Survival_of_the_Fittest

Survival in Singapore is beyond the phase of acquiring basic necessities but rather being able to achieve the best possible position in society, in this time of rapid development of the nation. It has brought upon the belief that only the best will win the race. Nevertheless, this belief is inevitable as being the cream of the crop is the key to survival here. However, it is unjustifiable shall everybody receive the benefits to be the best as disparity is still plaguing the society. Materialistic competition is evident in Singapore’s modern society where everybody desires to acquire the best assets to be deemed successful. This mindset is caused by the kind of competitive society Singaporeans live in where there is an obsession with being the best in all that they do. By possessing material gains, it is the most immediate and easiest way to indicate one’s status thus portraying their superiority. The ability to go on holidays to exotic destinations like the Caribbean or to own designer goods are such examples. Singaporean cultural ethos of materialistic obsession and aspirations to achieve these things are so as to impress others, both socially and economically. With such acquisitions, it portrays their social status as well as their affluence. Therefore, everybody strives to possess the best quality of an asset, leading to the obsession of being the best. The obsession about being the best is not only confined to materialistic attainment but also academic competition. Meritocracy whereby Singapore adopts to encourage people to work for reward fuels such competition. This obsession is becoming an inherent part of Singaporeans, mainly the school-going population. Thus, besides striving to achieve success for personal satisfaction, it is also to ensure that they gain scholarships and bursaries to aid their academic needs. Meeting minimum requirements for entry tests or national exams are no longer a challenge because the ability to clinch distinctions in all subjects ultimately distinguishes one from the average masses. However, it is important to note that almost every student aspires to be the best, thus rapidly increasing academic standards in Singapore, raising the benchmark higher and higher. As such, being the cream of the crop tells apart the best student from the rest, gaining recognition, thereby allowing him to survive the fierce competition in Singapore. However, as much a society harps on achieving paper qualifications, it is also vital to possess skills. The government still aids the workers by mitigating them with schemes to improve their working skills and encouraging competitiveness to ensure that they keep up with the steadfast development Singapore is encountering. An example would be the Workfare scheme whereby workers are rewarded for learning new skills that not only improves productivity and efficiency but also enhances their employability in the future. This proves how Singaporeans gets a chance to progress by gaining and opportunity to achieve the best for themselves even if they cannot succeed as being the best in the society. It is important to note, however, that it is unrealistic if every Singaporean is the best in all that they do. It will devaluate the meaning of ‘best’ as everybody is of the same level of success. Disparity will coexist with development in a country that causes unequal opportunities towards those who are at a disadvantage, mainly the low-income group. It is undisputable that they do receive some form of financial support from the government for educational purposes. Nonetheless, it is not comparable to the affluent students who get tutors with decades of teaching experience in top schools while those in welfare-associated tuition centers like Mendaki or Sinda, have fresh graduates as their tutors. In additional to that, the rich have the purchasing power to get past-year examination papers from top schools while those who are less affordable rely on school worksheets. Despite the bleak situation in Singapore, there is hope for Singapore’s competitive society as more start to realize the ongoing competition that seems endless. Awareness about the competitive nature of Singaporeans has brought upon the acceptance of being better and not best. Upon recognizing that being the best in everything is unreasonable, achieving above-average results seems to be a comforting notion. The masses are also more au fait about depression caused by stress as manifested by suicide cases due to pressure from trying to be competent. Having said that, they are more cautious about the repercussions thereby trying ways and means to curb stress by achieving the possible rather than the unreasonable. 743 words