Foreign Talent

Why the matrix will not tolerate total creativity

I found this article via singaporedaily. One part disturbs me and it doesn't seem to bode well for Singapore and Singaporeans. It seems to suggest that with the advent of globalisation, the government is using "foreign talents" to replace "local talents"

"Creative people have a familiar trait - challenging authority...Due to the perceived “lack” of creative talents, the matrix decided that the best move is to hire some foreign talents...if these foreigners prove pesky for its liking, they can always be deported."

Ok, if creative people like to challenge authority, and the government wants complete control, it's a given that the government will not provide an environment for creativity to flourish. Hence, to fulfil the 'demand' for creativity, they import foreign talents.

There is something seriously wrong with this approach.

Foreign talents are different from local talents. They have different allegiances, different priorities. Their first calling will be to their homeland, NOT Singapore. Furthermore, they have less to fear from the local authorities, as when worst comes to worst, they will just return to their own country. There is a place, a home for them to return to no matter what they do. They live in Singapore, yes, but only temporarily.

Supposing they find something wrong with Singapore, when push comes to shove, would they fight so hard for the long-term interests of the country? Would they risk everything to fight against a local policy? Why? After all, policies that is detrimental to Singapore's well-being might very well be at no cost to the foreign expat's future, for he does not intend to stay for long. To put it in a harsher light, he might even benefit from policies that will negatively affect the country, as incentives are not properly aligned.

Meanwhile, if we hold onto the misconception that our "local talents" can be replaced by "foreign talents", we will be heading for trouble. There will be no one to speak up for the common good of the country, to fight for the long-term interests of the country. Our country will slowly be reduced to an empty shell, a traveller's city. A country needs local talents, for it is only someone that has a long-term stake in the country that he is willing to fight for the country's long-term interests.

For local talents to flourish, the government must relax the regulations, remove the climate of fear, allow citizens to challenge the norms openly and boldly. Simply replacing "local" creativity with "foreign" creativity does not attack the root of the problem. It cures the symptoms but neglects the cause. The cracks in society must be repaired immediately, not simply removed by coating it with a new layer of paint.