A few months ago I was in Singapore for the annual meeting of the Public Relations Organisation International. The trip prompted paradoxical thoughts on just how large – and small – our world is.
My middle-aged bones will tell you that the world is indeed large in terms of geography. I left on May 1 and arrived sometime on May 3 feeling like David Blaine must feel on a bad day for magic. The flight path hugged the coasts of Japan, China, Thailand and Vietnam, down to a verdant dot that sits just above the equator, adjacent to Malaysia. Hard to get your head around a MapQuest that used to take months for the explorers in our history books!
Once rested, I set out to get a feel for the city-state that is described as autocratic and progressive, depending on whom you talk to. My first encounter was at Starbucks with a young American couple who have lived in Asia for a decade – first in Singapore and now in Japan. They were back for their annual medical visit – it seems the healthcare system in Singapore is great, along with the crime-rate, urban sanitation and water supply, perennial topics of concern in Atlanta. This couple raved about Singapore’s cleanliness and hospitality and said it was a fantastic place for young Americans to build their resumes. They said they may never return to the U.S.
It didn’t take long to understand their enthusiasm. The local bus system ran like clockwork and featured pristine double-deckers. No sign of graffiti anywhere, and of course, no nasty wads of gum to navigate, since gum-chewing is against the law.
Traffic is busy, yet orderly, with none of the Yellow-Cab drama you find in many big cities. One night, we got around on a bicycle-turned-rickshaw complete with piped-in pop tunes. Rockin’ Rickshaw coexisted fine with the hundreds of late-model cars gliding together like a school of black fish through the downtown streets. The Rickshaw’s slower pace didn’t prompt one finger, one beep or any profanity that I observed.
The economic meltdown missed Singapore, which is the fourth-largest financial capital in the world and ranked as the most “business friendly” city. Who knew? That must explain the incredible, Disneyesque skyline, the $30 glasses of wine and the ubiquitous luxury shopping bags bobbing up and down sidewalks in the hands of happy customers.
Conspicuous consumption appears to be a national pastime in The Lion City. In fact, they have their own version of the 5 Cs of success there: cash, credit cards, cars, condominiums and country club memberships.
Diversity is also more than a dream in Singapore. 40 percent of the population is from elsewhere. You find ex-pats from London and Australia on assignment as well as immigrants from China, India and Arab countries putting down roots. The result is unusual cultural and religious tolerance. The air just feels peaceful.
There were times when it felt utopian and surreal, but I was brought back to earth inside the meeting rooms with my PR colleagues from around the world. This is when the world felt very small as we agreed on common trends and issues. More on that soon.
Tags: Asia, economic, PR, PROI, public relations, Public Relations Organisation International, Singapore
