Honours Thesis

Honours
Thesis

Nur
Diyanah
Bte
Mohd
Azmi

SCHOOL
OF
HUMANITIES
AND
SOCIAL
SCIENCES

DIVISION
OF
ENGLISH

NANYANG
TECHNOLOGICAL
UNIVERSITY

2013/14

Azmi
2

Nur
Diyanah
Mohd
Azmi

Dr.
Sim
Wai
Chew

HL
499:
Final
Year
Project

21st
April
2014

Singapore:
A
Success
Story
without
a
Soul

“Art
is
the
epitome
of
human
life,
the
truest
record
of
insight
and
feeling,
and
the

strongest
military
or
economic
society
without
art
is
poor
in
comparison
with
the

most
primitive
tribe
of
savage
painters,
dancers
or
idol-carvers.
Art
is
indeed
the

spearhead
of
human
development,
social
and
individual.”

-‐The
Cultural
Importance
of
art,
Susanne
K.
Langer
(5)

Abstract

The
Singapore
success
story
is
the
product
of
the
pervasive
survivalist

mentality
that
has
been
inculcated
in
Singaporean
citizens
by
the
Singapore

government.
This
success
is
strongly
motivated
by
a
desire
to
overcome

Singapore’s
two
most
acute
weaknesses
that
include:
(i)
the
lack
of
natural

resources
that
could
help
facilitate
its
economic
progress
and
(ii)
the
scarcity
of

land.
This
desire
resulted
in
the
nation’s
meteoric
rise;
from
a
British
colony
to

an
independent
nation
that
has
achieved
first
world
nation
status1.
In
order
to

overcome
the
aforementioned
weaknesses,
the
government
relentlessly

promotes
a
survivalist
mentality.
However,
this
success
comes
at
a
high
price
–

the
cost
of
the
nation’s
soul.
The
Singapore
soul
here
refers
to
the
culture
and

identity
of
the
nation
and
its
people.
This
thesis
will
justify
the
idea
that

Singapore
is
a
success
story
without
a
soul
through
the
exploration
of
the

1
Anthony
Oei,
From
Third
World
to
First
–
In
One
Generation,
(The
Strait
Times,

2013)
1

Azmi
3

individual’s
incapacity
to
reach
the
stage
of
self-‐actualisation
and
the
treatment

of
space
in
the
nation
with
references
Goh
Poh
Seng’s
Dance
of
the
Moths,
Suchen

Christine
Lim’s
Rice
Bowl
and
The
River’s
Song.

Introduction

The
Singapore
government’s
pursuit
of
ensuring
economic
success
and

prosperity
is
strongly
motivated
by
the
nation’s
weaknesses
that
include,
the

lack
of
natural
resources
and
the
scarcity
of
land,
both
of
which
would
greatly
aid

in
the
building
the
foundations
for
economic
progress.
These
sources
of

weakness,
“the
very
direness
of
the
situations
[and]
its
unpromising
ingredients”

(Koolhaas
1019)
result
in
an
aggressive
survivalist
mentality
that
makes
up
the

“general
features
of
the
PAP’s2
ideological
system
[which]
unfolds
from
a
central

concern;
the
survival
as
an
independent
island
nation
[where]
survival
has
been

the
structuring
and
rationalising
centre
for
policies
by
which
Singapore
has
been

governed
since
it
gained
the
right
to
self-‐government
in
1959”
(Koolhaas
1019).

The
emphasis
to
overcome
these
weaknesses
is
a
rhetoric
that
is
echoed

throughout
the
aforementioned
primary
texts
through
the
prominent
presence

of
the
pragmatic
survivalist
mentality.
In
doing
so,
cultural
development
is

neglected,
and
the
soul,
which
consists
of
a
Singaporean
identity
outside
of
the

nation’s
socio-‐economic
function
and
success
is
underdeveloped
because
of

“Singapore’s
oscillation
between
its
nation-‐state
and
global
city
habitus
[which]

has
thus
far
made
an
authentic
national
identity
rather
elusive”
(Chong
877).

John
Wilson,
in
his
paper,
Art,
Identity
and
Culture,
states
that
“a
culture
consists

of
the
practices
and
forms
of
life
which
distinguish
a
social
group
from
a
group
of

animals:
the
styles,
rules,
values
and
other
elements
distinguishable
in
various

2
Abbreviation
for
People’s
Action
Party.
Source:
https://www.pap.org.sg/

Azmi
4

patterns
of
human
life”
(Wilson
90).
Thus,
whilst
the
concentration
on
economic

success
and
financial
security
as
an
attempt
to
overcome
the
nation’s

weaknesses
has
resulted
in
the
nation’s
meteoric
rise;
the
attention
that
is

focused
on
the
socio-‐economic
functions
of
the
individual
has,
at
the
same
time,

diverted
attention
away
from
the
nation’s
cultural
development,
an
important

identity
marker
that
defines
the
nation
outside
of
its
success.

The
prioritisation
of
economic
success
and
financial
security,
is
motivated

by
the
fear
of
failure,
which
results
in
the
militaristic
survivalist
mentality
that

has
dreadful
consequences
on
individuals.
As
a
result
of
pursuing
their
personal

financial
security,
individuals
suffer
from
crippling
conditions
of
alienation,

isolation
and
existential
crises,
which
lead
to
unhappiness,
the
lack
of
meaning
in

their
lives
and
most
importantly,
the
loss
in
the
sense
of
self
due
to
the
inability

of
the
individual
to
achieve
the
process
of
self-‐actualisation.
In
Goh
Poh
Seng’s

Dance
of
the
Moths,
the
protagonist,
Kian
Teck
remains
unfulfilled,
causing
him
to

suffer
from
an
existential
crisis,
even
though
he
has
attained
financial
success

that
allows
for
him
and
his
family
to
live
comfortably.
Similarly,
in
Suchen

Christine
Lim’s
The
River’s
Song,
the
nation’s
relentless
pursuit
for
progress
and

modernity
causes
a
“man
to
lose
his
bearings”
(157);
which
illustrates
the

undesirable,
unforeseen
consequences
of
alienation
and
isolation
in
the
pursuit

for
economic
prosperity.
In
like
manner,
her
other
novel,
Rice
Bowl,
emphasises

how
the
survivalist
mentality
that
echoes
the
government’s
rhetoric
of

overcoming
the
nation’s
acute
weakness,
has
been
internalised
by
Singaporean

individuals.
This
is
mainly
depicted
through
her
protagonist,
Paul,
who
lacks

personal
identity
development
because
he
has
no
sense
of
personal
identity

outside
of
his
socio-‐economic
role.
All
three
texts
illustrate
the
preoccupation

Azmi
5

Singaporeans
have
with
regards
to
acquiring
material
wealth
at
the
expense
of

personal
growth
and
fulfilment.
All
of
these
texts
question
the
assumption
that

economic
success
and
fulfilling
physiological
needs
are
sufficient
for
a

meaningful
life.

