The phrase super talents were brandished like a military colour about two decades ago. When it was first broached as something like the treasures of the country, 国宝, almost everyone believed in it, even the people who came out with this great phrase. They sincerely and truly believe that this country is so blessed with the super talents in charge. And thus, being so super to the extent that some even thought that they were immortals, 神仙, the chosen ones. And rightfully, being so special, they need to be paid for their special talents as well.
Then we have it, even our junior ministers are paid more than the President of the USA. Our ministers and PM and the overworked President are paid many times more naturally. And all Sinkies were so proud to have another feather in the Guinness Book of Records for having the most highly paid politicians in the whole wide world. No one was complaining when things were fine.
Fast forward 20 years and today the term ‘super talents’ seems to have lost its lustre, its original meaning. How many Sinkies really believe that they are super talents? How many super talents really believe that they are super talents? This one I am not sure as only those who are branded as super talents will know.
Given their performances that often were pedestrian, given the fact that many a times they were lost as to what to do and needing the aunties and uncles and even school children to give them ideas, the phrase super talents takes on a strange meaning. It may be super talents in the sense that they know how to get solutions from the people, not necessary from their heads. Now this is a rare skill I am sure many will agree, getting paid in millions and asking the people for solutions.
The other point is that many Sinkies are having second thoughts that they are over paying super talents that are not super in their expectation, imagination and liking. The super talents are not seen as super talents anymore. The people do not believe so and many are questioning their abilities as super talents. One thing for sure, over the last twenty years, there were hardly anything that could make the super talents stand out as exceptional, in policies and decision making. They were very ordinary, like the ordinary Sinkies.
This is the picture of the super talent myth today. The bug bear now is that the super talents are still collecting their super pay and standing up like sore thumbs.
When you see a super talent you will know. When you see one that is not, you too will know.
Chua Chin Leng AKA Redbean
*The writer blogs at http://mysingaporenews.blogspot.com/