Young should take real risks before fighting for democracy

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Alex Lo is a senior writer at the South China Morning Post. He writes editorials and the daily “My Take” column on page 2. He also edits the weekly science and technology page in Sunday Morning Post.

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We have come to rely too much on the government and expect it to fix every problem, such as too expensive flats, for us. Photo: Bloomberg

You know why we are always rounding on our government? It's not just because it's undemocratic. Are we unfree and oppressed? Actually, we are freer and richer than most full democracies.

What we don't admit is that we have come to rely too much on the government and expect it to fix every problem for us, right now! That's the sense of entitlement and instant gratification of the iPhone-pan-democrat generation. Parallel traders blocking MTR traffic? It's the government's fault. The economy taking a dive? Also its fault. No milk powder? The government's fault. Flats too expensive … Everything is the stupid government's responsibility and therefore it can never do anything right. The more activist a government, the less likely it will get many things right.

This, by the way, is why many people have this terribly mistaken notion that the colonial Brits were superior governors. I lived at least 25 years of my life under their rule and I can tell you they weren't all that competent. They were, however, far less responsive to popular demands. When your subjects had low expectations of you, it was easy to meet them.

Native entrepreneurship was what made Hong Kong great. Its disappearance will spell the city's decline. Because you couldn't rely on the Brits to take care of you, you had to take care of yourself. That was how Hong Kong got rich - entrepreneurship - thanks to enterprising Chinese, Indian, Pakistani and other risk-takers.

Today, the word entrepreneurship is conspicuously absent in public discourse. In its place, democracy has taken hold. Yet I don't know any truly freer person than an entrepreneur, who is in control of her own destiny.

Instead of starting a business in a burst of entrepreneurial creativity à la Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg, many young people either want to join big corporations or the government on a fast track to senior management - and/or protest for democracy. What they all have in common is that they take no risk. Our young democracy fighters may fantasise about June 4, but no PLA tanks will ever run over them.

Young man and woman, take real risks! Travel the world, read widely, strike out on your own, start a business (in another city with low rents). Then come back and fight for democracy.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as Take a risk - then fight for democracy

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This article is now closed to comments

pslhk Apr 12th 2013
10:10am

son so rice bucket: 'whymak'---a nickname of a group of hired 'writers'
holy, holy, we must report this to Vatican
sonny witnessed transfiguration
no wonder wise man said: thanks for another good laugh
-
whymak is actually too kindly
I won’t have the patience
experimenting the enlightenment of anencephalic loud speakers

silent is the night Apr 11th 2013
1:14pm

Undoubtedly,even an average secondary student in the territory,his /her English will definitely and certainly,I dare say, much better than this so-called,'whymak'---a nickname of a group of hired 'writers'---the cheapest and poorest guys here in this Comment column to beat /attack anyone who are outspoken enough to support the universal suffrage in 2017 to be a geniune one instead of a faked one----with so-called a screening mechanism or a 'primary poll' or the pre-conditions set by Old GuyQiao (the so-called self-taught legal expert who hasn't got the basic law perceptions of law ABC according to international standard !) that our candidates competing for the top post should be one 'loving the country(the Party ?) and Hong Kong ( of course !) and not 'confrontational towards the Beijing authorities---demanding an end of the one-party rule on Mainland: practising democracy there.Elections is definitely an internal affair of Hong Kong itself and is not related to either defence or diplomacy at all ! This 'whymak ' team should meet Marx the earlier the better instead of misleading our dear readers here while polluting this precious Comment column, I think.

silent is the night Apr 11th 2013
10:02am

he-he-he-he,ha-ha-ha-ha ? How can such lousy English be allowed in this respectable long-standing local newspaper which is never a mouthpiece of the authorities even during the reign of the British colonial era ? Now this nasty guy nicknamed 'whymak '(who claimed to have taught (maybe kindergarten only due to his/her level in English) might be the name of a team sent here from the North to monitor the local media (including this Comment column which is an open one) and carries the duties to attack/strike at those views which are different from theirs or opposing the policies of the Central government or the SAR administration !' whymak' is never a single person's name but the team name of a group---hired 'writers' of the poorest type to beat any dissidents here in the Comment column. I hope I have guessed it wrong ! May God curse them for their ignorance and arrogance not to say bad taste and impoliteness shown towards other Comment writers ! amen.

whymak Apr 11th 2013
12:20am

Your third grade reading and writing levels are duly acknowledged by all SCMP readers.