Thus,
this
thesis
will
be
guided
by
both
Aristotle’s
principle
of

eudaimonia
and
Abraham
Maslow’s
Theory
of
the
Hierarchy
of
Needs
which

states
the
conditions
that
need
to
be
fulfilled
in
order
to
achieve
holistic
human

development.

Aristotle’s
principle
of
eudaimonia
presents
the
idea
that
for
an
individual

to
lead
a
life
of
happiness
and
meaning,
that
is
conceptualised
as
eudaimonia,
he

has
to
examine
the
“nature
of
arête”,
where
virtues
and
excellence
enriches
the

“spirit”
that
will
result
in
a
life
that
is
flourishing.
Aristotle
conceptualises
the

idea
that
a
meaningful
life
is
“a
search
for
the
highest
good
[which]
has
three

characteristics:
it
is
desirable
for
itself,
it
is
not
desirable
for
the
sake
of
some

other
good
and
all
other
goods
are
desirable
for
its
sake”
(Kraut
2).
This
concept

is
essential
in
understanding
why
Singapore
is
a
success
story
without
a
soul

because
it
questions
the
meaning
of
the
lives
these
individuals
lead.
Hence,
it
will

be
used
as
a
guide
to
justify
the
thesis
based
on
the
understanding
that
the

“good”,
which
refers
to
economic
prosperity
that
has
been
attained
by
the

individuals
and
by
extension,
the
nation,
remains
insufficient
for
a
meaningful

life
as
evident
by
the
persistent
conditions
of
alienation,
isolation
and
existential

crises
that
these
individuals
suffer
from
across
the
three
texts.

Aristotle’s
concept
of
what
a
meaningful
life
is
relatable
to
Abraham

Maslow’s
Hierarchy
of
Needs
–
a
contemporary
theory
in
understanding
what
an

individual
requires
in
order
to
sustain
himself
and
to
ensure
personal

development.
In
order
for
an
individual
to
sustain
life
–
physical,
mental
and

Azmi
6

emotional,
Maslow’s
theory
has
defined
the
various
levels
of
needs
that
an

individual
has
to
secure
in
order
to
ensure
his
survival
and
his
personal

development.
According
to
his
theory,
in
order
to
ensure
both
the
survival
of
the

self
and
the
development
of
the
self,
the
individual
has
to
fulfil:
(i)
his

physiological
needs,
where
he
has
to
secure
basic
necessities
like
food
and

procreation;
(ii)
his
safety
needs,
which
includes
acquiring
shelter
and

employment
that
will
allow
him
to
sustain
a
certain
lifestyle;
(iii)
emotional

needs
or
“belongingness
needs”
(380)
where
he
feels
part
of
a
community
so
that

he
remains
somewhat
motivated
to
live,
(iv)
esteem
needs
–
an
important
need

that
helps
validate
the
individual
and
(v)
the
process
of
self-‐actualisation,
where

one
develops
his
personal
self
and
identity
“to
be
everything
one
is
capable
of

becoming”
(382)
outside
of
his
socio-‐economic
functions.
For
the
purposes
of

this
thesis,
I
will
pay
particular
attention
to
Maslow’s
first
condition
required
for

human
development
–
the
fulfilment
of
physiological
needs
and
self-‐sustenance
–

using
examples
of
how
individuals
across
the
primary
texts
achieve
their

physiological
survival
through
having
a
survivalist
mentality.
I
will
also
pay

particular
attention
to
Maslow’s
last
condition
required
for
a
holistic
human

development
–
the
process
of
attaining
–
that
develops
the

individual’s
sense
of
self
and
personal
identity.

This
thesis
will
justify
why
Singapore
is
a
success
story
without
a
soul

based
on
what
a
meaningful
life
should
be
through
Aristotle’s
concept
of

eudaimonia
and
Abraham
Maslow’s
Hierarchy
of
Needs,
paying
particular

attention
to
the
latter.
This
thesis
will
specifically
focus
on
how
the
continuous

pursuit
of
attaining
one’s
physiological
needs
required
for
sustenance
manifests

into
a
consumerist
culture
through
the
internalisation
of
a
survivalist
mentality

Azmi
7

and
how
this
incapacitates
the
individuals
from
achieving
the
process
of
self-‐
actualisation.
I
will
seek
to
justify
that
whilst
the
zealous
pursuit
of
economic

progress
is
necessary
for
the
physiological
survival
of
the
people
and
by

extension,
the
nation;
the
overconcentration
of
economic
pursuit
is
insufficient

for
one
to
develop
a
sense
of
self
and
lead
a
meaningful
life
outside
of
his

functional,
socio-‐economic
role.
Instead,
the
overconcentration
of
economic

pursuit
creates
both
highly
pressurising
conditions
for
the
individual
and
a

consumerist
culture,
which
has
undesirable
consequences
on
the
individual,

whereby
the
individual
suffers
from
the
inability
to
establish
their
personal

identity
outside
of
their
functional
roles
in
both
familial
and
societal
settings.

Thus,
being
unable
to
establish
a
personal
identity
prevents
them
from
reaching

the
process
of
This
thesis
will
also
explore
how
the
treatment

of
space
in
Singapore
further
compounds
the
lack
of
development
in
identity
due

to
the
relentless
promotion
of
the
survivalist
mentality
in
the
environment.
The

survivalist
mentality,
which
penetrates
both
the
mindset
and
environment
of
the

Singaporean
individual
ultimately
restricting
the
development
of
identity
and

culture
–
the
immaterial
aspect
of
what
defines
the
soul
of
both
the
individual

and
the
nation.

I.
The
Individual’s
Success
Determines
the
Success
of
the
Nation

A
factor
that
is
crucial
in
determining
the
economic
success
of
Singapore

is
the
co-‐dependent
relationship
between
the
state
and
its
peoples,
which
Mak

termed
as
“benefactor-‐beneficiary
dependency”
(Mak
33).
The
implementation

of
various
economic
policies
by
the
government
is
only
successful
in
making

Singapore
a
success
story
because
of
the
achievement
of
various
personal

Azmi
8

successes
by
the
Singaporean
individuals
themselves.
Without
the
personal

successes
of
Singaporean
individuals,
there
would
not
be
a
collective
success
and

the
nation
would
not
be
considered
a
success
story.

However,
the
personal

success
of
the
individual
and
the
success
of
the
nation
would
not
be
possible

without
the
survivalist
mentality
rhetoric
that
the
Singapore
government
has

promoted
relentlessly
in
order
to
overcome
the
acute
weaknesses
of
the
nation

so
that
Singapore
would
eventually
be
a
“first
world
nation”
(Chang
88).

