Monday, March 16, 2026
卓娓：欢聚
https://www.zaobao.com.sg/lifestyle/columns/story20260316-8731949?utm_source=android-share&utm_medium=app
新年期间，亲人都齐聚在我家。大弟自从7年前离异后，孤家寡人一个，便与回新工作的妹妹的大儿子一起前来。二弟跟二媳妇、姐姐夫妇和儿子也先后来到，加上我大儿、偕伴携儿同来的二儿，气氛可说热闹非凡。各人平常难得碰面，唯有在这喜庆的日子才得以欢喜相见。撇开远在澳洲的妹妹不说，唯独将永远缺席的是猝然离世的小弟。就不知在另一空间的他，可有“遍插茱萸少一人”之慨。
大家久未谋面，顿时天南地北谈得炸开了锅似的。
二弟媳妇是个德士司机，虽说教育程度不高，但“社会大学”熏陶下的她，谈话内容也并非“泛泛”。往往语带幽默，闻者莫不笑个七倒八歪。她和二弟之间喜欢互相调侃，你听：“看查某huh?”（福建话）二弟专注看着手机，不予理会。二弟媳妇转头又对着我们说：“我每次叫他‘看查某’，他都不看。”“一个都够头痛了，还看？！”二弟出其不意来这么一句，又低头继续看手机。大家都已笑得弯了腰。二媳妇却毫无愠火地窃笑着继续大啖美食。
两人真是天造地设的一对，是最平凡的夫妻。虽然并不富裕，但懂得和谐相处之道，完全活出了模范夫妻的样子。母亲生前曾担心二弟会不婚，因他个性耿直，忠厚老实，加上寡言低调，恐难找对象。谁知上帝却似乎为他量身定做了这么一个女子。真是“众里寻他千百处，蓦然回首，那人却在，灯火阑珊处”。母亲若在天上有知，亦应感到告慰。至于大弟婚姻的离异，个中原因千丝万缕，但毕竟是令人遗憾的事。有时又想，幸亏母亲已经回归天家，否则以她的个性，不知该要有多么忧愁。
人生没有完美，因为人性既有缺陷，生活也有缺场的时候。夫妻之间同处就犹如一场相聚。大家都盼着能够圆满，事实上，往往都会出现缺憾。或许，唯有接纳这份缺憾，生活才能够得以继续欢聚下去。
Sunday, March 15, 2026
陈迎竹：延续生命是一切意义之本
https://www.zaobao.com.sg/forum/views/story20260315-8728933?utm_source=android-share&utm_medium=app
2026-03-15
现代人满足“生活意义”的选择太多，延续生命这种古老的意义，总是容易被搁置；然而忽视以致这一意义崩溃，是生育雪崩的最大原因。
生育问题对整个东亚社会都迫在眉睫，但这一代的人大多无感，因为很多社会的人口刚刚来到顶峰开始下坡，仍不见实际威胁。一些政府包括新加坡一直在寻找药方，但这个世纪之问牵涉极广，千头万绪，如果抓不到重点，可能于事无补。
生育率警报很容易令人联想到半世纪前一个著名实验“25号宇宙”（Universe 25）。美国动物行为学家卡尔霍恩在1968年设立一个老鼠乌托邦，有源源不绝的食物，舒适的哺育空间，足够的居住空间，没有疾病、天敌和气候挑战，没有生存压力。他严选四对健康年轻的雌雄老鼠放进去，一年后有了600多只，兴旺蓬勃。然而，老鼠后续行为开始变化，鼠口增长速度慢了下来。问题出在哪里？卡尔霍恩指出“老鼠的行为表现不再像老鼠”，他提出一个名词“行为沉沦”（Behavioural sink），在往后几十年的社会学、心理学乃至经济学界引起热议。
具体说，起初，公鼠会积极觅食、保护地盘、寻找配偶，母鼠在生育后会保护幼崽和打理鼠窝，两者角色清晰，也发挥各自本能。但在300多天后生下的幼崽，社会已经建构完整，一些鼠辈在百无聊赖的情况下变得凶悍，无目的残杀同类经常发生，幼鼠逐渐倾向从社群退却到自己的小窝，不参与互动。公鼠不打架、不交配、不互动，只在小窝里吃喝、睡觉、梳理毛发。因为没有受伤又勤于梳理，它们的鼠毛特别漂亮，卡尔霍恩把这群叫作漂亮宝贝。实际变化正是发生在这群鼠辈的内在，它们不想活动，日常动静已经看不到意义和目的，更没有了生育欲望。母鼠也不再以繁殖保护幼崽为本能，而是在危险时抛弃不顾。经过几代变化，它们已经没有最初那些母鼠的典范参照，不知道怎么做个母亲，甚至会咬死自己的宝宝。
乌托邦里的鼠口最终归零。卡尔霍恩在此前后还做了很多较小型的实验，以不同变数测试，结果几乎毫无例外。他把老鼠社会的瓦解看成先是社会角色的死亡，继而身体死亡。他的实验在某个程度上是回应二战后美国城市人口暴涨、犯罪激增的焦虑，却也证明社会结构和人口密度会导致繁殖终止，自然限制人口增长。
“行为沉沦”理论一度在美国被视为预示人类的未来。它说明在城市生活越来越安逸后，人类会失去面对挑战、承担责任的本能，很多人在社会中缺乏有意义的角色扮演。然而，封闭式的实验无法真实对照人类世界的开放性，例如压力过大的社会，会促使人们迁居别处。
