‘Is it wrong to be normal?’: Man in S’pore wonders about over-competitiveness among locals

Singaporean university student questions if he is wrong for wanting to be ‘normal’ amongst hustling peers

Seeing peers hustle, advance or climb up the career ladder can easily lead to introspection and comparison, a common reality for many working Singaporeans.

A first-year university student, however, questions whether there’s a need to match his peers at all.

On Monday (13 July), he took to Reddit to ask: “Is it wrong to want to be normal in Singapore now?”

Peers fixated on standing out and building their own brands

The Original Poster (OP) said that peers and friends around his age are “very fixated” on the idea of standing out and building their own brand.

He mentioned that many of them are objective-driven and have set their sights on being “something special” in the future.

In contrast, he prefers a standard job with decent enough pay that allows him to focus on experiences that matter outside of work.

He points out that in the media, his preference in working a “regular job” is painted as “not being hungry enough or having no ambition”.

To the OP, he feels that it is a very fulfilling life without having to focus so much on a career, and wonders if other Singaporeans have the same opinions.

Netizens have mixed reactions to his opinion

The OP’s post stirred up mixed reactions amongst the comments.

Most netizens agree that Singapore is very hectic and fast-paced, especially in a more competitive job market.

Some relate to OP’s thinking, feeling that they have different goals and mindsets from their peers.

A few spoke honestly that people simply have different goals and ambitions. If being “normal” is what OP wants, he should follow that path.

But they also point out that he may or may not regret the decision in the future.

One netizen even shared a story of a friend who followed the hustle mindset, but unfortunately did not achieve their goals.

Also read: Expat from US asks how to ‘slow life down’ in S’pore, feels need to optimise every minute

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Featured image courtesy of Jedidiah-Jordan O. and Juliia Abramova on Pexels.