The
survivalist
mentality
rhetoric
that
is
promoted
by
the
Singapore

government
is
motivated
by
one
of
the
weaknesses
of
the
nation,
that
is:
the
lack

of
natural
resources,
a
quality
that,
if
Singapore
had,
would
greatly
assist
in

creating
the
fertile
conditions
for
economic
activity.
This
acute
weakness
that
the

nation
faces
“define[s]
the
interest
of
the
whole
nation
as
of
paramount

importance”
(Chang
92).
Thus,
if
it
is
in
the
interests
of
the
nation,
then
it
is
in

the
interest
of
the
individual,
which
is
why
the
success
of
the
individual
is
crucial

to
the
success
of
the
nation.
The
government’s
desire
to
overcome
this
weakness

results
in
a
relentless
promotion
of
this
survivalist
mentality
amongst
its

citizens.
It
is
this
mentality,
this
rhetoric,
which
facilitates
economic
progress
as

it
helps
to
prioritise
the
needs
of
the
individual
in
order
to
ensure
the
survival
of

the
nation.

II.
The
Individual’s
Pursuit
for
Economic
Prosperity
Results
in
Economic

Success

The
manner
in
which
the
state
promotes
this
survivalist
mentality
can
be

seen
in
the
rhetoric
that
resonates
across
the
three
primary
texts,
where
the

individuals,
all
of
whom
are
citizens
of
Singapore,
are
constantly
reminded
that

Azmi
9

“Singapore
has
no
natural
resources
[hence]
we
have
to
look
out
for
ourselves”

(Lim,
Rice
Bowl,
65).

The
fact
that
Singapore
has
no
natural
resources
to
depend

on
for
self-‐sustenance
means
that
the
only
available
resource
that
the
nation
has

rests
in
her
people.
This
weakness
is
recognised
by
the
state
and
hence,
the
state

has
implemented
wide-‐reaching
efforts
across
different
sectors
of
the
society
in

an
attempt
to
construct
economic
viability
of
its
people.
These
include

mandating
that
English
be
the
official
language3
in
1959,
implementing
a

meritocratic
education
system4
that
promotes
pragmatic
sciences
and
skills
over

the
idealistic
arts
and
humanities
subjects
as
well
as
“fostering
optimistic

psychology
in
individuals”
(Asher
796)
in
order
to
motivate
Singaporeans
to

succeed.
Since
the
government
recognises
that
the
success
of
the
individual
is

crucial
in
determining
the
success
of
the
nation,
the
pragmatic
survivalist

mentality
is
embedded
in
her
citizens
through
the
rhetoric
“we
have
no

hinterland
to
depend
on
and
the
world
doesn’t
owe
us
a
living”
(Lim,
Rice
Bowl,

65)
–
a
weakness
of
the
nation
that
becomes
“a
recital
of
an
argument
learnt
by

heart”
by
Singaporean
citizens.
(Lim,
Rice
Bowl,
65).

Bearing
this
in
mind,
the
government
uses
“society’s
interest
to
integrate

and
adjust
individual’s
interests”
(Chang
91).
This
explains
the
internalisation
of

the
survivalist
mentality
that
is
illustrated
by
the
characters
across
the

aforementioned
primary
texts.
The
citizens
have
“no
choice”
because
the
country

has
“no
natural
resources”
and
hence,
they
have
to
“look
out
for
[them]selves”

3
on
the
official
and
national
languages
in
Singapore
–
L.
Quentin
Dixon,
The

Bilingual
Education
Policy
in
Singapore,
(Harvard
University)

4
As
explained
by
Ong,
the
governing
principle
in
Singapore
is
meritocracy
as
Lee

Kuan
Yew,
the
nations
first
Prime
Minister
asserted
that
while
all
were
not
born

equal,
there
would
be
equal
education
opportunities
given
to
all

indiscriminately.

–
Ambassador
Ong

Keng
Yong,
Singapore’s
Social
Policies:

Vision,
Accomplishments
and
Challenges,
(National
University
of
Singapore)
1

Azmi
10

(Lim,
Rice
Bowl,
65).
This
survivalist
mentality
is
so
embedded
in
the
psyche
of

the
individual
that
it
translates
into
physical
behaviour.
In
Lim’s
narrative,

“undergrads
jostle
each
other
[as]
it
was
each
man
for
himself
at
lunch
time
in

the
university”
(Lim,
Rice
Bowl,
111).
The
physicalisation
of
the
survivalist

mentality
is
evidence
in
itself
of
how
deep
the
survivalist
mentality
is
embedded

in
Singaporean
citizens.
It
is
inescapable
and
it
penetrates
societal
behaviour
as

just
illustrated.

In
Goh’s
Dance
of
the
Moths,
Mr.
Chan
understands
and
accepts
the

nation’s
acute
weakness
as
his
own.
This
configures
in
his
philosophy
in
life

where
he
sees
it
as
“simple
practical
common
sense,
[that]
he
had
to
earn
his

daily
bread,
his
daily
bowl
of
rice
[because]
the
choice
was
plain
enough”
(Goh

216-‐217).
Goh
uses
food
as
an
allusion
to
the
survival
of
the
individual
since
food

sustains
and
fulfils
the
individual’s
physiological
needs,
as
conceptualised
by

Maslow.
Likewise,
this
pragmatic
survivalist
mentality
is
also
observed
in
Paul
in

Lim’s
novel,
Rice
Bowl.
Paul’s
character
is
personified
to
represent
the
survivalist

rhetoric
and
“hard
logic”
(Lim,
Rice
Bowl,
127).
This
is
evident
from
his
constant

emphasis
that
Singaporeans
have
to
work
hard
and
submit
to
the
policies
put

into
effect
by
the
government
so
that
they
may
“keep
their
rice
bowls
full,
keep

their
hands
busy
and
forge
a
sense
of
purpose
and
direction
in
order
to
turn
the

wheels
of
commerce
and
industry”
(Lim,
Rice
Bowl,
51).

It
is
generally
understood
that
the
management
of
a
nation’s
citizens
is

the
government’s
responsibility;
thus,
in
the
case
of
Singapore
as
evident
from

the
aforementioned
texts,
the
government
ensures
that
individuals
are

successful
economically
by
promoting
this
survivalist
mentality.
Hence,
this

translates
to
the
idea
that
the
achievement
of
economic
success
is
a

Azmi
11

responsibility
that
individuals
have
to
take
ownership
of.
What
is
particularly

striking
about
the
two
aforementioned
examples
is
in
how
the
characters
use

food,
rice
in
particular,
as
literal
symbols
on
what
determines
an
individual’s

physiological
survival.
The
personal
successes
of
individuals
would
result
in
the

economic
prosperity
of
the
nation,
especially
since
Singapore
has
no
other

resources
other
than
her
people
to
aid
in
the
pursuit
of
economic
development.

Thus,
the
internalisation
of
survivalist
mentality
is
crucial
in
determining
the

achievement
of
economic
success.

III.
The
Internalisation
of
the
Survivalist
Mentality
Results
in
a
Consumerist

Culture,
a
Loss
in
a
Sense
of
Self
and
the
Lack
of
Development
of
the
Soul

The
pragmatic
survivalist
mentality
has
shown
to
be
deeply
embedded
in

these
individuals
as
illustrated
by
the
characters.
These
characters
are
able
to

attain
their
basic
physiological
needs
in
order
to
survive,
the
first
condition
that

allows
for
human
development
according
to
Maslow’s
Hierarchy
of
Needs.

