In response to an opinion article written about the perceived need to regulate, control, and possibly end street buskers, another individual wrote an opinion article approaching the topic from another stance. For this opinion writer, busking, another name for street performances, is a wonderful and integral part of Singaporean culture and custom. People should embrace the beauty of this entertaining practice instead of decrying it.
For some buskers, performing for tips on the street is a welcome addition to their income. They perform for a number of reasons ranging from practice for their singing performances or instrumentals, stress relief from their job outside of the creative realm, or simply to have another income stream in addition to whatever they might get from their regular day jobs. Art has a proven track record of stress relief, so whatever form it comes in, it is healthy. These types of buskers can also benefit from a kind word of encouragement from passers-by. It might push them to continue to create, perform, practice, and develop new acts of art.
For others, busking is essential. Some people perform on the street as a sole income source to support their family. The tips they earn are much more than an added boost to their disposable, spendable money. Those tips can represent the only opportunity they have to keep up with rent, put food on the table, clothe themselves and their children, and stay on time with the bills. To take away street performances would deprive these individuals of a much-needed source of money.
Overall, Singapore is a highly urban nation. While officials try to incorporate nature and culture amid the high rises, the fact remains that skyscrapers and paved roads dominate the landscape. What is the harm to have buskers filling that space with music, laughter, performance, and much needed color? That’s the point of view this particular opinion writer encourages readers to have. When commuters are trudging off to their offices, buskers are there to sing or play a soundtrack to their lives. When tourists become lost amid the Singaporean streets, buskers are there to dole out advice, direction, and perhaps a musical break from the monotony of the journey. In this writer’s opinion, busking should be treated and respected like the genuine and valuable job that it is.
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To read the complete opinion piece, as well as the letter it criticized, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/forum/letters-on-the-web/buskers-bring-life-to-streets-of-singapore.