One of the things that exercised me most during my MBA was how Singapore can move up the value chain. No-one doubts that Singapore is an efficient place; but almost no-one believes that Singapore is a particularly creative place. If value in the global economy is moving towards knowledge and creativity – and the consensus seems to be that it is, then something has to change in Singapore, to ensure that creativity can flourish. I wrote a number of essays on this, not that that’s worth anything.
Unfortunately, the values and policies that have made Singapore so successful so far, are not the values and policies that are needed in a creative economy. To say this isn’t anti-Singaporean, or critical of how Singapore has developed. It’s just to acknowledge that times change. There’s often discussion of this very topic in the Straits Times these days, so I should feel free to discuss it here. As I feel obliged to say often, I’m very, very pro-Singapore – much more so than many Singaporeans of my acquaintance!
All of this is to lead up to an article by tech writer Paul Graham, on Why startups condense in America. Specifically, why do all the really talented, creative, innovative startups happen in Silicon Valley? You should read the whole article, but Singapore gets a special mention:
3. The US Is Not (Yet) a Police State.Another country I could see wanting to have a silicon valley is China. But I doubt they could do it yet either. China still seems to be a police state, and although present rulers seem enlightened compared to the last, even enlightened despotism can probably only get you part way toward being a great economic power.
It can get you factories for building things designed elsewhere. Can it get you the designers, though? Can imagination flourish where people can’t criticize the government? Imagination means having odd ideas, and it’s hard to have odd ideas about technology without also having odd ideas about politics. And in any case, many technical ideas do have political implications. So if you squash dissent, the back pressure will propagate into technical fields. [2]
Singapore would face a similar problem. Singapore seems very aware of the importance of encouraging startups. But while energetic government intervention may be able to make a port run efficiently, it can’t coax startups into existence. A state that bans chewing gum has a long way to go before it could create a San Francisco.
Do you need a San Francisco? Might there not be an alternate route to innovation that goes through obedience and cooperation instead of individualism? Possibly, but I’d bet not. Most imaginative people seem to share a certain prickly independence, whenever and wherever they lived. You see it in Diogenes telling Alexander to get out of his light and two thousand years later in Feynman breaking into safes at Los Alamos. [3] Imaginative people don’t want to follow or lead. They’re most productive when everyone gets to do what they want.
Ironically, of all rich countries the US has lost the most civil liberties recently. But I’m not too worried yet. I’m hoping once the present administration is out, the natural openness of American culture will reassert itself.
So true.
I’ve been in Singapore, had built a large company there and to this day, am still a director and advisor to Singaporean businesses and institutions. Singapore is one of the most uncreative places in the world. Almost no innovations has come out of that island nation jewel. Now that I’ve attracted the frowns from all our Singaporean viewers, understand what it is I am saying. Stop and listen, and open your eyes.
Like the author of this post, I do not consider myself anti-Singaporean, it’s just that I have noticed and have pointed out to many Singaporeans that the price of civil order in their nation has been high – at the price of ‘outside the box thinking’.
Years ago, the Singaporean consulate organized a number of high-tech brain storming sessions in Canada. The consensus was that Singapore would never be able to develop a made-in-Singapore animation business because:
A. they lack innovation and creativity
B. their cost of labour is high
C. they’re too absorbed with themselves…with things like status
Now, this info should not be viewed as criticism, but info that should help them learn how outsiders view them. As a recent result, Singapore has invited some top Animation houses to locate satellite offices over there in hopes of establishing this industry. So far it hasn’t worked… the Americans are enjoying the special tax status and if you look carefully… you will see that the experiment hasn’t taken legs.
To all my Singaporean friends reading this, remember that one can only learn with their eyes wide open. A real friend is one who gives you a real reflection, not one that say things you wish to hear.
I’ve started a new blog over in Canada… and on one of the topics, I touch upon the hotbed of creativity in the pacific northwest of north america, some reasons and observations why. There is so much more to explore on this most interesting question… as ideas and innovations is what our distant ancestors achieved to separate our species from everything else. But I must warn you all, I am blunt and may offend.
This Trigram is a great blog. I am glad I found it… keep up the excellent discourse!