Why students study more during school holidays
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bbbay\" post_id=\"2135451\" time=\"1719120418\" user_id=\"175278:
High income? Don’t want to work extra hard, the high income comes from ???
This is my view:
Current: a couple have been doing well academically, graduated from prestigious courses, society will expect them to live up to their potentials. They will be frown upon by parents or feel peer pressures if they settle for less.
In PM’s new society: the same couple, upon gradations, can start to plan out their life with early retirement in mind without feeling society pressure :
- they will purchase a resale, 4 room flat near East Coast.
- they do without a car
- they work till 40, saving up with their high income.
- they semi retire- working 2 days a week when they reach 40.
- on days they are not working, he could strum his guitar with his high school pals, compose music, performing in pubs, and she could train for iron women triathlon.
When social norm change, our live decisions at every stage will change too.
For those less well off, I think there are still some room to be better than now. Maybe semi retire not at 40 but 55; 4 days work week instead of 2. Down grade from 5 rm to 3 rm flat, to start “living their passion” at age 55, bcos “is a norm for people to do that in spore”
For a young couple to stay put in a resale 4rm flat with no car, they can retire in their 40s assuming they have no kids and in possession of substantial savings. BUT… Is this what the majority of Singaporean young couples (who graduated from prestigious schools) want in life? Let’s face it, Singaporeans want a relaxed life but do not want a drop in their standard of living.
Imagine all Singaporeans (even grads from prestigious courses) are ok with staying in resale 4rm flat and no car, they will be vacating the leadership roles in the local private and public sectors to either those born rich or FTs. And who will then stay in private housing and drive BMW/Mercs? Again those who are born rich and FTs.
What would be the social consequences of such a scenario? Likely a rise in inequality, lack of social mobility and rise in anti-foreigner sentiments. -
zac's mum\" post_id=\"2135450\" time=\"1719119393\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=2135450 time=1719119393 user_id=53606]
Tks.
The CNA article is here:
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/pm-lawrence-wong-success-definition-4428761?cid=internal_sharetool_iphone_23062024_cna[/quote]
Prefer the video version. Convey more. The conviction in his tone. He mentioned many young Singaporeans feedback to him they don’t want their self worth and success to be defined by narrow metrics of academic and material achievements. -
bbbay\" post_id=\"2135451\" time=\"1719120418\" user_id=\"175278:
My view (and I hope this is what the PM is saying) is that all these patterns, and whatever else people decide on, should be acceptable. There should be no judgement that one is \"better\" than the other as long as there are not laws broken, and they behave responsibly (care for their children, elderly, etc). Let's be willing to embrace variety - many will continue to work fairly continuously through their lives, but some of these may choose a career that isn't the highest-paying one they could find. Some may choose to take career breaks - to study, have kids, try other jobs, be a volunteer, etc. They may then have a second wind and go back to the same career, or try something else. Some may indeed work very hard for a limited no. of years, then relax all the rest of their lives on what they have saved. To each his own.
This is my view:
Current: a couple have been doing well academically, graduated from prestigious courses, society will expect them to live up to their potentials. They will be frown upon by parents or feel peer pressures if they settle for less.
In PM’s new society: the same couple, upon gradations, can start to plan out their life with early retirement in mind without feeling society pressure :
- they will purchase a resale, 4 room flat near East Coast.
- they do without a car
- they work till 40, saving up with their high income.
- they semi retire- working 2 days a week when they reach 40.
- on days they are not working, he could strum his guitar with his high school pals, compose music, performing in pubs, and she could train for iron women triathlon.
When social norm change, our live decisions at every stage will change too.
For those less well off, I think there are still some room to be better than now. Maybe semi retire not at 40 but 55; 4 days work week instead of 2. Down grade from 5 rm to 3 rm flat, to start “living their passion” at age 55, bcos “is a norm for people to do that in spore” -
bbbay\" post_id=\"2135470\" time=\"1719200037\" user_id=\"175278:
The video is lovely.
Tks.
Prefer the video version. Convey more. The conviction in his tone. He mentioned many young Singaporeans feedback to him they don’t want their self worth and success to be defined by narrow metrics of academic and material achievements.
I like his personal sharing. Though I am not sure whether if as a child today, he or his parents would have made the same choices. The system, environment, peer influence etc are different. Still, I am heartened he is cognizant of this as an issue whic his why he is even addressing it Let's see what changes he may bring on.
East Asian societies are generally very academically oriented, as evidenced by the level of hothousing, tuition and enrichment. -
Let’s also see value in the unpaid, or less well paid. Just because people choose not to earn money, (FIRE, early retirement, “not really working”) it doesn’t mean they aren’t contributing value to society. SAHM are a case in point, as well as other caregivers. I find that some people shoot themselves in the foot by saying “I’m retired” or “I’m not working” (meaning paid work) and leaving it at that, as if they are just lazing around. They themselves seem to think that caregiving, volunteering, etc. is not active labour just because they aren’t paid.
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doodbug\" post_id=\"2135473\" time=\"1719201632\" user_id=\"13281:
According to my DH, it is all about our own mindset.
East Asian societies are generally very academically oriented, as evidenced by the level of hothousing, tuition and enrichment.
He cited the example of our Malay neighbors, even though they are inside the same Singaporean system but generation after generation, they are never as stressed as the Chinese and are contented with whatever they have!! -
Oh yes sorry I forgot to add it’s more specific than East Asia - South Korea, China, Japan, Singapore and increasingly, Vietnam. There is a certain cultural aspect to it.
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For a very long time it was a mainstream Asian culture thingy women were not suppose to be educated. Fortunately we had few brave/wise individuals in late 19th century in China that started movement that discard this culture that no longer serve the time. Imagine all of them back then have the mindset that culture cannot be changed, what will happened to all of us now? 🥹
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slmkhoo\" post_id=\"2135472\" time=\"1719201052\" user_id=\"28674:
Yes. To me, In essence, it is giving us more options and lessen the societal pressure when choosing a different lifestyle from main stream. It’s up to individuals whether to take it.
My view (and I hope this is what the PM is saying) is that all these patterns, and whatever else people decide on, should be acceptable. There should be no judgement that one is \"better\" than the other as long as there are not laws broken, and they behave responsibly (care for their children, elderly, etc). Let's be willing to embrace variety - many will continue to work fairly continuously through their lives, but some of these may choose a career that isn't the highest-paying one they could find. Some may choose to take career breaks - to study, have kids, try other jobs, be a volunteer, etc. They may then have a second wind and go back to the same career, or try something else. Some may indeed work very hard for a limited no. of years, then relax all the rest of their lives on what they have saved. To each his own. -
doodbug\" post_id=\"2135473\" time=\"1719201632\" user_id=\"13281:
There is another video that goes into length on his backgrounds. I find his narration mesmerising. I read he was good in literature during his school days.
The video is lovely.
I like his personal sharing. Though I am not sure whether if as a child today, he or his parents would have made the same choices. The system, environment, peer influence etc are different. Still, I am heartened he is cognizant of this as an issue whic his why he is even addressing it Let's see what changes he may bring on.
East Asian societies are generally very academically oriented, as evidenced by the level of hothousing, tuition and enrichment.
https://youtu.be/LzUKGcVOeaQ?si=Qs3Hxgz1EQpaQiG4