that's what happens to a society that is so insular and elitist:
it is not inclusive, is not really 'meritocratic',
but is all about maintaining order and discipline.

such a society may be materially successful for a while, but could never be called a 'creative' or 'pluralist' society since it fears new ideas.

Not too many patents pending in such a culture.

excuse me, i cannot agree with your comments

singapore is NOT insular as a society

i think your comments on the ruling party may be ok but not on the country as a whole

they had a sound card that earns the country billions of dollars
we have (nearly) a break through in skin cancer research that is now withdrawn for dubious research standards

OK..the quote..seems to explain
why we have singapure*..SIGN@poor...*petrol parity pricing...

ie..via dictators pricing scams

<<..One of the major legacies of Lee Kuan Yew was the authoritarian style of leadership and the fear it invoked into the Singaporean psych.>>

<<For decades Singaporeans were expected to fall
in line with what leaders expected without question,>>

like huige taxes onnvehicles
over srertvicing of cars
like replacing tires brakes..and NCAR EVER*..older than 5 years old

muig signapure peons..dictatingour parity petrolpricing
]where their special blend..form the price of our base blend

DOING..<<as they were told that this was best for them.>>

<<The bounds of what couldn't be done were clearly set,
i.e., not to criticize leaders, not to discuss 'sensitive' issues, or not to give alternative opinions.>>

yep

<<<If these boundary crossings were noticed, harsh penalties would be applied to those that crossed them. The strong control of Lee Kuan Yew was the dominant driver of society, and the state itself also had the responsibility of being the 'agent of change'.>>

<<This to some degree squeezed out small private businesses as an alternative engine to growth of the Singapore economy. This persona of authority and control still exists today.>>

yep*
old school tie'r cliche's/cadre'

@one-under god

i just visited singapore recently
wished we have such a good system back home here in australia
i reckon there are 2 things here we have they do not have

a. resources
b. beautiful country such as the hills and the blue winter skies

everything else, they got it right

better education
better hospitals
better roads
better trains
safer parks
less dysfunctional political parties

over here, we are so poor we cannot even afford our own funeral expenses
see the endless insurance schemes offering funeral expense coverage!

we australians like to think the other part of the world are destitutes...like the impoverised ethiopians...the corrupt indonesians...the hungry shaharan africans

time we wake up and see our ragged clothes

ps... how often do you travel overseas? have you worked or lived in malaysia? singapore? thailand? china?

i worked with them at kangeroo 2
where 50 of em died..some that standout..were the 4 who ate palmnuts
or the 6 ina rover..that was overtaking a water tanker trailer

[when they saw oncomming traffic..
and thought to get between the truck and the water trailer]
just basic stupid stuff

why..because when they landed..they were lined up
and picked by some mind reading boss..you drive you drive..etc
and many had never driven before

[see only the elite rich..drive
the poor go into the forces..cleaning streets..in the dark underworld you somehow..missed seeing

peace padre..cadre is what we now got
a demonic autocracy..that reads minds..but not hearts