于是，在1980年代末，荷兰两位人口学家莱斯泰格与范德卡提出“第二次人口转型”理论（第一次是进入工业化时代，生育率上升、死亡率下降），指出生育问题已不是传统上以集体、家庭存在为中心的需要，而是个人价值观、婚恋观改变，乃至把婚姻与生育脱钩的思想变迁，低生育率是工业化与高教育创造更多个人发展机会的结果。这套分析架构更贴近现实，因而成为主流的人口学理论。
东亚生育率不断探底给更多理论提供空间，因此今日探讨问题多采取务实解释，包括性别平等的需求、经济与职业压力等等。人口学界当下最热门的话题，是2.1的替代生育率已经成为历史，发达社会永远回不去，课题重点因此变成如何延缓“宇宙归于寂灭”的速度。
城市社会结构、经济商业模式、教育与就业压力，都会改变人的行为以适应环境，行为改变过了一两代，观念也会发生变化。
观念巨变是低生育率的最主要原因，因此，决策者和社会观念也必须做出更大调整。“行为沉沦”理论值得借鉴的是，环境越舒适，越要避免下一代躲在自己的小窝里梳毛。现代人满足“生活意义”的选择太多，延续生命这种古老的意义，总是容易被搁置；然而，忽视以致这一意义崩溃，是生育雪崩的最大原因。
根本的改变必须从教育着手挽救认知，学生从小就应该了解两性、生养等课题，由浅入深，促使孩子有足够时间去思考这个已经不是他们本能的课题，教育体制则从中引导。这不是尊重个体选择与否的问题，人生很多认知都须要雕琢、塑造，尤其是意义的学习与建构。当一两代人中，独居者、不婚者多过婚配家庭，宠物多过孩子，新生孩子的参照点就会发生变异，意义也就在下一代出现根本改变，家庭的意义被遗忘，婚姻关系无从学习，都是可能的结果。
政策须要反思的包括：要不要继续坚持把婚姻和生育挂钩，欧洲一些国家的例子值得考虑；是否应该结束单一性别学校；组屋政策该不该向生育多的家庭倾斜更多，包括孩子多的家庭优先获得大型组屋甚至黄金地段组屋选购权；不在政策上向自愿养宠物不生孩子的家庭退让。
四年前，本栏《从一人家庭到无人城镇》写道：“如果消失的人口、萎缩的经济都来自文明与发达的国家，新增人口却集中在欠发达地区，30年后的世界或许会变得更加不可预测。”
对所有东亚社会来说，中年以上对人口下滑大概无感，但孙子辈会面对经济等多方面的冲击。当孙子老来也染上世纪大疫孤独症时，或许会忽然想起生命意义这种古老问题，到底算不算是个问题？
（作者是《联合早报》高级评论员）
My brunch (Early lunch) on 2026-03-15
新加坡国家古迹: 走入时光隧道 探寻国家古迹
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2026-03-12
2025年12月12日，新加坡已故建国总理李光耀的故居“欧思礼路38号”（38 Oxley Road）被列为国家古迹，成为我国第77个国家古迹。
你知道什么是“国家古迹”吗？路过一些建筑或地标时，你是否会探究它的历史渊源？本期《逗号》跟随两名学生的脚步，探索新加坡其中两个国家古迹，了解它们背后的故事。
陈智旭（华侨中二）第一次踏足土生文化馆时，发现馆内的文物充满丰富的土生文化元素，殊不知这栋楼竟然和他有着些许关系。
2024年，陈智旭从道南学校毕业。道南位于马林百列一带，但在1982年搬迁到那里之前，它曾坐落在亚美尼亚街39号，也就是土生文化馆现在的地址。
这名道南校友走进土生文化馆，仿佛穿越时空。“来到这里，我想像以前道南的学生坐在课室上课、在操场玩，或早上周会时聚在一起，有一种特别的感觉。”
据记载，旧道南学校三层楼高，和土生文化馆一样。以前学校礼堂设于一楼、二楼是办公室、共有14间课室分布各楼层；食堂在学校大楼的后方，有三四个摊位，而学校的篮球场现在成了文化馆的停车场。
尽管陈智旭没有在旧校舍念过书，如今它也换上“新装”成了土生文化馆，但他走访后仍有感触。“今年道南将庆祝120周年的校庆，能在这么重要的年份亲自来到旧校园特别有意义。”
旧道南学校（现为土生文化馆）
日期：1998年2月27日列为国家古迹
简介：道南学校创办于1906年。1912年，道南在亚美尼亚街（Armenian Street）的校舍落成，建筑采用法国文艺复兴晚期的设计风格。1982年，道南搬迁至现今位于马林百列的校址，亚美尼亚街的旧校舍建筑在1994年和2008年，分别重建为亚洲文明博物馆及土生文化馆。
中小学都和国家古迹有关
有趣的是，除了小学旧址是国家古迹，陈智旭目前就读的华侨中学，校园里极具特色的标志性建筑华中钟楼，也在1999年被列为国家古迹。
他表示，中四学生会在钟楼课室上课。“有的老师在华中教了很多年，有些也是华中的校友，他们会分享以前上课的情况，或过往没有的新设施，让我们更认识学校。”
除了了解学校历史，老师也曾带陈智旭和他的同学们参观国家古迹，例如国泰大厦、日据时期死难人民纪念碑（Civilian War Memorial）等。
“我认为年轻一辈不应该做‘低头族’，而是要当‘抬头族’，多去这些国家古迹走走，才能体会到新加坡有今天的成就，都是因为先辈的功劳。”
