Colonial Mentality

Colonial mentality is a cultural notion of inferiority sometimes seen amongst populations previously subjugated and colonised by foreign entities.

Do we, as Singaporeans, suffer from colonial mentality? Does it afflict our subconciousness even today, years after the British left? Does it not only affect the people but the government as well? As a consequence does this result in a vicious cycle which only enhances our inferiority complex and exacerbates the pervasiveness of white bigotry?

While it seems that white colonialism has been driven out of our society, there is a suspicious element which infiltrates our society even today which hints of remnants of an inferiority complex from our colonial past. A subservience which stems even from the younger generation who had never experienced white dominance, perhaps in part due to the invasion of white culture and the subtle influence of their upbringing by parents brought up with a similar mentality.

While most Singaporeans will defensively* disagree with my assertation, I do not make such claims without any basis whatsoever. Neither do I conclusively assert that Singaporeans DO have a colonial mentality, I just point out factors which may point to such a finding (as I do always in all my posts).

*Definition: Constantly protecting oneself from criticism, exposure of one's shortcomings, or other real or perceived threats to the ego.

Of course, one of the most evidential forms of 'colonial mentality' is the perceived need to fake an accent whenever speaking to a white person. Suddenly, in the presence of a white person, all the singlish lingo is thrown out of window and an American twang is detected, even if the white person is actually British. But of course, it doesn't matter, as long as it is not our own 'inferior' Singaporean accent (not to be confused with Singlish).

Following American culture is widespread throughout the world, notably in Asian 'developing' or 'developed' countries, and indeed Americanism is something that afflicts our country, our embrace of American popular culture clearly evident in our various media. Not only is it limited to American white culture, but it has extended to American black culture as well, with hiphop wannabes increasingly ubiquitous on the streets. A cursory issue that I wish to point out here is the fact that many impressionable folk do not even understand the difference between different white cultures (eg UK and US), thinking them to be one general 'Western culture'. Of course that couldn't be further than the truth. However, one thing remains certain: As long as it is white/Western culture, it is 'cool' culture. As long as it is NOT our own culture, which is something to be ashamed of. Which is why all American produced shows are great and all locally produced ones suck (actually, they really do, but one can't help but feel that had the production been made overseas, it would have been lessly maligned).

I would also like to point out that the SPG phenomenon is in many ways the classic example of Colonial Mentality. SPGs who go for white men clearly are victims of colonial mentality, submitting themselves by mere virtue of colour. In their defense, they will maintain that white men are more 'gentlemanly' and know 'how to treat a lady'. Of course, not only does this reinforce evidence of their colonial mentality, it also makes local 'boys' look bad, since this is implication that local 'boys' are ungentelmanly and lack the social know-how to 'court' a lady. Local boys complain that these SPGs are all sluts and bitches and not worth their time, but again this is evidence of a deafeatist attitude and an inferiority complex, because deep down inside they feel that they cannot hold a candle to a white man. Yet again more colonial mentality. Ever wondered why there is no parallel phenomenon of SPB? Why there are no Singaporean men with white girls? Is it because white girls will never go out with Singaporean men, because they are racist? This would be the easiest conclusion to arrive to, but the predominant reason stems from an inherent inferiority complex in Singaporean men. It is common fact (not necessarily right or wrong) that men prefer to look for a partner 'downwards', a woman perhaps with lower educational level. A white woman, by virtue of her colour, is deemed 'superior', and therefore considered either out of his 'league' or out of his criteria of 'potential partners'.

Of course opposite of those who by virtue of their complex strive to emulate their colonial heroes, are the xenophobes who resent white people for the very reason of their colour. These people have no less 'colonial mentality' than they assume, because if it is by virtue of colour and stereotyping that they derive their distaste for white people, it merely represents that implicitly they 'acknowledge white dominance and resents them for that very fact'.

The disappointing aspect is that the public authorities, rather than striving to counter such mentalities, are actually similarly repressed and subjugated by a colonial mentality. Indeed, white people in locally produced TV dramas are always portrayed as the bosses, classy and well-spoken people. The foreign talent policy is one that takes the policy that foreign ang mos are naturally more talented than our local populace and should be afforded better opportunities than locals.

So how do we rid ourselves of such an unhealthy inferiority complex, if it even exists? It is not an easy task, and to do so one must consciously strive towards achieving this aim. Of course, mixing with whites will definitely help us get along better, but while doing so, we must consciously treat them as if we are treating a fellow non-white Singaporean, such as NOT faking an accent (There is a difference between speaking clearly and putting on a fake accent). Non offensive jokes with regard to a person's colour or race may be seemingly good icebreakers but they actually reinforce stereotypical thinking and hence colonial mentalities. We must realise that every individual is unique, is human, subject to similar desires, feelings and failings, regardless of colour, and thereby treating every person for what they are rather than for what we preconceive them to be.

It seems easy now in writing, but I dare say virtually every Singaporean has been at one time or another been too guilty of being too accommodating, to the extent of actually being subjugated to their will/culture, or too xenophobic, to the extent of generalising all white people as 'bad guys with bad intents'.