Middle class blues

[Lala81]

Thats why i always think that the situation in singapore is, there are many rich people around who can aford the high life, and those who are middle class, they are not anywhere near rich, yet they want to live above their means, cars, condo, holidays etc. it is these group of people who causes the common complaint that life in sgp is stressful and very squeezed, simply because, they are living above their means ! no doubt there are a very small minority of poor people living from hand to mouth, there is a large group of middle class workers who are simply over-stretching. the bottom line is, sgp has moved ahead too fast than its means as we prospered.

 

Back in the 80s to early 90s, Middle class means can go for holidays around SEA. once every few years can go for long trip. Air tickets more expensive then due to lack of budget airlines.

Driving lao pok car also is considered quite "up" already.

No internet shopping

 

Yes, things are getting more and more expensive. Yes inflation is running away with housing prices especially (HDB) though the BTO release have slowed them somewhat.

 

We should still be thankful for what we have. We are a small raft floating in a big wild ocean...

[Lala81]

I think in general, many economies have the middle class squeeze. We aren't doing well but neither are we the worst.

 

Like the govt said, the lower income is the one that's really hurting...

[Vectrasonic]

Korea car and conti car no difference what. It's the cc that counts.

 

Have u driven conti car? U sure only the CC counts?

 

[Mustank]

Privileged background and connections of course helps.

Anyone who denies that is disillusioned.

 

Likewise, anyone who thinks that the world owes them becos they dont have privileged background and connections are equally disillusioned.

 

 

[Lala81]

Likewise, anyone who thinks that the world owes them becos they dont have privileged background and connections are equally disillusioned.

 

lol. well said.

[Viceroymenthol]

More than 10 years ago, I couldn't even dream of having my own home, my own family, and even having a car. In fact I never took a driving license because I knew I could never afford one this lifetime, so what for take it?

 

I am lucky, I met a wonderful woman, got married and she gave me the impetus to do better and better. Now I can say I have what is called the "stereotypical" Singaporean dream, have a family, above middle income, nice home, nice car, have some spare cash, as a whole I'm doing better than I could possibly dream of 15 - 20 years ago.

 

Talk about dreams and aspirations. The problem nowadays is, do people even dare to dream big anymore? How do people in middle class see their future 5 - 10 years from now?

 

Personally, I feel that in the next decade our middle class people will only find themselves slipping down the economic and social ladder. Unless something drastic is done, we are on a slippery downward slide.

 

If everybody dreamed big as you, became as successful as you 10 years down the road, who's gonna be the poor class and occupy the lower rungs of society/economy? We need the poor, godammit! Or else got nobody drive bus and taxi, teach preschool, cook nice and cheap food, etc etc.

 

One way of doing this is by importing poor third world workers from neighbouring countries to do these jobs, while all the locals get elevated to middle class lifestyles by having dreams and doing well, such as you had.

 

So you see, importing 3rd world FW actually benefits Singaporeans.

 

We all need a dog to kick in this society. So by importing 3rd world FWs, local Singaporeans will have someone lousier than them to kick, while luxuriating in their solidly middle-class status, lifestyle and aspirations. Such as yours.

[Solar]

but the issue many people have is not FW, but FT that take away jobs that Singaporeans can do, but with under-cutting salary.

[Viceroymenthol]

but the issue many people have is not FW, but FT that take away jobs that Singaporeans can do, but with under-cutting salary.

 

For example? Bankers? IT? But they have higher qualifications (authenticity of which is debatable) and asking for lower salaries...

[Ingenius]

Many people hate the FTs for taking away our jobs and lowering the wage levels, are not understanding the big picture. The cruel truth is, we need them. Look at other countries, which one is not taking in foreign workers ? More than a decade ago, when i worked in united states in a very large world wide organisation, many of the professional level workers were from all over the world, china, india, sgp, hong kong .. you name it. People only see the problem the influx of ft brought along, but they fail to realise that, we have no choice. back then our population was too small to sustain our economy and if not for the ft policy, wages wil be driven up high artificially (and not due to producitivity but labour crunch), and we will lose out in competitiveness to the rest of the world. result will be our economy will experience negative growth and companies shut down, people lose job. so for the bigger good, we had to go for the necessary evil, i.e. to take in FTs , so as to enjoy a bigger economic pie in the world. It is a painful measure but it ensured our progress for years.

