Do Singapore’s neighbours really see it as the ‘nerd’ of Southeast Asia?
Last week, a curious netizen posed a question asking whether Singaporeans were the “nerds of Southeast Asia”.
They particularly observed that the Singaporeans they knew have a tendency to be rule-abiding, and follow strict schedules.
This is in contrast to their Malaysian and Thai friends, who are more flexible in those areas.
While many commenters in the Reddit thread pointed out that Singaporeans are a diverse bunch, that still leaves the question of where this stereotype could have come from.
High achieving, but stressful people
Individuals across Southeast Asia who spoke to MS News agreed on a few common Singaporean traits.
They noted that Singaporeans are high-achieving and smart. However, they always seem stressed.
Benz, a Thai woman in her 30s, told MS News that she saw Singaporeans as a highly-talented people, shaped by an extraordinarily competitive society.
Compared to its neighbours, Singapore has a significantly higher ratio of skilled workers, she said.
Another respondent from Thailand, Tang, agreed with this perspective. To the woman in her 20s, it all begins with the Singaporean education system.
Because of its competitiveness, she said that Singaporeans often have very high standards.
“Not everything needs to be perfect but they have high standards,” she said.
Tang added that many Thais saw Singapore as a place to send students who were high-achievers.
Both women agreed that the highly competitive environment they observed were far more stressful than what they were used to.
This environment has also created the uniquely Singaporean trait of being kiasu, associated with the fear of losing out.
John, a Malaysian man in his early 30s, said that his countrymen often view Singaporeans as such.
Safe, but strict
Another thing that every respondent noted was how safe Singapore is. However, this safety comes with a certain strictness.
Jane, a woman in her late 20s from the Philippines, remarked that earlier this year, one of the politicians in her country was attacked with a rocket launcher.
As a result, not many travelers visit her neck of the woods.
In contrast, Singapore’s most ‘scandalous’ political news in recent times was when Workers’ Party Secretary-General Pritam Singh was convicted for lying.
Singapore is so safe that pedestrian crossing waiting times being discussed in Parliament even made headlines.
But because of this safety, many may also see Singaporeans as uptight.
In particular, Jane noted that she felt nervous about visiting Singapore because of its strict laws.
Singapore even made international news in the 1990s over its chewing gum ban, a move that has even inspired a Wikipedia article.
Meanwhile, Sarah, an Indonesian in her 30s, said that she noticed Singaporeans often feel the need to make things fit their expectations.
Southeast Asians point out traits that makes Singapore stand out
While those were the more the common answers shared by the respondents, some also mentioned other traits that made Singaporeans stand out.
John sees Singaporeans as more westernised compared to other Southeast Asians.
He thinks that this may be due to how English is the primary language of instruction in their schools.
The language policy has also led to more harmony, at least relatively, within Singapore.
This may have contributed to why Benz noted that Singaporeans were quite accepting as a people, and not as judgmental.
Additionally, John also noted that Singapore, perhaps due to its westernisation, is often picked over its neighbours as a venue for international events such as concerts.
A lesser seen Singapore?
Traits such as being safe, strict, and smart, may paint Singaporeans in a ‘nerdy’ light.
But it may be far from the complete picture of what Singaporeans are like as a whole beyond surface impressions.
For some respondents, there is a desire to see the Lion City beyond the flashy Marina Bay Sands and Merlion.
“I think Singapore is beautiful and clean country,” said Tang to MS News.
However, she expressed that she wanted to see more of Singapore’s nature.
Tang notes that this is something that visitors often overlook, and lamented that she did not know much about it.
In that sense, perhaps Singaporeans are very much a reflection of their country.
Much of their best qualities certainly exist under the radar, if just you take more time to look beyond the clean-cut stereotypes.
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Featured image adapted from Jisun Han on Unsplash and by MS News.
