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moistforchoice 's review for:
Air-Conditioned Nation Revisited
by Cherian George
This is the first time I'm reading Cherian George and I must say I really enjoyed his writing. He displays such intelligence and clear expertise and scholarship through his essays. His writing is concise and relatable - for an academic writing on his life's work, his writing never came across as lofty or lecturing, rather, his passion for the subject and love for his country really shone through and sets a foundation for his sharp observations and critical analyses. George also has a dry humor which I thoroughly enjoyed. Here's one passage from Chapter 25: The Web's Missing Link (which is tongue-in-cheek):
The Air-Conditioned Nation Revisited features 37 essays from George from the past 2 decades, commenting on democracy, the history of prime ministers, the opposition parties, social issues, the government's relationship with journalism and media in Singapore, national identity, and the government's way of dealing with dissent.
Easily one of my favourite pieces is the title piece and first chapter The Air-Conditioned Nation, which is a great introductory essay that sets the tone for the rest of the book. George likens Singapore to air-conditioner, which our very own Lee Kuan Yew professed to be his pick for the most-influential invention of the millennium. It's a very easy analogy for the reader to understand our relationship with comfort and 'central control' and how it ties into our politics.
Unlike other essay collections I have read, this is a very well-curated collection of a wide variety of issues, topics, and events. You won't find repeated or similar pieces here. It also shows the impressive range that George has in his writing.
My other favourite pieces are:
1. Chapter 14: Chee's Collision Course. Interesting and well researched piece on Chee Soon Juan - the motivations of the government and its considerations when ‘dealing’ or ‘fighting’ with the activist/opposition party figure. I liked the analysis on how Chee's tactics were strategic to garner foreign srutiny of Singapore’s policies on free speech and the one-party dominance.
2. Chapter 19: The PAP I Can Get Behind. George laid out his wishlist for a better PAP which includes fairness, the ability to acknowledge mistakes and respond to them, and a more directed approach to ensure equality for everyone.
3. Chapter 21: The Dogma Behind Pofma. An in-depth and well-reasoned analysis on the history of the government's policies around censorship and the criticism of Pofma.
I really appreciate that this book set out to inform the average Singaporean about politics believing that every one of us should be able to make informed choices, gently but firmly pushing against a nontransparent government and our restrictions on free speech, in the way George knows how after 30 years of doing that. A must read for residents of Singapore looking to be able to think critically about our politics and making informed voting choices. I'll leave you with this quote from Chapter 16: The Spectre of Freak Elections that warmed my cold, dead, heart:
Thanks to Ethos Books for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!
"Singaporeans may fancy ourselves as citizens of the most envied nation in the region, but there are some things across the Causeway that make us wide-eyed with wonder. Why is it, for example, that the average Malaysian roti canai beats even our best prata in taste and texture? How did Malaysia build the region's most charismatic budget airline when we're supposed to be the transport hub of Asia?"
The Air-Conditioned Nation Revisited features 37 essays from George from the past 2 decades, commenting on democracy, the history of prime ministers, the opposition parties, social issues, the government's relationship with journalism and media in Singapore, national identity, and the government's way of dealing with dissent.
Easily one of my favourite pieces is the title piece and first chapter The Air-Conditioned Nation, which is a great introductory essay that sets the tone for the rest of the book. George likens Singapore to air-conditioner, which our very own Lee Kuan Yew professed to be his pick for the most-influential invention of the millennium. It's a very easy analogy for the reader to understand our relationship with comfort and 'central control' and how it ties into our politics.
Unlike other essay collections I have read, this is a very well-curated collection of a wide variety of issues, topics, and events. You won't find repeated or similar pieces here. It also shows the impressive range that George has in his writing.
My other favourite pieces are:
1. Chapter 14: Chee's Collision Course. Interesting and well researched piece on Chee Soon Juan - the motivations of the government and its considerations when ‘dealing’ or ‘fighting’ with the activist/opposition party figure. I liked the analysis on how Chee's tactics were strategic to garner foreign srutiny of Singapore’s policies on free speech and the one-party dominance.
2. Chapter 19: The PAP I Can Get Behind. George laid out his wishlist for a better PAP which includes fairness, the ability to acknowledge mistakes and respond to them, and a more directed approach to ensure equality for everyone.
3. Chapter 21: The Dogma Behind Pofma. An in-depth and well-reasoned analysis on the history of the government's policies around censorship and the criticism of Pofma.
I really appreciate that this book set out to inform the average Singaporean about politics believing that every one of us should be able to make informed choices, gently but firmly pushing against a nontransparent government and our restrictions on free speech, in the way George knows how after 30 years of doing that. A must read for residents of Singapore looking to be able to think critically about our politics and making informed voting choices. I'll leave you with this quote from Chapter 16: The Spectre of Freak Elections that warmed my cold, dead, heart:
"On the whole, I credit Singaporeans with more sophistication and common sense that elite rhetoric grants them. There is simply no evidence that the Singapore electorate is prone to impulsive, flighty, or fickle behaviour. Look at the way it votes and you'll see an impressively level-headed public that knows what it wants."
Thanks to Ethos Books for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!