- Taxi Driver with PhD, don’t play play okay
Chanced upon this blog written by a guy who professed to be “probably the only taxi driver in this world with a PhD from Stanford and a proven track record of scientific accomplishments”.
The man, Cai Mingjie (as identified via Tomorrow.SG), wrote in his blog introduction: “I have been forced out of my research job at the height of my scientific career, and unable to find another one, for reasons I can only describe as something ‘uniquely Singapore’. As a result, I am driving taxi to make a living and writing these real life stories just to make the dull job a little more interesting. I hope that these stories are interesting to you too.”
The blog was started on 6 April 2009, early this year. In his first blog entry, the man described how he used to a principal investigator at the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) at ASTAR Singapore, a place where he had worked for 16 years. That was till an influx of foreign talents came in and he got retrenched from his job. Although he was informed of the retrenchment in 2007, he was unable to secure another job even till his termination in May 2008. By November 2008, he decided to become a taxi driver.
The blog reads like a novel of sort, about a scientist-turned-taxi-driver, diligently documenting quirky observations he made while driving on the road – the passengers he met, the various changes coming to our society.
I do not know this guy in person, but I like his 能屈能伸 attitude. I feel for his plight though. It is a waste of human capital when skill sets and academic qualification do not match with the job a person is holding. Definitely not a healthy trend if we see more and more Singaporeans in such a predicament.
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20 responses so far ↓
1 Cai Mingjie: Singapore Taxi Driver with PhD from Stanford University | Images and all!! // Aug 16, 2009 at 4:00 pm
[...] on 6 April 2009, early this year. In his first blog entry, the man described how he useRead more at http://blog.omy.sg/alvinology/2009/08/16/singapore-taxi-driver-with-phd-from-stanford-university/ Tags: cai mingjie (0) Comments Read More Post a [...]
2 小寒 // Aug 16, 2009 at 4:22 pm
他是我大二的研究導師！也是我六年來的同事。我現在才知道！真是讓人心寒！
3 alvinology // Aug 17, 2009 at 12:36 am
Really? Small world… well, still, at his spirit is admirable.
4 astar // Aug 19, 2009 at 9:53 am
It is really ‘Uniquely Singapore’, the place you can find taxi driver with a PhD from Stanford University!!
5 limchong // Aug 19, 2009 at 12:01 pm
yes, its really sad to see it happened.
but CMJ’s fighting spirit is what i admired.
Dr Cai, Keep it up. you will make your mark.
limchong
6 bloggy // Aug 19, 2009 at 5:02 pm
It’s reported in Straits Times and Lianhe Wanbao today.
- http://www.asiaone.com/Motoring/News/Story/A1Story20090819-161940.html
- http://blog.omy.sg/wbnews/2009/08/19/19082009-%E5%8F%8C%E5%B0%81%E9%9D%A2/
7 ChanTH // Aug 19, 2009 at 7:16 pm
I salute your courage and your determination to get a job, rather than mope around. Some prefer to be jobless. You are different. All my best wishes.
8 博士德士大哥 | 不入格 // Aug 19, 2009 at 10:46 pm
[...] 在他的blog [...]
9 ZYF - 新加坡第一个生物PHD出租司机 // Aug 20, 2009 at 12:21 pm
[...] 当时，我就震惊了。look [...]
10 University Singapore // Aug 21, 2009 at 12:14 pm
A huge blog for entertainment new and views ,I am glad to post my comment on your blog
11 Global Voices Online » Singapore: Taxi driver-blogger is a PhD graduate // Aug 25, 2009 at 10:01 am
[...] II praises the attitude of the taxi driver-blogger The blog reads like a novel of sort, about a [...]
12 Singapore: Taxi driver-blogger is a PhD graduate :: Elites TV // Aug 25, 2009 at 11:56 am
[...] II praises the attitude of the taxi driver-blogger The blog reads like a novel of sort, about a [...]
13 » Blog Archive » Singapore: Taxi driver-blogger is a PhD graduate // Aug 25, 2009 at 4:54 pm
[...] II praises the attitude of the taxi driver-blogger The blog reads like a novel of sort, about a [...]
14 Taxi driver-blogger is a PhD graduate « storypress // Aug 26, 2009 at 4:20 pm
[...] II praises the attitude of the taxi driver-blogger The blog reads like a novel of sort, about a [...]
15 Global Voices em Português » Singapura: Taxista-blogueiro é PhD // Aug 27, 2009 at 10:13 pm
[...] II louva a atitude do taxista-blogueiro: The blog reads like a novel of sort, about a scientist-turned-taxi-driver, [...]
16 Singapour: Docteur en biologie, blogueur et chauffeur de taxi | Now Cut Your Hair // Aug 28, 2009 at 2:55 am
[...] II admire le comportement du chauffeur de taxi-blogueur : Le blog se lit comme un roman sur la vie d’un scientifique [...]
17 RM // Aug 31, 2009 at 4:43 pm
This is certainly not ‘uniquely Singapore’. A typically Singaporean response – think that their problems are unique. Highly qualified people (even PHD holders) who are forced into menial jobs can be found a plenty in India, Pakistan and Philippines. Most likely in China too.
Cai Mingjie’s plight merely highlights the crazy world that we live in. Where footballers, actors and singers are more valued and higher paid than scientists. Where having the latest handphone model or iPOD is more important than understanding the wonders of the universe.
The problem lies with us. It is our materialistic attitude which is spawning commercial pursuits and stifling science. Hence the scientist suffers and the businessman prospers.
18 Global Voices po polsku » Singapur: doktorant taksówkarzem // Aug 31, 2009 at 9:13 pm
[...] II chwali postawę blogera – taksówkarza Blog czyta się jak pewengo rodzaju powieść o naukowcu, który stał się [...]
19 Zoo // Oct 9, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Don’t always look for appointment letter, regardless of your qualifications.
Always on look out for business opportunities. Taxi may not be the option for us in future. What’s next? Foot reflexology?
Entrepreneurship is the key to survive!
20 isaac // Jan 5, 2010 at 12:08 pm
Interesting character, but if there’s an opportunity to contribute even more to society, why not do it?
Singapore needs people like him in the R&D industry, so prob he should devote himself to it and help singapore progress by leaps and bounds.
Taxi-driving itself is undeniably a contribution to society, but if you can challenge yourself further, why not?
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