Education for the Youth

For a long time now in Singapore there has been a consistent call for the youth of Singapore to become less apathetic towards politics. The argument at times seems to misuse the terms 'civil' and 'civic' society. A civil society is one that grows out of autonomous groups organising themselves independently of the government and a civic society is one that is fostered and encouraged, facilitated by the government. I feel that The Police State buts this argument better than I can.

The point here to make is that the education that is being instructed here, is by no means intended to facilitate understanding of youth culture. Previously, youth groups that have been antagonistic to dominant national ideology have been rooted out (I understand that references are needed for such a claim, but I think we can safely assume youth punk rock groups are not seen as a "friend" of any government position). The education that the national press endorses is conformity to the national government, and for better or worse, thats not political apathy, thats political parochiliasm thats being fostered. The nurturance of a political conscience is not developed by simplying linking with a state ideology but to encourage independent thought and inquiry into social matters. There might even be a backlash as youths expect governmental consent before embarking on their own activities and this would only result, what seems more plausible, in engendering the expression of creative or political voices through a bueaucractic system of thought. This is hardly what any sensible person would call "empowerment".