“空草坪”见证国家历史一刻
从土生文化馆步行约10分钟，就能到达政府大厦前大草场（The Padang）。许多新加坡人对这片大草场最深刻的回忆，或许是国庆庆典多次在这里举行。
陈嘉暄（英华自主高一）依稀记得，小时候曾和家人去那里看过国庆。然而，每年的庆典结束，上万个座位和舞台架构被拆除后，大草场就会变回一片空草坪，显得格外安静。
“如果我平时路过这里，可能不会停下脚步多看一眼，更不会想想这里发生过的事。”
陈嘉暄上网阅读资料后发现，历代新加坡人曾在政府大厦前大草场，见证了历史性的一刻。“例如1959年，新加坡取得自治权后，新当选的立法议会在大草场举行群众大会；新加坡独立后的第一届国庆庆典，也（于1966年）在这里举行。”
像陈嘉暄一样的年轻国人不曾参与国家的过去，但透过资料也有了更深一层的体悟。
“参观国家古迹，让我明白新加坡成为独立国家的过程。这段历史也提醒我们，我国并非一开始就取得成功。”
政府大厦前大草场
日期：2022年8月9日列为国家古迹
简介：自殖民时期，政府大厦前大草场就是官方典礼、体育赛事，以及公众活动的重要场所——1945年日军在这里投降；1959年新加坡自治后，大草场也多次举办官方庆典和活动；独立后的1966年，首届国庆庆典也在这里举行。除了被列为国家古迹，政府大厦前大草场也在2022年被申请列入世界遗产。
从先辈角度看早期的新加坡
陈嘉暄说，她念中学时曾去过被列为国家古迹的国家博物馆参观。当被问到还想走访哪一个国家古迹时，她坦言对土生文化馆感兴趣。
“（采访当天）我第一次去土生文化馆，我觉得同一栋楼，可以从一所学校变成博物馆挺有趣的，所以想再回去那里深入了解。”
自认对战争历史有兴趣的陈智旭则说，他想走访那些和日军占领新加坡期间有关的国家古迹，尝试从当时人们的角度看新加坡。
“比如走访土生文化馆，那里展示了早期土生社群的生活方式，反映不同族群当年如何生存、交流与融合，从中也能明白新加坡为何是一个多元文化的国家。”
①受访者后记
陈智旭：我认为国家古迹应当受到保护，因为它们在国家历史中扮演着重要角色。国家古迹不仅承载着先辈的记忆，也能将他们的故事代代相传，让国家未来的主人翁了解前人的辛劳，并学习他们身上的优良品德。每个国家古迹背后都有故事，我们可以从中汲取知识，发现许多课本中未曾提及的历史细节，从而更全面地认识我们的文化与根源。
陈嘉暄：参观国家古迹后，我才真正意识到，新加坡的一些地方之所以需要被保护，并不是因为它们外观有多壮观，而是因为它们承载了国家走过的关键时刻。像政府大厦前大草场，看似一片普通的草地，却见证了自治、独立以及国庆庆典等重要历史。我也因此对国家历史有了新的理解——历史不只存在于课本里，而是真实发生在国人脚下的事迹。保护这些古迹，其实也是在保留我们的集体记忆，让年轻一代在日常生活中，依然能与国家的过去产生连接。
②：关于“欧思礼路38号”
2025年12月12日，政府宣布正式将建国总理李光耀旧居原址列为第77个国家古迹，这也是本地最新的一座国家古迹。
建国领导人举行秘密会议：38号欧思礼路曾是新加坡建国总理李光耀的家。1950年代起，它也是新加坡重要建国领导人举行秘密会议和讨论的地方，塑造了新加坡的历史进程。
计划改建为历史遗产公园：政府计划征收这幅地段作为公共空间，包括仅保留房子的部分建筑架构或完全拆除，改建为历史遗产公园。
③：本地建筑如何为被列为古迹？
● 国家文物局会进行研究，以评估某个地点或建筑是否具有重要的历史、建筑及社会价值，值得被列为国际古迹，并在一个由相关领域专家组成的咨询委员会的指导下开展相关工作。
● 随后，文物局会提出列入古迹建议，并向文化、社区及青年部长寻求批准。
● 根据保存古迹法令（Preservation of Monuments Act），在本地所有建成遗产（built heritage）中，国家古迹被赋予最高级别的法律保护。
● 任何国家古迹的业主和住户必须按照文物局发布的指导原则，确保国家古迹得到妥善维护。文物局也通过国家古迹基金等计划，为符合条件的国家古迹提供维护和修复建筑的支持。
走入时光隧道 探寻国家古迹
https://www.zaobao.com.sg/lifestyle/campus/story20260312-8720808?utm_source=android-share&utm_medium=app
2026-03-12
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Ageing: I want to age in place with robots but co-living may be okay too
For subscribers
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/i-want-to-age-in-place-with-robots-but-co-living-may-be-okay-too
