Disappointment

So... I received my 2nd job rejection letter ever last night. The first was for a position as a reporter at the Straits Times and the 2nd for a position as a reporter too at Today. In all honesty, the second rejection sucked more cause the rejection came AFTER I was tasked to write an essay on a topic provided by the peeps in charge. At least for the rejection from ST, I could blame my shoddy grades and go on about how "if given a chance, I'd be able to prove them wrong etc. etc." I sadly can't do the same for the latter. If there's anything I've learnt over the past couple years in my life, it's how to handle to rejection and failure; shrug it off and move on. Anyway... I've decided to publish the little essay I wrote right here. That way, this little article of mind will get some readership before fading into oblivion in some cupboard or hard drive somewhere. :)

Globalization has made young Singaporeans more apathetic about their country. Do you agree? (800 word limit) 

I feel that the experience of globalization itself has helped the youth of Singapore become more engaged with the environment around them. With increased integration between countries and communities, it is of little surprise that the youth of Singapore are now more exposed to the world around them than before. Such exposure makes it very difficult to be ignorant about what goes around the world, let alone in Singapore.

With a gloomy global economic outlook and decreasing employment opportunities, it comes as no surprise to many that young Singaporeans feel lost about their place in society. However, the attitudes of young Singaporeans today reflect a level of dissatisfaction with the current status quo as opposed to a complete state of apathy in public affairs. I believe that the youth of Singapore are slowly but surely beginning to understand that they need to be the change that they want to see in the system.

In a survey conducted by researchers from NUS, it was found that whilst political activism was low amongst Singaporeans in general, the younger generation was more politically active than their elders. Furthermore, the survey also showed that young Singaporeans consumed more political content than the older generation and made better use of online and alternative media resources. As such, younger Singaporeans are inadvertently subjected to greater exposure to concepts and ideals from all around the world. The elections of 2011 saw Generation Y going to the polls for the first time. More significantly, analysts described the political discourse and widespread public discussion of opinions in the lead-up to that election as unprecedented. The high level of participation in political discourse, evident during the recent elections, is often the clearest indicator of decreasing apathy in the populace. Increased connectivity and greater discussion through the sharing of articles through popular social networking sites are evidence of how the globalization of the internet has changed the way Singaporean youth handle current affairs.

The globalization of education is enabling greater electronic literacy with resources from all over the world being made more accessible to students. Universities in Singapore are increasing the number of foreign exchange programmes, as well as hosting more forums and international events. In addition, more Singaporeans are also pursuing higher education overseas. The increased connectivity with youth around the world through such programmes leaves little excuse for ignorance.

Political involvement is not the only way youth can be involved in the national affairs. Alfian Sa'at, a renowned local writer, described how dissenting voices, such as “civil society activists and cultural workers should come together instead focus on becoming autonomous pace-setters for social change” instead of participating in politics. Today, more youth are participating in non-political events. The Pink Dot celebrations, the shark-fin ban movement and the call for increased welfare for domestic helpers are all examples of increased participation by young Singaporeans in non-political causes. These forms of social activism thus reflect a decrease in apathy amongst Singaporean youth.

However, there are a large number of youth who chose not to participate actively in the affairs of the country. If globalization isn't the cause of this disengagement, what then could be the cause of this? Over time, some Singaporeans have become more individualistic and give priority to issues they believe would improve their lifestyles. A university student, in an interview last year with Yahoo! Singapore, best summed this up, "I think we have been socialised to think more of the bread and butter issues. That's how Singapore has been for the past 40 years." Getting a job, raising a family and worrying about housing are just some of the many concerns that weigh more heavily on the minds of young Singaporeans. It is a surprise perhaps that there are Singaporeans who are so actively involved in the affairs of the country. 

I believe that globalization is indeed a major force shaping the youth of Singapore today. The age of apathy has passed and it will not be long before more young Singaporeans start making their opinions heard. Given the strong opinions of the younger generation echoing through the various media channels, "apathetic" would be the last word I would use to describe the youth of Singapore today. As we start to emerge from the shadows of the generation of baby boomers and take over the mantle of leadership of this country, I believe that it is pertinent for this generation to be able to think critically and make constructive contributions instead.