Letters to the Editor, November 18, 2017
This world city still has the right attitude
Despite its detractors and problems, I believe that Hong Kong should still be considered Asia’s world city. Being a world city means more than having a strong economy. For success, the right attitude is equally as important as ability, and Hong Kong has it.
There are so many amazing places to eat in the city that it has been called a food heaven. We have high-end restaurants and cheap street food which is famous worldwide.
Apart from having the world’s best public transport system, Hong Kong has one of the world’s safest airlines and one of its best airports – as well as the world’s most competitive economy, according to the International Institute for Management Development World Competitiveness Yearbook.
Although the city’s wealth gap has hit a historic high, and we have many environmental issues, other world cities are facing these problems too.
Mandy Chan Sze-ki, Yau Yat Chuen
Gamers need official support to succeed
I am glad to hear that there will be an international e-sports team in Hong Kong. In recent years, these competitions in electronic games have become very popular. In other countries, such as America and Japan, it is a mature industry. Their governments support e-sports. However, in Hong Kong we are just getting started.
There are reasons for our slow development. First is a common misunderstanding. Most Hong Kong people, especially parents, think playing e-sports is not a decent job. They think it is for people who did not study hard.
Second, the government has not put many resources into e-sports. These competitions require time and money. Without government support, it is hard to develop the industry.
I hope the government can do more to promote e-sports. For example, it could sponsor gamers to enter international contests.
Ivan Li, Tsuen Wan
E-sports will increase job opportunities
E-sports are a new concept for some people. But the technology has developed rapidly.
When e-sports are recognised, professional teams will have their own coaches and receive training like athletes do. Some people really do well with electronic gaming, but their talents are often not recognised as most people still consider games only as a form of entertainment.
Playing games is not always a good thing. Playing too much will hurt people’s eyes. However, there are advantages. E-sports will increase job opportunities, especially for young people. Some students do not do well at school and e-sports are a new job option.
Vincy Pun, Tseung Kwan O
Chinese history has a place in school
In recent years, survey results have shown that many Hong Kong people see themselves not as Chinese but as Hongkongers. Many of them have no sense of belonging to the country, and more people asking for Hong Kong independence. I agree that Chinese history should be a compulsory subject in junior secondary schools, even though I support neither the “yellow” nor “blue” factions in society.
Studying the past can help people learn from it, not just to avoid the wrongdoings, but to learn from the good; just like students study past exam papers to note common mistakes and avoid repeating them.
There may be similarities between the past and today, and students thus have a chance to reflect on whether our current government is working well.
Studying Chinese history, combined with liberal studies, will help students think outside the box. Through Chinese history, students can also learn about changes in Hong Kong.
History is not only about rulers, but interesting ideas like the invention of paper. By studying these developments throughout the centuries, students will be admiring the beauty of some Chinese traditions.
Chinese history can be combined with English too. Simply reciting facts is boring, so how about creating a history drama? Students could translate historic scenes into English and perform them. With this teaching method, students will learn history more easily.
Christy Lam, Po Lam
Urgent change in mentality is required
Over the past 50 years, the rise of a globalised view of the world, widely supported by the exponential development of digital technologies (as of June 2017, 51 per cent of the world’s population was on the internet), has effectively united communities of human beings throughout the world. This has led to the birth of a seemingly strong international community.
However, it is undeniable that humanity as a whole is going through an unprecedented “planetary crisis”, the symptoms of which include global warming, the rarefaction of essential natural resources and military conflicts of frightening magnitudes. These are only by-products of a destructive capitalist paradigm.
Shared ecological and economic issues should provoke a collective awareness leading to the strengthening of intercultural solidarity and universal brotherhood.
Yet, human beings are barricading themselves behind distinct identities, as can be noticed when looking at the proliferation of nationalism and religious or cultural sectorisation.
This sort of reaction to threats to individual and collective stability has been noted at numerous instances throughout history. However, social change is and has always been inevitable. It is a vital measure in the development of any form of civilisation.
What humanity most desperately needs is a change in widespread mentalities: a shift in perspective on the way its relationship to itself and to the planet should be managed.
Baptiste van Gaver, Discovery Bay
