Top image: Stephanie Lee / RICE file photo
In many corners of Singapore, you can’t escape the clink of luxury watches and the gleam of ‘hype’ outfits. Flaunting status has become a cultural cornerstone, fueling an entire economy. In essence, Singaporeans are constantly finding subtle—and not-so-subtle—ways to signal, ‘I’m special.’
This begs the question, are these adornments a veil for deep-seated insecurities?
Prominent psychotherapist Alfred Adler introduced the theory of the inferiority complex—inadequacy can motivate growth but also lead to overcompensation. Similarly, Sigmund Freud suggested that people often act in ways that hide their most uncomfortable emotions.
Undoubtedly, the impetus of our peacocking is intertwined with the Singaporean upbringing and its inculcation of inadequacy, rooted in the need to keep up or risk losing face. In a society that champions “success at all costs,” a carefully curated lifestyle signifies not only personal achievement but also a way to meet family and societal expectations.
We just want to feel like we’re enough, like we measure up—so we push ourselves to afford that expensive phone or Labubu collectable we saw friends flaunting.
You do you, but the drip of others inevitably seeps into our lives. And in the rare moments when we escape the constant flexing around us, it’s worth asking: Would we still be Asian if we didn’t flex?
Ambition fuels this culture, as does the envy it stirs. Would we still be here if our predecessors hadn’t worked and flexed as hard?
“Some people carry Prime around like a hype accessory, and it pisses me off. It’s a dumb drink with ingredients that are bad for you, and it’s fronted by a guy who tried to make money off dead bodies in Japan.
Save your money and spend it on a good meal or investments rather than something that may only impress someone once. Instead of flexing, charity and volunteer work are other ways of feeling good about yourself.”
— Warren, 25
“Fake Rolexes is a flex that’s becoming increasingly common, especially during Chinese New Year. I’ve seen people drive new luxury cars to visit relatives, only for these cars to be towed away because the owner couldn’t make the subsequent payments.”
— Ken, 26
“Bottle service ceremonies, for sure, are really obnoxious. It’s an uncouth celebration. Cheesy music, the spectacle, the line of champagne sparkler girls. It’s tasteless, hardly enviable, and shows tone-deafness and a lack of class. When I see this at a club, I will usually avoid that club in future.”
— Kara, 43
“Women who only discuss designer bags and jewellery usually have nothing interesting to share. Worse still, some of them also like to flex how many enrichment classes their kids are attending.
I don’t know if kids nowadays feel secure enough to tell their parents if they don’t like an enrichment class. Kids don’t always know and might just want to make their parents happy.
Every kid is different, and parents stating these classes as stupid badges of honour can be unkind. They should be more aware of how it might affect other families who can’t afford these classes.”
— Lorna, 45
“Sports cars with loud exhaust annoy me the most. Dude, there is literally not enough road in Singapore for you to floor the accelerator. And that car vending machine building in Selegie represents everything gross in Singapore.”
— Sarah, 27
“The worst flex is loud car or bike exhaust because that flex disturbs others. In neighbourhoods like my mum’s house in Upper Thomson, these damn idiots like to use the road to reenact Fast & Furious at 3 AM.”
— Shaun, 34
“When hobbyists meet up, many guys often become fixated with the guy with the most expensive collection. Whether it’s bicycles, watches or camera equipment, hobbyists always become obsessed with the guy with the most expensive stuff.
Maybe it’s because we’re taught to look up to wealthy and successful people? I once asked a fellow photographer why he preferred the more expensive camera model A rather than the cheaper but similar camera model B. He couldn’t reply me.”
— Aaron, 39
“I am okay with people flaunting their wealth, but sometimes their luxuries weren’t earned but handed to them. Come on lah bro, your daddy got you that fancy car and gave you a headstart in life.”
— Larry, 33
“Nowadays lots of people pay money to take part in sports events like Hyrox and pay even more money for photos of them at the event. It’s fine if these weekend warriors want to feel like real athletes, but some praise themselves online, and their captions become basic cringe-motivational BS. Hitting personal fitness goals is great, but we need to be self-aware. It’s good to celebrate your wins, but there’s no need to post every step of your fitness journey online.”
— Pete, 35
“I find it funny when people try to subtly show that they are flying business class and post photos of their seats with captions like ‘any new movie recommendations?’ Or ‘will always miss my local char kway teow’.”
— Ou Yang, 34
“I don’t know why some people get so upset about others flexing. If they’re insecure, then let them flex. People who are judgey with other people who flex, are revealing their own insecurities too. When they act classier and superior, they are flexing in a non-material way; flexing their own supposed EQ.”
— Kylie, 27
“The flex I find the most off-putting is name-dropping and mentioning their connections in high places. This flex immediately tells me that this person gets by in life not by what he knows but by who he knows. Such people tend to be boring and vacuous.
Relatedly, it also tells me that if this person is indeed doing well, that crony capitalism is alive and well, sadly.”
— Ervin, 34
“When I meet people who flex their investment portfolios and luxury watches, it’s an immediate red flag. Bye, sorry, never hanging out again. But LinkedIn flexes are the worst. That platform is a circle jerk. Some people, like my boss, even post these humblebrags daily.
I don’t mind when people work really hard for something, but when you obsessively show that thing off, it becomes a reflection of your inner insecurities.”
— Junming, 30
