Abnormally Normal

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Abnormally Normal
Is Kiasu Fanning Your Flames of Fear?
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Is Kiasu Fanning Your Flames of Fear?

The feelings of missing out on something don't last forever

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Ali Hall
Apr 16, 2023
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Is Kiasu Fanning Your Flames of Fear?
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Photo by Andrew Le on Unsplash

How do you feel about those people you encounter on holiday who secure a sun lounger with their towel first thing in the morning and then take a leisurely breakfast or walk without thinking of their effectively empty claim?

Or what about the panic buyers who hoarded toilet paper and pasta at the start of the pandemic?

Kiasu is a Hokkien word that represents a mindset and resultant behaviour which is self-serving, competitive, and greedy.

Kiasu can be translated as a “fear of missing out” or a “fear of being left behind.” It has been described as FOMO on steroids.

But it paints a picture of everyone being out for themselves. Bulldozing ahead in life to get what they want, irrespective of who is knocked down in the process.

Apparently, kiasu is widespread in Singapore and deeply ingrained in their culture. This article about Singapore’s kiasu culture in the Los Angeles Times quotes an economist as saying:

“People feel like others have to lose in order to wi…

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