Forum: Singapore lifestyle shouldn’t include self-entitled noise-making and needs defining
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As someone who was born here, permanent resident Tara Guo’s letter “ Noise dispute with neighbours raises question of inclusivity
Her attempts to quell noisy neighbours who keep their apartment door open throughout the day and night escalated when the neighbours’ guests retorted, “This is the Singapore lifestyle”, and suggested she and her family adapt to the country.
I was a villager in Plantation Avenue, near Serangoon Gardens, till I was 30. As everyone knew everyone else, knowing how to feel paiseh (embarrassed) reigned supreme and guided our behaviour.
It was generally quiet and restful even in the evenings after most had returned from work. Wakes were never held there and only during occasions like Chinese New Year would intrusive noise, like that of firecrackers, be “allowed”.
Even living in an apartment now, I have found noise is generally not an issue as self-conscious and privacy-loving neighbours keep their doors closed to try and shut out the sound of quarrelling and crying which could set tongues wagging.
However, being new to apartment living, I had kept my corridor-end front door open late into the night while watching TV, until my new, next-door neighbours enlightened me.
They had tolerated the sleep disruption until they crept up to my door to apologetically inform me about the noise. I was gobsmacked and embarrassed – if only they had opened up earlier.
Now, I’m ultra noise-conscious, converted from being a noise-maker unconsciously, and take note of things like signs advising people against noise-making after 10pm at basketball courts and coffee shops.
But I wonder what else this “Singapore lifestyle” Ms Guo was asked to adapt to includes, besides self-entitled noise-making – conspicuous consumption, excessive waste creation, road hogging and disrespecting service workers?
Anthony Lee Mui Yu
