Dichotomous Singapore: Flow or ebb!
Singapore in 2023 is a country of dichotomies. On one hand, there has been a landslide presidential victory, but cases of corruption have also emerged. Additionally, there has been an increase in foreign direct investment (FDI), but local business sentiment remains low. Furthermore, while the unemployment rate has been reducing, prices have risen.
These dichotomies are reflected in the people of Singapore as well. The city-state of Singapore has been a developed nation with world-class infrastructure, great governance, high per capita GDP for a few decades now. This could have made Singaporeans self-satisfied. With the world brought to its knees in the last three years due to the pandemic, Singaporeans possibly have taken a step back and forced themselves to develop an outside-in perspective. Is this perhaps the reason why the dichotomy exists?
Let’s dive in…
Singaporeans strongly believe in gender equality and reject the idea of reducing women to mere roles of mothers and wives. Three-quarters of the population supports the freedom of LGBTQIA+ individuals to live as they wish. They take great pride in their country, but more than 40% of Singaporeans prefer products from abroad.
Technological advancements and the increasing digitalization of society have raised concerns among Singaporeans regarding the use of their personal information. Nonetheless, they cannot imagine life without the internet. Singaporeans are excited about products and services that use AI, but are also nervous about their jobs being replaced by AI.
Singaporeans acknowledge the benefits of globalization for their country, but they also feel that the world is changing too rapidly for their liking. Eight in ten Singaporeans desire the experience of living outside their homeland, but they also recognize the importance of spending time alone.
There are clear contradictions in the opinions and perceptions of Singaporeans. But then, as American author, Joan D. Vinge said, “the contradictions are what make human behaviour so maddening and yet so fascinating, all at the same time.”
Katharine Zhou
CCountry Manager, Ipsos in Singapore