The Absent Citizen

“The placeless still find themselves colliding with a place-bound world” (The Struggle Of The Global Placeless, Mr. Anand Giridharadas).

The article “The Struggle Of The Global Placeless” (March 27, 2010): it is by no coincidence that the assortment of “placeless” individuals most usually come from the two extremes of the income-education spectrum. The lower-half consists of workers who are seeking opportunities for employment from their often trouble-ridden countries; while the upper-half gathers talented professionals who have benefited from increased accessibility and communications worldwide.

It is little wonder why administrations are seeking to connect these “absent citizens”, especially on-line.

Aside from the plethora of factors highlighted by Mr. Anand, the perpetual challenge that the placeless would have to deal with would be one of discomfort and pronounced dissatisfaction by the local citizens of the host country. Even in a multi-cultural and multi-racial metropolitan city like Singapore, citizens are unashamed to express their happiness even when Permanent Residents are granted certain benefits – from healthcare to education – therefore occasionally contributing to a benign sense of separation and a lack of hospitality.