Came across an interesting article, about Singapore scoring another 'first'.
S'pore most emotionless society in world: Survey
SINGAPORE - Singapore has ranked as the most emotionless society in the world by a Gallup survey, according to a Bloomberg News report.
The survey polled more than 140 countries to compare how people felt about their lives. Respondents were asked questions such as "Evaluate your life on a scale of zero to 10" and whether their life would be better or worse five years from now.
Singapore came in ahead of countries such as Georgia, Lithuania and Russia, for being the most emotionless society. The most emotional society was the Philippines, followed by El Salvador and Bahrain.
"If you measure Singapore by the traditional indicators, they look like one of the best-run countries in the world," Gallup partner Jon Clifton was quoted by Bloomberg as saying. "But if you look at everything that makes life worth living, they're not doing so well."
According to the report, not many Singaporeans answered "yes" to negative questions, and to questions measuring happiness, such as, had they smiled yesterday, had they learnt something interesting or felt respected or well-rested?
Only 36 per cent of Singaporeans responded affirmatively to either the positive or negative questions.
According to Gallup's research, only 2 per cent of the country's workers feel engaged by their jobs. The global average is 11 per cent.
"We are taught to keep going and not make too much of a fuss," research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies Leong Chan-Hoong told Bloomberg.
The survey polled more than 140 countries to compare how people felt about their lives. Respondents were asked questions such as "Evaluate your life on a scale of zero to 10" and whether their life would be better or worse five years from now.
Singapore came in ahead of countries such as Georgia, Lithuania and Russia, for being the most emotionless society. The most emotional society was the Philippines, followed by El Salvador and Bahrain.
"If you measure Singapore by the traditional indicators, they look like one of the best-run countries in the world," Gallup partner Jon Clifton was quoted by Bloomberg as saying. "But if you look at everything that makes life worth living, they're not doing so well."
According to the report, not many Singaporeans answered "yes" to negative questions, and to questions measuring happiness, such as, had they smiled yesterday, had they learnt something interesting or felt respected or well-rested?
Only 36 per cent of Singaporeans responded affirmatively to either the positive or negative questions.
According to Gallup's research, only 2 per cent of the country's workers feel engaged by their jobs. The global average is 11 per cent.
"We are taught to keep going and not make too much of a fuss," research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies Leong Chan-Hoong told Bloomberg.
An articles that speak volumes of the actual situation in Singapore.
Too many people too obssessed about the practical aspects of life.
They think about questions like: How to live life comfortably, How to maximise every dollar, How to retire early, How to have a great social life, How to look good etc.
It makes me wonder, is there more to this?
How about, "What are you living for?"
Most people think about how to live, but not what they are living for.
Perhaps, to silly peeople like me, knowing the purpose of life is far more important than fretting over the mundane aspects of life.
Still, pragmatism cannot be ignored.
Afterall, without being pragmatic, Singapore wouldn't have been able to score firsts in other areas.
Ending off with this song that's staying in my head recently.
The beauty of chinese words, that adds on the meaning and depth to a touching melody.
詩人漫步
主唱：蔡依林
作曲/詞：許哲佩
你是詩人 漫步在風花雪月的早晨
你不怕冷 外頭的氣溫正溫和
你微笑著 我的眼眶卻紅了
你是詩人 細數窗外雪飄落多繽紛
你很快樂 享受著孤獨的片刻
你多天真 以為一切是這樣的
幻想的都會成真 難過的都沒發生
夢想再大 你還是看不見我
愛的再深 你還是愛自己多
你不會懂 傷口真的會痛
你心裏的宇宙 我不在任何角落
世界再大 你還是原地不動
說的再多 你從來也沒聽懂
你的幽默 像玻璃劃破雙手
我在你的眼中 只是畫面拼湊
如果我受困在故事中 你是否會來拯救我
