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Is "Kiasuism" the right answer to boost a Nation's prosperity?

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Dear All,

Well let me be clear that this thread is for those who are/have been confronted with the so-called "kia su" behavior in some of the SEA countries (especially Singapore) but also other developing nations across the globe. This is more about exposing facts as I/we perceive them and trying to have views on them from different social/cultural angles.

"ME FIRST anytime, anywhere, in any case and I don't care about the others!" and "Fear of failure" is quite a good definition of what "kiasuism" is all about. Living in Singapore for 3 years now, I stumble upon kia su behaviors Protected content a day, everyday and that's the very reason of this forum's question. On the road, It's not only rare to see courtesy but even rarer to see drivers apologize for an obvious mistake. But the most disturbing side of kiasuism is what I call "lethal social indifference": Twice I have been the witness of someone who lost consciousness in a crowded public area and bright daylight, without seeing anybody rushing to help or even place an emergency call. I have also discussed this topic with many friends here and it appears that this "lethal social indifference" has been lived by more than one of them.
It's hard to get rid of kiasuism when you know that it's deeply rooted in the family's education: "we want our kids to be number 1" say the parents.. and "number 1 in everything". Well, the reality is that you cannot have more than 1 number 1. Hence, this cannot happen at an individual , but only at a national level. Beginning to show respect for each other while encouraging courtesy on the road and abolishing this "lethal social indifference" (maybe by law-enforcement) will not happen overnight, but that's a good practice these nations have to learn from mature cultures.
Of course we want Singapore to be number 1, but then again the next questions would be "Number 1 in what?" and "Whether it's not all about living in harmony instead!".

Appreciate your comments.
Cheers, Mehdi

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