Unhappy Hongkongers must learn to accept imperfect solutions to the city’s problems

The New Year didn’t exactly start with a bang: protesters clashing with police at the newly “reopened” East Wing Forecourt, popularly known as “Civic Square”, was a harsh reminder that new beginnings take time and effort. Then, the 41st annual Gallup International Global End of Year Survey results came out, and Hong Kong placed 7th for unhappiness. In our despair, may we find comfort in the fact that the rest of world has been feeling quite depressed as well. Last year was undoubtedly a tough one and there are almost 10 per cent fewer happy people on Earth than a year ago.

When those in power tweet about, say, comparing the size of their “nuclear buttons”, pessimism is downright necessary. We live in a world where there are people still unconvinced about climate change, and this is after we’ve already experienced a year of extreme weather and mother nature has gifted us with a “bomb cyclone”. It’s not cynicism, but we’ve gone from the audacity of hope to the chutzpah of those seemingly determined to drag down the rest of humanity.

There are, fortunately, reasons for cautious hope. North and South Korea are talking on the phone, a first in nearly two years of North Korea not picking up. The words exchanged by those phone calls may not be earth-shattering, but when the most powerful man in the world resorts to comparing the size of nuclear buttons, North and South Korea talking on their designated hotline is huge, even though we know there’s every possibility of it not continuing. Those manning the phones are the first unsung heroes of 2018. We must recognise that hope will require very strong stomachs for disappointment and take extraordinary patience, perseverance and persistence.