Are Singaporeans just uncultured?
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Originally posted by Arapahoe:
Ha ha just a note you won’t find Great master pcs in the Mall. Maybe auction houses Folks goes to the mall certainly not to appreciate the higher side of life.
i read thru the threads and seemed to me that this discussion has gone into 2 directions ....one is Singaporeans view and interaction with cultures and the other is Singaporean general behavior when travelling abroad....hope this observation is accurate.
A lot have been said I thought I add this:
I thought another aspect that shaped the way we viewed and interacted with cultures... I think a lot has to do either being in SEA or with our own ethnicity.... i've learned that characteristically Singaporean has not been very good at identifying details and sort out differences. Socially we like to generalize. Not sure if that is part of southern Chinese heritage or SEA. Even in our language we mixed up with Malay,English and dialect.
I personally don’t think sg are not exposed to arts or music or literature, it is probably true that there are less folks who have that “Passion”. My parent would have the passion on Teochew Opera as compared to Phantom of the Opera.
It will take a deeper connection with humanities to generates the passion. At this moment the current lifestyle in SG are still pursuing better tomorrow.
i thing it is very normal to shop and visit popular site when travel. At least we have to be honest with ourselved where our point of references are in life. That is a place to start to getting in touch with ourselved and explore new human sphere. (sorry if it sound like star trek)
Sorry to wander off topic but I wanted to say that if anything can entice me to watch Teochew Opera would be if it was Phantom of the Opera - Teochew style! that would be something yeah?
Anyway, with regard to the topic - methinks that a big part boils down to what conotates cultures isn't it? I don't think museums, art galleries, theatres etc are the defining aspect of a nation's culture. Personally, I think food is a culture as well. I mean, while our hawker centres may not be haute cuisine, they are quite a genuine aspect of Singaporean life.
I mean I do hope one day Singaporeans will pick up some passion for the arts - so we might actually have a self sustaining Esplanade for once! - but I can totally see why if this passion fails to gather steam. it's not Singaporeans are uncultured - it's just that we exhibit our culture in other ways. Everyday culture to me, is a culture too! Heaven forbid we try to foster "an appreciation for the arts" by forcing it through the school syllabus!ARGH.
You know what - if our culture is haute couture instead of la haute culture, I'm totally fine with it. :)
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Originally posted by Arapahoe:
Ha ha just a note you won’t find Great master pcs in the Mall. Maybe auction houses Folks goes to the mall certainly not to appreciate the higher side of life.
i read thru the threads and seemed to me that this discussion has gone into 2 directions ....one is Singaporeans view and interaction with cultures and the other is Singaporean general behavior when travelling abroad....hope this observation is accurate.
A lot have been said I thought I add this:
I thought another aspect that shaped the way we viewed and interacted with cultures... I think a lot has to do either being in SEA or with our own ethnicity.... i've learned that characteristically Singaporean has not been very good at identifying details and sort out differences. Socially we like to generalize. Not sure if that is part of southern Chinese heritage or SEA. Even in our language we mixed up with Malay,English and dialect.
I personally don’t think sg are not exposed to arts or music or literature, it is probably true that there are less folks who have that “Passion”. My parent would have the passion on Teochew Opera as compared to Phantom of the Opera.
It will take a deeper connection with humanities to generates the passion. At this moment the current lifestyle in SG are still pursuing better tomorrow.
i thing it is very normal to shop and visit popular site when travel. At least we have to be honest with ourselved where our point of references are in life. That is a place to start to getting in touch with ourselved and explore new human sphere. (sorry if it sound like star trek)
i think generalization is useful most of the time. If you generalize "all pretty girls are bimbo", and you treat them like bimbo, you will be right 90% of the time. makes life easier to handle.
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Originally posted by la luce nella piazza:
Sorry to wander off topic but I wanted to say that if anything can entice me to watch Teochew Opera would be if it was Phantom of the Opera - Teochew style! that would be something yeah?
Anyway, with regard to the topic - methinks that a big part boils down to what conotates cultures isn't it? I don't think museums, art galleries, theatres etc are the defining aspect of a nation's culture. Personally, I think food is a culture as well. I mean, while our hawker centres may not be haute cuisine, they are quite a genuine aspect of Singaporean life.
I mean I do hope one day Singaporeans will pick up some passion for the arts - so we might actually have a self sustaining Esplanade for once! - but I can totally see why if this passion fails to gather steam. it's not Singaporeans are uncultured - it's just that we exhibit our culture in other ways. Everyday culture to me, is a culture too! Heaven forbid we try to foster "an appreciation for the arts" by forcing it through the school syllabus!ARGH.
You know what - if our culture is haute couture instead of la haute culture, I'm totally fine with it. :)
ha ha i am not sure about haute couture outside Paragon. But i do know that Singaporean is mangiare tutti : )
Teochew opera is about 500 yrs old. i think the language, its culture is dying. So not sure you could revived it with Phantom.
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Originally posted by Gattlinggun2000:
if u want sightseeing and no shopping then go surf the internet .......however i think going overseas on holidays nowadays is a waste of time..
you can buy more cheaper stuff over the internet and do sightseeing live over the internet as compared to a real life timewasting overseas holiday.
I couldn't disagree more. The forum members who know me know that I've got a DSLR surgically attached to my hand, but these photos come nowhere close to actually being there:
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Coming back to the topic of Singaporeans being uncultured, it's not a valid question given the range of backgrounds in question - you're always going to get people who appreciate Cellini, Magritte and Frank Lloyd Wright, and those who don't, regardless of what country you look at.
