‘More about seeing who can endure the most misery’: Redditor calls living in S’pore a ‘never-ending endurance contest’

Singapore resident wonders if life here is just about enduring misery and not about building happiness

Is life in Singapore truly about building happiness, or is it a test of who can “tahan” the most? That’s the question a Redditor recently posed on r/askSingapore, sparking a wave of discussion among locals who relate to the struggle.

Living in Singapore ‘is more about who can endure the most’

In a post on Wednesday (8 Oct), the Original Poster (OP) shared their thoughts on whether life in Singapore was actually about “building a happy life”, pointing out that it felt more like a “never-ending endurance contest”.

“Recently I’ve been wondering if living in Singapore is less about building a happy life, and more about seeing who can endure the most misery while calling it ‘succes’,” the OP wote.

The OP listed three issues affecting quality of life. Housing was singled out as one of the major source of stress.

While Housing Development Board (HDB) flats and condos appear to be shrinking in size, per-square-foot (psf) prices keep climbing, the OP wrote.

Rising home prices, they argued, don’t necessarily equate to better homes. They just force Singaporeans to “work longer, grind harder, and pay more” for a roof over their heads.

“It’s becoming a race to see who can stretch themselves the furthest to keep up,” the OP said.

Owning car adds to strain

Cars, too, were singled out as another source of strain. The Certificate of Entitlement (COE) was described as an “auction to see who can push their limits and outbid everyone else”.

Winning a COE, the Redditor opined, feels less like a victory and more like “volunteering to take on a bigger burden”.

According to the Reddit post, this pattern extends to the third major issue, which are retail and rentals, where spiking shop rents often result in higher prices for consumers.

“The cycle continues,” the OP wrote. “Landlords test how much pain tenants can bear, businesses test how much consumers can bear, and us consumers… we just pay and grumble.”

The post questioned whether Singapore’s society truly prioritises happiness, or whether it’s a constant test of who is willing to “sacrifice comfort, sanity, and freedom” to keep afloat.

“Are we really progressing,” the OP asked, “or are we just competing in who can tolerate the most unhappiness?”

Netizens share their take on living in Singapore

Responses from Reddit users varied. One netizen said “it’s all about choices” and shared how they plan to retire overseas eventually.

Another Redditor urged the OP to “be the change that they want to see” by going against the trends, and inspire others by resisting the pressures of the system.

Some agreed with the OP, noting they had left Singapore for a better work-life balance abroad.

Also read: S’pore falls in global happiness rankings but remains happiest country in Southeast Asia

Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.

Featured image adapted from Mojo_cp on Canva & rabbit75_cav on Canva for illustration purposes only.