However,
while
this
survivalist
mentality
is
key
in
determining
the
success
of

these
individuals,
the
internalisation
of
the
very
same
survivalist
mentality
has

resulted
in
the
emergence
of
a
consumerist
and
materialist
culture;
where

individuals
remain
dissatisfied
with
their
current
economic
status
and
are

constantly
aspiring
to
achieve
even
more
financial
prosperity
to
fulfil
material

desires
instead
of
just
their
physiological
needs.
Mak
states
that
the
middle
class

is
“materialist
in
their
outlook”
(Mak
39)
and
that
the
preoccupation
with
the

accumulation
of
material
wealth
is
internalised
“to
the
extent
of
sacrificing

involvement
in
other
types
of
collectivism
such
as
social
and
political

movements,
let
alone
self-‐actualisation”
(Mak
40).
This
phenomenon
where
“the

Azmi
12

middle
class
status
is
an
aspiration
to
many
as
it
symbolises
a
good
life”
(Mak
37)

is
a
trend
that
is
consistent
throughout
the
aforementioned
primary
texts.

However,
this
consumerist
and
materialist
culture
that
has
been
created
results

in
the
loss
of
self
because
it
detracts
attention
from
the
individual
as
an

autonomous
entity
and
focuses
on
the
individual
as
a
socio-‐economic
function,

or
a
cog
in
a
machine.

This
is
exemplified
in
Goh’s
protagonist,
Kian
Teck,
in
his
novel
Dance
of

the
Moths.
The
characterisation
of
Kian
Teck
demonstrates
that
one
of
the

reasons
why
Singapore
is
able
to
become
the
success
story
that
it
is
today
is

because
the
majority
of
Singaporean
individuals
endorse
the
“tactic
of
survival,

Singapore
style”
which
is:
“push
to
the
front
or
be
pushed
to
the
back”
(Lim,
Rice

Bowl,
111).
When
the
readers
are
introduced
to
Kian
Teck
in
the
opening

chapters,
the
readers
are
already
informed
that
Kian
Teck
is
a
successful
man,

who
is
able
to
provide
himself
and
his
family
a
comfortable
life.
This
comfortable

life
includes
meeting
the
basic
physiological
needs
of
both
food
and
shelter
for

both
him
and
his
family.
Kian
Teck,
a
creative
designer
in
an
advertising
agency,

is
so
successful
in
what
he
does
that
he
is
even
able
to
afford
luxuries
like
a
car,
a

material
good
that
does
not
determine
his
sustenance,
as
it
is
not
a
physiological

need.
The
car
is
considered
a
luxury
as
it’s
use
is
only
restricted
to
the

convenience
of
travel.
However,
despite
attaining
the
basic
necessities
that

ensures
his
physiological
survival
as
well
as
being
able
to
accumulate
wealth
that

satisfies
his
material
desires,
Kian
Teck
still
remains
dissatisfied
with
his
level
of

material
wealth
and
seeks
to
accumulate
even
more
wealth.
His
“preoccupation

with
the
prospects
of
the
stock
exchange”
(Goh
169)
whilst
“driving
his
brand

new
car
towards
town”
(Goh
169)
is
telling
of
his
desire
to
accumulate
more

Azmi
13

wealth.
It
is
also
telling
of
his
dissatisfaction
of
his
current
economic
status

because
despite
the
fact
that
he
has
acquired
a
new
car,
which
fulfils
one
of
his

material
desires,
he
seeks
to
acquire
even
more
material
wealth.
This
indicates

that
the
internalisation
of
a
survivalist
mentality
is
so
deeply
embedded
in
the

individual
that
he
continues
to
pursue
economic
betterment
not
for
his

physiological
needs
but
for
his
material
desires.
In
turn,
this
shows
that
the

continued
pursuit
of
economic
prosperity
creates
a
consumerist
culture
that
the

individual
constantly
seeks
to
indulge
in.
Therefore,
even
though
Kian
Teck

should
feel
secure
with
his
financial
status
since
it
is
sufficient
in
fulfilling
both

the
physiological
needs
of
himself
and
his
family,
he
remains
obsessed
with

material
wealth.
Kian
Teck’s
obsession
with
material
wealth
is
so
distinct
and

prominent
that
“there
was
an
inner
–
and
expanding
–
world
which
he
kept
in
his

head:
the
world
of
the
stock
market
[and]
these
were
[his]
thoughts
as
he
arrived

at
the
office”
(Goh
169).
Kian
Teck
realises
that
participating
in
the
activities
of

the
stock
market
is
“the
truth
he
had
now
discovered
something
almost
akin
to

religion,
or
to
the
passion
of
the
artist”
(Goh
170).
Thus,
it
justifies
the
idea
that

the
pursuit
for
economic
prosperity
will
remain
endless
due
to
the
consumerist

culture
that
has
been
created
as
a
result
of
the
survivalist
mentality.

Similarly,
in
Lim’s
The
River’s
Song,
Ping’s
mother,
known
as
Mrs.
Chang

after
she
marries
a
wealthy
businessman,
is
obsessed
with
social
upward

mobility.
Mrs.
Chang
was
able
to
make
a
decent
living
as
a
pipa
musician
but
she

views
this
as
a
form
of
socio-‐economic
paralysis,
even
though
she
was
able
to

meet
physiological
needs
by
providing
both
food
and
shelter
for
herself
and
Ping,

her
daughter.
She
considers
her
previous
employment
as
a
pipa
musician
to
be

the
cause
of
her
socio-‐economic
paralysis
because
she
was
dissatisfied
with
her

Azmi
14

“dingy,
cramped
and
dimly”
(Lim,
Rice
Bowl
90)
living
conditions
she
had
to
live

in.
Her
“cramped”
living
conditions
act
as
a
source
of
motivation
for
her
to
seek
a

rich
man
to
marry,
a
man
who
would
be
able
to
provide
her
with
“space
and

luxury
in
the
city”
(Lim,
The
River’s
Song
90).
The
very
fact
that
Lim
uses
the

word
“luxury”
indicates
that
Mrs.
Chang
is
preoccupied
with
the
acquisition
of

material
wealth
despite
already
attaining
the
minimum
to
be
able
to
survive

according
to
the
first
condition
required
for
human
development
according
to

Maslow’s
Hierarchy
of
needs.

Both
Kian
Teck
and
Mrs.
Chang
illustrate
how

deeply
embedded
the
survivalist
mentality
is
in
their
psyche,
so
much
so
that
it

results
in
the
creation
of
a
consumerist
culture
because
despite
the
ability
of

these
two
respective
characters
in
fulfilling
their
physiological
needs,
they
strive

for
more
economic
success
in
order
to
achieve
their
material
needs.

Both
of
these
characters
exemplify
how
easily
the
survivalist
mentality,

which
is
crucial
in
determining
one’s
self-‐sustenance,
can
manifest
into

consumerist
behaviour.
This
consumerist
behaviour,
however,
is
not
a
condition

that
allow
for
a
holistic
human
development
according
to
neither
Maslow
nor
a

life
of
eudaimonia
according
to
Aristotle.
Rather,
the
materialistic
desires
of

these
two
characters
demonstrate
how
the
economic
success
of
the
nation

results
in
an
“unapologetic
concern
with
shopping”
(Koolhaas
1051)
that
is
“not

simply
a
consumerist
frenzy
but
an
authentic
essence
of
urban
life”
(Koolhaas

1051).
The
manifestation
of
the
survivalist
mentality,
which
results
in
a

consumerist
culture
shows
that
the
consumerist
culture
is
“not
simply”
a

“frenzy”
because
it
has
become
part
of
the
lifestyle
that
the
individual
is

embedded
in.
Precisely
because
the
consumerist
culture
has
become
a
way
of
life

for
these
individuals,
it
actually
hinders
one
from
attaining
the
process
of
self-‐

Azmi
15

actualisation
where
the
individual
“desire[s]
for
self-‐fulfilment,
the
tendency
for

him
to
become
actualised
in
what
he
is
potentially
(Maslow
382)
because
the

survivalist
mentality
has
consumed
the
individual
so
much
so
that
it
manifests
in

a
consumerist
culture,
making
him
only
concerned
on
how
to
better
his
socio-‐
economic
activities
that
will
help
sate
his
increasing
hunger
for
material
goods.

His
personal
identity,
which
is
determined
by
the
pursuit
of
other
interests
that

lie
outside
the
domain
of
acquiring
material
goods,
is
underdeveloped
and
this

results
in
the
loss
of
a
sense
of
self.

This
loss
of
a
sense
of
self
is
thoroughly
personified
by
Paul,
a
character
in

Lim’s
other
novel,
Rice
Bowl.
Paul
is
a
one-‐dimensional
character
who
is

identified
solely
by
his
socio-‐economic
function.
He
does
not
suffer
from

crippling
conditions
of
alienation
and
existential
crisis.
Instead,
he
is
the

definition
of
a
success
story
without
a
soul.
Paul
is
unconcerned
with
a
life
of

happiness
and
meaning
as
evident
from
his
consistent
insistence
that
it
is
simply

“hard
logic”
(Lim,
Rice
Bowl,
127)
that
motivates
Singaporeans
to
“keep
their
rice

bowls
full
keep
their
hands
busy
and
forge
a
sense
of
purpose
and
direction
in

order
to
turn
the
wheels
of
commerce
and
industry”
(Lim,
Rice
Bowl
51).
This
is

further
postulated
by
how
there
is
no
need
for
“meaningful
participation”
in

university
because
a
university
education
is
only
useful
“to
get
a
passport
to

wealth”
(Lim,
Rice
Bowl
59).
Again,
Lim’s
purpose
of
using
the
word
“wealth”

here
is
meant
to
indicate
that
Singaporeans
are
preoccupied
with
attaining

wealth.
This
shows
that
they
want
to
progress
beyond
the
attainment
of
their

physiological
needs.

The
consumerist
and
materialist
culture
that
is
created
through
the

internalisation
of
the
survivalist
mentality
is
resonant
of
the
idea
that
“man

Azmi
16

craves
luxury
and
grandeur”
(Goh
93)
and
how
“every
man
yearn[s]
to
live
like

an
emperor
[…]
even
if
he
has
to
pay
through
his
nose
for
the
privilege”
(Goh
93).

While
the
internalisation
of
a
survivalist
mentality
might
have
allowed
Singapore

to
become
a
success
story,
the
continued
emphasis
on
securing
one’s
financial

future
creates
a
concrete
materialist
and
consumerist
culture
in
the
nation

because
of
the
continued
pursuit
of
economic
betterment.
It
is
this
continued

pursuit
that
incapacitates
individuals
from
attaining
the
process
of
self-‐
actualisation
because
the
attention
of
the
individual
does
not
lie
in
the

development
of
the
self
but
rather
the
acquisition
of
material
goods.
This

continued
emphasis
on
securing
one’s
financial
future
results
in
the
formation
of

the
consumerist
middle
class
and
how
the
“middle
class
is
a
consumption
class;

and
[how]
its
discernable
pattern
of
consumption
forms
a
unique
way
of
living”

(Mak
45).
Whilst
this
continued
emphasis
is
imperative
in
ensuring
Singapore’s

economic
prosperity
longevity,
it
remains
insufficient
for
individuals
to
lead
a

life
of
happiness
and
contentment
since
it
only
helps
fulfil
the
physiological

needs
of
the
individual.
Therefore,
the
individual
and
by
extension,
the
nation,
is

only
defined
by
his
socio-‐economic
function
and
not
by
his
sense
of
self.
The

process
of
acquiring
material
goods
to
satisfy
the
individual’s
consumerist

desires
result
in
the
loss
of
his
sense
of
self
and
the
life
of
happiness
and

contentment
cannot
be
attained
because
the
process
of
a

process
that
an
individual
has
to
attain
in
order
to
lead
a
life
of
eudaimonia,
is

underdeveloped
due
to
the
overpowering
nature
of
the
survivalist
mentality

present
in
the
individual.

The
state
of
is
highly
difficult
to
attain
given
that
the

rhetoric
has
created
a
concrete
culture
of
materialism
and
consumerism.
This
is

Azmi
17

because
the
culture
of
materialism
and
consumerism
continues
to
emphasise
on

only
the
socio-‐economic
function
of
the
individual
and
not
his
personal
identity.

Therefore,
whilst
economic
success
is
imperative
for
one
to
survive
as
“the

activity
of
labour
concerns
the
processes
of
production
and
consumption
that
are

dictated
by
our
biological
needs”
(Miczo
135),
it
does
not
contribute
to
“a
sense

of
psychological
security”
(Wilson
91),
which
is
derived
from
a
“network
of

cultural
experiences”
(Wilson
91).
Hence,
despite
Singapore’s
meteoric
rise
as
a

successful
nation,
the
economic
prosperity
alone
cannot
guarantee
happiness
as

the
lack
of
such
“cultural
experiences”
results
in
the
inability
to
attain
the
state
of

The
state
of
is
crucial
to
the
development
of

the
individual
and
the
nation
because
“within
each
person
is
a
kernel
that
may
be

called
the
soul
or
the
ego
or
the
self
[and]
it
is
the
subject
of
all
the
person’s

experiences”
(Rachels
et
al.
54).
Thus,
the
process
is
crucial
in

the
development
of
the
individual
and
the
nation
as
it
provides
both
with

recognition
outside
of
his
socio-‐economic
roles
and
her
economic
prowess.

