The life and past-times of the typical Singaporean

In this fast-paced world, it seems we are increasingly defined by our jobs and our work. But I think how we spend our leisure time speaks volumes about who we are as individuals and also as a collective society.

And I think in that respect, we Singaporeans have a fair bit of improving to do.

I was chatting with a new acquaintance, let’s call him Pete, a few nights ago, and he was telling me how bored he was in Singapore.

Pete is a 24-year-old Dutch-Chinese who has been in Singapore for a few months and recently started working as a teacher here.

Having grown up in Europe and studied in New York, he understandably found life on our small island a bit of a culture shock.

“What do you guys do here?” he asked, with a look of genuine incredulity on his face.

“It’s such a tiny place and there are so many cars and people around. It’s as if you can’t really move. It’s great if you’re here for a holiday, but living here is a different thing.”

I suppose he’s right if you compare Singapore with major cities like London, New York or Shanghai. The geographical span of such places, coupled with the diversity of the landscape and cultures of people there typically results in a huge range of options when it comes to recreational activities.

But I’m not sure this is a good explanation for the limited scope of activities that many young Singaporeans seem to indulge in.

A straw poll of my circle of friends suggests that the bulk of them engage in a simple routine that goes: Work, booze, party, sleep. This is repeated over the course of the week, with work replaced by shopping and movies at one of the many malls on Orchard Road during weekends.

This is a gross generalisation, of course, but it seems to hold true, at least for most of the people I know.

I recently read in the papers that organisers of parties for young people in Singapore have been doing a roaring business, so at least that part of the routine seems to be borne out.

I didn’t even realise that was a viable profession.

And the plethora of new malls springing up in recent months and the hoards of shoppers during weekends would suggest that the penchant for shopping is alive and well amongst us.

I must confess, I personally enjoy those activities as well, but I’m not sure if I could do them all the time. After a while, it would definitely get tediously boring, and ultimately a tad empty and meaningless.

“I would go crazy if that’s all I had to do,” agreed Pete, who fills his time outside of work with his favourite past-time of playing football, and is considering making short trips to nearby countries to take in some different sights and sounds.

Now, I’m not saying everyone should spend all their time doing charity work, or meditating in the hopes of finding inner peace. But few would say that some time and energy devoted to a worthy cause or improving oneself is a bad thing.

And I disagree with Pete that there are absolutely no options for interesting recreation options in Singapore.

Besides the range of trendy new activities that fill the pages of pop culture magazines (think muay thai, yoga or wakeboarding), there are numerous other options, if you know where to look.

I have friends who are passionate about conservation and the environment, and get involved in activities to help protecting natural parts of the country that are in danger.

Others get involved in a variety ways to help encourage recycling and spreading the word about a more sustainable lifestyle.

Some prefer to help the less fortunate, working with Special Olympics teams or helping out with the poor and elderly.

At the same time, I know of those who like to spend some time looking inward for meaning, either by trying to broaden their horizons through reading, or testing themselves physically to see what they’re made of.

These activities enable them to interact with the world around them and to learn more about it, and themselves, in ways that don’t necessarily involve eating, drinking, or buying.

I personally derive pleasure from challenging myself physically and mentally, with a little bit of hedonistic fun thrown in for good measure from time to time.

And while I would stop short of saying that one individual’s choice is better than another’s, I think that we as a nation need to explore a wider range and depth of recreational pastimes if we are to grow as a people, and develop a culture that is attractive and interesting to ourselves as well as others. ¢ nickfang@mediacorp.com.sg

The writer is the business editor at Channel NewsAsia.