the singaporean dream....or maybe not
- Thread starter totoseow
- Start date
Re: the singaporean dream....or maybe not
not too sure yet, MW now wants 2 units.............wanna see if they can transplant the M3 engine onto my Z4 and still honour the warranty.....
cheers
wt_know;725229 said:u r damn right ... F30 M3 ordered already from iPerf?
not too sure yet, MW now wants 2 units.............wanna see if they can transplant the M3 engine onto my Z4 and still honour the warranty.....
cheers
pengful
Well-Known Member
Re: the singaporean dream....or maybe not
What one does with his/ her life boils down to the decision and ability to continue down that path you have chosen. There is nothing wrong chasing the paper,try to achieve the 5 or 6 Cs, stay in a GCB in D9 or even own a Lambo one day. People do that all the time, in every freaking place on this planet. There will be a time for all of us to wake up one day and "go fishing". My time has not come yet.
I salute those people working in social services, or dedicating their lives to care for others, and with a modest salary. Sometimes, I even feel ashamed driving my little bimmer to the Salvation Army to drop off clothes that do not fit us anymore.
Everything boils down to "Decision"! You can decide to be happy or sad, you can decide to help yourself or help others and you can definitely decide if you want to continue with that rat race that pays or do things that make you happy. Which one are you?
To me, the Singapore Dream is nothing but Your Dream!
What one does with his/ her life boils down to the decision and ability to continue down that path you have chosen. There is nothing wrong chasing the paper,try to achieve the 5 or 6 Cs, stay in a GCB in D9 or even own a Lambo one day. People do that all the time, in every freaking place on this planet. There will be a time for all of us to wake up one day and "go fishing". My time has not come yet.
I salute those people working in social services, or dedicating their lives to care for others, and with a modest salary. Sometimes, I even feel ashamed driving my little bimmer to the Salvation Army to drop off clothes that do not fit us anymore.
Everything boils down to "Decision"! You can decide to be happy or sad, you can decide to help yourself or help others and you can definitely decide if you want to continue with that rat race that pays or do things that make you happy. Which one are you?
To me, the Singapore Dream is nothing but Your Dream!
Re: the singaporean dream....or maybe not
What LIFE would you be living if you are stripped off everything? No BMW, no cars, no expensive watches, no condo (just 3-room flat), no branded clothes..... just enuff to live. Would that be life?
Not defined as the Singapore life?
I was asked this question by a Malay friend (not trying to stereotype here) many years back. We play soccer together every week, and he brought the entire family of 6 to the field for picnic in his company van. He works as a despatch driver, earning $1600 per month, sole bread winner. Went to his house, a 4-room flat, some kids sleeping in the hall. He told me they live a tough life, but every day, every meal, they eat happily together. He said that, is contentment due to circumstances, but happiness is bred from this sense of contentment. Not many families eat together happily everyday.
I have all the respect for him and how his family lives. The respect goes to his philosophy of contentment, and how to conceive happiness from within.
To many, this may not be a Singapore Dream. But within his four walls, they live their dreams happily.
Or at least happier than many affluent Singaporeans.
What LIFE would you be living if you are stripped off everything? No BMW, no cars, no expensive watches, no condo (just 3-room flat), no branded clothes..... just enuff to live. Would that be life?
Not defined as the Singapore life?
I was asked this question by a Malay friend (not trying to stereotype here) many years back. We play soccer together every week, and he brought the entire family of 6 to the field for picnic in his company van. He works as a despatch driver, earning $1600 per month, sole bread winner. Went to his house, a 4-room flat, some kids sleeping in the hall. He told me they live a tough life, but every day, every meal, they eat happily together. He said that, is contentment due to circumstances, but happiness is bred from this sense of contentment. Not many families eat together happily everyday.
I have all the respect for him and how his family lives. The respect goes to his philosophy of contentment, and how to conceive happiness from within.
To many, this may not be a Singapore Dream. But within his four walls, they live their dreams happily.
Or at least happier than many affluent Singaporeans.
st8800
Well-Known Member
Re: the singaporean dream....or maybe not
Totoseow... U bluff... I took closer to half hour reading this article... :shock:
But... mind boggling... especially the views and mindsets of the teachers who taught us and are still teaching our children. It is true.... the Singaporean in us just take sufferings in silence. The Americans dare to dream and dare to voice their discontentments. It takes guts to do what they did... I take my hat of for them. They dare to chase their dreams and aspire to help others with their small income.
Where is part 2?
Thanks for sharing.
Totoseow... U bluff... I took closer to half hour reading this article... :shock:
But... mind boggling... especially the views and mindsets of the teachers who taught us and are still teaching our children. It is true.... the Singaporean in us just take sufferings in silence. The Americans dare to dream and dare to voice their discontentments. It takes guts to do what they did... I take my hat of for them. They dare to chase their dreams and aspire to help others with their small income.
Where is part 2?
Thanks for sharing.
