Dr. Tan Cheng Bock is now a Hypebeast Influencer at 80

“A Hype Beast is a kid that collect clothing, shoes, and accessories for the sole purpose of impressing others. Although the individual may not have a dime to their name they like to front like they are making far more then everybody else.” – Urban Dictionary

Hypebeast may be a slang millennials are familiar with. However, would you associate it with an 80 years old grandfather politician like Dr. Tan Cheng Bock?

Dr. Tan is the  founder and first Secretary-General of the Progress Singapore Party. He is contesting in the 5-members West Coast GRC in GE2020 and leading the largest opposition slate challenging the incumbent PAP.

He types on his laptop keyboard with one finger at a time for each letter:

He is also new to social media trends like video live streaming and posting Insta-stories, but seems to be getting the hang of it and learning along the way during campaigning for GE2020.

Why is Dr. Tan Cheng Bock a hypebeast?

Well, he declared it himself: “I am a hype beast person. I hope you are too.”

His dressing doesn’t really reflect the hypebeast culture though, that was until Dr. Tan revealed that the glasses he wear all these years have no lenses!

This is seriously one woke hypebeast!

After Dr. Tan is woken as a hypebeast, he even goes around evangelising the slang to his other elderly friends, translating the meaning in Teochew here:

Way to go Dr. Tan!

Thanks for showing everyone that it is never too late to pick up new skills, adapt to new trend and keep ourselves relevant to the rapidly changing world around us.

With the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting economic recession, it is timely to take a leaf from Dr. Tan’s spirit of learning to ensure we are always plugged in like him.