I chanced upon this blog, written by a more or less unemployed New Yorker and it's been pretty interesting. Rain Noe is racially Korean, but was born in NYC so he provides both an insider's and outsider's point of view of the city. He is a product of its culture and is aware of it, and that awareness is what makes his blog appealing to an outsider like myself. Besides, he is a struggling freelance author, self-deprecating and makes the funniest cultural references. What's not to like?
The one thing I'll appreciate about growing older is the growing number of cultural references I'll be able to understand and, hopefully, make. It's one of those things that only age can equip one with. But what's tragic, or perhaps just a little saddening, about being born and bred a Singaporean is the lack of culture around here. When I read his blog, I can immediately identify his experience as belonging to someone who lives in NYC. He can afford to make cultural references about the place he lives in without fear of them being overly obscure or insider. If I make cultural references about Singapore, say, about our kiasu-ness or political humji-ness, only locals will get it, or at most the regional South-East Asian countries. Even then, our political climate is drastically different from those of the other ASEAN countries, so any sardonic intention will be lost on everyone but Singaporeans.
This makes things difficult for a creative type wishing to strike out and make a name out of him or herself internationally, because not many will identify or recognise his frame of reference. The breakthrough creative types in Singapore produce movies about covertly homosexual gangsters and weird Indian magicians, which would probably be appealing for its exoticism than representativeness of Singaporean culture. Jack Neo's movies are probably the most Singaporean things ever made, but frankly it's rather embarassing and I'm not sure I would like to be typified as such, though I probably am.
The next best thing immediately distinctive about Singapore could be the shrewdness of businessmen, or politeness of the people, but that is more generically Asian then uniquely Singaporean. I suppose the Uniquely Singapore campaign is based on the premise that we are a unique amalgamation of otherwise quite separate entities - but sadly, they've yet to form a cohesive whole.
Like that, how to write The Great Singaporean Novel?
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Suffering from a bloody fever. Am getting body aches, to the extent that my uterus seems to ache too when I pee.
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7 comments:
sounds serious :/ do get well soon!
With the US' entertainment, politics or anything that can be put in its media really, having massive influence on many parts of the world, it's really no surprise that cultural references get picked up easily by many in touch with the media is it? Singapore needs a lot more recognition and understanding before references made about Singapore could be picked up by those outside of Asia.
Besides, you mentioned Singaporeans, or Asians in general, tend to be quite polite. Well, with that in mind, in addition to Singaporeans' repressed nature, in general, a huge restriction are always in place to keep cultural implications away from being anywhere close to insults to others, even if they were meant to be light-hearted. I understand such references could be made without making fun of people but a big part of it does wander in that area doesn't it?
Ah well, maybe this could be one of Singapore's unique features huh...lol
Eheh, sorry it dragged on a little more than I expected...was just thinking out loud. Get well soon!:)
aileen: No lah, it's not that serious, otherwise how I blog? Thanks! :)
eight: No worries, feel free to think aloud. Yea, I suppose that kind of repression is quite uniquely Singaporean, but it still isn't quite distinct from the typical Asian politeness. And yea, cultural distinctiveness typically involve some kind of offensiveness... But of course being rude is not all there is to it.
Oh, yeah that's right...ah well, at least we know Singlish will always be ours, lol...
And thanks for responding to my comment:)
Yep, I agree with you. We may have a good laugh at certain humours made by Singaporeans or local satirical sites, but I doubt people from further off regions would be able to understand our jokes and possibly think otherwise about them.
Maybe that's what makes us Singaporeans. (:
Glenn: Our jokes all very insider one... I think Singaporeans know what make us Singaporeans, but foreigners don't know.
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