Re: the singaporean dream....or maybe not
how about the North Korean?
cheers
st8800;725363 said:Totoseow... U bluff... I took closer to half hour reading this article... :shock:
But... mind boggling... especially the views and mindsets of the teachers who taught us and are still teaching our children. It is true.... the Singaporean in us just take sufferings in silence. The Americans dare to dream and dare to voice their discontentments. It takes guts to do what they did... I take my hat of for them. They dare to chase their dreams and aspire to help others with their small income.
Where is part 2?
Thanks for sharing.
how about the North Korean?
cheers
DrK
Well-Known Member
Re: the singaporean dream....or maybe not
Well-described. True happiness is attained in controlled circumstances. In your example, your friend could not have abandoned everything to pursue another life abroad due to lack of funds. In the article's case, the couple 'emptied their bank account' (which I can imagine is adequate but less than substantial) to start life all over in NYC. They had a choice to live the dream they wanted because they have the financial liberty to do so. Many other less-priviledged are force-fed with the Singapore Plan down their throats, like it or not, because they have no choice. They can still find their own ultimate Dreams from within - perhaps not the great Singapore Dream that was promised to them by the govt, but a self-induced, self-motivated and personalised Singapore Dream which was never sung to us by the system. The true Singapore Dream is yourself, i.e. self-contentment.
kenntona;725342 said:
Well-described. True happiness is attained in controlled circumstances. In your example, your friend could not have abandoned everything to pursue another life abroad due to lack of funds. In the article's case, the couple 'emptied their bank account' (which I can imagine is adequate but less than substantial) to start life all over in NYC. They had a choice to live the dream they wanted because they have the financial liberty to do so. Many other less-priviledged are force-fed with the Singapore Plan down their throats, like it or not, because they have no choice. They can still find their own ultimate Dreams from within - perhaps not the great Singapore Dream that was promised to them by the govt, but a self-induced, self-motivated and personalised Singapore Dream which was never sung to us by the system. The true Singapore Dream is yourself, i.e. self-contentment.
wobbles
Well-Known Member
Re: the singaporean dream....or maybe not
I have simple rules for contentment. I share a bit:
a. As long as I don't have to borrow money from you, I'm richer than you. Spend modestly
b. Even if I have a 6 room bungalow, I can only ever use 1 room at a time. Buy wisely.
c. Too much rich food gives you high cholesterol and gout. Eat simply.
d. Better to be missed as a good man of modest means, than to be spat on as a dead rich bastard - you can't take jack with you when you keel over. Live humbly.
e. A happy wife makes for a happy home. Marry carefully.
That's my Singapore dream - and I'm living it
I have simple rules for contentment. I share a bit:
a. As long as I don't have to borrow money from you, I'm richer than you. Spend modestly
b. Even if I have a 6 room bungalow, I can only ever use 1 room at a time. Buy wisely.
c. Too much rich food gives you high cholesterol and gout. Eat simply.
d. Better to be missed as a good man of modest means, than to be spat on as a dead rich bastard - you can't take jack with you when you keel over. Live humbly.
e. A happy wife makes for a happy home. Marry carefully.
That's my Singapore dream - and I'm living it
Re: the singaporean dream....or maybe not
When you are part of the majority in the country you live in, you will tend to live based on that country's plan. You'll be ambitious, you'll be too conscious of what's going around you. Then someday when you travel overseas and if you ever live abroad long enough, it will all change.
When you are part of the majority in the country you live in, you will tend to live based on that country's plan. You'll be ambitious, you'll be too conscious of what's going around you. Then someday when you travel overseas and if you ever live abroad long enough, it will all change.
wobbles
Well-Known Member
Re: the singaporean dream....or maybe not
I lived abroad for nearly a quarter of my life, and at the end of all that time, I still find my Singapore - for all is warts and blemishes and million dollar mini$tars and MRT breakdowns (but let's be honest, I've not taken the MRT for a decade now) - the best country, and the only one I can truly call home (cue to Kit Chan singing)
I lived abroad for nearly a quarter of my life, and at the end of all that time, I still find my Singapore - for all is warts and blemishes and million dollar mini$tars and MRT breakdowns (but let's be honest, I've not taken the MRT for a decade now) - the best country, and the only one I can truly call home (cue to Kit Chan singing)
Re: the singaporean dream....or maybe not
I read this sometime ago. Very interesting read. The authors later wrote, produced and directed a movie based on the essay. This iconic scene was from that movie.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMBJof3XuqI"]Singapore Dreaming (Speak Mandarin Campaign 2006)[/ame]
Movie was so-so, but so many of the situations and grouses are familiar & 'uniquely singaporean'.
That is the most important rule which I subscribe to 100%! Very thankful for my better half. I see too many guys who end up with wives who make their life miserable and am just grateful that my wife has seen me through thick & thin and 200% supportive of all that I do.
