Category: Social Harmony

Singapore Dream Flourishing Cultivate Success

“Singapore Dream” Redux: Material Success, Flourishing or…?

For the longest time, the “Singapore Dream” has been about achieving material success through hard work, but attitudes are changing. In this “refreshed Singapore Dream”, is there room to focus more on human flourishing?
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On Social Media and Touching Grass

Social media has enabled us to connect with others like never before, but why are people feeling lonelier? Research shows that we all need social contact with other people to keep mentally fit, and to feel connected and appreciated.
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Cultivate Culture: How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies

Tear-jerking Thai film “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” invites us to reflect: Do we see our relationships in purely transactional terms, or do we genuinely love people – especially the elderly and sick – as persons worthy to be loved?
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From Third World to First: Lee Kuan Yew’s Take on Family Values

“Singapore depends on the strength and influence of the family to keep society orderly and maintain a culture of thrift, hard work, filial piety and respect for elders and for scholarship and learning.” - Lee Kuan Yew
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What are “Good Enough” Marriages?

From a child’s perspective, “good enough” marriages are those where there is a low level of conflict between parents. Based on research, it would be better for children in the long term to reconcile such “good enough” marriages instead of divorce.
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Cultivate Unpacks: Sex and Gender

Cultivate Unpacks is a series to unpack some of the current terms being used in social discourse today. In this piece, we look at “sex” and “gender”.
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Social Media: “Burn” Someone, or Light the Way?

Imagine that you have a flaming torch in your hand. The fire at the end of the torch emits both heat and light. You can use this torch to set fire and burn someone or something, or you can use it to light a path in the darkness.
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Is Identity Politics Always Bad?

There are two kinds of identity politics. “Common enemy” identity politics tends towards polarisation, division and conflict, while “common humanity” identity politics tends towards social harmony. We should have more of the latter, and less of the other.
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Update from Cultivate Commune: The Roles of Fathers and Mothers in Parenting

Our first Cultivate Commune – a breakfast conversation where we explore how big ideas are planted in real community experiences - kicked off on Friday, 12 April 2024. We saw two stay-home fathers anchoring an insightful discussion over various topics centred around parenting and children.
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Prime Minister-in-waiting Lawrence Wong: What Challenges Lie Ahead?

Lawrence Wong will take over as Singapore’s fourth Prime Minister on 15 May. Some of his immediate challenges include the rising cost of living, falling total fertility rate, and threats posed by divisive identity politics and tribalism. Will he be able to rally the support of society to tackle them?
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