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what is the hoo-ha????????????? Different people have different interests. I know of many Singaporeans who are just the opposite of what you whine in your thread.
I myself prefer sightseeing, watching cultural performance, visit museums and get to know as much as possible about the people and the countries when I travel though I am also interested to shop.
What is the issue???
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"I myself prefer sightseeing, watching cultural performance, visit museums and get to know as much as possible about the people and the countries when I travel though I am also interested to shop.
What is the issue???"
There's probably some confusion about the point I'm trying to make...sure, shopping's part of the cultural experience. Everyone pick's up knick knacks and stuff you can't find back home.That's what drives tourism dollars.
It's just that sometimes people make it THE only thing. Like I mentioned the friend who spent his whole time in Rome but at the outlet mall...
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Originally posted by Boomslang4829:
"I myself prefer sightseeing, watching cultural performance, visit museums and get to know as much as possible about the people and the countries when I travel though I am also interested to shop.
What is the issue???"
There's probably some confusion about the point I'm trying to make...sure, shopping's part of the cultural experience. Everyone pick's up knick knacks and stuff you can't find back home.That's what drives tourism dollars.
It's just that sometimes people make it THE only thing. Like I mentioned the friend who spent his whole time in Rome but at the outlet mall...
Do you then have an issue with people who make going to visit museums and attractions the only thing? I mean the argument easily swings that way you see. i know friends who go on insane whirlwind tours of the European cities and its - Place. Photo. Group Photo. Another Photo. Next Place. Photo. Group Photo. Next Place. Photo.....you get the idea. What do they remember of the cities, I ask them? Nothing. We have 5 gb of photos, want to have a look? Visiting museums do not mean cultural interaction.
For my part, I have a slacker (perhaps more SIngaporean way) of approach cities maybe - I sit in cafes a lot; I don't visit every attraction and I do a lot of aimless wander in bazaars and along the high streets. Time wasting? Maybe .Am I missing out on the culture? Perhaps. But I'm there to relax and soak in the place - if shopping is the way to do that - it's should nt be that big an issue.
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Originally posted by Gedanken:
Coming back to the topic of Singaporeans being uncultured, it's not a valid question given the range of backgrounds in question - you're always going to get people who appreciate Cellini, Magritte and Frank Lloyd Wright, and those who don't, regardless of what country you look at.
Those are some amazing photos, Gedanken (German?). Sehr wunderschön. And you are quite right - I can't fathom why Cellini's statues are so celebrated, but Magritte (assuming you are talking about Rene Magritte of course) is my favourite surrealist artist. :)
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Well, can can agree that if someone visits museums and other attractions instead of just hitting the outlet mall on a vacation overseas, that's surely more to take in of the culture, so the argument doesn't really swing both ways.
Hey, sitting around in cafes is a great way to take in the sights and people watch. I usually go colloquial on a destination to get the best feel for the culture, especially the food.
So, to keep this in perspective once again, my tirade's mainly aimed at the outlet mall lemmings.
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to boomslang:
stay in yer own village and drink at yer nearby coffeeshop instead.
shopping malls and mountain climbing are meant for dynamic and adventurous people.
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"to boomslang:
stay in yer own village and drink at yer nearby coffeeshop instead.
shopping malls and mountain climbing are meant for dynamic and adventurous people."
And I thought I wouldn't get constructive comments...
You must start drinking pretty early in the day if you're on Singapore time. Where do you see the commonality between shopping malls and mountain climbing?
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Originally posted by Boomslang4829:
Thanks, Boomslang! Yup, those shots were taken last July - there's more on Shoot On Sight (click here).
I did some post-processing, pretty much just exposure compensation, white balance and sharpening. The St Mark's photo was taken with a circular polariser, and that really brought out the colour of the sky.
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Originally posted by la luce nella piazza:
Those are some amazing photos, Gedanken (German?). Sehr wunderschön. And you are quite right - I can't fathom why Cellini's statues are so celebrated, but Magritte (assuming you are talking about Rene Magritte of course) is my favourite surrealist artist. :)
Danke schön! I'm not German and there's a long story behind the nick.
Cellini's good, but Rodin's always had more of an impact on me. As for Magritte, is there any Magritte?
Seeing the real thing in MOMA NY (as well as a stack of Lichtensteins, Miros, Klees and Hoppers) was simply breathtaking. -
Originally posted by Fatum:
I don't see how Oooing and Ahhhing over naked renaissance statues or having your picture taken in front of a leaning architectural mistake in pizza-land would imply a superior "cultural development" ....
and frankly, I believe the average joe six pack from middle america don't give a shit either ....
many people take picture infront of famous things
and go shopping after that
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Originally posted by Gedanken:
I couldn't disagree more. The forum members who know me know that I've got a DSLR surgically attached to my hand, but these photos come nowhere close to actually being there:
WOAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
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Originally posted by gigabyte14:
WOAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Man, I'm telling ya, these photos are nothing compared to actually being there.
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Originally posted by Gedanken:
Man, I'm telling ya, these photos are nothing compared to actually being there.
Fantastic images, Ged! By the way, when were you in NYC? -
Originally posted by Gedanken:
Man, I'm telling ya, these photos are nothing compared to actually being there.
yeah, nothing beats the real thing
no doubt
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Originally posted by Meia Gisborn:
Fantastic images, Ged! By the way, when were you in NYC?Thanks, MG - there's more NY shots here: http://www.sgforums.com/forums/3078/topics/340286
I was there at the beginning of August last year. If I attend a conference stateside next April, I'll be dropping by again - four days wasn't anywhere near enough time to cover everything.