Singaporeans and Caucasians

[Guest]

I just stumbled pon this page.. However, i really want to comment that singapore is a pretty good place for any kind of people to live in. The reason is simply because although there are still a little racism, but you can see the govt and most people trying to do something about it. I am a singaporean currently studying in Canada.. I can say that I am dying from the culture here simply because everything you say or do is being taken so seriously. I got into trouble with a couple of local because they could not/ refuse to understand the way i was saying things and doing things.

My view is that at least in singapore, the people are more receptive and trust me, they will never laugh at you or talk behind your back unless you are doing something really funny. However, if you are talking about singaporean kids laughing at you or being disrespectful, i will not be suprised because after going over to canada, i realised that the singaporean kids have alot to learn about accepting other cultures and watnot. However, I still miss singapore desperately cause it is a warm place.. (meaning both the weather and people)

I guess we all just have to learn to accept different cultures and not comment so much.. Lol.. Something I learnt from class about diversity.. haha..

I've got some western friends, they are pretty nice people to hang out with, the Canadians, the Germans and I've learnt alot from them their cultures etc. they are just like us and I treat them like one of us, we talk, we laugh, stuff like that, you get what I mean ..

[oldnews]

Hi,
I've followed this thread with quite a fair bit of interest. I'm a singaporean who's been staying abroad for quite a while now and i think it's fair to say that such behaviour is present everywhere you go.
But hell, I'm staying in a white cosmopolitan city and I've even seen such attitudes to (sadly) Americans. There will always be ignorance wherever you go, the best defence is to take the higher path.
Sadly, I've gotten more than just stares and giggles now and then (esp since my gf is local and white) when I've been out drinking with her. At least you won't end up outside a bar having to kick some losers face into the pavement like I did.... for self defence.

[oldnews]

Hi,
I forgot to add that despite having some bad experiences with the locals here I don't make generalisations on white people.

To do so would only cheapen the positive experiences I've had, my close white friends and my relationship with my gf.

How is it possible to make simplisitic generalisations on a group of people and then proceed to make exceptions. I've met people who have told me upfront they don't like asians.... but I"m okay.

To exhibit xenophobia or racial disdaint, is a tribal (I'd even dare say primal) mentality that we should shed. It's so easy to see negatives.... but I think theres enough of that stuff in the world today

[White Boys]

typical... moaning about something so little. As the previous poster pointed out, Asians get it much worse in Europe/US. Just cos not everyone worships your white arse in Asia, you think it is a big thing. So bloody what? At least you don't get verbal/physical abuse just walking down the street. wherever you go.

Get your priorities sorted.

[texaslonghorn]

i have been reading this thread and is amused by some of the replies. I am a Singaporean living and studying in Texas,(land of the rednecks..heheh). The problem with most Singaporeans is that most do not have any opinion about anything and just blindly ape Western culture. The education system preaches bilingualism but all it has succeeded is producing a generation of people that is neither effectively fluent in either their mother tongue or english. Granted, there are many singaporeans who are fluent in one or the other, i believe this lack of self confidence in their language ability, is a reason for their hostility toward foreigners. Overall, most Singaporeans are receptive to foreigners. But it has a direct correlation with their level of education(note: same thing in the US, racist comments typically come from the lower educated/class folks who are just plain ignorant) Foreign talent is a must for Singapore, no matter where there are from. And is the case for ANY country in today's world. I think it is Singaporean's fault because you find some who grovel at westerners, just because they are white.Thus enhancing the impression that the white man is superior. I am not suggesting that asians should preach superiority but show the same kind of respect as you would another singaporean. On the other hand, alot of westerners come to asia/singapore with the mentality that they ARE superior and refuse to get to know locals or associate with them. To these westerners, I do not think you deserve an ounce of respect, so take it like a man when u get slighted. But to the majority of westerners who are genuine and sincere, I apologize for such crude behavior that some singaporeans might have shown you.Take the effort to go out and know the locals, as foreigners in a foreign land, we always have to take the initiative. As for the issue of FT, it is fine as long as they are clearly talented, doesn;t matter if they are white, brown, black, yellow or whatever. But for those who can't earn their keep, then i suggest that singapore wld be better off without them. Indeed, each time i go back, i see singapore gaining a more cosmopolitan flavor and i believe that is a good thing. Having lived in Texas, I have learnt to appreciate Singapore much better. I love texas but nothing beats being back home.

[Popeye]

Hi! I'm French and I go to Singapore next month...
Some people on this forum spoke about "strange behaviors" of Singaporeans towards Caucasians and Foreigners sometimes (that's what I understood...).
I wanted to know how Frenchmen are regarded in Singapore?

