I�m an idealist.

Spare me the Darwinian theory of evolution. Yes, the �fittest� one who uses his brawn and brain the best continues to purport dominance in the world but it is as natural that in a battle of wit, only straight-to-the-point solutions surface. So the essence of life, the theory seems to imply, is to be pragmatic � so that you can win the battle. It has been the foundation of Singapore�s existence, and that the government wants to create a select populace as the victors of the battle. Its euphemism is �meritocracy,� and merit � an intangible concept � ironically categorized into simple to calculate numbers to form a benchmark.

We see this in our everyday life. In schools, most students take the short route. Tap on the calculator, go for the CCAs, and then tap on the calculator again to see how much you got. The motivation factor is no longer a willingness to contribute; rather it is a desire to achieve merit so that they can advance on to the next round. In the society, the same applies for work, which explains the presence of office politics because unlike schools, there are no rules in the playing ground and thus making provisions for corruption and partiality. Of course, this is prevalent in most developed countries, not only Singapore.

Yet we want to achieve a softer Singapore that flourishes in arts, sports, not only just in finance and science. To create that, you need people who have less of their economic deduction and more of following their hearts. What�s wrong with an ambition of being a performance artist? He may not be any stunning personality but at least he adds on to the progress of the still maturing arts scene in Singapore. There was another friend of mine who scoffed at the name and the poster design of a charity concert in my school aimed at raising money for the Courage Fund. Yet I think they deserve every bit of our compliments for being able to stand up and help those in need in these times of crisis.

[pg 1]