whymak Apr 10th 2013
12:33pm

X-men, Insect repellant, Quiet American,
SCMP readers should express heartfelt thanks for the Theological Trinity's lecture on pre-Hellenistic democracy and most importantly, the logic therein.
You give us the ironclad truth: The majority is always right. That’s why the God of Abraham religions now command a majority following of the world population.
Unlike the Blessed Trifecta who have mastered thoroughly their Form 1 history course, I stagnated over “A Child's Bible History” at Primary 4. Thanks to your lesson on logic, I am now being drawn toward God of Abraham and Democracy.
God created Adam and Eve. He commanded them to be fruitful and to multiply. After Cain killed Abel, his other brothers and sisters married one another and procreated just as God ordered. When God destroyed everyone on earth but spared Noah, his children committed incest to perpetuate the human race.
Incest is good. As the Trifecta Logic points out, man practiced it more than 6,000 years ago.
Chinese are atheists. They don’t like incest, religion and democracy, which are now universal human values. Remember the belief of the majority. Except for the enlightened few like the super-intellectual trio in the global Democratic and Christian majority, the Chinese are now toast.
Behold, the yellow horde’s last days will be worse than Sodom and Gomorrah. X-men gives them 20 years. His prophesy is right on the money.

whymak Apr 10th 2013
4:17am

X-men, Insect repellant, Quiet American,
He-he-he-he! Ha-ha-ha-ha! Let all readers of this column have a good laugh! These monikers are likely the same person. All exhibit exactly the same level of illiteracy.
Three dogs marking scent – defecating on SCMP’s lawn – turn out to be the same beast. This is funnier, though more messy, than all TV situation comedies. Please don’t quit, we really enjoy this gig.
What's in a name? An imbecile 4-legged by any other name smells just as malodorous.
Thanks for sharing your personal attainment with the humble readers of this column. Indeed, if you didn’t remind us, few would know that you had reached the incredibly exalted Form 1 level. Your regurgitation of Form 1 textbook material without a nanosecond of thought is perfect testimony of your credentials. That’s why SCMP readers have overwhelmingly voted you in for the Manchurian Candidate Gold Medal. Beijing tyrants and authoritarians are now shaking in their boots by this brilliant triumvirate Western implant.
Incidentally, from what I heard from Mr. Lo's grapevine, you have been selected to be a keynote speaker by the US House of Representatives for the "China Bashing & Demonizing Conference." Could this be confirmed by you? If true, our belated congratulations.
Keep your good stuff coming! We keep no dunce caps in Mr. Lo’s column.

silent is the night Apr 10th 2013
11:00pm

any normal forum writer won't wirte/express his/her views at 4:17 a.m.early in the morning to attack other Comment writers for their words or views uttered which are allowed in this society which practises and observes freedom of expression and speech.This whymak might probably be one of the team members of a group sent here from the North to oppress any disloyal or dissient views especially those concern our upcoming Universal Suffrage in 2017. I wish I have guessed it wrongly.But the bitter truth is:my prediction /guess might turn out to be exactly true-----we Hongkongers are now closely being monitored for our words and acts by the Big Brother's Eyes /men sent here either in the media or on social websites plus at public gatherings ! Beware of your danger close at hand ! Regards !

whymak Apr 11th 2013
12:32am

"Beware of your danger close at hand !"
You are another evangelical Democracy eschatologist. In case you don't know this word, look it up in the dictionary.
Thanks for another good laugh. Go ahead and make my day, or night!

silent is the night Apr 9th 2013
3:17pm

in today's history book of form one in our secondary schools (e.g.the local government secondary schools) ,there is a chapter named: Ancient Greco-Roman Civilizations.In it there is a description of the democratic polical system in ancient Greek state:Athens which was known for its open-air theatres, literature and temples besides the first western nation to practise democracy------all male citizens aged 20 or above got the right to vote for the government posts, not to say their leader.They got the right to be voted too.That explains why Athens is honoured as the birthplace of western democracy which is copied by many democratic countries around the world in 21st century except a small bunch of autocratic countries which are struggling with their non-democractic rules which are detested and will soon be abandoned by their people within this century or even earlier, say,within 20 years the most.

silent is the night Apr 9th 2013
4:59pm

Even in current History subject of our secondary school which in its form one syllabus concerning the topic:ancient Greek and Roman civilizations,it is clearly stated that in the ancient Greek state:Athens,there is 'one man,one vote' system for its people to choose their government officials. And all male citizens aged 20 or above enjoy the right to vote and to be elected.Athens is regarded and honoured to be the birthplace of western democracy which now western countries practise and most countries in the world follow suit except some autocratic countries led by the PRC and N.Korea and Cuba plus...a small bunch of others as well. This so-called 'whymak' (who claimed to have taught for a short period but I doubt that he is actually a hired writer:so-called fifty-cent gang member ) is a shame of local teachers/lecturers since he/she hasn't the knowledge of world history at form one level. He/She better go and get one textbook for reference before yelling meaninlessly here plus wrongly and impolitely accusing other Comment writer for his/her posting ! Okay ?