[Oz to Sing]

French are regarded the same here as anywhere else -

bathe,
use deodorant,
use listerine,
be friendly,

and you will be fine.

Umm, how does one distinguish a frenchman from a brit, german, spaniard . . . (national stereotypes aside, of course)

4 years here and never had a problem, saw too many instances of anti-Asian behaviour in Australia before coming here and it is embarassing to see how welcome we are here compared to how Asians are treated in Oz

[Vincent Mothballs]

4 years here and never had a problem, saw too many instances of anti-Asian behaviour in Australia before coming here and it is embarassing to see how welcome we are here compared to how Asians are treated in Oz

Exactly! Westerners moan about some of the minor inconveniences of living in Asia....
But, things are a whole lot worse for Asians in Western countries

[Today's reader]

Read this on Today's issue on tues.

http://www.todayonline.com/articles/43583print.asp

I would like to ask the French community in Singapore what do you think of this report. Better yet, do you know who this French guy is?

[greengoat]

--spent here altogether more than 10 years...its getting worse....looking forward to leave by next year
sure enough you gotta point here marc------

It is amazing so many of you are having problems this kind. I have been here for almost a year now and never experienced a problem this kind. Customer service is not as good as you'd find in the west but other than that Singaporeans are people you'd find everywhere else in the world. They are neither good nor bad they are like everbody else, they are humans.

[greengoat]

for those who complain about racism should look at their own home. suppose a Singaporean visits Kansas, what kind of reception do you think he will get? There are racism everywhere, including Singapore. However, compare to many other cities, Singapore is much more tolerant. You don't think there is racism in New York, L.A or any other metropolis?

One does not think there is racism at home because he or she is one of them. This does not mean people at home are not ethnocentric. We all need to grow up. This means being tolerant of even those who does not like us.

:laugh:

how many singaporean tourists experienced a racist behavoir during their visit to NYC? i would be very surprised if there is one. but waiters are rather unhappy with the Asian tourists in general cause they don't leave tip. but i don't think this can be counted as racism.

[Funny one!]

Hi Marc

I think yr friend might have done something funny that cause others laughing at him???!

I believe majority of Singaporean are not like those he met. It is how u respect others and have others respect you. I believe in a reverse way, there are caucasians who speak badly about Singaporean too like 'look how funny these Singaporean act etc' as they don't understand the culture in Singapore or they just cant accept it.

So if u really going to come to Singapore and live, then u have to know the culture and be able to adapt it and i doubt u will be the 'funny' one like yr friend?!

[Hi Marc]

"Hi Marc"? "Hi Marc"? I'm amazed. That's addressed to someone who posted 2 years ago.

[M.]

race is a racist term itself....... i think the word race should be abolished from the dictionaries.

Caucausians tend to be louder in saying and airing their views than asians..... even in Uni, caucasians always answer lecturers aloud when asked a "MASS qn" and Caucasians tend to ask "MASS qns" in lecture halls then do asians......why is that so eh? Well, i've been living with a caucasian family for about a year and i can see how it's so..... there's more personality devt in children than in asian cultures where parents would stop us from being too "adventurous" due to worries that the child might injure himself etc.... so it's these lil tiny upbringing that shapes the way cultures behave over time....

As for thoughts that singapore is racist against caucasians..... i think..... they probably are to a certain extent as there's a lack of social interaction with a certain race throughout their schooling life? Hence they grow up with stereotypes of caucasians as 4 letter word swearing peps who are sexually liberal and horny people who would not hesistate to sleep on their first dates ...... hahaha all thanks to HollywOod...

But i think that the best way for a caucasian to be totally fitted into Singapore or any asian society is to learn chinese.......it'll be so....cute! lol... well it works politically though..

[Guest]

Quote
"But i think that the best way for a caucasian to be totally fitted into Singapore or any asian society is to learn chinese.......it'll be so....cute! lol... well it works politically though.." END QUOTE

The above suggestion is the stupidest i have ever heard...so to fit into singaporean society, a caucasian has to learn chinese?? why? Does everyone in singapore speak chinese? your suggestion itself shows how racist you are in leaving out the malays, indians who you likely think are insignificant due to the fact that most cannot communicate in mandarin..Are you suffering from cultural superiority?

"Or any Asian society?" Last i checked most asians do not speak chinese,there are asians who speak hindi,tamil,punjabi,malay,bahasa indonesia, tagalog, japanese,korean,telugu,vietnamese,thai etc GET IT?