Foreigner slams S'pore as 'most toxic city in the world', gets slammed in return: 'Show respect or leave'
A foreigner who called Singapore "the most societally and professionally toxic city to live in the world" in a TikTok post, following a six-month stay in the country, is facing backlash from netizens.
User @brbcatchingflights, who only wished to be known as Ms D, said in a Feb 5 post that she has "lived in six cities in the world" and deemed the Republic a "toxic city".
In the post's caption, the Iranian detailed 25 reasons for her comment. "Everything is about control," she wrote, adding that Singaporeans are "obsessed with rules but lack warmth".
People are encouraged to stay in line, she asserted, and are "quietly punished" if they deviate from societal norms. She also called the culture cutthroat, stressing that mental health is not taken seriously and rest feels undeserved.
"The pace is brutal but purposeless. Busy for the sake of busy, not fulfillment," she wrote, adding that "passive aggression is the dominant language".
"It's not a bad place. It's just not a humane one for certain souls. And if you're intuitive, emotional, creative, feminine, or deeply feeling, this place will drain you before you realise it," she concluded.
TikToker acknowledges that 'no place is perfect'
In a follow-up post on Feb 9, Ms D responded to a comment that read: "I think Singapore is not suitable for you. Please don't come. You don't fit in our society."
She acknowledged that "there's good and bad in every city, and no place is perfect", but reiterated that she had witnessed multiple instances of people in Singapore not lending others a hand in public.
She also said that she "totally integrated" herself into Singapore culture, but concluded that she "can't live in a place where it's so cold".
'Toxic' remark was 'intentionally provocative': TikToker
In response to queries from Stomp, Ms D said her remarks were "intentionally strong and provocative" and meant to spark discussions.
She clarified that while she did not intend to offend others, she wanted to share how she felt socially and culturally misaligned with people in the country.
As someone who had lived abroad — in the United Arab Emirates, US, Lebanon, and Spain, she felt that her most recent stint in Singapore felt "isolating" and "disconnecting".
"It's just that for some people if they don't need that social connection, living in Singapore works for them but it didn't work for me," Ms D added.
She added that the support from netizens made her "feel alive again" and helped her get through her day-to-day life.
With this in mind, she said she is open to staying in Singapore, but is keeping her options open.
Netizens slam TikToker for being 'insensitive'
The original post has gained over 278,500 views and 1,200 comments. Many netizens agreed with the poster, offering their personal experiences of life in Singapore.
"Been there a few times and honestly everyone is so fake and always with some hidden motive/ agenda," one netizen remarked.
Another user who identified themselves as a Singaporean said that the country feels "sterile and soulless".
Others disagreed with her argument, saying there was "no need to attack an entire country". One user even told her to "show respect or leave".
"Calling a country 'toxic' just because you don't fit in is insensitive and shows a lack of maturity," one netizen chided, to which Ms D responded that the "toxic" label was used "just for social media purposes".
Others suggested that the traits she mentioned "are not exclusive to Singapore".
"Every place has pros and cons. The key isn't finding a perfect country — it's finding the one that fits you best," a TikToker remarked.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with comments from Ms D.
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