It is indeed unsettling to learn that there are plans to increase our 4.5 million population to 6 million. Frankly, I think that move calls for some serious land reclaiming or trust me, living in Singapore would be a tight squeeze.
Truth be told, I have always hated crowds. It’s not the germs that I fear but the claustrophobic feeling I get when I’m swamped from all sides by strangers. Someone told me my dislike of crowds is just an age thing. Maybe so but it must mean that I was born old because for as long as I remember, I have always avoided areas which are reputed to be crowd pullers, like the plague. I NEVER ever visit Chinatown the period before the Lunar New Year, Orchard during the Christmas light up, Serangoon Road on Sundays, Countdown Singapore, etc.
I used to take the public transport 5 days a week and I didn’t relish having to learn to share my personal space. In between contemplating the public transport and driving my own car, I kept trying to convince myself not to get a car by thinking of all the money I could save from ERP charges, parking, road tax etc. Unfortunately, I felt angry most of the time before and after work. Angry with the stress of the crowded trains, the noise and eventually I told myself that these feelings of frustration and anger was not a good way to live life. I finally caved in and bought a second hand car! I felt terribly guilty after that. I thought myself a wimp for letting the distance get to me.
However, on those VERY long bus and train rides home, I often wish I could shove morons who push me just to beat me to the metal pole strategically located just 2 centimetres from my grasp. These inconsiderate commuters then proceed to lean against the pole for the rest of the journey, leaving the rest of us trying to find some free metal space to hang on to. Doesn’t help that SMRT has now included poles that split 3 ways, all you get are another 2 morons leaning on the remaining poles. Sometimes I wonder if like pole dancers, they would move their asses (preferably away from the poles) if I shoved some money down their pants.
To cure me from my daily dose of overcrowding, I make it a point to just enjoy the peace and quiet of my home as often as I can. Nothing makes me feel calmer than watching leaves rustle in the wind, hear birds chirping and the occasional laughter of children playing. Of course, if the sound of waves is thrown in, I could die then and there, a very happy person. It’s no wonder why doctors encourage highly stressed people to take time off to unwind at a seaside resort or at a rustic nature spot. There’s something about being surrounded by nature that lifts one’s spirit and evokes peace within. Unfortunately, Singapore, like many urban cities, is slowly utilising these pockets of nature to build even bigger and unnecessary malls.
If you’ve been to one major city in the world, you’ve been to them all. From Seoul to Tokyo to New York to Bangkok, they are all similar in many aspects, air-conditioned hyper malls filled with plenty of pretty things and many aimless people. Bored city folks have little to do except hang out at crowded shopping malls to eat or shop. Maybe it’s the heat, as in the case of Singapore when air-conditioned malls provide the perfect venue for families to bond over weekly shopping trips and escape the humidity. Need a bite, there’s always a cafe within the next 50m, need to take a leak, there’s always a wet and often smelly loo on each floor.
Sometimes I think maybe it’s just that we’ve become so used to artificial creature comforts like the A/C, the wireless internet connection, the sleek and light laptop that can fit conveniently in our branded bags that we just don’t see the point of connecting with nature. Why go in search of nature when some I.T. whiz kid has already found a way to bring nature right to our doorstep. Build an indoor garden, throw some ‘natural’ light on an artificial indoor waterfall, playback recorded sounds of birds chirping, add the rustic decor and voilà, man made nature!
Personally I prefer to stay away from the madding crowd. I think nature was never meant to be re-created. Each imperfect pebble, each unknown creature, each ambiguous sound, each trail is meant to be discovered but maybe not understood. The next time the pressures of modern living gets to you, forget that trip to the mall to buy that expensive gadget or bag to de-stress. I recommend a quiet stroll in a park (better with a loved one) that would cost you next to nothing. The benefits you reap from that walk would far outweigh that useless purchase.
PS: I do acknowledge that crowded places are useful for one activity though, PEOPLE WATCH!
