The pursuit of material wealth in Singapore is achieved by acquiring the 5Cs – condominiums, cars, country clubs, cash and credit cards. The term 5Cs is recognised as Singapore Dreams and were what most Singaporeans looked up to as their life goals from the late 1980s to early 1990s. Although time has passed and values have changed there are still those who support this materialistic aspiration as they believe that once attained, they will be able to live in comfort.
The introduction of HDB (Housing and Development Board homes) built by Government agencies in 1960 was to accommodate for the large population as Singapore is only a small area of land in comparison. HDB was an affordable way for Singaporeans to buy property and raise their standard of living as prior to that, millions lived in squatters, slum areas, and old buildings (Leyl, 2015). These new homes, which were high-rise buildings that located quite compactly like little towns, came with their own schools, shops, and clinics. Furthermore, they allowed for flushing toilets and clean water. HDB was a success in rehousing Singaporeans so that almost everyone had a home by 1985.
Singapore HDB (Pixabay, 2017).
However, this housing policy was more than just its physical stance, it was also about building a nation. Each HDB flat would have a quota system that encouraged a mix of different races to persuade the nation to think as one Singaporean, as Singapore’s population are made up of majority Chinese, Malays, and Indians (Leyl, 2015). With such a diverse ethnic group, it was no wonder that the Government desired them all to be connected to one Singaporean culture and united as one nation.
So how do all these tie in with the 5Cs?
To simply put it, it is only the start – condominiums.
As land cost is so expensive and precious in Singapore, 80% to 90% of the population stay in HDB homes while the rest in condominiums and land property (Uniquely, 2018). Thus, with the social status that comes with owning a condominium, it is an ambition of many.
The aspects of the 5Cs are portrayed extensively throughout the film Singapore Dreaming (2006), a realistic and moving portrayal of Singaporean life, which centers around a family’s interactions as they deal with the societal pressure of the expectations of attaining the 5Cs. Other issues depicted include the expectations of both personal and business, the value of an overseas degree, the positive and negative outcome of winning the lottery, and family relations and conflicts that deal with traditions from one’s culture that has been brought into Singapore. While the cinematography artistically captured the essence of Singaporean everyday life, the culture portrayed is meticulously accurate. Examples being in the protagonist played by Richard Low who portrayed a Hokkien speaking elderly man with little education and how the dialogue which is in Hokkien and Singlish genuinely depicts the language spoken in everyday Singaporean life (Steven, 2006). Furthermore, the film encourages the audience to question the act of blindly following the materialistic dream through attaining the 5Cs in Singapore.
“Singapore Dreaming is a poignant yet darkly humorous story which follows the lives of six individuals as they navigate the rapidly changing conditions experienced in today’s modern South-East Asian cities.” (Goh, 2018).Overall, the 5Cs being Singapore Dreams act as status symbols brought upon by their culture of pursuing material wealth in order to live a comfortable life, which may not actually be fulfilling as values are shifting. By attaining a certain level of excellence or social status through the 5Cs, there is a certain expectation and burden on Singaporean youths. Thus, in a Singaporean’s everyday life, they may have more important and valuable goals than the Singapore Dream.
Goh, C. 2018. Singapore Dreaming | Colin Goh. [ONLINE] Available at: http://colingoh.com/project/singapore-dreaming/.
Leyl, S. 2015. Singapore at 50: From swamp to skyscrapers – BBC News. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-31626174.
Pixabay, 2017. Singapore HDB. [ONLINE] Available at: <https://www.99.co/blog/singapore/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/singapore-1445390_1920.jpg>.
SinemaSG, 2008. Singapore Dreaming 美滿人生 trailer. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYEBE211TAQ.
Steven, S. 2006. Singapore Dreaming. [ONLINE] Available at: http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com.au/2006/04/singapore-dreaming.html.
Uniquely Singapore. 2018. 5Cs | The Singapore Dream. [ONLINE] Available at: http://uniquelysingapore.org/5cs/.
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