Some culture changes happen really fast and some take way too long.
Consider the buzz around the migrant worker’s condition in Singapore and contrast it with the gay rights movement where Lee Kuan Yew has openly stated that it would eventually happen.
Overnight, the topic of migrant worker became a thing. Except, Cai Yinzhou has been helping the migrant worker by giving free hair cuts since 2015.
One thing in common is that it all started in the grassroots by people who care. As the stories spread, more people come to steal your idea, copy copy copy, then it becomes safe. Then your job is not on the line when you propose something. That radical idea is not so radical anymore because it has been de-risked.
The opportunity is that we don’t need to wait for the government/culture/system to change. We can lead, organise and make the change that we care about. The opposite would be complaining and outsourcing our self-agency, that is a trap.
[4/10/20 update: TWC2 has been supporting migrant workers since 2008.]