2026-03-15
Denise Chong
Senior Executive Sub-Editor
The Straits Times
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At 3am, it felt as if someone was drilling into my skull, then thumping my head on a table with gusto to make my liquefied brain slosh around. But the noise actually came from a cheerful housemate blending a smoothie – stopping to thump the blender on a counter to make the ingredients settle, then blending it again while shaking the appliance – repeating this almost nightly.
It was a dark cocoa and honeyed berry smoothie, and I knew this because bits of the ingredients were left smeared on the kitchen counter and floor. Welcome to co-living, where you have to take the bitter with the sweet.
I was rudely awakened to this reality when I tried out co-living – accommodation that blended private rooms with common areas like kitchens – for a few months, as I waited for my home renovation to be completed.
As a not-so-sociable person, I had considered renting a whole shoebox apartment for myself. This is to keep the status quo where my current home is my castle, with a metaphorical moat and arrows at the ready to keep people out.
However, as I eyed a range of short-term renting choices such as soulless studio or serviced apartments, I was tempted by the unusual chance to experience what it was like to stay for months in an architecturally charming property that was more expansive and, yes, more expensive. But I could make it happen in a more financially responsible way by sharing it with several housemates.
Baby steps to future aged co-living
It was also an unusual chance to take baby steps towards a possible future as a super elderly person co-living with younger residents.
I would love to continue living by myself forever, with only robots gliding silently to help me and a smart home catering to my every whim even as, at some decrepit point of my life, I would need help in my daily activities.
But I may need a few billion dollars more than I have to completely fulfil my electric dreams.