I read this sometime ago. Very interesting read. The authors later wrote, produced and directed a movie based on the essay. This iconic scene was from that movie.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMBJof3XuqI"]Singapore Dreaming (Speak Mandarin Campaign 2006)[/ame]
Movie was so-so, but so many of the situations and grouses are familiar & 'uniquely singaporean'.
wobbles;725386 said:
That is the most important rule which I subscribe to 100%! Very thankful for my better half. I see too many guys who end up with wives who make their life miserable and am just grateful that my wife has seen me through thick & thin and 200% supportive of all that I do.
Chocs
Well-Known Member
Re: the singaporean dream....or maybe not
....kenn.. 3 room good wad..I like tiny 3 room hdb... Less space 2 clean ...can see beautiful sunset from 3 room every day ley.. Priceless .. I Happi ....
...amen Wobbles... I soooo agree w his point e... Choose yr wife carefully ...
...sistas dun whack me...
....kenn.. 3 room good wad..I like tiny 3 room hdb... Less space 2 clean ...can see beautiful sunset from 3 room every day ley.. Priceless .. I Happi ..
.....amen Wobbles... I soooo agree w his point e... Choose yr wife carefully ...
...sistas dun whack me...
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Re: the singaporean dream....or maybe not
Yes, one just has to make sure that's what he really wants.
Don't do something because of
- parents demands
- what friends or relatives might think
- friends all doing it
- everyone around me says that's the ticket
Have to really find yourself before committing to something really serious. That whole finding yourself thing is the reason for the gap year yes? Then again, life is so broad and deep, and human life short, so with limited time everyone takes risks I guess. It's a shame that the time limit makes traps out of many paths.
Making money and having fun don't have to be mutually exclusive. Logically though, there are a much more limited number of opportunities that mix both. Also, there are varying definitions of what's enough, what's fun. I sincerely believe that many definitions of what's enough are driven by nothing but greed, with a ton of fear thrown in, especially around cities, and around Asia. It's boring and basic. Compare the response of the guy at 12:40, to everyone else in the video who gets asked the same question at 7:40 [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0oHlX8Kmxk"]Just Keep Going, You Got Nothing To Lose - YouTube[/ame]
In terms of finding oneself or helping a young person do it, I think the following helps:
- reading non stop (as soon as a kid can read I think he should do that as much as possible. Screw TV, xbox, PS3, cable, even the so called educational shows are slow and shallow vs books), especially about different philosophies, different cultures, viewpoints
- seriously interacting with others (work, or fun but focused projects)
- travelling with focus; not just for leisure, but to experience other cultures. To seriously work for at least a month in as many parts of the world as possible (africa, asia, the us, uk, europe, the middle east)
- At some point have work (with or for) or live-in stints with all levels of the socioeconomic spectrum. If the stints can be month long even better.
- Work with, live with, or at least engage in discussion with all sorts of people who hold views different and better still opposed to ones own; especially on that which forms the core of a person - moral and ethical beliefs, religious beliefs, etc. The internet is great for the plain discussion part of it.
There's limited time and resources, but if you have a young child of around 5 years old, then you have the next 15 or so years to help him/her with this.
pengful;725331 said:
Yes, one just has to make sure that's what he really wants.
Don't do something because of
- parents demands
- what friends or relatives might think
- friends all doing it
- everyone around me says that's the ticket
Have to really find yourself before committing to something really serious. That whole finding yourself thing is the reason for the gap year yes? Then again, life is so broad and deep, and human life short, so with limited time everyone takes risks I guess. It's a shame that the time limit makes traps out of many paths.
Making money and having fun don't have to be mutually exclusive. Logically though, there are a much more limited number of opportunities that mix both. Also, there are varying definitions of what's enough, what's fun. I sincerely believe that many definitions of what's enough are driven by nothing but greed, with a ton of fear thrown in, especially around cities, and around Asia. It's boring and basic. Compare the response of the guy at 12:40, to everyone else in the video who gets asked the same question at 7:40 [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0oHlX8Kmxk"]Just Keep Going, You Got Nothing To Lose - YouTube[/ame]
In terms of finding oneself or helping a young person do it, I think the following helps:
- reading non stop (as soon as a kid can read I think he should do that as much as possible. Screw TV, xbox, PS3, cable, even the so called educational shows are slow and shallow vs books), especially about different philosophies, different cultures, viewpoints
- seriously interacting with others (work, or fun but focused projects)
- travelling with focus; not just for leisure, but to experience other cultures. To seriously work for at least a month in as many parts of the world as possible (africa, asia, the us, uk, europe, the middle east)
- At some point have work (with or for) or live-in stints with all levels of the socioeconomic spectrum. If the stints can be month long even better.
- Work with, live with, or at least engage in discussion with all sorts of people who hold views different and better still opposed to ones own; especially on that which forms the core of a person - moral and ethical beliefs, religious beliefs, etc. The internet is great for the plain discussion part of it.
There's limited time and resources, but if you have a young child of around 5 years old, then you have the next 15 or so years to help him/her with this.
Last edited by a moderator:
