https://www.scmp.com/rss/325356/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Before Tsai Ing-wen’s landslide victory secured her a second presidential term in Taiwan, she publicly admitted on numerous occasions that young people were the most critical factor and spared no effort to woo the youth vote. Despite their overwhelming support for her, there were still underlying concerns as young people are sometimes seen as unreliable voters. Britain’s Brexit referendum in 2016 is a painful reminder of this. Back in June 2016, the country voted to leave the EU by 52 per cent... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3045870/do-you-hear-young-people-sing-how-politics-hong-kong-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3045870/do-you-hear-young-people-sing-how-politics-hong-kong-and?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Jan 2020 09:19:33 +0000 An early Happy New Year to you all! Sadly, happiness has been a rather distant goal for most Hongkongers in the past six months while the city continues to be rocked by violence and vandalism with its future hanging in the balance. Ask any Hongkonger what they would want most in 2020 or to choose one thing they would like to improve on in the new year; many would most likely say – happiness. In most of the decisions we make in life or things we do or pursue, we, knowingly or not, aim to achieve... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3043939/what-people-need-remember-amid-hong-kongs-social-unrest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3043939/what-people-need-remember-amid-hong-kongs-social-unrest?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Dec 2019 08:51:30 +0000 Governments around the world need a slap in the face every now and then, as a stern reminder they are failing to serve their citizens. The naming of climate change activist Greta Thunberg as the 2019 Person of the Year has done exactly that to governments around the world. The annual award by Time magazine is given to a person or people who have shown the most influence over the course of the year. The awardee can also be an object, concept, or movement that has dominated the news, affected... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3042312/time-worlds-leaders-pay-attention-greta-thunberg-award?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3042312/time-worlds-leaders-pay-attention-greta-thunberg-award?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Dec 2019 10:14:04 +0000 We all have different opinions as to what makes a city liveable, be it quality of life, general lifestyle, or social interaction. But when it comes to defining what makes a place a home, there are some fundamentals that cannot be compromised, such as safety, happiness, and a sense of belonging. The city we call home is more than just a place to live and work; it is an extension of ourselves. And we need to feel we belong and comfortable enough to settle down or maybe raise a family. We might... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3041207/place-we-call-home-cant-just-be-somewhere-we-make-money-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3041207/place-we-call-home-cant-just-be-somewhere-we-make-money-it?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Dec 2019 04:22:27 +0000 Within Hong Kong, there has been a recent surge of groups who have been attempting to mediate – or better yet – find solutions to solve the current political crisis that has plummeted the city into perpetual violence for the last five months. While most of us have chosen to safely remain neutral or on the fringe of the violence, many have been inadvertently drawn into the war being waged between the protesters and the government or police, whether we like it or not. As a result, many Hongkongers... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3039261/dilemma-peaceful-rational-and-non-violent-hongkongers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3039261/dilemma-peaceful-rational-and-non-violent-hongkongers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Nov 2019 09:45:26 +0000 The Chinese idiom, “virtue is one foot tall, the devil ten feet,” means it requires constant vigilance and courage to ward off evil, because the potential to commit evil lives within all of us. Although it is a common belief that evil exists in everyone, we always have a choice not to commit evil deeds. The truth is, sometimes there is no clear-cut way to define who or what represents good or bad. Every act defines a person, but it doesn’t excuse someone, who has done good deeds all their life... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3031866/hong-kong-must-learn-there-no-black-and-white-when-it-comes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3031866/hong-kong-must-learn-there-no-black-and-white-when-it-comes?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Oct 2019 09:31:43 +0000 Someone asked me if I was outraged by Justin Trudeau’s blackface scandal; I told them I was, but I was also outraged by the incessant outrage. Trudeau’s gaffe has ignited a firestorm of discussion the world over. The Canadian prime minister may be facing the most serious challenge to his political career after photos and videos of him wearing blackface make-up at a 2001 party – and on two other occasions – surfaced recently, just weeks before Canada’s federal election in October. About 30 years... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3030988/whats-worse-justin-trudeaus-blackface-scandal-mindless-rage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3030988/whats-worse-justin-trudeaus-blackface-scandal-mindless-rage?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Sep 2019 10:20:07 +0000 Local Cantonese slang phrases constantly change meaning over time, sometimes so quickly and drastically that they might mean the opposite of their original forms or even evolve into something totally different or unrecognisable. But not many phrases have undergone such a dramatic change as the much-revered local slang term siu keung – which is synonymous with cockroach. Siu keung literally means “little power” and Keung is also a common Chinese first name. The term was coined by none other than... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3026410/why-hong-kong-police-groups-use-word-cockroach-condemn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3026410/why-hong-kong-police-groups-use-word-cockroach-condemn?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Sep 2019 11:52:03 +0000 Whenever outsiders mention Hong Kong as a city of China, many Hongkongers tend to become defensive, partly because of fears of losing their Hong Kong identity. The truth is Hong Kong will never lose its identity. Moreover, the city does not have just one identity, it has multiple identities so as to adapt to changing circumstances and adjust to challenges. That is why Hong Kong people are true survivors. Since the change of sovereignty in 1997 when Hong Kong reverted to Chinese rule, Asia’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3020478/how-hong-kong-identity-being-warped-social-media-protests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3020478/how-hong-kong-identity-being-warped-social-media-protests?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Jul 2019 07:29:14 +0000 In my previous column I condemned the annual Yulin Dog Meat Festival. The festival slaughters up to 100,000 dogs over a 10-day period every year. Most of the animals are stolen pets, and this festival is falsely promoted as a tradition to satisfy a misconception that dog meat is a health tonic. Response from readers was overwhelmingly supportive to the idea this inhumane practice must be stopped, and the Chinese government should classify dogs as companion animals to give them better... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3017648/applaud-those-trying-save-world-one-small-problem-time-dont?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3017648/applaud-those-trying-save-world-one-small-problem-time-dont?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Jul 2019 03:46:25 +0000 It is unimaginable to see that one of the most cruel human practices is still allowed in China and even “celebrated” under the guise of a festival. The infamous annual Yulin Dog Meat Festival is now under way in the southern Chinese province of Guangxi, which is little more than 400km from Hong Kong. Even more unbelievable is that this abhorrent festival is now into its 10th year. The current one, which began on June 21, will last for 10 horrifying days, during which up to 100,000 dogs, and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3015852/ritual-slaughter-100000-animals-chinas-yulin-dog-meat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3015852/ritual-slaughter-100000-animals-chinas-yulin-dog-meat?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Jun 2019 09:32:54 +0000 A mother’s instinct is to protect her child, no matter what, and this selfless impulse was on full display by fierce Hong Kong mothers during the past few days of protest against the contentious extradition bill. The string of impassioned protests have been triggered by the Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, when she likened her relationship with the protesters to that of a mother and her child. In a recent television interview, Lam said that if she gives in to every demand... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3014863/carrie-lams-clumsy-parenting-analogy-was-designed-take-sting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3014863/carrie-lams-clumsy-parenting-analogy-was-designed-take-sting?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Jun 2019 09:23:07 +0000 The controversy surrounding Cathay Pacific’s new advert of a same-sex couple holding hands is a sad reminder that homophobia remains rife and deep-rooted in not only the corporate world, but Hong Kong society in general. The alleged rejection by Airport Authority and MTR Corporation to run the controversial ad with the tagline “Move Beyond Labels” is just the tip of the iceberg regarding sexual prejudice and stigma in our society. Soon after Cathay Pacific launched its Move Beyond ad campaign in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3011969/cathay-pacific-advert-showing-same-sex-couple-holding-hands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3011969/cathay-pacific-advert-showing-same-sex-couple-holding-hands?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 May 2019 09:03:13 +0000 Most parents want a better life for their children, and a good education at the best schools is often seen as the way to secure it. Some are willing to shell out vast sums of money to make sure their offspring go to the world’s top educational institutions. The phenomenon has been in the spotlight recently after almost 50 people, including Hollywood actresses, were charged over an alleged US$25 million scam to help wealthy Americans get their children into elite universities. Education systems... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3003166/american-university-admissions-scandal-should-make-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3003166/american-university-admissions-scandal-should-make-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Mar 2019 09:11:24 +0000 When was the last time you uploaded photos of a lunch, someone’s birthday party or your holiday on social media? No doubt most of us have done it. This is the way we connect with the world. But when we do so, we often throw caution to the wind and forfeit our privacy. Complete privacy is therefore now either non-existent, minimal, or reserved for a lucky few. Despair though we may, all of us must realise that we have collectively chosen convenience and gratification over a private life. But that... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/hong-kong/article/2189545/tech-lover-or-tech-slave-wearables-are-set?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/hong-kong/article/2189545/tech-lover-or-tech-slave-wearables-are-set?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Mar 2019 09:28:02 +0000 How often do you hear parents telling their children, “it’s for your own good”? We all want the best for our children, because we want them to follow their dreams, be successful, and ultimately find happiness. But do we really know how to raise a happy child? Some parents’ definition of happiness is closely related to financial success because they believe it is part and parcel of attaining a comfortable life, which they assume is a contributory factor to being happy. This means they often place... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/2188541/hong-kong-parents-hour-day-playtime-your-childs-right-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/2188541/hong-kong-parents-hour-day-playtime-your-childs-right-and?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Mar 2019 08:52:56 +0000 Many years ago I heard multiple horror stories about Hongkongers fattening up their pet dogs only to use their meat for hotpot in the winter. Decades later, we have seen much progress in the treatment of dogs around Asia. Nowadays they are often viewed as long-term family companions and treated in a more befittingly humane manner. However, this change in how dogs are perceived has produced moral dilemmas when it comes to end-of-life care. The ethics surrounding euthanasia were placed under... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/2185692/animal-euthanasia-after-south-korean-controversy-its-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/2185692/animal-euthanasia-after-south-korean-controversy-its-time?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Feb 2019 09:04:41 +0000 It is so invigorating to see workplace discrimination against single people finally being addressed, at least partially, at one school in eastern China. Dinglan Experimental Middle School in Hangzhou is offering two half-days of “love leave” per month to single and childless teachers, to boost morale and help relieve work pressure. Discriminatory practices against single people in the workplace are often not intentional or personal, as it is somehow normal for companies to expect singles to work... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/2182988/single-people-get-raw-deal-work-there-are-signs-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/2182988/single-people-get-raw-deal-work-there-are-signs-change?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Jan 2019 09:04:05 +0000 As 2018 draws to a close, we are still seeing many news reports of Hong Kong’s sky-high rents, its housing shortage, and widening wealth gap when it comes to addressing social issues. Media outlets have been focusing on those topics to a point where it has become so repetitive that readers have been effectively numbed by the sight of them. Of course, these perennial issues are important to many and should not be swept under the carpet, but I feel that there are also topics that may not have been... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/2180169/looking-ahead-2019-four-things-might-improve-hong-kong-coming?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/2180169/looking-ahead-2019-four-things-might-improve-hong-kong-coming?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Dec 2018 10:16:08 +0000 If the fact that Hong Kong throws away 5.2 million plastic water bottles every day, some 17 million pieces of waste plastic are flushed into the sea, and about 760 tonnes of plastic bags are disposed of daily does not shock you, maybe this will: there is more microplastic in the ocean than there are stars in the Milky Way. Big festivals such as Christmas are always a nightmare for the environment because excessive consumption generates thoughtless wastage on an annual basis. During this time of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2179340/all-i-want-christmas-end-global-plastic-calamity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2179340/all-i-want-christmas-end-global-plastic-calamity?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Dec 2018 05:19:19 +0000 When renowned Oscar-winning actress Judi Dench defended Kevin Spacey after he was cut from the film All the Money in the World, it inevitably caused a stir. But nonetheless, most reactions were not vicious, and critics mainly regarded it as an act of kindness. Dench said she extended a friendly hand to the embattled actor, simply because he was a good friend to her after her husband died. Dench went further, and questioned the decision to take Spacey out of the film. In some ways, she was... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/2170650/loyalty-has-its-limits-court-public-opinion-no-place-find?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/2170650/loyalty-has-its-limits-court-public-opinion-no-place-find?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Oct 2018 06:38:42 +0000 To many dog lovers, the 2009 Hollywood drama film Hachi: A Dog’s Tale starring Richard Gere epitomises the bond between humans and dogs. Based on a true story, Hachi accompanied his master on his daily walk to the local railway station during the owner’s commute to work. Then the dog would always wait for him to return there so they could walk home together. Even years after his owner’s death, Hachi continued the daily ritual until his own passing. Heart-warming tales of loyal dogs abound all... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/2166492/cramped-living-hong-kong-means-dogs-deserve-extra-care?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/2166492/cramped-living-hong-kong-means-dogs-deserve-extra-care?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Oct 2018 08:30:15 +0000 For millennia, humans have been trying to defeat death, and some might say we are winning the battle. Through advances in medical care it has become easier to live longer and healthier lives. But while living to 100 may become commonplace in the near future, questions abound about how prepared we are for such longevity. Hongkongers already enjoy the longest life expectancy in the world – 81.7 years for males and 87.7 for females – according to government data released last year. The figure for... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/hong-kong/article/2160533/hongkongers-live-longer-any-people-earth-what-use?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/hong-kong/article/2160533/hongkongers-live-longer-any-people-earth-what-use?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Aug 2018 09:53:53 +0000 Have you ever turned your mobile phone off for 24 hours and seen the difference it made to your day? I did, and the feeling was undeniably uplifting. I felt totally free and relaxed and had so much time on my hands. But given how attached most people are to their phones, I think many would find it hard to make that first step of giving up their device for an extended period of time. The thought of leaving one’s mobile phone off for an entire day would almost certainly make most people panic.... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/2158423/combat-screen-addiction-hong-kong-schools-should-ban-mobile-phones?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/2158423/combat-screen-addiction-hong-kong-schools-should-ban-mobile-phones?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Aug 2018 06:00:30 +0000 Hong Kong children are stressed, not only because of long hours of studying, frequent testing, and too much homework, but also because of pushy and demanding parents. I was shocked by a recent news report on the reaction of a parent after he found out his 12-year-old daughter did not secure a place at the secondary school of her choice. “I told my daughter she has to bear the consequences … the allocation results are based on the effort she put into her studies,” the disgruntled dad... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2155515/hong-kongs-schoolchildren-are-stressed-out-and-their?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2155515/hong-kongs-schoolchildren-are-stressed-out-and-their?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Jul 2018 11:27:44 +0000 Since October last year the #MeToo movement has achieved what the law could not. It has swept across the globe like a sickle, cutting away at the undergrowth behind which sex abusers were hiding. It has prompted numerous Hollywood celebrities to share their personal stories of sexual violence, but has brought change extending well beyond Tinseltown. Streaming giant Netflix saw its production of House of Cards seriously disrupted and lost millions of dollars after leading star Kevin Spacey became... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2151306/netflix-style-sexual-harassment-training-no-thanks-abuse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2151306/netflix-style-sexual-harassment-training-no-thanks-abuse?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Jun 2018 09:23:04 +0000 When was the last time you watched a beauty pageant or even thought about it? For me, it was 25 years ago, but I remember it as if it were yesterday. It was a day after I gave birth to my daughter, and I was recuperating in a hospital bed, so that meant I was restricted to what was on the television above my bed: the annual Miss Hong Kong pageant. The contest, hosted by TVB, was once viewed as the biggest and most spectacular local annual event, not only as an entertainment entity but also as a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/2150211/why-stop-swimsuit-contests-lets-scrap-beauty-pageants-altogether?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/2150211/why-stop-swimsuit-contests-lets-scrap-beauty-pageants-altogether?