Protests expose the gulf between Hong Kong and mainland China. But could they also be a bridge to better understanding?

• Anecdotal accounts tell us that many mainlanders cannot appreciate the reasons for Hongkongers’ anger, much less some of the ways it is expressed, while Hongkongers largely do not share the sense of pride at the nation’s achievements
• The protests have, however, aroused curiosity among mainlanders, and that could spur attempts to better understand