Commenters push back after ex-foreign minister George Yeo suggests that unhappiness contributed to Singapore's achievements
"Sometimes, unhappiness may be a precondition for achievement," George Yeo told Bloomberg's Mishal Husain.
Former Singaporean foreign affairs minister George Yeo shared insights during a Bloomberg podcast about why the country is considered both one of the wealthiest and unhappiest nations. The segment, which also featured former diplomat Kishore Mahbubani, touched on a range of topics from geopolitics to artificial intelligence. Yeo began by recounting advice he received from Singapore's first prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, who famously warned against promising happiness.
The minister for trade and industry from 1999 to 2004, and then minister for foreign affairs from 2004 to 2011, went on to share that despite Singapore's high work-life balance ratings for its ministries, they were perceived as having terrible work-life balance by public service surveys. However, Yeo noted that these ministries also had the highest morale.
He concluded that unhappiness might be a necessary condition for achievement. Mahbubani agreed with this sentiment. While the discussion drew laughter and applause, some online viewers were less amused, pointing out that happiness is part of Singapore's national pledge. The conversation also delved into Singapore's current challenges, with Yeo highlighting the contradiction between maintaining national unity while being connected to the world, and the ongoing town-gown tensions between Singaporeans and foreigners.
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