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So tomorrow is the 53rd anniversary of Singapore's independence from Malaysia, and since most of my followers are American, it feels like an appropriate time to maybe do an oral history thread about my city? Let me (badly) sing you the story of my people https://t.co/bXiEqVgao4
Singapore is older than people think. It's an island-city along a major global shipping/trading route! (LOCATION!) It was part of the Srivijaya & Majapahit empires, claimed by the Siamese, Javanese, then Malacca and Johor. You can see "Cingapura" in this Portuguese map from 1619 https://t.co/XekcG6VI15
Relative to most countries in the world, Singapore is very small. You can walk from one end of the island to the other within a day. We make up 0.07% of the global population. Here's SG placed next to Japan, in Lake Michigan, in the UK, in Dallas, TX... WE ARE SMOL. 5.6m people https://t.co/vTpqpQZi0s
Singapore is usually known globally for a few things: - Instagrammable infinity pool at MBS - death penalty for drug trafficking - corporal punishment - chewing gum ban - fines for littering - Trump-Kim Summit *none* of these are things that I think/care about on a daily basis https://t.co/XlkHcoHT4e
Whenever I come home to Singapore after travelling, I think... - my airport is gorgeous - everything is so clean and safe and just works - I miss all the food; I need to eat *everything* - singlish is my language; abrasive and succinct - the infrastructure is almost 'overdone' https://t.co/9oQBn5yYIT
While I don't usually actively think "I like how multicultural my home is" – it's something I enjoy and appreciate. Singapore isn't perfect; we still have racial tensions and friction and so on. But overall, in a global context, I think we do alright https://t.co/QotoGz5FvR
If you only have 5 minutes to check out Singapore, I might have to recommend a walk down South Bridge Road. I’m not sure if there’s anything like if in the world - Indian food - a Muslim mosque - a Hindu temple - a Buddhist temple - Chinese shops - shophouses - corporate towers https://t.co/Fgchfvp6kx
When you Google "Singapore", you're going to mostly get pictures of all the money shots of the city skyline. And I do love the city; it hums with possibility and ambition. But when I think "home", I think of hanging out in the heartlands. (more in thread) https://t.co/13A3GmqdmA
I often see this narrative that SG was a swampy backwater before Lee Kuan Yew showed up & turned it into a bustling metropolis. I think this narrative is inaccurate and harmful. Again, SG has always been along a critical global shipping route! Here are pics from the 1920s https://t.co/wXK6UJennR
SG was occupied by the Japanese during WW2 (1942-1945) - ~100,000 allied troops killed or imprisoned - Between 50,000 to 100,000 Chinese young men were rounded up and killed - people were decapitated; heads were put on pikes in the city, food was scarce, terrible conditions https://t.co/VEucsXk69V
My friend @mengwong has a compelling argument that modern Singapore is still very much shaped and influenced by the aftermath and aftershock of war. In a way, Singaporeans grew up as immigrants/refugees in their own country (which was freshly invented!). https://t.co/fja8hYoUEQ
Common criticisms of Singapore include: - sterile (true-ish) - boring / "soulless" (ugh) - politically apathetic - nanny state, repressive - $$-obsessed There is truth in all of this... but it's not like we *want* to be this way. We're a work in progress. We want to be better https://t.co/GP9UQmqRgd
I'll end with one of my fav pics: a young couple by the waterfront, laughing, having the time of their lives. I have many criticisms & nitpicks, but I love this country and can't do it justice in 1 thread. If you visit, hit me up & I'll show you around https://t.co/DUUwTC75d5
Threading up some humour here, which can be quite revealing https://t.co/EFWZn4LYGK
Outsiders: Singapore has such great food, it’s so multicultural & stuff. Nanny state tho...? SG: hello police?? my neighbours better not have any fucking fish tanks in our common areas! We have rules for a reason!! LKY did not sacrifice so much to witness us descend into anarchy
And some criticisms, because nowhere is perfect https://t.co/D1KiPkXO6z
Someone asked why I think the 'swampy backwater' narrative is harmful. Here's why https://t.co/c5qZR4kzfT
@JohnCGreer It’s a narrative designed to give a heroic aura to the ruling party at the expense of Singaporeans’ understanding of their own history, antifragility, etc etc. Like someone telling their spouse “you were nothing until you married me” and them (and everyone else) believing it
LKY quotes https://t.co/qL8RGPiE88
Friends from abroad are always asking me about Lee Kuan Yew. I usually hesitate to answer, because it's complicated. But I always find myself thinking, "still, I should try." Anyway, here are 4 very different quotes from him that I think help to *hint* at what he was like https://t.co/G6Xb6VK3MW
“A stranger visiting Singapore can’t fail to be strict by the signs everywhere exhibited of the settlement being in a high state of prosperity and progressive improvement.” - Major J F A McNair, 1842 (29 years before LKY’s grandfather Lee Hoon Leong was born) https://t.co/BCMlljOpET
@visakanv bro,,, did u know,,, https://t.co/vo71RRRuaZ
