SINGAPORE — The number of close friends that Singaporeans have has shrunk over the past six years, from 10.67 on average in 2018 to 6.49 in 2024, a study by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) has found. The findings, which will soon be released in full, also show that younger people aged 18 to 35 were more likely to...
While Singapore might not be in dire straits compared with what is observed elsewhere, it should work to replenish its social capital, said IPS director Janadas Devan.SINGAPORE — The number of close friends that Singaporeans have has shrunk over the past six years, from 10.67 on average in 2018 to 6.49 in 2024, a study by the Institute of Policy Studies has found.
He referenced a study of 177 countries published in The Lancet medical journal in April 2022, which found that the high levels of trust in government and high levels of interpersonal trust — social capital, in other words — were the most significant factor associated with infection rates and vaccine coverage.
Janadas identified at least three reasons behind why social cohesion here is being strained: income inequality, social media and immigration. The conference by IPS, a think-tank under the NUS Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, was attended by close to 1,200 academics, civic society groups, businessmen, students and civil servants.One panel of experts discussed whether the Government's own hand in many areas has "crowded out" opportunities for Singaporeans to engage each other organically, and if the state should pull back.
Professor Cherian George from the Hong Kong Baptist University's School of Communication argued that former foreign minister George Yeo's "pruning the banyan tree" analogy is not what is needed today. "We don't have the kind of horizontal, people-to-people trust that would allow community to flourish," he said.During the discussion, one audience member asked how Singapore could promote critical thinking required of vibrant states if initiatives aimed at growing it like the Yale-NUS College had to be abandoned, and the media avoids discussing controversial issues.
"I don't think we should assume that critical thinking is not there in our schools and our universities," she added.He added that while students may know the theory, they, as well as citizens at large, "are not being given the freedom to practise that muscle"."In a lecture hall, I know it is hard to engage, but in tutorials, you do. So I don't think it is absent," she said.
Prof Chan said it is still important to think about "optical presentation", as it could be destabilising to society if minority groups see their numbers shrinking.
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