SINGAPORE: A young Singaporean felt disillusioned when he realized that working hard, getting good grades, and doing internships didn’t automatically lead to success like he thought they would.
In his post on the r/askSingapore subreddit, he wrote, “Growing up, we were promised a formula for success: work hard, get into a good (secondary school), a good JC (junior college), a good university, a strong Uni GPA (university grade point average), do four internships—and things would fall into place. I followed that path as best I could, but now that I’m here, the world feels increasingly bleak and uncertain.”
“I worry about the future. Job security pretty much doesn’t exist. Pay never matches housing inflation. The cost of living is rising, the middle class is shrinking, and the working class are already struggling to get by. (Older Singaporeans want to work?!).”
On top of financial worries, he admitted to feeling somewhat helpless, writing, “I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to retire comfortably. I don’t know how to meaningfully help with the climate crisis. There’s a sense of helplessness I can’t shake.”
He also shared that the thought of bringing a child into this world now feels more like a selfish decision than a dream.
“I’ve always wanted a family, but it now feels selfish to bring someone into a system that feels so fundamentally broken. How would I provide them the same opportunities my parents had? How would I explain to them the decisions made by the boomers that led us here?” he asked.
“We clearly have enough resources, enough knowledge, enough capacity to care for everyone—so why does it feel like only the wealthiest benefit, while the rest of us are stretched thin just trying to stay afloat? So yeah, in short, we’re cooked,” he added.
“There has never been job security. It’s always been a myth.”
In the comments section, one Singaporean Redditor said, “The traditional path sold to you by education and society does not work when non-traditional macro events are influencing the way we live. My advice is to start thinking unconventionally and come out of the box to do something different from the masses.”
Another commented, “Young Person… you are not the only one with disillusionment. Many Singaporeans are also in the same boat… and don’t see a future.”
Meanwhile, others gave him advice on how to navigate the real world. “Just live within your means, stay single, aim for a two-room BTO (build to order), clear your mortgage as soon as possible, and start planning for your retirement early,” one said.
“There has never been job security. It’s always been a myth. Yes, look for good companies, but never stop investing in yourself. Never trust the company to prioritize workers over profits,” another commented.
“The world has always been bleaked and uncertain…since forever… Instead of competing for a job like the 99.9% of people do, why not create jobs for people? Be the leader to rise up and make the world a better place,” a third suggested.
In other news, a man shared on social media that he desperately wants to quit his exhausting job for the sake of his mental health but is worried about the financial burden it might bring.
In a post on the r/askSingapore Reddit forum, he shared that he’s been feeling pretty “unhappy,” not just with his job but with life in general, ever since the pandemic struck. He described feeling drained on multiple levels, with work being the biggest source of stress, followed by his relationship and personal life.
Read more: Man wants to quit his exhausting job but fears depleting his S$70k savings
Featured image by freepik (for illustration purposes only)
