"Life will go on as it has always gone on – that is, badly." - Animal Farm

Animal Farm

In Animal Farm, Benjamin, the donkey,  said enigmatically 'Life will go on as it has always gone on – that is, badly.' At the end, the animals overthrew Mr. Jones; pigs rule; Napoleon became the supreme leader; then things went on as usual as before the overthrow of Mr. Jones - that is badly and yet along with another equally enigmatic principle: 'All animals are equal, but some are more equal than the others.' 

This principle applies with the same force, unfortunately, to Hong Kong. We are promised with universal suffrage in the Basic Law. We are promised that 'river water won't mix well with well water'. We are promised with One Country Two Systems. We hold great hope for our future.

Now Beijing delayed universal suffrage till 2017. The media exposed two 'independent' district councillors to have belonged to the Communist nomenclature. Votes come from a flat of 13 voters with 7 surnames. Most of us are equal; some are more equal when they can vote for the next CE in the 1200 members Election Committee.

The article Two Systems Becoming One: The 2047 Timetable by Suzanne Pepper ominously predicts that the development is still at an early stage. Eventually the Hong Kong district councillors system will nicely fit into the People's Congress System that also has grassroots foundations.

As I said previously, the Communist Chinese genes have their way to filter through. They then begin to reproduce in mass number, until every sperm and egg become red. 

Last Thursday, Professor Choy has written an insightful article saying when this city dies, a diagnosis will find silence and indifference as the causes. He cited a quote from Dante; 'The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in times of great moral crises maintain their neutrality'. In short, we are all accomplices. (article here)

Hong Kong is not Banana Republic, springing from nowhere. It is an international city with rule of law that we all cherish. If we all stay silent as Professor Choy said, this city is not dying. It is dead.

After all, Benjamin is only half - right. Life will not go on as it has always gone - that is badly. Life will only go on worse but for our neutrality. 

The Chinese Selfish Gene

Chinese Selfish Gene

Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins argue, as its title speaks for itself, every gene is inherently selfish. The cultural parallel of a gene is meme where a unit of idea can spread from one generation to another through writing, speech or even gesture.

An interesting example of meme is when a macaque, the red - face Japanese monkey, has learnt to wash a potato and then season it in salty water. Others started to copy him and then this trait even passed from one generation to another.

The Chinese race has its own selfish gene. 2000 years of dynastic rule ingrain people with a sense of obedience. This meme is so strong that it not only imprints into the Chinese gene but has passed to the Chinese generation in the 21st century. If you understand that, then you won't be surprised to see the news saying a man not daring to utter a sound when he witnessed his wife is beaten and raped by a police (news here). After all, just stay obedient and silent. 

Another characteristic of the Chinese selfish gene is the stress on collectivity. When the Westerner first came to China in early centuries, they were amazed by the immense irrigation system that the Chinese collectively built. It's almost a cruel irony when it is precisely this collectivity that achieve the greatest selfishness. A collective love for everyone means a love reserving for no one (just like collective responsibility means no one is responsible)

This is the reason why the 18 bystanders in Foshan can stay unmoved when they saw a 2 year old girl get ran over two times by vans. (news, here and video, here) After all, who cares? Someone will take care of that.

In 1949 October 1, this gene has mutated into the Communist China, inheriting all the dynastic meme and continuing to spread them under the name of 'people 's dictatorship'.  This gene does have strong adaptability. 

Hong Kong fortunately has been purified with some rule of law and has been taught with some more civilized meme. But after 1997, this Chinese gene and has found its way to filter through to invade. Let's stay vigilant against it.