Do you have any feelings about Singapore National Day?

Today, I felt the urge to express some thoughts about Singapore National Day, it may due to I've been interacting with many foreign friends who have a positive impression of Singapore.

To be honest, I don't have particularly strong feelings about National Day. I'm not a patriot, let alone take pride in being a Singaporean; it just feels quite ordinary to me.

Some people might say I don't appreciate what I have, and I can understand that perspective. A close friend once told me, "You don't realize what you have until you see something else." (没有比较没有伤害). My experience traveling to China last year is still fresh in my memory. After coming back, I slept for two days straight and started to understand and cherish the freedom, security, convenience and efficiency that this little red dot offers.

It's well-known that Singapore was once a pawn on the geopolitical chessboard. Many people admire the policies and execution of our founding father Lee Kuan Yew and his team, that's undoubtedly true. However, Singapore's unique geographical location, as a crucial point for East-West trade and maritime transport, has also given us inherent advantages.

Nevertheless, I feel that in recent years, the rising cost of living in Singapore and the government's increased taxation have made life difficult for the ordinary locals and foreign workers residing here. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the descendants of the "high salary, low corruption" (高薪养廉) generation haven't truly experienced or have forgotten the lives of the ordinary people, leading to policy measures that seem reactive.

In conclusion, I hope the leaders of this small nation can genuinely look after interests of the people and consider bigger picture, regardless of political affiliation and choose the most capable individuals to lead the country.

Disclaimer: I have no political affiliation, speaking based on my feelings and expressing my personal opinions without deeply researched. Engage in discussions for political purposes are not welcome.