Oh Brave New World – Singapore?

“O wonder! How many goodly creatures are there here!  How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world!  That has such people in’t!”   – Miranda, The Tempest, Shakespear 

I write this post while on holiday in Singapore, visiting friends.  In the first few days I am struck by the difference in culture, and an immedieate feeling that this is Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World.  It certainly has more than enough shopping malls to satisfy the most dedicated consumer.  It also has a high control/obediance culture.  This means low crime and decent homes, a good standard of living for most, and a powerful economy.

However, one friend complains of lack of creativity at work from Singaporeans.  This fits well with things I have read, that mark the local culture as good at getting things done in an organised and efficient manner, but poor at the sort of indivdualistic innovation we see more of in the West.  Another friend here said “it all looks nice, but scratch beneath the surface and there’s no history”.  Everything we see is new, as if the past has been deliberately obliterated. 

So low crime, good standard of living.  Yet this country of cleanliness and order makes me think of Australia, another good time culture, but where the vicious past and maltreatment of the Aborigines was hidden and largely ignored.  Not that I know of any darkness hidden in Singapore.  Its just that my internal bias kicks in to link the two.  If I had to pick a reason, its that I value chaos and creativity and dissent more highly than order, material satisfaction and community.  My bias probably.

Yet I am left with the question: “Is it better to be Socrates dissatisfied?” (J.S.Mill)