MR HO Kwon Ping's commentary ("Keeping the Singapore Dream alive"; last Friday) did not just talk about the Singapore Dream, but a broad and profound vision for our nation for the next 50 years.
The Americans have their "American Dream", a term coined only in 1931 by American writer and historian James Truslow Adams.
Adams visualised it as "a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognised by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position".
He suggested that Americans should have two educations: "One should teach us how to make a living and the other how to live."
We should not emulate the American Dream wholesale. The United States is a superpower and has a lot of land and resources.
Let us deliberate on what suits our circumstances, our culture and our people.
A fuller life is not measured by material gain alone.
As an Asian society, we should incorporate good Asian values in our Singapore Dream, such as the importance we place on family and taking care of our parents and the elderly.
Also, we have our own unique way of dealing with racial and religious matters. Let us not compromise it in the name of the zealous pursuit of freedom of expression.
The aspirations of different social groups may vary, and personal ambitions may change in one's lifetime.
We must respect that individuals can be allowed to pursue their own dreams. But we should forge a collective Singapore Dream for the nation.
We should shape our new Singapore Dream with more breadth and depth, like Mr Ho did.
Equally important is that we commit to and live our individual and collective dreams to the fullest.
Ng Ya Ken
The Americans have their "American Dream", a term coined only in 1931 by American writer and historian James Truslow Adams.
Adams visualised it as "a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognised by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position".
He suggested that Americans should have two educations: "One should teach us how to make a living and the other how to live."
We should not emulate the American Dream wholesale. The United States is a superpower and has a lot of land and resources.
Let us deliberate on what suits our circumstances, our culture and our people.
A fuller life is not measured by material gain alone.
As an Asian society, we should incorporate good Asian values in our Singapore Dream, such as the importance we place on family and taking care of our parents and the elderly.
Also, we have our own unique way of dealing with racial and religious matters. Let us not compromise it in the name of the zealous pursuit of freedom of expression.
The aspirations of different social groups may vary, and personal ambitions may change in one's lifetime.
We must respect that individuals can be allowed to pursue their own dreams. But we should forge a collective Singapore Dream for the nation.
We should shape our new Singapore Dream with more breadth and depth, like Mr Ho did.
Equally important is that we commit to and live our individual and collective dreams to the fullest.
Ng Ya Ken
