I am a believer of Galileo’s ‘pendulum effect’ and Pareto’s ‘80/20 rule’. I particularly believe so after the social disturbance of 2019 and COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 22 in Hong Kong.
Life swings like pendulum backward and forward: between happiness and pain, hope and frustration, and activeness and passiveness. Some said the past 4 years have been the worst time in Hong Kong since World War II. The human brain starts swinging the moment when we are down, and moves back to the position after we stand up again. Life will open up if we swing.
The ‘pendulum effect’ theory teaches us that life, as well as luck, both swing back and forth between 2 opposite extremes; and melodramatically between the hell and heaven.
The ‘80/20 rule’ lets us observe a group of the young who get the nerve to head for the sun. Ever since 2019, some young people have been complaining that Hong Kong is a society of injustice. They waited a long time without finding opportunity for any social or economic mobility. The political situation in Hong Kong made them angry. Their unfinished business was to leave Hong Kong as soon as possible.
‘No cross, no crown’. In the pessimistic world, there are however 20% young people who think differently. There are also those who swing, under the ‘pendulum effect’, from the mentality of giving up to now working hard again. During the past few years while the others just followed suit, the 20% were critical-minded and went through a process of ‘spiritual awakening’. They started to notice the light around themselves and the tunnel ahead. Real freedom of life for them became not dwelling in complaints or empty talks, and they just put courage into the head.
This group of young minorities overcame the challenge of learning how to better manage the frustration in life and the fear that Hong Kong would be doomed to fail. They roll up the sleeves, take a deep breath and run. Some bravely chase their business dreams by putting money in ‘startups’. Some proudly take care of the modest family business such as fish monger, butcher and vegetable seller without feeling diffident. Some adventurously go to the new economic zone in the Mainland ‘Greater Bay Area’ to look for ‘Tech’ jobs.
I know a few young people, in an attempt to rebuild livelihoods, swing from office job to working in construction sites and funeral parlours. Some set up small workshops to pursue their personal passion such as making leather tote bags and independent watch brands.
It was said that to be different from others is the only way to become distinguished from the common herd. Let us be glad, therefore, that we differ from one another in form and in disposition. Variety is the spice of life, and I am sure the young people are now various enough to enjoy one another’s unique realm.
There are 2 interesting findings from the statistics reports made by The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups and Hong Kong Deposit Protection Board. More and more young people agree that vocational schooling and on-the-job training are more useful than general education. An increasing number of young people want to save more money so that they can give better support to the family. What a good change!
Youth is a worthwhile phase of one’s life. It is an age to develop traits of heroism, toughness, curiosity and wisdom. There are many good reasons why young people rebel against parents and society. In fact, some rebellions later become great causes for social changes. Youth is bold. But soon, some will learn and become leaders of tomorrow. We must become introspective, involving our own youth to try to understand the youth presently before us. The youth before us will swing between 2 values. The 20% will surely awaken during the journey of life and let go of fear and anger when the 80% are still un-alert. A writer said, “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”
You saw Hong Kong and asked, “Why?” The important 20% now see Hong Kong and exclaim, “Why not?” Hong Kong is actually full of beauty, apart from her ugly sides. This is however what all big cities in the world are like. A small group of people now fight for dreams when the majorities may be still going the ‘goblin mode’. I am nevertheless optimistic that they will change too.
People do something primarily because other people are doing it, regardless of their own beliefs. When the strong ‘bandwagon effect’ led by the critical 20% takes place as the force of locomotion, Hong Kong will transform…
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