is easy to observe the truth of this. All you have to do is say something true of Singapore, or true, in fact, of anything at all. Then a group of Singaporean bloggers will attack you for it. They will take a prideful "Singapore is No.1" stance and denounce you, often in libellous, ad hominem fashion, for having spoken a truth. They will go to the trouble of posting all over the internet their hate. They will reason most falsely, using every trick in the deceivers art, to convince their readers that the truth is not true and that their lie is, instead. I have seen it happen now, many times. Most recent occurrences were in reaction to my postings on Singlish and MSG. It happens every single time I say something on any public issue at all, in fact, that makes reference to anything Singaporean or oriental at all, in any way. Apparently, one is forbidden to comment on any matters relating to anything that concerns this place or its people.

The funny thing about it is that those who attack the truths I have written, are very sure of their falsehoods. They disparage what I have written. They attack my character. They impugn my intelligence. They try to sound knowledgeable themselves. However, what is most interesting is that none of them actually bothers to find out what they could find out if they went looking: that I am right. I have written what I have written because I have learnt of it, deduced it or observed it at one time or another and found it to be true after thorough checking. Nothing is written without being solid in thought. What they write, on the other hand, is highly emotional, usually angry, and very wrong.

Their response is very interesting. It is clear that they immediately denounce, without checking the facts. They denounce with passion. What is even more interesting is that they only do this when I have written a truth which, if absorbed, listened to and understood would force them to change their view or understanding of something. Quite clearly, to change their view is something that they find threatening. They will fight to preserve their ignorance. They will fight to silence anyone who actually speaks a truth they don't want to be known. This, of course, is any truth of which they are unaware or which contravenes the world view they have.

H.L Mencken was right about America - and he would have been right about Singapore, too. Singapore is a nation where the last thing one is allowed to tell is the truth. To do so, is to court the most vitriolic of reactions from certain quarters.

Now, that I have written this truth, no doubt I will receive more vitriol from the same silencers of the truth that have been writing against my other postings, too.

I wonder when they will actually make a positive contribution to life, instead of seeking to make a negative one? They are haters of truth and lovers of conflict. I don't foresee much of a positive contribution from people with that outlook. No doubt, H.L Mencken would have had something pithy to say of them. No doubt, too, they would argue against the truth of his observations.

Given the predictable reaction to truthful postings in Singapore, on Singapore and matters Asian, I would say that this part of the world is very unlikely to ever see itself as it truly is. It is more likely that they will stifle any understanding that threatens to grow. I see it every time I write.

The funny part of it, of course, is that the ones who will suffer the long term consequences of this enforced ignorance and deluded self-image is Singapore itself.

It can't be said that I didn't try to let them know.

(It should be noted that only a very few people from Singapore are being hostile to my posts - a small group of three or four people who appear to know each other online. I don't know what their motives are. Most people are friendly, polite, helpful and interested. I enjoy corresponding with them.)

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and seven months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, five years exactly, and Tiarnan, twenty-eight months, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html I also write of gifted education, IQ, intelligence, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, College, University, Chemistry, Science, genetics, left-handedness, precocity, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, wunderkind, wonderkind, genio, гений ребенок prodigy, genie, μεγαλοφυία θαύμα παιδιών, bambino, kind.

We are the founders of Genghis Can, a copywriting, editing and proofreading agency, that handles all kinds of work, including technical and scientific material. If you need such services, or know someone who does, please go to: http://www.genghiscan.com/ Thanks.

This blog is copyright Valentine Cawley. Unauthorized duplication prohibited. Use Only with Permission. Thank you.)