Making Life Out Of Nothing At All

If America is a young country, Singapore is a baby. Prior to 1965, Singapore had never been a country and prior to 1819 when the British first identified Singapore as their ideal location for a port city in the Straits region, Singapore didn't even have much of a population.

In fact, Malay historical records suggest that even Malays – the population indigenous to the region – didn't really have hold in Singapore until 1299 and that kingdom lasted only until the 14th century when regional wars – perhaps with the Mahajaphit Kingdom of what is today Indonesia or the Kingdom of Siam aka Thailand – forced the the little Kingdom's collapse. Somewhere in the 200 years that followed, someone tried coming back to setup a small trading post only to have the Portuguese who were then at the peak of their Asian imperial holdings, come along and burn the settlement to the ground – as they were apt to do.

Then Singapore sat uninhabited for another 300 or so years until the British came along and took what is now Malaysia from the Dutch – who had themselves wrested it from the Portuguese. The Straits Settlement Governor, Sir Stamford Raffles examined Singapore and essentially said, "make it so." And thus, Singapore as we know it began – in a way.

The British created an open port and in order to operate it, they needed a lot of labor. So free immigration from China was allowed at a time when China wasn't doing so well and many people were starving and fleeing wherever they could go. The British also needed workers they could trust and as in so many things, pulled people from British India – particularly from the southern area of Tamilnadu – to work as everything from laborers to government administrators. Unsurprisingly, Malays migrated their way down from what was then called Malaya. And a rag-tag port-city and trading post was born.

Skipping over the next 140 or so years of both grandeur and shameful poverty and disease – Singapore found itself at last-minute odds with the Malaysian Federation as Britain prepared to grant independence to the fledgling country in 1964. Only Malay leaders were pressing for greater rights for Malays than for Chinese and Indian citizens – in a movement called the Bumiputera (Sons of the Soil) First movement – which what exists today in Malaysia. Only the regional leaders in Chinese majority Singapore didn't like that deal and to everyone's surprise including their own, didn't take it. Singapore declared its independence in 1965 and then immediately went into an existential panic not knowing how it would survive given it lacked a sufficient water supply, could sustain itself agriculturally, couldn't provide for its own defense against hostile neighbors in Malaysia and Indonesia and who without British subsidy wouldn't have a robust enough economy to have all of its inhabitants make a living.

I could easily jump into the amazing heroism and brilliant systems thinking that came next – and I have before. If you want to follow that story, click here. But suffice it to say Singapore formed a country, a national identity and figured out how to pull a rabbit out of a hat.

What it couldn't create was any depth of history. Singapore lacks a depth of history and its citizens may come from very rich, even ancient cultures and traditions – but they have even less history together.

So what culture forms on a small, flat island with a large port, developed industry, no agriculture, one man-made beach and where most people live in large condo blocks that have only existed since 1965? A Singaporean nurse I knew and became friends with back in my nurse recruiting days used to say, "You want to see Singapore, you can see it all in a few hours! The train goes around it – just take the MRT!"

Singapore has created some very nice parks, a world-class zoo, impressive botanical gardens, a man-made beach resort, Gardens by The Bay and most recently Universal Studios Singapore (which seems to be what half the people in my hotel are here to see). Several decades ago, the government also cleaned the Singapore River which apparently was not only muddy, but foul smelling and putrid, turning it into a charming aspect of Singapore that is now lined with very nice restaurants, bars, hotels and boats giving tours to visitors. The years of human waste, loading and unloading of boats and washing laundry it the river were over.

But what has filled people's leisure needs as their incomes have gone – to borrow from Lee Kuan Yew – from Third World to First? Largely shopping. People make money, they have few places to go, it's hot and humid outside – air conditioned malls fit the bill perfectly. So Singapore has malls seemingly everywhere – and some of the nicest you'll ever encounter. 

Two days ago I told a taxi driver I was hoping for a sunny day in Singapore – it's only been gray since I arrived. He reminded me that this is the wet season and a sunny day is rare. If there isn't a downpour, you're doing well. The worst part of gray weather in Singapore is that it's not usually any cooler – it's just more humid. Walking around Singapore requires being comfortable with sweating and showering at the end of the day.

Clouds here move quickly – very quickly and you can see a dark heavy one headed at you. As it does, the sweltering increases until it breaks and rain comes pouring down. There is no drizzle. If the Mossad or CIA could ever harness Singaporean clouds, they could get anyone to talk because when clouds hang heavy over your head, you just beg for the release of rain and the burst of cooling refreshment that goes with it.

It should come as no surprise than innovative Singaporeans civic planners developed a system of air conditioned underground walkways networking much of the central Singaporean corridor – linking the MRT with many of the major malls, office buildings, hotels and attractions. Singaporeans in their work clothes can go from the cooled air conditioned MRT station through air conditioned tunnels right to their destinations. More recently similar "links" have been added to the popular Orchard Rd shopping area. But why have people walking through bland tunnels? Adding retail and food service to those walkways could really make them more enjoyable, convenient and good for the economy. So underground walkway links double as a form of shopping mall.

This understandably creates the criticism of Singapore as a shallow consumerist culture. Younger generations raised in malls and with consumption as a pastime must be hollow and lack values.

I've never fully bought that argument. Sure, there could stand to be less consumerism and it isn't the most depthful way to spend social and leisure time. However, the Singaporean family unit is very strong. Connections with neighbors and communities are as well. Religious affiliation remains higher than in most Western countries – with only 20 percent of people identifying as having no religion compared to America's 30 percent, France's 40 percent and Sweden's 34 percent. Community activity and civic/national service are important facets of how young people are raised.

Moreover, my experience with Singaporeans is not that of hedons or philistines. They show great care for each other, kindness to strangers, respect to elders, speak multiple languages and usually know more about other countries and cultures than the average American does. Singaporeans value education and ensure each child gets a much better one on average than in the United States.

They are also well traveled – which I believe is partly an answer to their limited leisure options at home. It's a quick drive to Malaysia, a ferry to certain Indonesian islands and quick budget flights to Thailand, Vietnam. Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, further parts of Malaysia, India and Australia. Singapore Airlines is one of the largest international carriers in the world now occupying three of four terminals of Changi International Airport. Singaporeans are usually welcome without visas in most countries, can easily get there – and frequently do.

Most importantly, we are not just the sum of our parts or the product of our circumstances. Meaning can be found anywhere by anyone. Meaning is made, assigned and accepted. It is not inevitable to either have or lack meaning. We bring to our lives and our world what we will and if anyone has experience bringing something into existence, it's the people of Singapore. What their country means to them – what their lives mean – and what their futures hold cannot be divined by armchair cynics.

That said, Singaporeans do suffer some of the same consumerist woes as Americans. As I was taking the elevator down from the 6th floor mall-based yoga studio I've been attending, I overheard three employees' conversation.

"They are already playing the Chinese New Year music! It seems like every year it gets earlier and earlier!"

"Yes, it is too long to hear it over and over. Now the sales are all cropping up. I feel like we don't even get done with Christmas and New Year before they start up with the next thing!"

That sounded familiar.

The conversation inspired me to carefully examine the next McDonald's I passed to see if the seasonal Chicken Prosperity Burger had been released yet. No, it hadn't. So at least there's some decorum left in the world.