In Singapore, Social mobility is often conflated with Achievements in Education
This is because as a young child in Singapore, we would have been told multiple times that if we are not born with a silver spoon, then we would have to study hard and become a doctor or lawyer to succeed in our life and in particular, our finances. ergo, Money = happiness, no money = no happiness. Personally, I don’t think it is that simple.
During my growing years, I was told quite a different thing and that is becoming a scholar in a local university would be the natural qualifier for a comfortable lifestyle in the future because you will be sponsored to study in the university for free (no bank loans) and be given a stable job (with good pay) right after you graduate. Furthermore, you will be on a slightly different career track because the company or organisation, which provided you with the scholarship believes in your potential way before you step into the company.
That was why I wanted a scholarship so so badly. In fact, that’s all I ever wanted at one point in my life.
me
Hence there is no hypocrisy in this website, I dare say that we all want or wanted what most people wanted and at the same time, contribute to our families, careers and our community; however, most of us would also want to have minimal stress in areas such as our finances and health. I am not asserting that scholars do not have to work hard but at the very least, they are given more incentives that makes their lives more comfortable before, during University life and after they have entered the workforce. (Assuming all other conditions constant)
So, how are we going to achieve social mobility if we did not make it as a scholar, doctor, or lawyer?
In response to that
I believe that even without that head start in life, we can still do relatively well in life. That is the reason why it’s important to find out ways to achieve what we want in life, as opposed to following and maybe failing in what is normally conceived as social mobility.
Social Mobility (Norm)
= Academic Achievements TO Good Careers TO Financial Stability TO Happy Family and Life
Social Mobility to me
= Realistic and Consistent Savings TO Personal Financial Planning (no need to pay financial planners) TO Investing in stocks and shares for Passive Income and Capital Growth TO Quiet Confidence in the Workplace & Financial Stability TO Happy Family and Life
The reason why I feel that financial stability is still a key component for us to achieve before we achieve a happy life is because I still believe that happiness is derived from freedom. That freedom that I want is to be able choose what I want to do in life. To qualify that further, I want to emphasise that being able to choose what you want to do in life does not equate to doing what is comfortable, easy, or “nothing at all” ,and yet still live like a king or queen. In fact, I argue that being able to choose does include choosing things that you do not like to do or feel comfortable doing. Why? Because many things that are worth doing are probably not really easy to get involved.
To conclude,
We should all work towards the day when we are truly in control of our lives, not so that we can live like a tyrant and do nothing but instead to do our best so we can eventually choose what we want to do with our lives and be a contributive member of our families and for the community.
That is what SOCIAL MOBILITY means to a person from the lower strata like me.
Having said that, I feel that I still have loads to learn and the only way I can get some form of response is by first sharing my perspectives, methods and allowing others to critique and comment constructively. So lets get this started! Thanks for your time and I hope you guys learn something from this blog.
