My Take | In Hong Kong, reality is either ‘yellow’ or ‘blue’
- Such perceptual distortions happen in every polarised society as new overseas research shows the deeper the division, the more sharply people’s perceptions bifurcate; and sharing common ground becomes increasingly unlikely
If, like me, you spend a lot of time scanning local chat groups, online platforms and media outlets self-identified as “yellow” (anti-China/government) or “blue” (pro-China/government), one thing you notice is that they almost always comment on the same news topics, but inevitably arrive at opposite or opposing conclusions.
It’s not only that their views on society, government and country are highly polarised along fairly predictable lines, but also their very perceptions of the same factual reality are predetermined. Consider the following hot topics and how the two camps have been talking about them.
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China’s top legislative body passes sweeping Hong Kong electoral reforms
So-called peaceful pro-democracy protesters are all rioters and traitors. So-called patriots are all sycophants and opportunists. The one group sells out China, the other sells out Hong Kong. The West is either our saviour or our corruptor.