Atas defined

I was having a conversation with an atas level 5, district 10 friend of mine and I came up with a robust system to define atas-ness. The word is being thrown around and used without a well articulated definition. So here I am, going to try to nail down its collective meaning.

There are 3 components of being atas:

1) Money

2) Education

3) Lineage

These components are necessary but not sufficient. You need all 3 to be truly atas.

To start, you need money. It can be your own money, your family's money or your significant other's money. But it has to be money that you have ready access to and can get without begging. Hence, you can be a jobless bum and still be atas if you have a well endowed trust fund at your disposal.

Education! Well, you have to have a reasonable amount of education to be atas. That rich ah beng who runs a famous hokkien mee store is NOT atas (unless he was educated in Oxford...). I guess education is always relative. The ivy leaguers think anything non ivy is second rated. The medical/law students think everyone else is third world. But you get the point, I shall not comment on where I think the line should be drawn for fear I would be classified as a snotty elitist brat.

And lastly, lineage. People always talk about the greatness of Singapore's meritocracy and the infinite possibilities of the American dream. I say BLEAH to them! Yes, yes, I think meritocracy is great, else I would probably be some salesgirl in Metro trying to see cosmetics. Urgh. *shudders* But the fact is, who your parents are matter! If they are atas and successful people, the battle in life is already half won! (provided you are on good terms with your parents) This could be particularly prevalent in certain more traditional nations, but I still see it at work in the new world.

In Singapore, it might be slightly different, in my conversation with my atas friend, I decided that school lineage is crucial to be considered atas. I mean, I finished high school like a million years ago and people are still asking me where I went to school in Singapore! I mean, people still use schools (secondary, jc) to label and classify people! Ha! I blame the emphasis on grades and academic performance. For a large chunk of people end up in NUS, but not that many attended the Raffles schools.

On that note, it is also crucial to note whether someone is a pure blood, half blood, muggle born (this is obviously Harry Potter inspired). If your parents attended atas schools/are atas people, you are a pure blood; if your parents are LC (low class)/are atas level 0 and below, you are a muggle born; and if your parents are somewhere in the middle, you are a half blood.

There you have it, a rather comprehensive definition of atas-ness. So rate yourself from atas level 0 to level 10. Give yourself a boost in the atas hierarchy if you find yourself gaining a new degree, earning more $, marrying rich or uncovering some fancy atas lineage.

Cheers to a life of continuous atas pursuits!