Daily Lessons from Life 08 August 2010 - Singapore's SM Goh reinvents "Singapore Dream"

Singapore's SM Goh reinvents "Singapore Dream":

"'If I have to reinvent the 5Cs, my dream is to help create the conditions for a generation of Singaporeans to have a good Career, live in Comfort, surrounded by Children, and be Considerate and Charitable.'"

Well said Mr. Goh. To change the 5Cs from: 'credit card, condo, car, country club, and cash' to 'career, comfort, children, considerate and charitable'.

Also interesting to learn that one of his friend accepted the newly graduated daughter to pursue a career as a Hot Yoga Instructor and that he met a few young bankers who left their high paying jobs to become chefs. I am sure these are the minority vs. the many graduates who are still sweating it out to get the job that they desired or any job that they can land themselves into.

Lessons for me are:

1. having children are not on the priority list of many Gen Y folks. This will be a long and hard challenge to get them to change their minds as the root causes, it seems, were tackled. The root causes supposedly were: overly competitive environment and are stressful and they do not want to have children that could not care for properly. These were not tackled it seems. Hence, we are still way behind in getting Singaporeans to reproduce to replace themselves! Hence, the need for the influx of foreign talents and foreign workers!;

2. career means there are jobs around when one graduated - at whatever level. Also at a pay that is competitive and yet be able to catch up with the high cost of living, leaving aside the quality of living for now! That again does not seems to be echo of the Gen Y. The housing debate has gone on for many years and no consensus seems to have emerged despite the government insisting public housing are still affordable and available!;

3. comfort is relative. If the Gen Y is challenged to be the best that they can be and hence to enjoy the highest standard of living that they deserved, then comfort if NOT public housing but probably the multimillion dollar condo or beach side bungalow! Many will NOT get this dream fulfilled! Unless they work as Minister of the Cabinets or be a successful entrepreneurs or the CEO of government-linked companies which pay millions!;

4. finally on Considerate and Charitable. I personally would love to have them in the 1st and 2nd of the 'new 5Cs'. Be considerate to each other, regardless of race and religion can be done as it has been drummed into Singaporeans for decades. Be considerate to each other without regard to the origin - foreign vs. local - will be tougher as the locals do see their jobs and pays being threatened by the FTs and FWs! Be charitable will be tough when Singaporeans are tough to be rational. If you cannot feedback yourself and/or your family, it is hard to be charitable to others. Of course, there will be some who can afford it and will do so. A bit like the 40 billionaires in the USA who pledged to give at least 50% of their billions to charity. Yet, they said they are not making a pledge of poverty. They will have enough for themselves, their children and grand children to live comfortable!

A worthy 'new 5Cs'. A long journey and will take a lot of consistent actions to embed into Singaporeans' mind - old and new citizens!