Name: Justin Ross Clarke
Group: more-ads-here (DISM 1B02)
RE: CReasoningSkills - Singaporeans who quit the country and migrate overseas are disloyal

I largely agree with your arguments and the examples you gave for why emigration may be justified. I believe it is ultimately up to the person himself or herself to decide whether or not life in Singapore is for them - many good reasons exist for why one might choose to emigrate, and in no way does it necessarily mean they are being disloyal just by choosing to move.

Your comment about the high-stress environment is certainly valid. With the rapid pace of life and emphasis on results, progress and meritocracy first and foremost, it is little wonder that many Singaporeans find themselves regularly stressed out. Even if one chooses to simply “go with the flow”, the strictly results-oriented environment and the common feeling of inferiority that it stokes in the less capable makes even this a daunting task.

You are also correct to say that many might be motivated by the prospect of better pay, or to simply expand their horizons. Singapore’s economy is strong, but those who desire work in certain sectors of society or industry - for example the creative industry - may find their prospects lacking. On the other hand, another country may place much more emphasis on the creative industry - surely this person would have a happier time there.

On the other hand I also somewhat agree with you that it may be immoral for one who has benefited from life here (and in many cases the taxpayers’ money) to simply pick up and leave. However, my view is that this is quite situational - those who acknowledge that they have benefited from life here and yet would abandon the country at the first sign of trouble (for example, choosing to flee rather than go through National Service) are certainly being ungrateful and exhibiting blatant disloyalty. On the other hand, many emigrants still hold Singapore in their hearts and would gladly return to help out or contribute in some other way if Singapore was in need of help or had fallen on hard times. To say that they had turned their backs on their country just because they decided to move elsewhere is not only ignorant and narrow - it is offensive, short-sighted and quite unintelligent.

In conclusion, a multitude of reasons do exist that support the idea of emigration. Singapore, for all its strengths, is certainly not a country everyone could easily warm up to. There are certainly people who would rather live elsewhere, and judging them just based on their decision to move overseas is the epitome of ignorance. Such people may still be willing to contribute to Singapore while overseas, and many emigrants would not hesitate to lend a hand if Singapore was in need despite being far away. If one desires to judge the loyalty of an emigrant, factors like these must first be taken into account - there is no conclusive rule that links a desire to move overseas with being disloyal to one’s country.

Name: Tan Jia Jun Darrell
Group: more-ads-here (DISM 1B02)
RE: CReasoningSkills - Singaporeans who quit the country and migrate overseas are disloyal

I agree with most of your points of argument. People have the right to choose what is suitable for them as they are masters of their own future. We all have different needs and reasons to for our actions.

However, I do not agree with the statement that The Singapore’s industry has long been built with the slogan “second place is not an acceptable option”. There are certainly better places than Singapore. Its a matter of choice on what type of environment suits you and whether it is best to your perception. But, I do agree on Singaporeans have been easily rated as one of the unhappiest citizens in the world, for I myself and the people around me do feel the effects of it.

However, I do not agree on When you see an opportunity of getting a better pay, would you say NO to it? That would not be as true as it seems. There are people willing to forgo a better paying job for the sake of pursuing a job that they have interest in but pays less. A real life exanple would be my dad, who gave up a 5-figure salary job that requires him to go overseas or perhaps emigrate. The reason? Simply because of the commitments that he have in Singapore, us.

It is right that Traditionally speaking, it is immoral for Asians to leave their parents after being raised up by them for decades. There are many ways to display your filial piety. You can always bring them along too or rely on an invention known as a webcam to keep regular contact with your parents supplemented with visits back to Singapore once every few months.

In conclusion, I feel that we definitely have no right to judge whether a SIngaporean who leaves Singapore is disloyal or not as we do not know about all the details of the person. Each person has a personal reason to. However, we must not overlook the contributions of Singaporeans who left Singapore and made an impact in the other countries as our famous ambassadors.