“Kiasu”: a word that describes an entire nation – but which one?
· Career Daily News
But this is not just a word. It is a way of thinking, a feeling that starts from childhood and often does not leave a person even in adulthood!
“Kiasu” – the invisible engine of Singapore:
ambition, fear, and constant competition!
In Singapore, there is a word that almost everyone understands, but
few actually admit that they live by it – kiasu. It comes
from Hokkien and literally means “fear of losing” or “not falling behind.” But
this is not just a word. It is a way of thinking, a feeling that starts from
childhood and often does not leave a person even in adulthood. Kiasu
is not just fear – it is also fuel. The same fuel that drives Singapore to be one of
the most competitive countries in the world.
The picture is familiar: parents who enroll their children in
lessons even before they have learned to write their name; students who stay in
the library late because “the other might know more”; employees who
don't leave the office before the boss, even if their work is done. This is not
just hard work or ambition. It is an inner voice that whispers: “What if
someone overtakes you?”.
The psychological mechanism behind kiasu is
deeply intertwined with the fear of scarcity. The historical memory of times when
nothing was certain – neither money, nor jobs, nor the future – turns
into a collective belief that resources are limited. If you don’t take it,
someone else will. Hence comes this characteristic behavior – to be first in
the queue, to sign up for courses, to collect things, knowledge, titles “just in
case.”
Socially, kiasu is not condemned.
On the contrary – society often accepts it as something positive. If you are kiasu,
it means you are diligent, foresighted, a “smart player.” This culture shapes entire
generations of children. They are taught that their value is measured not so much by who
they are, but by what they achieve. That love and respect often come after success. And
so, ambition and anxiety begin to go hand in hand.
The positive side of kiasu is obvious – it
pushes people forward. It motivates them to learn, to work, to develop. This way
of thinking is behind Singapore's impressive economic rise. This is
the country that transformed from a small island without natural resources into its
population being the most important capital – educated, disciplined, and ready for challenges.
But kiasu also has its dark side. Beneath
the surface of successes often lies fatigue, burnout, chronic stress. Many
young people feel as if they are never “enough.” Psychologists in
Singapore report increased levels of anxiety and depression precisely due to the constant
need to be the best. Some students and employees begin to feel life
as a race without a finish line, without applause, without rest.
And yet kiasu is not a monster that must
be defeated. It is rather a force that must be understood and mastered.
When channeled correctly, it turns into ambition, a desire for
improvement, discipline. When it gets out of control, it turns into fear,
panic, and exhaustion.
More and more teachers, psychologists, and employers in Singapore
are starting to talk about balance. To study hard, but also to know when to stop. To
succeed, but not out of fear of being last, but out of the desire to
be a better version of yourself.
Because the true strength of Singapore is not in the fact that its people
are afraid of losing. But in the fact that despite the fear – they continue to
dream, to create, and to seek meaning beyond the results.
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