Whose narratives? Divergence in how history is organised across generations and its impact on well‐being

Abstract

Singapore is a young and affluent global city‐state located in a region that is historically known for its ethnic diversity and racial politics. A recent study identified three dominant narratives embraced by Singaporeans: Nation Building—events that highlight milestones and achievements, National Resilience—events that exemplify national unity and resolve in addressing a national crisis, and Conflict—events that demonstrate social divisions. These narratives predicted present and future satisfaction to different degrees and patterns. Further analyses, however, point to generational divides not only in how history is organised but also how it is associated with satisfaction and life experiences. Citizens from all ages converged on the type of events that constitute the Nation Building and National Resilience narratives but hold different views on the constituents of the Conflict narrative. In all, future satisfaction among each cohort of Singaporeans is shaped by a different set of historical narratives—Nation Building for the seniors, National Resilience for the middle‐aged, and Conflict for the young. These results suggest that collective remembering is shaped by a cohort’s generational character.