Social stratification

=> a theory of social hierarchy that describes the spectrum of wealth and resources within a population. (taken from: http://www.ehow.com/info_8263447_theories-social-hierarchy.html) 

Differences in socioeconomic positions is found in every part of every country, but somehow I find it much more prominent/significant in Singapore. Even when I was visiting as a tourist, I could see/feel it too. The rich are really rich (huge cars, huge house/condos, million $ handbags, dine in posh restaurants etc), an unspoken-about percentage are low-income families who somehow manage to make ends meet (there's no welfare state assistance here, that's why you often heart-breakingly see really old people still having to work), and those in-between who are neither 'rich' nor 'poor'.

Ok what's my point in stating the obvious in differences in socioeconomic classes? Well I don't come from a rich family, nor was I a high-earner in my job in Glasgow, but I was comfortable and never felt that big discrepancy as I do here in Singapore. I find the gap between the "upper/middle class" and working class extremely huge...especially in attitudes!

When I first visited Singapore, I went for a pedicure and saw the lady beside me play with her iPad through her entire session, whilst the therapist knelt at her feet scrubbing, painting varnish etc....my experience of therapies in UK is there''s conversation between therapist & customer! About the weather, plans for the day, the news, whatever! Chat! Not this aura of superiority "I'm a paying customer, you are the peasant, just do your job & I'll pretend you don't exist!" (Needless to say I could not have chat with my therapist because she spoke Mandarin & couldn't understand English *sighs*)  Other examples...

• People who drive big cars think they own the road
• Professionals (eg doctors, lawyers, bankers etc) are "better than" those who do auxiliary jobs, stay-home mums, construction workers, social workers, beauty therapists etc
• People who work in hawker centres clearing the tables, seldom/never receive gratitude from customers, in fact, you often see people aggressively signalling to the men/women to hurry up & clear the table that they want to sit at. 
• People at hawker centres who take your drinks orders, often don't even get eye contact from customers (I was appalled to see this one guy: dressed nicely in a shirt & suit trousers, continued poking at his phone whilst giving his order to the drinks man standing behind him! :O Would it have killed you to put down your phone for a few seconds to turn round to speak to the drinks man?!)

The cleaning staff & drinks staff are only doing their job. Is there any need to be so rude? What makes people think they are better than them? They are only human too! They deserve eye contact and a thank you for clearing your table and serving you drinks!

Staycation
Prior to coming to Singapore, the idea of a staycation was somewhat alien to me because if I wanted a wee getaway, I would never think to stay in a hotel in Glasgow! I would at least go to somewhere on the outskirts (the only hotel I've ever stayed in in Glasgow was with some friends the night before my wedding). Hotels vary in price range but generally quite reasonable especially since there are often offers/discounts through different websites (my Deluxe Double room in Hilton was £99 plus breakfast).  

However, hotels in Singapore are really expensive so a staycation in a hotel in a real treat!
It was my birthday last week and hubby Nick decided to treat us to a 2 night stay in Marina Bay Sands (RRP minimum $360 per night with no breakfast). It was amazing! We had every meal in restaurants and were certainly pampered by high standards of service.

It's kinda strange just how different standards of living in Singapore are depending on where you are on the social hierarchy...perhaps because in UK, people are less arrogant/cocky about their 'wealth'/status and there is much less of a superiority hierarchy in attitudes &  mindsets between service users and service providers....