Reducing Negativity
Hong Kong is becoming a less peaceful and harmonious society, and it is extremely saddening to witness. People are unhappy and frustrated, sometimes choosing to vent their anger through violent means. In this article, the causes for the situation and the solutions will be discussed.
The first cause to a less peaceful and harmonious society is the clashing of citizens over political issues. Since the handover in 1997, Hong Kong people have been determined to keep the ‘one country, two systems’ idea going in order to maintain relative democracy and autonomy from China. Recent issues that concern the notion have caused huge divisions among society. The first was the framework of universal suffrage proposed by the Central Government for the Chief Executive Election in 2017. On one hand, the framework drew support from some members of the public as it symbolized the first step of Hong Kong towards democracy. On the other hand, it sparked outrage among others as they believed that the proposal did not embody real universal suffrage and undermined democracy. The people against the framework proceeded to participate in the Occupy Central Movement, but the people for the framework believed that the Movement was unlawful, and this led to serious clashes between the two camps, causing further rifts within society. The other incident was the interpretation of Basic Law Article 104 by the National People’s Congress in response to two young lawmakers failing to pledge loyalty to China while swearing their oaths. Again, some people supported Beijing’s decision to ensure Hong Kong Independence sentiments would not continue brewing, while others bashed the Central Government for undermining ‘one country, two systems’. There were arguments on social media, and even violent protests and clashes on the night of the interpretation. All the incidents have caused huge political divide and led to frequent quarrels, thus making Hong Kong less peaceful and harmonious.
Another cause is the social problems in society. First, private housing in Hong Kong is unaffordable to a majority of the population. A mere 600-square- foot flat can cost $7 million, which is not a small sum. Not able to afford private residence, citizens have no choice but to turn to public housing, thus resulting in a rapid increase in the demand for public housing units. The demand greatly exceeds the supply, so even though the current Chief Executive is trying his utmost to build public estates, he is still unable to strike a balance between the two. Citizens have to wait for up to 5 years to be allocated a public housing unit, and in the meantime, they are forced to rent poor living spaces like subdivided flats and cage homes. Without a roof above their heads, many people feel very frustrated. Another social problem is connected to the youth. With an education system that only emphasizes spoon-feeding and memorizing, the young people in Hong Kong face difficulties when trying to integrate into society. They are not trained to solve problems and think critically, which is important at work. As a result, they find it hard to be promoted to senior positions and lack upward mobility. Feeling hopeless towards the future, it is only natural that they are angry and dissatisfied. A lot of protests are about these two social issues. Our city is getting more noisy and inharmonious.
As serious as everything sounds, we must find ways to resolve the problems. In the political regard, the government should try to communicate more with the public and take their views into account. In addition, it should encourage rational social discourse within society. Instead of mindlessly quarreling which will only make the opposing camps more riled up, people should be encouraged to discuss matters based on facts and reasons. As a result, citizens of opposing views can voice their opinions in civilized and peaceful ways, which will lead to many constructive discussions and satisfying results. The government can take these conclusions from social discourse into consideration as well while setting up various policies. When citizens witness the endeavors of the government to listen to their needs, they will feel less resentful and hostile, thus paving way for future peace. Furthermore, citizens should try their best to reign in personal feelings and think with reason and not emotions. This will significantly reduce the negatively in society as well.
As for social problems, to solve the housing shortage, the solution would of course be increasing supply of public housing units, but before that is achieved, the government should provide more subsidies to the people waiting in line so that their financial burden from the sky-rocketing rents can be eased. With a lighter burden, citizens will feel less frustrated and more appreciative of the government’s efforts to improve their lives. For the problem of the lack of upward mobility of the youth, the government should start changing the education system by shifting the focus to critical thinking, instead of meaningless cramming of knowledge into students’ brains. Instead of providing textbooks full of facts, schools should give students projects and inquiry-based assignments to hone their problem-solving skills. The major stakeholder, the students, should also take the initiative. They should definitely try reading more newspapers and developing their own stance and comments to sharpen their judgment and thinking. At least, they won’t use violent or unlawful means to achieve their aims.
As responsible citizens, we should point out flaws and injustices within society. However, it is important to bear in mind that expressing ourselves in a civilized manner is just as important. Sure, there are still a lot of things that have to be improved in our city, but before we point fingers at others, how about evaluating ourselves first? To create a better society, we need to have better people, so let’s all start making improvements by reducing our own negativity! That way, Hong Kong can be a more peaceful and harmonious place.