'The grass is always greener': Singaporean says locals romanticise life abroad while overlooking Singapore
SINGAPORE: In an Instagram video that has received a lot of attention, a Singaporean man now living in Singapore claimed that Singaporeans pretty much embody a “grass is always greener” mindset, in that they romanticize every country except the one that, according to him, most deserves it.
Felix Lee (@felixleezd) posted in a June 16 video called this "the dumbest trade-off in the world,” in that Singaporeans trade “the best functioning city on earth” for a “Netflix version of London that doesn’t exist.”
While Mr Lee is not currently in Singapore, and some of his friends are now based in London, Melbourne, and New York, he wanted to give other Singaporeans the lowdown on how life is in these three cities that others seem to find so attractive.
He said that in London, the sky is gray and it rains three-quarters of the year, not to mention that a one-bedroom flat can cost $4000 a month to rent. As for Melbourne, trams are always late, and in New York, Mr Lee joked about the high cost of living, quipping that people spend $100 even before they leave their apartments.
In comparison, things are much better back home.
“In Singapore, you tap on the MRT, and the next train is in two minutes. You eat a Michelin-star meal for $6 at a hawker centre, you can walk home at 2 am, and it’s safer than most cities at noon. Healthcare works, the internet works, the government replies to your email,” he said.
He also went on to say “what nobody wants to say out loud,” arguing that Singaporeans romanticize other countries not because they’re better, but because things in Singapore work so well that locals get used to it and forget to be impressed.
“We’ve confused boring with functioning. We thought sterile means soulless. But every country I’ve been to would queue to be in Singapore,” he said, adding that there is much in the city-state to enjoy.
“My hard take is that a lot of us are romanticising the wrong country. In fact, it’s the one that we’re in that is, quite frankly, the best,” said Mr Lee.
Commenters on his post pushed back on his points, especially the last one.
“A cheap meal and a train ride solve practical needs. They don’t feed the soul. It sure is well run, but it’s not for everyone,” wrote Jade Rasif.
“I lived in the United States for 25 years before returning to Singapore. While I appreciate many of Singapore's strengths—safety, efficiency, and infrastructure - I find it difficult to reduce the comparison to a simple conclusion that Singapore is ‘the best.’… The question is not which city is best, but best for whom, and according to what values?” commented an IG user.
A Singaporean living in Australia wrote, “I understand the points you're making about costs and efficiency. But despite all these trade-offs, there are benefits in work-life balance, job opportunities, and work culture. This is why Singaporeans don't return.”
One simply wrote that they would “move somewhere with good weather, access to nature, and freedom of speech in a heartbeat.”
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When The Independent Singapore reached out to Mr Lee, mentioning some of the arguments from commenters, he provided us with some clarity.
“Singapore is one of the best countries in the world. Not one of the better ones. One of the best,” he said, adding, “Since I've had the opportunity to travel a bit for work and now live in San Francisco, I've seen how other systems run up close. And when you actually compare them apple-to-apple from a societal/system pov (healthcare, safety, schools, housing, transport, governance), Singapore is extraordinary. It really is! People who've only ever lived in one place don't know how rare that is.”
As for Singaporeans who have chosen to live elsewhere, he wrote, “No judgment. Everyone walks their own road. My belief is that going out is how we grow, and coming back is how we hand it to the next person.” /TISG
Senior Writer