Rethinking Nationalism

It beckons me to look yonder
what the world is made up of.

Go, Walk, Feel
That quest for knowledge so thirsty
Their way of life so different
Intense culture, rich architecture
Oh, and that history!

Leave, Run, Fly
In pursuit of what's out there -
wandering, searching
yet, not quite a vagabond make.

But when the earth meets the sun
Who would be there when I turn around?

An article I came across by chance just now - Rethinking Singaporean Nationalism - is the inspiration to this poem. Did you know that about 1000 educated Singaporeans leave every year, some for good? Or that Singapore welcomed 14,600 new citizens in 2007? In other words, for every Singaporean who leaves, 14 others come to permanently take his place.

On a [twisted] note, this pragmatic solution seems perfectly sound until alas, one is [once again] reminded of the familiar labels like "quitters" and people who are "rootless" bandied on emigrating Singaporeans by my favourite Uncle Goh in 2002.

On a personal note, I'm not about to deny that my heart isn't flighty too, but that doesn't mean that I don't love Singapore enough. Nationalism is, but a socio-political construct; [the concept of] perennial nationalism should not be epitomised by 'the willingness' to stay within the nation's boundaries.