A friend of mine quoted on the Instagram, “A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms.”
Such quotes invoke deep thoughts, which spur one to ponder: The flower that best attracts insects for pollination will win the contest of Darwin’s Survival of the Fittest. The loser, of course, gets erased from the pages of history.
Even though no flower intends to compete, they are still compelled to do so.
Detractors may argue that putting in personal best and blooming just for the moment is winning in its own right. Yet since winners are the ones who survive, and live to tell the story (their story), no one will care if the losers did their best. “Best effort” is at best, a form of self delusion.
Should Singapore rest on its laurels because it had “bloomed once”? Or should we strive to continue to ensure our future generations enjoy the fruits of our success?
