Understand what makes us S’porean

I refer to the commentary by Dr Adrian Kuah “Facing up to identity, myths and politics in S’pore” (March 6).

As a nation, we have not elaborated on our identity beyond the clinical pageantry of the National Day Parade. This has to do, in part, with the succeed-at-all-cost mentality that we have developed, such that the development of a way of life takes second place to the development of a livelihood.

As such, the current interest in the Singapore identity is not “an exercise in self-consolation” and a means of “repelling the ever-encroaching Others”, as Dr Kuah states.

Rather, it is an interest to rediscover and retell the stories we have forgotten over the years and that should be given free space to express itself.

Much as we need to encourage into our fold those who genuinely seek to share our way of life, we cannot do so without understanding what that way of life is. To constantly negotiate this way of life is to build an identity in the surf.

The formation of identity is grounded in real, lived experiences. The longevity of identity is made possible by the sharing of experience, which is usually passed down through generations.

Identities are real and provide us with a “where-I-come-from” foundation that allows us to project “what my future should be”.

A good example would be the Aboriginal culture in Australia, where verbal storytelling, now augmented by technology, has led to the development of a core position by and for the Aborigines, no matter the individual’s degree of alignment to it.

This core position goes beyond the mythical stories of the Dream Time, but defines their values as a people. It has also allowed for a distinctive political purpose and recognition as a function of state.

Identity is about finding an “us” to begin with, and letting that flourish into an active community. That community then becomes something upon which we use to navigate the world and people around us.

It is this identity that allows us to spot a fellow Singaporean, even when we are miles away from home.

The moment we lose that ability, we might as well be foreigners within a space, with nothing more than borders defined by our passports.

This concept of identity might be intangible, but it is no less real.