Two people said things to me recently that made me wonder if we can ever reverse the widespread public discontent we're now experiencing. One represents some of Hong Kong's top bosses. The other is a big-time boss himself.
They told me different things but, if you put them together, you cannot help but conclude we're stuck as a society. Change is not on the way. The people who can effect change won't do it. And the people who want change can't do it.
We all know the reasons why there is such public discontent - a widening wealth gap, low wages, unaffordable property prices, the power of the tycoons, the undue influence of the business class and despair among ordinary people that an unfair society has robbed them of their dream to improve their lives.
The people want to change all that but they're powerless unless they turn to radical 'people power'. There are no signs they have reached that point yet. But neither are there signs that those with the power to change things understand the need to do it.
Some of our best-known firms belong to the Employers' Federation of Hong Kong which represents the voice of bosses. Duncan Abate is a committee member.
So are bosses like David Li Kwok-po of the Bank of East Asia, Christopher Pratt of Swire Pacific and Michael Chan Yue-kwong of Cafe de Coral.
Abate told me on a radio show that it is not the role of bosses to reduce our growing poverty, but that of government. He described as 'intrusive' the new minimum wage of HK$28 an hour, meaning it's way too high.
