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.
