Why a lack of creativity could be detrimental to the future of Singapore

Creativity, although subjective in its definition, can be considered generically as the use of original ideas and imagination in the creation of things. It is a trait that has become extremely important in today’s age. Addressing the importance of creativity in his TED talk, Sir Ken Robinson, an expert on creativity, told the audience that creativity was as essential as literacy and deserved to be considered with the same status. In the Singaporean context, however, many Singaporeans do not possess the trait. According to the 2016 Global Innovation Index, several citizens underperformed in areas of creative products, such as creative industry exports and national trademark application. This is an issue that needs to be addressed as a lack of creativity among Singaporeans can affect the country on a national scale. Although there are several effects of a lack of creativity in Singapore, the main three include unemployment, reduced social cohesion, and a weakening of its creative industry.

Lack of creativity in Singapore could lead to unemployment for many Singaporeans. This is mainly because workers who are not imaginative cannot come up with unique ideas that benefit the company. Consequently, employers will not be impressed by their performance during discussions and may choose to replace them with workers who have more effective proposals. Lack of creativity will also lead to unemployment because workers who are rigid in their thinking cannot deal with transitions effectively. For example, when a new technological device is introduced to the office, workers who are not used to thinking flexibly will have trouble operating it. Therefore, this can lead to misuse. In the worst case, the worker may accidentally damage the machine or lose data that is essential to the business. When the boss is alerted to the mishap, that employee may lose his job. Apart from this, lack of creativity will lead to unemployment because it could result in reducing the competitiveness of Singapore’s Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). When the head of an SME is used to old production methods and traditional means of operation, the company may not be able to satisfy the new and constantly changing tastes of its target group. This will lead to a reduction in the company’s profits. In the long run, these companies may need to start laying off workers as they can’t make ends meet. As a result, many Singaporeans may lose their jobs. Therefore, in the face of these factors, the lack of creativity will lead to the unemployment of the locals. He also points to the need for Singapore’s education system to empower its citizens to think creatively from an early age. If the locals do not learn to think imaginatively as students, they will face significant difficulties in cultivating the skill years later.

Lack of creativity among Singaporeans can reduce social cohesion in the country. Social cohesion can be defined as the extent to which people within a social system can identify with and support it, especially in its beliefs, values, and norms. The lower social cohesion due to lack of creativity is due to the fact that creative people have a more open mind, which helps them to see things from a different perspective than their own. This leads to greater empathy and understanding where the other is coming from. Consequently, people who possess creativity are less likely to pass judgment and offend others, resulting in better relationships. Since most Singaporeans are accepting of people of different races, religions and even political views, discrimination and prejudice towards minority groups will be a thing of the past. However, the lack of creativity and open-mindedness among Singaporeans could mean that racial discrimination will continue to be a frequent problem. Therefore, a lack of creativity can lead to weak social ties among Singaporeans, especially among those who hold opposing views. This is a matter of concern for the country, as discontent among various religious and ethnic groups could lead to religious extremism and race riots, respectively.

The lack of creativity could lead to the weakening of Singapore’s creative industry, which includes the fields of arts, design and media. This is due to the fact that the general lack of creativity in the country could signal to the young generation that the creative sector is not important in Singapore. Consequently, this may stimulate the notion that a future in the arts is impractical and cannot financially support you in the future. Parents with that mindset might also emphasize a math and science education for their kids rather than arts, design, or media. As a result, the new generation of Singaporeans will be inexperienced in these fields, making them unable to contribute significantly to the country’s creative industry. Those who have a background in the arts, such as music, dance, and visual arts, can move abroad to countries with a more vibrant arts culture. Therefore, the lack of creativity in Singapore could lead to the weakening of its creative sector. The effects of a weakened creative industry on Singapore’s economy could be large-scale, as the country’s design sector has contributed SGD$2.13 billion to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs 30,000 people.

In conclusion, a lack of creativity in Singapore could lead to higher unemployment rates, lower social cohesion, and lower quality of its creative industry. Although the Singapore government has been making a concerted effort to boost Singapore’s creative industry, it is the role of every citizen to empower themselves to think creatively. According to Maya Angelou, an acclaimed American poet and author, creativity cannot be exhausted. The more creativity a person uses, the more he will have. Therefore, to avoid the effects of lack of creativity in Singapore, Singaporeans must constantly learn to activate their imagination and challenge old ideas. In this way, Singapore will be a nation full of creative thinkers, which will translate into social, economic and cultural benefits.