Month: July 2019

Life is ever-evolving from different perspectives. The controversial issue has often been debated of whether the life of Singapore’s youths is changed positively such that the evolutions are more beneficial than the past. In my view, the life of the young people in Singapore has certainly been better than those in the past in the aspects of the material standard of living, social life as well as healthcare. An assumption that these major improvement in life comes gratuitously is definitely a myopic perception. The betterment of such life, to a large extent, is contributed by the rapid development in science and technology as well as the capable leaders in Singapore. Nevertheless, detractors tend to disparage the advancement of Singapore’s youth life. They advocate that the non-material standard of living, social life and healthcare are in fact worsened. Yet, I believe that this is not the case as they fail to scrutiny these aspects of life closely.

Firstly, the young people of Singapore are living a better life in terms of better material standard of living. The rapid development of economic growth is the major contributory factor that enhances the young people life. As shown by the Singapore Statistics Board, Singapore’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has risen more than ten fold since after independence. Households, on average, are thus earning more than what they used to earn in the past. This is also applicable to the young working Singaporean. These working youngster have experienced a rise in wage that risen their purchasing power. As a result, they are able to afford more luxury and imported goods which they were deprived in the past. Therefore, the young Singaporean, especially the working ones, are living a better life than those in the past.

However, naysayer argues that Singapore’s youth standard of living is in fact worsened, especially in the non-material aspect. In order to earn a higher wage to satisfy their needs, these young working adult ought to work doubly hard and even longer hours. In other words, these people are having lesser leisure time. This has led to the rise in stress as well as insomnia level. But, what they fail to realize is that longer working hours is not necessarily leading to a more stressful life. This is due to the fact that the Singapore government has been making the effort in making Singapore a conducive ‘work and play’ environment by providing better entertainment hubs such as Sentosa and the upcoming Integrated Resort so that these young people can unwind themselves to relieve their stress. Therefore, the non-material standard of living aspect of life can be better as well.

Secondly, the social life of the young Singaporeans has been better in terms of a better education system. In today’s Singapore, the literacy rate hits a high 96%, with about 90% having secondary or higher education in the year 2020. Capable leaders implemented effective policies such as six-year compulsory primary education has greatly contributed to this success. Unlike a few decades ago, many youths are being deprived of having a proper education to improve their social life. Today, the government has been subsidising the poor so that they are able to afford the proper education that they deserved. Therefore, in view of this, Singapore’s youth has a better life than those living in the past.

However, some may posit that Singapore education system has been ineffective. This is due to the matter that it churns out students that are ill-equipped with indispensable skills to face the globalised economy. The ‘Force-feeding’ approach is taken such that it does not produce creative thinking and critical thinking individuals. Hence, Singapore’s youths social life is not better than that of the past. Nevertheless, I beg to differ with this view. The Ministry of Education (MOE) in Singapore has constantly reviewed and modified its teaching system to accommodate these criticisms against their teaching styles. For example, the introduction of inter-disciplinary subjects such as Project Work in Junior Colleges promotes critical and creative-thinking mindsets. This has repudiated what was claimed earlier. This is because in the past, youth in Singapore does not have access to these skills to improve on their social life.

Thirdly, the life of the young Singaporean are living now is better than those in the past due to the better healthcare services in Singapore. Of course, this betterment in healthcare services ought to be contributed by the development in medical science. Tones of researches are done to find cures for diseases such as tuberculosis which used to be fatal in the past. The existent of new drugs allow the youths to get immunized against these illnesses that used to kill many in the past. Therefore, they are now having a better lifespan and thus having a better life.

Yet, detractors claim that the development in medical science has led to many drug abusers which thus degrading the health of the young. Coupled with the advancement in information technology, information about drugs is readily available such that youths may have access to making or purchasing drugs illegally. Hence, this has deteriorated the health of the youth, especially the drug abusers. But, this view is largely irrelevant in Singapore’s context due to the strict laws that are strongly enforced by the government to ensure that no one is abusing drugs. Moreover, drug trafficking and abuser would result in a death penalty that deters potential drug traffickers or abusers. Hence, the impacts of development in medical science in Singapore have indeed been more beneficial than harmful. So, Singapore’s young people are now having a better life than in the past.

All in all, the young people of Singapore are unquestionably better than those in the past as contributed by strong economic growth and development in science and technology. The advancement in these aspects of life is further ensured by the ubiquitous strict laws imposed within the country. Furthermore, there are more aspects of life such as the security and environment that have improved over the years which are again bestowed by the pervasive development of technology. Overall, the young people of Singapore are living a better life than those in the past.