A
complete
representation
of
the
self
that
forms
an
individual’s
complete

identity
includes
the
individual
having
other
interests
that
do
not
consist
of

wealth
or
material
goods.
A
complete
representation
of
the
self
includes

individualistic
exhibitions
of
self-‐expression;
whether
it
is
through
artistic

mediums,
musical
mediums
and/
or
religion.
Thus,
when
the
survivalist

mentality
is
so
overwhelming
that
it
has
resulted
in
a
consumerist
culture
even

though
it
was
meant
to
fulfil
physiological
needs,
individuals
becomes
defined
by

their
socio-‐economic
function
and
this
results
in
the
loss
of
a
sense
of
self.
The

loss
of
the
sense
of
self
occurs
when
an
individual
cannot
determine
whom
he
is

and
is
not
satisfied
with
his
life
despite
achieving
economic
prosperity.
A
sense

Azmi
18

of
self
refers
to
an
individual’s
personal
identity
where
the
self
consists
of
more

than
his
socio-‐economic
role
or
function.
According
to
philosophers
James

Rachels
and
Stuart
Rachels,
in
Problems
from
Philosophy,
personal
identity

consists
of
“the
subject
of
all
the
person’s
experiences”
(54).

Yet,
there
is
a
loss

of
the
sense
of
self
since
an
individual’s
personal
identity
is
underdeveloped

across
the
various
texts
due
to
how
the
prioritisation
of
one’s
socio-‐economic

function
limits
one’s
ability
to
have
other
experiences
that
have
nothing
to
do

with
wealth
or
the
acquisition
of
material
goods.

Thus,
the
underdevelopment
of

one’s
personal
identity
results
in
the
incapacity
to
achieve
the
process
of
self-‐
actualisation,
which
makes
the
life
of
an
individual
meaningless.

At
some
point,
material
objects
and
financial
security
become
insufficient

for
an
individual
to
live
a
rewarding
and
fulfilling
life
filled
with
contentment

because
these
material
objects
and
financial
security
that
they
have
are
not
the

“source
of
all
insight”
(Langer
10).
The
source
of
all
insight
that
would
make
life

meaningful
is
the
individual’s
development
in
other
areas
of
his
life
that
does
not

include
his
economic
success.
This
development
is
thus,
Maslow’s
process
of
self-‐
actualisation,
which
requires
one
to
develop
his
personal
identity.
The

underdevelopment
of
personal
identity,
which
causes
one
to
be
unhappy
and

suffer
from
an
existential
crisis
is
epitomised
by
Peter,
a
character
in
Goh’s
Dance

of
the
Moths.
Peter
questions
if
“[he]
might’ve
been
happier
[had]
only
[his]
will

been
directed
elsewhere
[like]
architecture,
poetry,
philosophy
instead
of

dissipating
[his]
life”
(Goh
35)
by
pursuing
only
financial
security
through
his

pragmatic
decision
to
be
a
lawyer.

Similarly,
in
Goh’s
Dance
of
the
Moths,
Kian
Teck
questions
the
meaning
of

his
life
despite
the
fact
that
he
is
wealthy.
This
shows
that
economic
success
is

Azmi
19

insufficient
for
a
life
of
happiness
and
meaning,
evident
from
his
following

outburst:
“I
am
going
to
die!
And
this
fact,
this
knowledge
confronted
me,
made

me
realize
that
life
is
banal.
If
it
has
to
end,
life
is
meaningless.
So
perhaps
out
of

desperation,
I
became
restless
[…]
I
must
plunge
into
life,
dive
in
headlong.
And

when
I
found
that
I
could
not
do
that,
could
not
do
that
always,
then
came
the

moments
of
inertia,
of
boredom”
(Goh
192).
Kian
Teck
is
clearly
searching
for
the

meaning
of
his
life
because
although
he
has
already
attained
all
the
other
needs

required
for
holistic
human
development,
he
still
remains
unfulfilled,
which

shows
that
the
quality
of
one’s
life
does
not
wholly
rely
on
the
fulfilment
of
one’s

physiological
needs
nor
the
fulfilment
of
one’s
materialistic
desires.
Thus,
these

individuals
have
to
undergo
the
process
of
as
proposed
by

Maslow
in
order
to
find
meaning
in
their
lives
and
be
happy.
Kian
Teck,
amongst

others,
is
neither
happy
nor
contented
with
his
life
and
he
concludes,
“man
is
not

made
for
happiness”
(Goh
36).
His
unhappiness
is
further
evident
from
his

statement
that
his
“soul
[is]
dark
because
[he]
has
no
light
within
[him],
so
[he]

propels
[him]self
towards
these
external
lights,
these
materialistic
lights”
(208).

However,
the
fulfilment
of
material
desires
does
not
help
in
answering

existential
questions
such
as
“who
am
I,
really?”
or
“where
does
my
real
self
lie?”

(Wilson
91).

Goh’s
aforementioned
statement
is
instrumental
in
implying
that

Singapore
lacks
a
support
system
or
structure
beyond
fulfilling
physiological

needs
and
materialist
desires.
The
individual
is
left
alienated
and
isolated

because
he
is
trapped
in
his
socio-‐economic
role.
He
undergoes
an
identity
crisis

because
he
does
not
know
who
he
is
outside
of
this
functional
role.
His
identity

crisis
is
further
compounded
by
the
fact
that
“the
Efficient
do
not
bother
with

Azmi
20

their
subconscious
[because]
for
them,
survival
rules
firmly”
(Goh
153),

reiterating
the
lack
of
a
support
system
that
directs
the
individual
towards

achieving
the
process
of

This
existential
crisis
that
Kian
Teck
faces
is
also
faced
by
his
wife,
Li
Lian.

Li
Lian
is
unhappy
despite
living
a
comfortable
life
that
Kian
Teck
has
provided

for
her
and
their
children.
Li
Lian
suffers
and
undergoes
an
identity
crisis
of
her

own
because
she
is
not
being
recognised
as
an
individual
with
her
own
self-‐
interests
and
opinions
“since
marriage
and
since
having
kids”
(Goh
190).
Li
Lian

as
an
individual
is
unacknowledged
because
she
is
also
strictly
defined
by
her

socio-‐economic
role,
which
lies
in
the
domestic
domain.
The
only
role
that
Li

Lian
plays
in
the
narrative
is
one
of
a
wife
and
mother.
She
is
expected
to
upkeep

the
family
unit
and
ensure
that
the
needs
of
her
husband
and
her
children
are

met.

Precisely
because
her
identity
is
strictly
defined
by
her
social
function,
she

has
“not
been
[her]self”
(Goh
190),
only
“a
wife,
a
mother”
(Goh
190).
She
has

only
been
“fulfilling
a
functional
role
as
a
wife,
mother
and
friend
[and]
[she]

began
to
wonder
whether
[she]
[is]
[her]self
anymore
[…]
as
an
individual

named
Ong
Li
Lian,
with
[her]
own
thoughts,
feelings
[and]
ideas”
(Goh
190).

