Like all places in the world, you've to live in the place for some time to really know the place. For example, most foreigners who have come to know about Singapore through media, or perhaps spent a few days in Singapore will think that Singapore is heaven on earth. Thailand is touted as 'Land of Smiles' when in truth it's the 'Land of Lies'.
As for Taiwan, everybody is a University graduate. When Lien Chan was in power, he upgraded all the technical institutes to University status.
Frankly, most Taiwanese are pretty familiar with their own politics but clueless when it comes to world politics. The graduates these days don't even their geography well. Many will give you a blank look when you ask them for capitals of different countries. The education standard has certainly gone down.
Cohabitation is rampant in Taiwan. This is very unlike Sinkieland. It's not because Sinkieland is morally superior. It's because in Sinkieland the government will put stones in front of you so that you can't find a place to cohabit.
Taiwanese youth are useless. Don't get misguided by big brand names like ACER and ASUS. Most youngters are 'butter boys'. One of the posters above is quite right. Taiwanese look up to Japan and US. The butter boys are soft like candy, but they're being sold as 'handsome'. Girls are all after butter boys. No thanks to F4 and Farenheit boys.
I have lived in Taiwan and I think I know the place quite well.
Not everyone is a university graduate. Some of the youths are ignorant and clueless, but some are very enterprising and aware, not that much different from youths in other countries, particularly Asian countries. In fact, the youths in Taiwan are generally more aware of world affairs and able to think for themselves more than SG youths. Just my opinion.
I'm not sure if cohabitation is rampant, but you may be right that it's more common than in SG.
The youths are not useless. Some of them start working or start their own businesses successfully at avery young age, they are not as sheltered as SG and perhaps even HK youths.
But I have to agree that groups like Farenheit and F4 don't cut it for me, their songs and singing are mediocre at best, although I think that Vic Zhou (Zai Zai) is a very good actor. (better than Mark Zhao in my opinion)
Speaking of Taiwan groups, my favourites are Mayday, FIR and Wu Bai and China Blue. Fantastic groups with great songs, great singing and great bands. They are world class in my opinion, comparable with your U2s, Rolling Stones and so forth. Somehow, HK and SG just can't seem to produce world class bands, although there are some good individual singers.
:o
