SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lawrence Wong recent suggestion that Singaporeans should broaden their definition of success hasn’t gone down well with everyone.
In a video last week, he said, “I want to see a Singapore where every Singaporean matters, where everyone is valued for who he or she is, one where we can all strive to be the best possible versions of ourselves. One where our success is defined by how we help each other to do well collectively.”
@lawrencewongst Here are my thoughts on what #success means for us as a people. Watch my full video on #YouTube (link in bio) & share your thoughts with me. #Singapore
While there were some netizens across the different social media platforms who expressed support for and even praised the Prime Minister for this message, the majority of Singaporeans on online forums appeared to take a negative attitude toward his expanded definition of success.
Bringing up concerns like jobs, inflation, living costs, wages and healthcare, many asked if the PM is saying that the traditional definition of success they have worked for all their lives is out of reach.
On Reddit, the most-upvoted comment says: “What he’s really saying is that 5Cs are now solidly out of your reach so pls find other ways to be happy and continue working for our GDP.”
For decades, what Singaporeans aspired for revolved around the 5Cs—cash, car, credit card, condominium, and country club membership— although all these are material things and can be perceived as being in opposition to what the Prime Minister was talking about.
One Reddit user wrote that what he now aims for is to earn enough for what they need daily plus some savings. Unlike previous workaholic generations, he feels that they don’t need to ruin his health for the sake of a pay raise.
He added that they want a life outside of work, but not the traditional path of having a wife and family. “Life is too short, just enjoy it,” he added.
The old definition of success has “been out of reach for a while,” another chimed in.
A commenter’s disillusionment was nearly palpable, writing, “You can’t drill us with the attitude of materialism above all for decades and generations, then suddenly when they realize it’s not a feasible mindset to maintain amongst the people, to try and hand wave all of the discontent away by saying ‘Well there’s more than one way to be successful!’”
Another appealed for the ruling party to walk the talk, advising them to “Downgrade your house, take MRT, eat at coffeeshops, send your kids to neighborhood schools, go to govt hospitals and wait the whole day for a bed and few months for a test just like us normies.” /TISG