Hiring humans to help me to the same degree will rack up scary bills too.
So, co-living may be a more financially prudent way to age in place. Instead of being admitted into institutional care, I could share the cost of rental, basic healthcare and more with other tenants, who don’t even necessarily have to be senior citizens.
In Singapore, intergenerational co-living is emerging as a type of private housing option for the elderly, according to media reports.
Commune@Henderson, which officially opened in 2025, is the first intergenerational co-living concept introduced by the Singapore Land Authority that houses seniors and younger people. The facility supports seniors who prefer an independent living environment with lifestyle amenities, while also encouraging social engagement.
With the help of the property’s facilitators, who organise regular social mixers, young people and seniors are encouraged to mingle with one another instead of staying within their own circles.
The co-living chain I rented a room from organised social events for the tenants too. For example, one could take a dish from your home country to a cultural evening and talk about it while enjoying the food and music from around the world.
Well, others could do so. Not me.
Baby steps, remember? I wouldn’t have considered it previously, but at that time, I took a step towards the social side of co-living just by even considering whether to go for it. Then, true to my nature, I took big steps back towards my private room.
That’s a good thing about co-living for a not-so-sociable person: You can enjoy the vibe and option of social events, but you can always wave a friendly hello and goodbye, and retreat to your room.
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It made me feel hopeful that living in an elderly co-living place in the future would not be as stressful as I feared it could be, with obligatory mingling.
It made me feel hopeful that I would not stubbornly cling to living by myself as a future super-aged senior citizen, declining the community’s help despite really needing it.
Making decisions about how you are going to live for many years as a senior citizen is going to matter to more and more of us in Singapore.
In 2026, the country is projected to become a super-aged society, where at least 21 per cent of the population is aged 65 and above. By 2030, one in four Singaporeans will likely be a senior.
Intergenerational co-living is just one of the rising number of housing models that Singapore is exploring to help seniors age gracefully within the community.
Operators had started a few options for seniors, ranging from living in one’s home to staying in a nursing home, The Straits Times reported.
Community Care Apartments combine senior-friendly features with integrated care and social services. “Retirement kampungs” like Kampung Admiralty combine public housing for seniors with healthcare, wellness and eldercare facilities, alongside childcare centres to encourage interaction with pre-schoolers.
Taking the bitter with the sweet
So what are the bad things about co-living?
Remember the nightly blender noise at 3am?
I never did make a complaint about it – yes, the co-living chain had rules for tenants to abide by, like quiet hours, and would have stepped in when needed. But I worked the late shift and was likely still up watching movies when the blending and thumping happened. I also wasn’t planning to rent the room for a long time.
Ditto for when big dinner parties stretched on into the wee hours.
The housemates were usually invited to join the parties, but I just enjoyed listening to spirited conversations and the clink of wine glasses going on all night.
I tolerated the smeared ingredients and the sink filling up with dirty dishes because regular cleaning of the common areas came with the lease.
If future aged co-living came with such services, ground rules and a referee for similar issues, it may not be such a bad thing.
I must confess though that I had at the same time started fitting my renovated home with a whole lot of smart tools, from switches to curtains. The smart apps could be the rudimentary beginnings of – who knows – a future home that almost seems sentient.
You know what, I am still clinging to my electric dreams of co-living with only robot helpers.
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Co-living with youth will help seniors feel less lonely and more connected: The Assembly Place CEO
Denise Chong is senior executive sub-editor at The Straits Times. She also writes opinion pieces.
Saturday, March 14, 2026
Multivitamin: Take a multivitamin every day to age slower
Shin Min Daily News
Saturday, March 14, 2026
(Comprehensive News) A new study has found that taking a multivitamin daily may slow down the aging process. Scientists discovered that older adults who took the supplement for two years experienced a significant slowdown in aging at the cellular level, equivalent to a four-month "rejuvenation" of their biological age.
According to the Daily Mail, the study was conducted by a research team at Massachusetts General Hospital's Brigham and Women's Hospital. Researchers analyzed nearly 1,000 healthy adults with an average age of approximately 70, through...
Blood tests can detect changes in DNA and observe the actual rate of aging in the body.
The results showed that people who took multivitamins daily experienced a slower aging rate across five different DNA aging indicators, with the effects being particularly noticeable in those who were "originally aging faster".
Researchers point out that this suggests multivitamins may help maintain healthy aging, and they are not only readily available but also convenient to take.
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