SOME people say that Singapore is a materialistic country whose people lack social values. In my opinion, that observation is true.
There is a Chinese saying that money can't buy everything you want, but that without money, you can't do anything. This is a wise saying, but we may want to examine it on another level.
Many of my friends have commented that they dread opening the letter box, as most of the mail are bills waiting to be paid.
Even the kids have become conscious of material matters.
I was shocked when I heard that a friend's daughter refused to let him take her to school because he did not drive a car.
My friend's daughter goes to an elite school, where her classmates are driven to school. The incident speaks volumes of how our children are being influenced these days.
Many kids these days also go to school boasting about the latest gadgets their parents bought them, making those whose parents could not afford them feel ashamed.
Another friend of mine offers to take his son on a holiday to the United States if he passes his Primary School Leaving Examination with flying colours.
Our kids are constantly being enticed with financial and material rewards to perform, and it is no wonder that studying hard for knowledge alone is the last thing on their minds. This is something which needs to be addressed before our children become slaves to money.
The worst form of hypocrisy came from someone I knew, who offered her services at a voluntary welfare organisation so that she could get into a certain course in university. She stopped volunteering after she got into the course.
When asked what kind of jobs they want, many undergraduates I know would say without hesitation that they will pick those that pay the most. Money seems to override aspirations and values.
As our country advances, let us reflect on the costs of clamouring for material gain in everything that we do.
True satisfaction in life can come about only when we do things out of genuine enjoyment. It is no wonder that many rich people I know are unhappy.
