[skinnylatte]

Every other way is up for debate?

We have a good education system, and I would not trade our healthcare system for what you're likely used to; as a gay Singaporean, I have no curtailing of my social freedoms. I cannot marry or adopt legally yet, but that's the conversation that we're soon going to have (and which the "West" has only just recently gotten). The civil service is good. More can be done for the low income, and that's happening at the moment. The roads are clean and everything gets fixed. I walk around the city at any time of day and night with no fear, in any neighbourhood. Which ways are up for debate?

[CyberDildonics]

Can't marry legally? Being gay is illegal, although obviously tolerated to a large extent, so that issue is far behind western countries.

You have to realize as a Singaporean you have been exposed to an enormous amount of propaganda (not that other countries aren't, but you are very close to the situation).

Among other things the democracy and elections are a sham as you must know. Opposing candidates can't have any media exposure until a couple of weeks before an election. If a neighborhood votes in an opposition candidate, they lose funding for public transportation etc in their area.

Also there is a lot of crime that goes unreported and unsolved, and you probably know this too. Chinese gangs/mafia violence, loan sharking, and the police spend half their year looking after brothels since they don't work full time throughout the year.

The healthcare system basic cost and access is hugely better than many western countries with clinics scattered into every neighborhood, but the quality is also not nearly on the same level. There are definitely some aspects of it I thought were very refreshing. The medicines prescribed can be ridiculous though.

The list could go on and on. Laws stack up against tenants and are made so landlords can take advantage of them. Agents are unnecessary middle men that could be replaced with simple phone apps but grift large amounts of money from the overall economy.

Basically Singapore is a double edged sword. The financials are managed well in general compared to many other countries. It is not the wonderland people make it out to be, and Singaporeans don't realize the propaganda they've been fed and all the freedoms they don't have. Singapore is so far above all the surrounding south east asian countries though it is easy to see why people get caught up in thinking they are the best at everything since locally the neighboring countries' governments are a joke.

[cplease]

Well, as a gay Singaporean, I assume you are familiar with section 377A of the penal code that makes having sex or trying to pick up a date punishable by two years in prison? And that your parliament is basically unanimously in favor of retaining it, with overwhelming public support?

[skinnylatte]

Yes, and I fought for its repeal along with other members of civil society. There was no overwhelming public support. In the only show of overwhelming public support was when fundamentalist Christians (who are not affiliated with the government) took over a feminist organization and overwhelming public support for the feminists and homosexuals pushed them out.

I'm not comfortable with blanket statements about Singapore politics and society from armchair political scientists.

[nailer]

Because if you needed to protest, and did so, you'd be arrested?

[LLWM]

Most people here are ideologically committed to western concepts of freedom. It doesn't matter how good the results are as long as things aren't done their way.

[skinnylatte]

I've come to see that listening to them talk about 'freedom' and about how we don't have any = somewhat the same as my strong beliefs that breakfast should always have curry and noodles. Never the twain shall meet. But I'm not the one telling them that curry and noodles are the only things anybody should eat. Eat horrible cereal and muesli and bacon if you have to.

[CyberDildonics]

What is your version of freedom?