• mojofrododojo@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I imagine they’d cite their society’s success with stringent laws.

    I don’t agree with them, mind, I’m a pot smoker, I don’t travel for pleasure to countries that criminalize people like me. But I have been to Singapore for work. It’s an amazing multicultural society with fantastic food. In order to get these groups to co-exist politely, you can’t say things about religions, they prohibit Charlie Hebdo, for example.

    https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/red-lines-book-cartoons-banned-offensive-religions-imda-charlie-hebdo-2283596#:~:text=Under the UPA%2C anyone convicted,denigrate religions and religious figures.

    Considering the tiny land area and enormous population density, strict and often, what people in the west would consider anti-free-speech policies are probably the only way to make things work.

    I don’t begrudge them their policies but won’t support their economy with my business. I feel for anyone living there, but can’t control where people are born. Being born in a rich, educated, and vibrantly multi-cultural country like Sinagpore is probably an enormous leg-up compared to many other countries, in terms of QOL.

    Not trying to change any opinions, just offering some nuance.

    • Dr. Moose@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Sorry but “the only way to make things work” is a dumb argument used by dictators.

      Also I fundamentally disagree with your assessment of Singapore. It’s an awfully square and drab place. The food is a shallow copy of surrounding areas. It’s not worth a visit tbh.

      • mojofrododojo@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Pray tell what part of Singapore is ‘drab’ exactly? time to get your eyes checked, that sounds like glaucoma or you’ve got cataracts.

        TBH, sounds like you’ve never been, because every fuckin square inch is either lit up with electronic displays or in the glow of bustling underground malls and street food. seems like you have other issues lol… Not defending their repressive gov’t, but drab? what a stupid thing to talk shit about.

        • Dr. Moose@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          I’m sorry for not finding malls and street food exhilarating. It’s square, it’s sterile, it’s boring. The whole city is just a giant mall with little character. It sucks. Especially if you compare it to the rest of South eas Asia. Go to Manilla, Bangkok, Hanoi and fucking tell me Singapore is not the most boring place in the region. Sorry for getting a bit angry but man I hate how overrated that place is. I lived in SEA as a digital Nomad for almost 20 years now. Singapore and Kuala Lumpur are just a waste of space imho.