It seems like there is barely enough room for me to get enough air to breath.
Everywhere I go there are people jostling about.
Have to fight for my seat at the food court. Have to stand in a long line to pay for anything. Buses are crowded beyond measure MOST of the time. Have to raise my voice to talk all the time.
I know I seem like I'm a complaining wimp. I understand that it's just the natural progression of things as people flock to cities for jobs and opportunities. Especially in the case of Singapore, not only is it a city, it is also a country on its own; which means that people have no where else to go, not to mention the influx of immigrants.
It's just that on average, every man, woman and child should have 0.022 square kilometer of space. May not sound like much, but that's like a 150m by 150m space, PER PERSON. Of course I'm discounting mountains, deserts, etc where living conditions are, let's say, less than desirable.
But still the sense of packed sardines keeps lingering in the air. Have we really so little space?
Again, I understand that cities are just like that. It's just that it's hard to feel relaxed in such settings. Maybe that's why people pay so much for spa treatments. And also, my introvert-ness probably plays a major role in me feeling this way.
It's just that it's so hard to have a good look at life when there is so much noise around. It's so hard to quiet down and dig deeper when at every moment you have to watch out for an oncoming person. It's so hard to focus when you are constantly shifting your point of concentration.
What I am trying to comment on is not the "right-ness" of the state of things. I don't believe that we should ask the government to do this do that. I don't believe that by slowing down Singapore can survive in this cut-throat world. I don't believe that this is a situation unique to Singapore. I don't believe that people shouldn't go to cities in search of a better life (if it is REALLY a better life that they are getting in return).
It is this: What does the state of things tell us about our underlying state of mind/heart?
Are we really willing to give up so much for a perceived material well-being? Is the trade between a peaceful and clear state of mind and job opportunity a fair one? (some might comment that I am assuming that a peaceful setting leads necessarily to clarity of mind. I'm not. But a peaceful setting definitely PROMOTES clarity of thought and to a certain extent a less peaceful setting for a more vibrant society and opportunities IS WORTH IT.) Have we been so blinded by the rapidly changing world that we are oblivious of the constants in life? Are we leading lives of passion and exhuberance or are we merely surviving?
We are creatures capable of beautiful thoughts and emotions. We were meant to think about our purpose and not just say that everything is just the way it is so let's live with it.
While we can say that we shouldn't forget bread and butter. Passion and love goes a LONG way in allowing us to do what we do MUCH BETTER. We have enough people in the world to do all sorts of things. So why don't we do it happily with passion, love and excitement?
There are undoubtedly places in the world where such talk of passion is idealistic and nonsensical. How can you indulge in passion when there is famine? How can you do what you love when you live under an oppressive regime? My experiences in life make me ill-equipped to answer such questions. But perhaps let me hazard a guess at a possible answer.
Times might be tough for such people. But even then, if they live their lives with hope and passion, would it not be much better? If they maintain a passion for freedom and a love for their fellow man, would they not be capable of magnificent achievements? We have seen this in the recent Arab springs where people, keeping their hopes and desire for a better future alive, carved out a society with their sweat and blood for all their fellow countrymen. To these people, I send my utmost respect. In fact, it is often remarked that it is the people who live in the most dire situations who learn contentment, hope and passion.
As for city-folk like me, we have grown obese on our diet of everyday conveniences, basic amenities and continuous sensual stimuli...
