SINGAPORE: A man, who recently realized just how hectic life in Singapore is, took to social media to ask, “Why aren’t more people into simple living?”
In his post on r/askSingapore, a Reddit forum, he expressed the view that it feels like everyone in the city-state is constantly chasing after bigger houses, planning their next holiday, upgrading to the latest gadgets, and comparing net worth with friends and colleagues.
“Singapore is so fast-paced, everyone is breathless rushing to their next destination,” he wrote.
He also pointed out that the “simple living movement” seems to be gaining popularity in other metropolitan cities, but not in Singapore.
“[The] movement seems to be more prevalent there. People deliberately choosing part-time hours, moving into smaller apartments, forgoing material pursuits, etc.”
Despite acknowledging that Singapore lacks affordable rural areas where people could retreat for a slower pace of life, he raised an intriguing question: is it truly impossible to live a materially minimalist life in the city-state? He suggested that it might be more about mindset and choice rather than geography.
To illustrate his point, he imagined what a simpler life could look like in Singapore: moving to a two-room flat on the outskirts, cooking most meals at home, skipping overseas trips, and enjoying free, simple hobbies like drawing or practising yoga.
“I find the idea of such a lifestyle attractive, but at the same time I’m also admittedly drawn to the idea of holidays and nice things,” he added.
“There are many of us doing this already.”
In the discussion thread, many disagreed with his view, pointing out that a significant number of Singaporeans already live simpler, more modest lifestyles, but it often goes unnoticed because they don’t showcase it on social media.
One Redditor shared, “A lot of my friends are actually this type of people. They enjoy cooking and baking, dancing and having fun. Cheap hobbies. Reading.
“They never flaunt and never appear on social media. Very nice people. They gave up high-flyer jobs and join lower paying income out of passion. Still can survive in Singapore.”
Another commented, “There are many of us doing this already. Personally, I work for 30 hours a week only. Some of my peers aren’t even buying a BTO and instead want to live with parents to remain debt free.
“When I talk to the younger generation, most of them also don’t want to work as much and are more focused on maintaining/improving on their work life balance.”
On the other hand, some Redditors shared that while they’d love to embrace a simpler, more relaxed lifestyle, it’s just not possible for them. For them, the idea of scaling back or prioritizing hobbies over work isn’t feasible when they have bills to pay, families to support, and financial commitments that demand their full attention.
One Redditor explained, “I think because the cost of a lot of the things around us even simple things like hawker food, groceries, transportation continues to skyrocket.
“It is hard to avoid seeing that. It is easier to feel poorer day by day by existing. And as you pointed out, we don’t have rural area or city that we can choose to move out to. Going to a corner of Singapore doesn’t let you escape it.”
Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)