Singapore Finds Its Grace Underground And On TV

A man wearing a “Singapore Kindness Movement” t-shirt cut me in line at the Supermarket today and the t-shirt gave me hope that a year from now he won’t be doing that.  For those of you not familiar with Singapore, let me introduce you to a philosophy of life called Kiasu. It’s a way of life centered around a fear of losing.  A way that leads people to cut lines, push “close” inside elevators when others are trying to get in, pile plates high in buffets in case the food runs out, and engage in petty battles for the upper hand in nearly every human interaction. It’s a flawed and outdated philosophy, but one that exists well preserved in places like Singapore’s public transit system (hence the video above).  In a society designed around questions like “can I?/am Iallowed?/Will i get a fine?” rather than “should I?/is it the right thing to do?”, the grace that comes from pondering the latter often feels absent in Singapore. But the government is on the case. From the Singapore “Kindness Movement” to the less original but independent “Gracious Movement”, it seems like Singapore has its sights set on making Singapore the most gracious place on Earth.  When I first watched this video on the MRT, I laughed (mainly because it was a music video created for a soundless medium), but to be honest, I think it’s working.  Fewer pushy people on the way in and out of the train and more people offering up their seats.  Ye asks of Singaporean Hip Hop and Singaporean Hip Hop delivers.  For more on Singapore’s quest to be the most gracious place in Asia, click on the news story below.