[Solar]

bankers i don't know.. but yes, in IT... engineers especially, though we have started to see managers alike.

of course, we need to discount the locals that ask for unreasonably sky high salary..

[Ingenius]

I think in general, many economies have the middle class squeeze. We aren't doing well but neither are we the worst.

 

Like the govt said, the lower income is the one that's really hurting...

agree. i do know of two very low income family, they rent their house frmo gahment at a token fee (redhil), and the children didnt need to pay school fees. however, this two families dont have a father, and the mothers (whom i kow) every day play mahjong and go genting once a while, and totally heck care their children. their children all run amok until cid go arrest at the house, and another one chalked up few k of phone bills to malaysia (donno for what), and dropped out of school. my pointis, they need to be resposible for their lives instead of just rely on the gahment to provide foc since they are poor.

Edited July 3, 2013 by Ingenius

[Felipe]

transport ministar was doing that for a while (let's not go there whether he wayang or not ), but at at least he got down from his tower for a while..

If transport minister can get down from his astronomical salary, that will be the real deal

[Viceroymenthol]

Many people hate the FTs for taking away our jobs and lowering the wage levels, are not understanding the big picture. The cruel truth is, we need them. Look at other countries, which one is not taking in foreign workers ? More than a decade ago, when i worked in united states in a very large world wide organisation, many of the professional level workers were from all over the world, china, india, sgp, hong kong .. you name it. People only see the problem the influx of ft brought along, but they fail to realise that, we have no choice. back then our population was too small to sustain our economy and if not for the ft policy, wages wil be driven up high artificially (and not due to producitivity but labour crunch), and we will lose out in competitiveness to the rest of the world. result will be our economy will experience negative growth and companies shut down, people lose job. so for the bigger good, we had to go for the necessary evil, i.e. to take in FTs , so as to enjoy a bigger economic pie in the world. It is a painful measure but it ensured our progress for years.

 

Put simply: Singapore does not have any resource other than human resource. Cut that off and we are gone.

[Throttle2]

家家有本难念的经

 

My chinese lousy but i think we all understand the above....

We are all striving hard, for various reasons.

Some for our families, some to impress others, some for ourselves.

Just remember not to lose yourself in the process.

Integrity is one of the most under-rated virtues of this world.

 

[Jamesc]

The reason we need to import so much cheap labour is

that there is no financial incentive for companies to replace

cheap labour with investments in automation and innovation.

 

Take service and construction, they are still using the same old

labour intensive methods that were used 20 years ago.

Where is the improvements in productivity?

 

Companies need to discard the short term view but why

should they when the flood gates for cheap labour is wide open.

 

As for people that say - Singaporeans only want white collar jobs.

Thats very true and lets not be hypocrites, if they really think blue

collar jobs are so fantastic then let their children do it.

 

Or are the people that saying this also pushing their kids to do well

in school so that they also get white collar jobs? I am sure these are

also the people that say exams are not important.

 

Edited July 3, 2013 by Jamesc

[Solar]

agree. i do know of two very low income family, they rent their house frmo gahment at a token fee (redhil), and the children didnt need to pay school fees. however, this two families dont have a father, and the mothers (whom i kow) every day play mahjong and go genting once a while, and totally heck care their children. their children all run amok until cid go arrest at the house, and another one chalked up few k of phone bills to malaysia (donno for what), and dropped out of school. my pointis, they need to be resposible for their lives instead of just rely on the gahment to provide foc since they are poor.

 

if they indulge in self-pity and blame the whole world yet not pull themselves up and out of the pit they are in, there is a limit to anyone that can help; they'll be forever in this state.

 

similar situation in other countries, like the aborigines in australia, and even malaysia.

hands long long and expect aid yet getting drunk everyday.

[Solar]

If transport minister can get down from his astronomical salary, that will be the real deal

 

the boss give mah.. take loh..

[Jamesc]

The people that always tell us how rich they are and

 

always look down on others who are not so well off

 

tell us not to lose ourselves in the process.

 

These people need to follow their own very good advice.

 

Or are they really too lost to see? I hope not.

 

Edited July 3, 2013 by Jamesc