This
explicitly
informs
us
that
Li
Lian’s
current
social
role
under-‐represents
her

as
an
individual.
Her
socio-‐economic
function
illustrates
the
fact
that
there
is
a

lack
of
development
of
the
self
outside
of
one’s
socio-‐economic
role
as
evident

from
Li
Lian’s
lack
of
definition
as
an
individual
entity
but
rather,
a
functional

entity.
She
undergoes
an
identity
crisis
precisely
because
of
the
fact
that
her

social
functions
have
made
her
invisible
“as
a
person
–
an
individual
named
Ong

Li
Lian”
(Goh
190),
which
makes
her
feel
neglected
since
she
is
only
recognised

by
her
socio-‐economic
function.
This
sense
of
neglect
is
the
loss
of
the
sense
of

Azmi
21

self
because
in
the
process
of
pursuing
and
fulfilling
her
domestic

responsibilities,
she
becomes
thoroughly
defined
by
her
social
role.
Both
these

individuals,
exemplified
by
Li
Lian
and
Kian
Teck,
are
merely
cogs
in
the
societal

machine
“in
order
to
turn
the
wheels
of
commerce
and
industry”
(Lim,
Rice
Bowl,

51).
The
incomplete
acknowledgement
of
the
individuals
outside
of
their
socio-‐
economic
roles
has
made
them
unhappy
and
caused
them
to
“slowly
go
out
of

[their]
mind
[and]
go
insane”
(Goh
190).

The
pursuit
of
economic
success
and
how
it
does
not
acknowledge
the

existence
of
the
individual
can
also
be
seen
in
Mr
Chan,
who
had
to
“put
his

shoulder
to
the
yoke,
whatever
people
might
think
of
him”
because
“emotions,

and
even
personal
feelings,
were
luxuries
he
could
not
afford”
(Goh
127).
He
too

undergoes
an
identity
crisis,
which
he
considers
to
be
“a
practical
problem,
a

vital
problem”
(Goh
217)
but
one
that
he
could
not
attend
to
since
he
has
to
deal

with
meeting
his
physiological
needs
as
well
as
the
physiological
needs
of
his

family.
With
regards
to
the
expression
of
his
“emotions”
and
“personal
feelings”,

he
can
only
“grapple
with
it
the
best
way
he
could
at
that
time”
(Goh
217)

because
his
physiological
and
economic
security
are
his
primary
concerns.
Thus,

this
results
in
Singaporeans
becoming
“people
[who]
knew
the
prevailing
price

of
everything
and
the
value
of
nothing”
(Goh
247),
as
these
individuals
are
only

concerned
with
fulfilling
their
physiological
needs,
which,
if
they
have
fulfilled,

will
result
in
them
fulfilling
their
materialistic
desires.
This
is
how
the
survivalist

mentality
eventually
manifests
to
become
a
consumerist
culture.

The
aforementioned
examples
that
depict
the
various
characters
being

unhappy
despite
their
material
wealth
shows
that
the
pursuit
of
economic

prosperity
is
an
insufficient
experience
for
a
meaningful
life.
Furthermore,

Azmi
22

individuals
in
the
various
primary
texts
realise
that
eventually,
“money
loses
its

values,
everything
has
lost
its
value”
(Goh
15).
This
denotes
that
the
chase
for

material
success
ceases
to
be
meaningful
after
awhile
because
“even
if
all
these

needs
are
satisfied”
(Maslow
382),
it
is
human
nature
to
expect
that
“a
new

discontent
and
restlessness
will
develop”
(Maslow
382).
Hence,
this
causes
the

individual
to
feel
a
loss
in
the
sense
of
self
and
undergo
existential
crises.

Therefore,
they
have
to
seek
other
ways;
non-‐material
ways
and
means
to
find

their
happiness
to
attain
happiness
since
material
objects
are
deemed

insufficient.

IV.
Absence
of
Art
and
Culture
Results
in
a
Lack
of
Development
of
Personal

Identity,
which
Leads
to
the
Inability
to
Achieve
Self-Actualisation

Other
than
the
existential
identity
crises
that
these
individuals
go
through

due
to
their
identities
being
restricted
to
only
their
socio-‐economic
functions
as

illustrated
by
characters
from
Dance
of
the
Moths,
the
lack
of
acknowledgement

of
the
individual
outside
of
his
functional
roles
can
also
be
seen
in
the
absence
of

arts
and
culture
(and
music
as
depicted
in
the
narrative,
The
River’s
Song)
in

Singapore.
The
absence
of
arts
and
culture
is
detrimental
to
an
individual’s

identity
because
“a
person’s
identity
[and]
psychological
security
must
reside
in

his
culture”
(Wilson
92).
Without
the
presence
of
arts
and
culture,
the
process
of

cannot
be
attained
as
the
absence
of
arts
and
culture
leads
to

the
underdevelopment
of
the
individual’s
personal
identity
and
the
starvation
of

the
soul.

The
idea
that
the
body
of
the
individual
must
be
sustained
through
food,

which
has
to
be
acquired
through
work
in
order
for
a
person
to
survive

Azmi
23

physically
cannot
be
overemphasised.
However,
the
idea
that
the
soul
of
the

individual
must
also
be
fed
in
order
to
sustain
true
happiness
and
for
one’s
life
to

be
meaningful
is
as
equally,
if
not
more,
important
because
if
individuals
are

starved
of
arts
and
culture,
which
is
the
“epitome
of
human
life”
(Langer
5),
there

will
be
“hunger
in
[one’s]
eyes”
(Lim,
The
River’s
Song
215).
Thus,
a
more

complete
development
of
human
life
in
order
to
achieve
success
and
happiness

requires
meeting
both
the
physiological
needs
of
the
human
body
and
as

proposed
by
Maslow,
the
process
of
through
the
realisation
of

his
potential
and
the
fulfilment
of
his
talents.

Lim
illustrates
the
importance
of
attaining
the
state
of

by
using
a
historical
angle
as
a
point
of
reference.
In
her
narration,
she
uses
the

Chinese
Cultural
Revolution5
in
August
1966
through
the
memories
and

experiences
of
a
Chinese
professor,
Professor
Chen
Ma
Xian,
who
lived
through

the
Cultural
Revolution
and
is
therefore,
considered
a
first-‐hand
witness.

