In the fourth and final instalment of his lecture series on The Singapore Synthesis as IPS’ 9th S R Nathan Fellow for the Study of Singapore, Mr Ravi Menon spoke about five values-based attributes that could make Singapore an inspiring nation: a meritocracy of hope; a beacon for diversity; a city of giving; a heart for the environment; and what he calls “a thousand points of light”.
Mr Menon said that an inspiring nation was one undergirded by values and driven by purpose, appealing to the higher virtues and instincts in people to motivate socially altruistic behaviour.
A Meritocracy of Hope
While Singapore’s brand of meritocracy has worked reasonably well so far, there is a risk of it becoming increasingly narrow and rigid, according to Mr Menon.
Calling to broaden and redefine meritocracy so that it expands opportunity and offers hope, he listed three ways to attain a more enlightened meritocracy — broadening meritocracy to recognise more diverse sets of human talents and skills, making it more inclusive by blunting some of its sharp edges, and practicing compassion by recognising the role that society and fortune play in the success of individuals.
Broadening meritocracy must extend beyond schools to the workplace, he said. He pointed out that many businesses still assign greater emphasis on educational qualifications and interviews during recruitment, which tends to favour particular skill sets and attributes over others and may not be what the employer really wants.
Internships are an alternative form of evaluation, with Mr Menon noting that they give those who may have missed getting top grades the opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities and strengths on the job.
“I have been told quite often that a six-month internship on the job tells far more about a candidate’s suitability and likelihood to do well than analysing resumes and conducting interviews,” he said.
A Beacon for Diversity
Mr Menon observed that like many societies abroad, Singapore was witnessing greater diversity across multiple fronts — nationality, ethnicity, cultural values, political views, and belief systems — and cautioned that if not carefully managed, diversity could fracture societies.
“It comes down to values rather than policies: values like keeping an open mind; developing empathy; and being gracious,” he said.
Mr Menon appealed for Singaporeans to master the art of respectful disagreement and to develop the courage to change their minds when confronted with contrary evidence. He also urged them to make a special effort to look for evidence that challenges their own beliefs, especially in today’s world of social media which often functions as an echo chamber of their own views.
“It is hard to have a meaningful discussion if we are not open to the possibility of changing our views; if we are not open to that, then let us at least be open to learning from the other side,” Mr Menon said.
In his view, the reason behind many disagreements in society is because lived reality is not in accord with statistical facts, citing the example of job security and discriminatory hiring. Mr Menon said no one’s lived reality should be trivialised as a mere exception to statistical facts but also urged people not to reject facts or overgeneralise on the basis of a few cases.
A City of Giving
As one of the largest offshore wealth management centres in the world, Singapore can serve as a hub for philanthropic giving, Mr Menon opined, noting a growing interest in philanthropy and environmental sustainability among the rich in Asia.
Pointing out that Singapore has more than 400 single family offices, of which an estimated 70 per cent are engaged in philanthropy, Mr Menon said Singapore had the potential to be a philanthropy hub in Asia, developing philanthropic advisory capabilities and creating good jobs for Singaporeans.
Innovative methods can be applied to philanthropy too, he said, raising the example of donors moving away from direct giving to exploring the use of innovative structures to deliver the greatest impact in a sustainable manner, such as through donor-advised funds and third-party foundations. There are also venture philanthropists who play an active role in guiding the future of their beneficiaries, providing early-stage financing and mentoring their leaders, he added.
Recognising the growing level of social consciousness among the young and their interest in social development issues, Mr Menon believes that this group will set new norms for giving.
A Heart for the Environment
Climate change could be the “burning platform” to make Singaporeans an environmentally conscious people with a heart for nature, Mr Menon contended, noting how the issue was becoming a powerful rallying cry across the world.
Singaporeans are becoming more environmentally conscious, he observes, citing the IPS study on World Values Survey in 2020, which found that 61 per cent of Singaporeans surveyed felt that protecting the environment should be prioritised, even if it meant slower economic growth and some loss of jobs — a jump from the proportion who felt this way in previous studies in 2002 and 2012.
Mr Menon pushed for Singaporeans to start taking collective action as individuals instead of waiting for the government to organise, like taking public transport and reducing meat from one’s diet. He suggested that Singaporeans could cut out meat for one day a week, taking a leaf from the Meatless Mondays movement in the United States.
“Of course, we should take care not to gorge up on meat on Tuesdays to make up for the deficit!”, he quipped.
Other suggestions Mr Menon gave include conducting an energy audit of homes to identify ways to be more energy efficient, changing incandescent light bulbs to LED lights, halting purchases of bottled water, and reducing single-use plastic, along with making a conscious effort to reduce waste.
A Thousand Points of Light
Mr Menon quoted a term — “a thousand points of light” — popularised by the late United States President George Herbert Walker Bush, referring to the community organisations and civil society groups spread across the nation.
Singapore, too, must have a “thousand points of light”, he said, adding that it needs to be a democracy of deeds, not words.
Singaporeans depend too much on the government, Mr Menon noted, pointing out that good government is Singapore’s greatest strength as well as its greatest vulnerability.
To make up these “thousand points of light”, he pushed for a stronger ecosystem in Singapore with multiple sources of strength such as a self-organising active citizenry, an innovative and vibrant entrepreneurial base, an energetic civil society championing change for the betterment of the country, a vibrant academic community providing independent analyses, and a high-quality media grounded by facts and reason, among others.
The social compact in Singapore cannot just be between the government and the people, he explained, but should be among all segments of society itself, like businesses and community groups.
Question-and-Answer Session
During the question-and-answer session moderated by DBS Group Head of Institutional Banking Ms Tan Su Shan, Mr Menon doubled down on the role that a more active and engaged society can play in creating an inspiring nation. He reiterated that the government is just one player — albeit an important one as an arbiter — in society; and that the private sector, along with other advocacy groups, have to increasingly take the lead.
He cited the example of the Private Banking Industry Group, involving a dozen major banks in Singapore, which developed industry standards of their own accord to reduce the risk of money laundering, with the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) taking a backseat, having outlined broad principles and parameters.
As to whether the government is prepared for a less orderly society with the infusion of more diverse views and public discourse, Mr Menon reckons that it is equally important to ask if society itself is ready for such messiness because to a large extent the government had to reflect society’s views. He said many parts of the public valued predictability, stability and a structured state of affairs, which had gotten the country ahead.
On social media’s ability to undermine diversity, Mr Menon believes an important first step is to reduce the spread of online falsehoods; thinking aloud, he suggested an algorithm that would inject a permanent fact-checking feature on all social media postings. The algorithm could also potentially be programmed to offer an automated alternative point of view to expose readers to different perspectives.
Responding to a question if the broadening of Singapore’s meritocracy entails scrapping the high-stakes Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) and replacing it with another form of testing, Mr Menon said there are “no easy answers” to dealing with the issue of allocating scarce places in desired schools as well as the fixation on test scores in Singapore’s society. What would replace the PSLE and how to organise educational assessments are important questions to ponder, he pointed out.
Click here to watch the video of lecture IV.