Let’s Never Forget that it’s the Local Things that Touch the Heart
Around 2012, I had the honour of meeting a lady called
Anu Samtani, who was the event manager for the Indian Institutes of Technology (“IIT”).
Anu, who is Bengali, explained to me that although everyone in India speaks Hindi
and English, it was the Bengali language that touched her heart.
I remember this because it’s the best explanation as
to how we value certain things based on what we grew up with, even as the world
converges and certain things become “standardized” on a global level. In a way,
its something that Singaporeans as a whole don’t get (though things have been
changing thanks to the migration of Indian and Chinese Nationals), in as much
as we’re a small place and there’s really not that much difference between
various parts of Singapore to get attached to. It’s fairly easy to be at the “national”
level in Singapore, where its Singapore and Singaporeans against the rest of
the world. Take the example of the “Malaysia Cup,” when Singapore played
against Malaysian states. This was exciting because it was Singapore facing the
rest of Malaysia. The “S-League” hasn’t generated excitement because, the
feeling of Jurong versus Tampines isn’t the same.
However, once you’re outside Singapore, you’ll find
that most nations are actually a combination of many unique regions and when the
term “local” is used, it means local to a particular region rather than to the
nation at large.
One of the most obvious demonstrations of the value of
the “local” is seen in American elections, the latest of which is due on 5 November
this year. Since it’s billed as “The US Presidential Elections,” everyone one
thinks of it as a “single” election in which the entire nation votes for an
office holder. The reality is quite different. It’s not a single election but
50 different elections.
As Rick Wilson, head of the Lincoln Project points
out, Republicans have been, on average, more successful at winning offices than
the Democrats because they understand this. His argument is that Democrats put
up candidates that talk about “national” things. The Republicans by contrast
fielded candidates that were relevant to voters on their regional level.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vdiw7IkWRJ4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vdiw7IkWRJ4
https://www.runza.com/menu/original-runza-sandwich
Now, its probably going to be a challenge in as much
as Nebraska has been a “safe,” Republican seat for the longest of times.
However, this probably the most effective way in which elections can be won in
that the appeal to the voters goes down deeper than its been before:
https://www.270towin.com/states/Nebraska#google_vignette
Understanding and appreciating the importance of “local” issues will become more relevant. People will, have to work on a global and local level at the same time. My Indian friends, for example, speak English and Hindi, because they need to, they also hold onto their local languages because its what is relevant to them in their day-to-day context.
Likewise, as an ethnic Chinese, I speak English and I can
speak Mandarin. Both are languages for survival. However, if pushed to speak a
Chinese dialect, I prefer to speak in dialect. It’s what touches the heart. A
Chinese environment inevitably means dialect speaking rather than Mandarin
speaking.
https://www.tiktok.com/@tang.li0/video/7393400910396820737?lang=en
Yes, people around the world will do think logically
and look at rationality. However, if you want to reach them at their most
emotional level – look to their regional affiliations – the things that are closest
to home.
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