Does Singapore allow for talent to flourish?

I agree with Paulo that talent need to have some space, recognition and soul to flourish. The question is, does Singapore provide an environment rich with the above-mentioned, or is it a place where talent is gone unnoticed, where talent is seen only in the form of dollar signs, where we are too concerned with whether our ideas are agreeable with the ideas of others? I think we are. Let us begin at home, the root cause of who or what we are. At home, how many parents encourage their children to persue what they are good in? Not as a sport or just for fun, but as a legitimate career. Who among us can say that we are doing exactly what we want to do? We have all been forced to conform to the needs of society, to do well in math and excell in science. Our talents are rarely recognized, and even more rarely built upon, or improved. The talented young Singaporeans need to be embraced by society, not shunned for having a different opinion.

Due to our severe lack of confidence, our need to be sure before doing anything, we have essentially squashed many talents, not letting them be seen, or not letting them be known as a Singaporean talent. We need to be more open, more willing to make mistakes, for luck favours the brave. We need to give talent more space. We do not do this, and so what talent we have in the nation is going unnoticed.

We are also not paying attention to our talents, that is until they are hailed as the greatest something-in-the-world! We do not pay attention to the open mic shows, or the local bands performing at the park. We simply feel they are not good enough for us. We need to pay more attention to them, until we do, we will remain with a lack of talent. As Paulo put it, Singapore has a lack of resources, so we need to make the most of the one resource we have: people.