Written by: Leong Yi Ting
Edited by: Dominic Koek
Photos by: Justlyn Yeo
Culture has been a term that is loosely used, yet seldom fully understood. For me, culture is an important facet of society as it guides us in how we operate. Cultural norms restrict us from engaging in certain acts and serves as an instruction manual for the socially accepted form of behaviours. Therefore, it is important for individuals attempting to assimilate into new societies to learn about the culture of their societies, to act accordingly and to fit in. Culture, however, is certainly much broader than this, and the subtle nuances that come with this word needs to be understood. During the STEP Youth Regional Affairs Dialogue 2019, Mr Paul Tan, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the National Arts Council shared his interpretations on the definitions of culture and its implications for societies and on humanity.
Mr Tan opened his presentation on the first definition of culture – culture as a way of life. The way in which we lead our lives, the way that we eat, dress, our infrastructure, landscapes, and each minute detail surrounding how a certain society led their lives constitutes towards creating a culture of their own. He shared that humanity was organised in groups, and the different lifestyles of each group give rise to certain shared norms, values, and ultimately a way of life or a culture of their own. This reflects on my own understanding of culture, where culture is a system of shared meanings between people, reflecting an entire way of life, of societies. As such, it is important to consider the cultural norms and historical baggage within every society whilst creating policies.
Mr Tan provided a second definition of culture, that culture was used as a refined expression and was a distillation of experiences. In this sense, culture was less about down-to-earth and practical day-to-day activities, but about “enlightenment, beauty, intelligence, and wit”. This referred to culture that was preserved within museums, witnessed through classical music or through wine tasting, for the consumption of the upper class.
Mr Tan also mentioned a point that struck me, and that was, culture and its ability to “talk to a larger humanity”. Cultures served to express the individual identity of a person, yet, bring it to a universal level to create societal cultures. Beyond the culture of a singular society, it also connects us on a universal level when we compare between the similarities or differences of how each society operates. Cultures are strong expressions of heritage that remind us of our connection with everyone, in whole, the shared humanity. Culture helps to connect between our past, our present, and our future, as cultural traditions are passed on. It also helps the younger generation to look back and get a glimpse of how their ancestors once lived, and to understand their way of life.
For the would-be leaders of Asian societies within the room, the next topic that Mr Tan delved into was certainly of great concern – the influence of Western cultures on Asia. Given the rising economies of the Asian region, many are now having the power to create their own cultures, rather than follow the lead of Western societies. At the same time, there are many instances of Western influences within the Asian region. However, the same cannot be said for Asian influences onto Western societies. Mr Tan raised the adoption of Western symphonies and orchestras within many, if not all of the Asian societies. On the other hand, we seldom see Malay musical instruments or Chinese orchestras proudly performed within Western societies. Western culture and norms have been as an endpoint where all developed societies should reach.
Jan Bertel Ong Ngo, a Computer Science student and dialogue participant from De La Salle University, Philippines, reflected such a concern for his country. With the presence of different cultures, islands, the history of colonisation over many centuries and the putting of Western cultures on the pedestal, how do we reconcile these factors to create a truly Filipino identity? In response, Mr Tan shared that the best artforms are universal, and that we should draw upon what is unique to ourselves, but is also common and connected to the rest of the world. This is to draw from different narratives and to create truly powerful socio-political art. Whilst acknowledging the influence of the West on Asia, it is necessary also for us to develop our own identity, our own flavour to be proud of our own cultures and heritage – to bring to the table, our own unique qualities.
Participants shared their questions and thoughts about the topic during the session
Lastly, Mr Tan talked about the role of the government in delineating the space for art and culture. He shared that governments get involved within this arena for four reasons: (1) to preserve what matters for our future generations, as culture constitutes a great part of our identity; (2) to nourish and uphold the culture that people value; (3) to inspire our people; and (4) to bridge divides, as it connects us with our friends across the region. The state’s involvement within this aspect, however, comes as a balancing act: to balance between the bottom-up and top-down approach in dealing with culture,a sensitive topic because it is really the way of life of people. Would it then become too hard-line an approach and intrusive when the state gets involved with how people should live? Mr Tan raised the example of Bhutan, where public servants are required to wear their traditional costumes to work. Would the state be interfering too much by doing so, or is it an important action to take to preserve our culture? At the same time, it is also important to consider the background of different societies about how such a policy may work in Bhutan, but not in the Singapore context. How a government should step in is really a fine balancing act.
Veronica-Nicole Ban, a Political Science student and dialogue participant from the National University of Singapore questioned about the controversiality when governments try to form a culture for everyone to relate to, and how the national narrative could serve as a double-edged sword. She also asked Mr Tan how societies could prevent or counter-balance negative effects that may arise from this shoehorning of a national narrative and culture. To that end, Mr Tan shared that it was difficult to completely shoehorn a certain narrative, and such a process is more of a negotiation because each person is a sentient being and possess their own independence of thinking that would disallow them from being completely compliant.
Mr Tan’s engaging and informative session gave the participants deep insights on what culture is exactly and the management of it. The enthusiasm witnessed in the room during the session certainly showed the passion of these youths for their economies. May Hnin Thiri Moe, an International Relations student and dialogue participant from Mandalay University, Myanmar, shared that, for her, culture comes from the expression of everyone’s identity, which is what makes culture all the more important to treasure. Beyond the culture of individual societies, we should start to consider what makes up the Asian identity and to cultivate a culture that we are proud to call our own.
About the Author
Yi Ting (right) is a third year Sociology student, and a scholar of the NTU-University Scholars Programme (NTU-USP).
About STEP Youth Regional Affairs Dialogue 2019
The inaugural STEP Youth Regional Affairs Dialogue 2019 was organised by NTU-USP and supported by Temasek Foundation. The 8-day programme was a platform for university students in Asia to enhance their leadership skills and broaden their understanding of geopolitics. Aspiring youth leaders also had the opportunity to develop an appreciation of Asia’s interwoven geopolitical structure through discussions on economics, politics and society and foster an understanding of governance and policies across Asia as they build friendships through cross-cultural exchanges.