Through
the
Chinese
professor,
Lim
expresses
the
“hunger
and
longing”
(Lim,

The
River’s
Song
215)
that
an
individual
feels
not
because
he
is
literally
deprived

of
food
but
because
of
the
prohibition
of
artistic
and
cultural
expressions
during

the
Cultural
Revolution.
This
results
in
the
Professor
Chen
being
unable
to
attain

through
music
at
that
point
of
time
in
his
life
because
he
had

“no
pipa”
(Lim,
The
River’s
Song
215),
which
meant
that
he
had
“no
music”
(Lim,

The
River’s
Song
215)
and
by
extension,
“no
life”
(Lim,
The
River’s
Song
215)
and

no
culture,
which
just
made
him
part
of
“the
walking
dead”
(Lim,
The
River’s
Song

215).
Professor
Chen’s
comparison
of
himself
to
the
dead
emphasises
how

5
sourced
from
the
History
Channel,
a
production
of
A&E
Television
Networks

http://www.history.com/topics/cultural-‐revolution

Azmi
24

lifeless
an
individual
can
be
when
deprived
through
music
because
“a
musician

must
make
music”
(Maslow
382).
Despite
fulfilling
one’s
physiological
needs,
one

can
still
feel
“hunger”
if
he
is
denied
a
manner
to
express
himself,
which
in
the

case
of
The
River’s
Song,
is
through
the
medium
of
music.
Lim’s
characterisation

of
the
professor
belies
how
“art
is
an
important
part
of
reality”
(Langer
7).
This

statement
qualifies
the
idea
of
how
music
and
life
are
co-‐dependent
because
the

absence
of
one,
like
“music”,
leads
to
the
absence
of
the
other,
“life”.
It
justifies

the
idea
that
cultural
development
and
development
of
the
arts
is
crucial
for
the

survival
of
the
soul,
similar
to
how
attaining
physiological
needs
(like
acquiring

food
to
feed
the
human
body)
is
crucial
for
the
sustenance
of
the
human
body.

Without
the
development
of
the
arts
or
culture,
individuals
become
lifeless.
The

Chinese
professor’s
personal
experience
during
the
Chinese
Cultural
Revolution

encapsulates
the
idea
that
an
individual’s
life
is
incomplete
and
that
true
and

complete
happiness
cannot
he
attained
unless
one
is
allowed
to
express
himself

completely
through
the
realisation
of
his
potential
and
the
fulfilment
of
his

talents,
as
proposed
by
Maslow.
Any
form
of
cultural
expression,
whether

through
music
or
art
does
not
matter,
as
long
as
it
is
not
a
socio-‐economic
role.

Furthermore,
the
quote
strongly
implies
that
whilst
someone
might
have
enough

food
to
eat
or
a
decent
standard
of
living,
they
may
be
alive
only
physically
but

otherwise,
dead
emotionally
and
psychologically.
The
human
consciousness

cannot
merely
be
sated
with
food
or
material
wealth
and
this
is
true
universally,

across
all
human
beings,
as
shown
by
Kian
Teck
and
Li
Lian
in
Goh’s
Dance
of
the

Moths
and
the
aforementioned
Professor
in
Lim’s
The
River’s
Song.
Thus,
this

justifies
how
the
lack
of
cultural,
artistic
and
musical
development
in
Singapore

results
in
the
lack
of
a
soul
in
the
nation,
which
is
seen
as
important
in
sustaining

Azmi
25

people
and
their
lives
because
it
provides
a
sense
of
happiness
and
a
means
of

self-‐expression
outside
of
the
acquisition
of
material
goods
and
desires.

However,
this
becomes
a
struggle
for
the
individual
because
there
is

tension
between
his
physiological
needs
and
his
need
for
as

they
both
sustain
different
aspects
of
an
individual.
A
man’s
physiological
needs

are
based
on
his
most
base
needs,
like
eating,
which
determines
his
physical

survival.
On
the
other
hand,
cultural
development
helps
facilitate
the
process
of

as
it
allows
the
individual
to
have
a
self
outside
of
his
socio-‐

economic
role.

The
predicament
faced
by
Weng
and
his
father
in
Lim’s
narrative,
The

River’s
Song,
demonstrates
this
struggle.
Weng’s
father
is
conscious
of
the
fact

that
“things
would
have
been
different
if
his
family
had
the
money.
But
his
family

is
poor”
(Lim,
The
River’s
Song
140).
This
implies
that
if
he
had
no
problems

fulfilling
his
physiological
needs,
then
he
would
be
able
to
undergo
a
process
of

as
evident
by
his
statement
that
“heaven
lights
up
the
soul
just

once,
if
we
fail
to
feed
the
flame,
it
dies”
which
causes
him
to
become
“a
spent

candle”
(Lim,
The
River’s
Song
140).
It
appears
that
an
individual
has
to
make
a

choice
of
between
his
two
needs:
feeding
his
body
or
feeding
his
soul.

Art
and
culture
provides
a
medium
to
express
feelings
and
identity.
It
is

the
“primary
function
of
art,
to
objectify
feeling
so
we
can
contemplate
and

understand”
(Langer
9)
what
life
is
outside
of
the
socio-‐economic
roles

individuals
are
meant
to
play.
For
instance,
in
Lim’s
The
River’s
Song,
Weng’s

father
plays
a
song
that
expresses
human
emotions
that
disassociates
from

concerns
with
material
culture
or
consumerist
culture,
which
are

overemphasised
by
the
Singapore
government.
This
is
seen
in
the
following

Azmi
26

passage:
“with
a
flick
of
his
fingers
[…]
a
thousand
arrows
whizzed
across
the

sky.
Stars
fell
at
the
emperor’s
anguished
cry.
The
enemy’s
armies
pounded

across
the
plains
as
his
father’s
fingers
drummed
on
the
pipa’s
soundboard,
and

the
horses’
feet,
anxious
drumbeats,
and
the
soldiers’
battle
cries
filled
the
room”

(Lim,
The
River’s
Song
65).
Music,
and
by
extension,
arts,
convey
the
self-‐
expression
in
an
aesthetic
manner,
in
a
manner
that
sometimes
cannot
be

captured
by
words,
in
a
manner
that
is
relatable
to
all
because
music
is
a

language
understood
by
the
human
soul,
an
“important
part
of
reality
that
is

inaccessible”
(Langer
8)
through
the
attainment
of
one’s
physiological
needs.

Thus,
this
shows
how
fulfilling
physiological
needs
and
materialistic
desires
are

insufficient
for
one
to
lead
a
meaningful
life
of
eudaimonia.

In
Goh’s
Dance
of
the
Moths,
both
protagonists,
Kian
Teck
and
Kok
Leong

are
constantly
“in
search
of
happiness”
despite
their
respective
acquisitions
of

economic
power.
There
is
the
sense
of
loss
of
self
because
it
causes
these

individuals
to
question
their
lives.

The
lack
of
meaning
in
their
lives
is
apparent

because
Kian
Teck
questions,
“what
was
there
to
aspire
to
anyway”
(Goh
165)

since
the
issues
that
seem
to
matter
only
revolve
around
economic
matters.

There
is
a
sense
of
absence
of
personal
identity
for
these
characters
because

their
lives
are
“but
a
cycle
of
these
urges
and
habits”
(Goh
165),
comprising

merely
of
their
functional
roles
at
a
societal
and
familial
level.
This
results
in
the

characters
suffering
from
existential
crises,
where
the
meanings
of
their
lives

become
a
source
of
concern
for
them
and
although
they
are
successful
stories
in

their
own
rights,
they
are
also
soulless.

In
contrast,
with
references
to
Lim’s
Rice
Bowl,
Marie
also
lost
her
sense

of
self,
her
personal
identity,
when
she
failed
to
get
a
scholarship
to
pursue
her

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