Singaporeans and Vietnamese

In good days, it's easy to feel even better because we have time, energy, and lightness of soul to embrace the world.  Last week is such a week of mine.

Over Late Harvest Semillon, Bordeaux, and cheese, a group of us, 3 Vietnamese, 2 Singaporean, and 1 Japanese painted thoughts on each other's questions.  Granted that it's a gray area when explaining social phenomena and attitudes, we still entertained our thirst for trust with some interesting speculations:

- Singaporeans whine very often, especially when they are together with other Singaporeans.  It could be because they have not really known what's misery and suffering outside of their country.  It could be because the system does not teach nor promote the transformation of complaints and the strong stand for something into reality.  It could be the peer pressure effect, as when both Singaporeans and non-Singaporeans have created and reinforced the buzz of being cynical and not having true life passions.  Singapore has gone through a magical economic transformation.  The need for survival, for food and safety, has now been secured.  Will the next transformation be a social and cultural one? One of the reasons why I still hold much hopes for Singapore and Malaysia is that both of them are still so young.  It's not that they are currently dysfunctional; culturally and historically speaking, they are like teenagers forming and morphing their identities. 

- All market research analysts and investors would tell you that Vietnamese people's wealth do not come from their work salary.  For the past 30 years, externally, wealth comes from serendipitous connections, either related to the government or to foreign investment, and internally, the people's by-necessity entrepreneurial spirit, dedication for their family and children, or put simply, will to survive and stay well while survival.  Too abstract?  Imagine a working mom selling a piece of land assigned to her to invest in another piece of land.  Imagine the multiple ways people have managed to generate money, both ethically and unethically, all because no one knows when rains will come to their family and their children.  And here you go, the so-called Vietnamese entrepreneurial culture!  Entrepreneurship by necessity is very different from the American entrepreneurship by the pursuit of individual passions.  One is driven by the relentless love and dedication to both self and family, the other by dedication to oneself.  One caveat though entrepreneurship by necessity is really personal.  Whatever happens to your business, your family suffers.  Sometimes, unintentionally, will that prevent businesses from springing forward, from taking risks and involving new ideas or people?

- And here is the irony.  How could we have the stereotype of the cynical Singaporeans having created a developed and wealthy Singapore, while the optimistic and entrepreneurial Vietnamese still struggling?  Is history to blame?