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by sillyfluke 5 days ago
>a monoculture facilitates easier economic growth

The why of this is not explained by you nor the original comment referring to the lack multiculturism, it is simply asserted. That's why the original comment came off as nonsensical. More than a quarter Singapore's population are foreign workers, and they make up at least 40% of Singapore's entire workforce. Seeing as the workforce that is driving Singapore's economic growth is not a monoculture your claim needs a little tweeking I would think.

I'm not claiming this means Singapore is embracing multiculturalism in the same way I don't claim the UAE embraces multiculturalism due to similar foreign workers dynamics, but not putting a disclaimer involving these stats while talking about the benefits of monoculture and lauding a country for its realism is a ridiculous sidestepping of reality. Both Singapore and the UAE are extremely cosmopolitan.

>Multiculturalism is essentially pacification because obviously this is unpopular

Why would it be unpopular to the dominant monoculture to maintain the monoculture? Who is being pacified when a country embraces multiculturalism? Please explain.
1 comments
rrvsh 4 days ago
Having a diverse population != multiculturalism in the way that we were discussing. Singapore promotes "racial harmony" where every "race" is given equal public holidays, equity, and inclusion in government etc. This is not wholly true, as the majority ethnic group is overrepresented in positions of power, and foreign workers making up (the bottom) 40% of the workforce does not change that. This extends beyond ethnic lines - the monoculture is not only Chinese > over the rest, but also the dampening of any freedom in expresssion, art, etc. - this is easily verifiable by 1. speaking to any Singaporean 2. looking at the education system and 3. looking at how much cultural impact Singapore has had compared to other "global" cities. You are also clearly misrepresenting my comment about pacification, and I do not appreciate it. I am clearly not referring to some conspiracy where people are disappeared. I am talking about a decades-long government campaign to supress alternative voices and _pacify_ (in the correct sense of the word) dissent.
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