Online Letters, June 27, 2017
Voters often forget about environmental issues
Basic common sense would dictate that genuine threats to our natural environment would be given the highest priority in the news media as well as at all government levels.
Also disturbing is the corresponding tendency for polled voters heading into an election to rate the environment as one of the least important on their list of election issues and, equally troubling, the economy as their primary concern. After all, goes the seemingly prevailing mentality, what back-and-brain-busting labourer will readily retain the energy to worry about such immediately unseen things, regardless of their immense importance?
Even worse, such widely published poll findings can perpetuate skewed-logic priorities, as can a negligence of eco threats erroneously imply that there are no real, serious environmental concerns out there about which to worry.
I see it like a cafe queue consisting of diversely socially represented people, all adamantly arguing over which identifiable traditionally marginalised person should be at the front and, conversely, at the back of the line; and, furthermore, to whom among them should go the last piece of quality pie; all the while the interstellar spaceship on which they are permanently confined is burning and suffering some serious spillage of lethally toxic chemicals at onboard locations that cannot be immediately seen.
As a species, we really can be so narrow-mindedly over-preoccupied with our own admittedly overwhelming little worlds, that we’ll miss the most critical biggest of pictures.
Frank Sterle, White Rock, British Columbia, Canada
Science is not settled when it comes to climate change
It’s time to stop wasting taxpayers’ funds on climate propaganda posing as research.
In Australia, government universities and media, federal state and local governments are all wasting our money trying to prove that the trace amount of colourless carbon dioxide gas produced by human activities is producing dangerous global warming.
With a solidarity that makes North Korea look distinctly liberal, they have relentlessly claimed that “the science is settled”. This fixed opinion, supported by a deluge of government cash and media control, means that open-minded research is impossible – all we get is one-eyed propaganda, doctored data and vilification of sceptics.
Worldwide, taxpayers have financed over 100 computer models needing massive computers with a well-paid priesthood all trying (unsuccessfully) to forecast global climate trends. If they worked, one is enough. Bigger, faster more expensive computers using the same failed greenhouse assumptions just get the wrong answers faster.
In addition, there are the frequent climate conferences where well-financed bureaucrats and government propagandists get recycled through the world’s smartest cities seeking powerful roles for themselves in collecting carbon taxes and dispensing climate aid.
This vast expenditure has failed to forecast or change world climate, but has taken funds from the infrastructure needed to cope with inevitable recurring natural disasters such as floods, fires, droughts or earthquakes.
In fact, the paranoid focus on the supposed dangers of global warming has left the world more vulnerable to the biggest climate risk – global cooling. And it has starved research on bigger climate factors such as solar and ice-age cycles, deep sea volcanism, plate tectonics and massive oceanic weather events like El Nino.
Viv Forbes, Rosevale, Queensland, Australia
So many Hongkongers seldom have time to relax
Many Hongkongers do not understand how depression and other forms of mental illness, if untreated, can destroy people’s lives.
The government needs to urge citizens to be aware of the negative impact of mental illness and the need to get help.
Hongkongers seldom have time to relax and they are very busy with their work. This is especially the case with students when they face the crucial Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education exam. Some of them may have psychological problems, but are unable to recognise they are ill.
The government should launch a campaign to raise awareness. Citizens should be encouraged to have a deeper understanding of mental illness and to seek help if they realise they are sick.
Schools should ensure the lines of communication are open so they can help students to reduce their stress levels. Parents also need to understand their children and if they are suffering from emotional problems.
A lot of mental illness is caused by different kinds of stress.
Michael Ke, Tseung Kwan O
Students hampered by spoon-fed education system
Students who have to endure the spoon-fed education system in local schools have to memorise a lot of material. Their situation can be made worse by some parents whose parenting style is often harsh. Such mothers are known as tiger mums.
They have high expectations of their children and will try to find them the best tutorial colleges and sign them up for a lot of extracurricular activities. The children do not want to disappoint their demanding parents and often feel stressed out.
I know these parents are well-intentioned, but they are putting too much pressure on their children. They should be allowing their sons and daughters more freedom, so they can enjoy their childhood.
When the pressure is too great, it damages the child-parent relationship. These youngsters may grow up resenting their parents and what they put them through at school. They should not lose sight of their children’s feelings and what they want.
Carly Fung, Hang Hau
Government should listen to citizens’ opinions
I feel that the Hong Kong government has often failed to listen to the views of citizens and what improvements they would like to see in society.
For example, as a student I am concerned about the future of Hong Kong and the education system which is very stressful. Youngsters know they need to get high marks in the Diploma of Secondary Education to get a coveted university place.
There are few channels of communication through which citizens can get their views across to the public. And even when there is a public consultation, the government will sometimes ignore the findings.
Officials need to listen more to Hongkongers or they will find they are alienating young people.
Jade Luk, Kowloon Tong