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Jun 2018 07:48:03 +0000 Hong Kong is a noisy, congested and polluted place, but it is also one of the most beloved cities in the world, and Mong Kok is a microcosm of this buzzing metropolis. Sadly, the decision to close one of the area’s most vibrant and colourful streets – the pedestrian zone of Sai Yeung Choi Street South – was welcomed by plenty of people. The notoriously loud street, which is free of cars during weekends and public holidays, has grown to become a hugely popular venue for performers for the past 18... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2149159/mong-kok-not-everyone-it-real-raw-and-raunchy-side-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2149159/mong-kok-not-everyone-it-real-raw-and-raunchy-side-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Jun 2018 07:17:49 +0000 My Taiwanese cousin, Cizko, made a rather amusing but insightful observation about people in her native island and Hong Kong when I praised the politeness of people there compared with their counterparts in the city. “People from Taiwan are really good at faking, while Hongkongers are really good at being real,” she said. Let me explain. She was talking about Taiwanese people’s social behaviour in general; even though they might dislike you, they still try their best to put on the most courteous... https://www.scmp.com/comment/article/2148087/taiwanese-people-may-be-nice-hongkongers-are-good-being-real?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/article/2148087/taiwanese-people-may-be-nice-hongkongers-are-good-being-real?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 May 2018 04:45:46 +0000 The timing couldn’t have been better. Following Google’s recent launch of its Digital Wellbeing initiative – aimed at lessening our smartphones’ corrosive effects on modern life – came a grim reminder of those effects at their worst. An increasing number of Hong Kong children, it was reported, are becoming addicted to an iPhone app that risks violating their privacy and making them vulnerable to predators. Tik Tok, launched in September 2016, is a music video platform and social network that... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2147118/google-tik-tok-and-why-hong-kong-parents-are-blame-children?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2147118/google-tik-tok-and-why-hong-kong-parents-are-blame-children?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 May 2018 09:34:34 +0000 Many of us, myself included, have probably been guilty of some form of cultural appropriation at one time or another and, for the most part, it is likely to be inadvertent, with no offence intended. Keziah Daum, a high school girl from Utah who wore a qipao, a traditional Chinese dress, to her senior prom is an example of this, and yet her decision stirred a tirade of online criticism. Twitter user Jeremy Lam was among the most brutal: “My culture is NOT your goddamn prom dress,” he tweeted. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/2146029/those-howling-loudest-about-cultural-appropriation-do-not-own-culture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/2146029/those-howling-loudest-about-cultural-appropriation-do-not-own-culture?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 May 2018 07:52:46 +0000 Sometimes when we go to a stand-up comedy show, the comics make a disclaimer at the beginning stressing that their jokes are not intended to offend, belittle, marginalise or make anyone feel uncomfortable. That got me thinking: are we as a society becoming too sensitive and intolerant of seemingly harmless humour? Last week, Amazon’s Whole Foods Market became embroiled in a social media controversy after its newest outlet in California partnered with an Asian restaurant that had the racially... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/2143979/harmless-or-hurtful-getting-hot-under-collar-about-yellow-fever?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/2143979/harmless-or-hurtful-getting-hot-under-collar-about-yellow-fever?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Apr 2018 04:37:06 +0000 It would be fair to say something considered distasteful in one culture might not necessarily be so in another.  Of course, there is always common ground on certain issues, and when it comes to ethics, morality and widely recognised universal values, there is little room for compromise, no matter what the culture it is. However, this can be tricky if you have grown up in a multicultural setting, and needless to say, many of us are living in a culturally diverse and interconnected world. Big... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2142906/stop-hiding-behind-your-culture-excuse-bad-behaviour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2142906/stop-hiding-behind-your-culture-excuse-bad-behaviour?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Apr 2018 06:22:17 +0000 How often do you give out your personal data just to get a discount, free access to Wi-fi or other retail benefits? Like I said in my last column, many of us have unknowingly surrendered our individual information on a regular basis for the sake of convenience or for some instant rewards. Privacy is like our health; when we have it we take it for granted but once we’ve lost it, we regret having neglected it in the first place. Most of the time, health can gradually be regained by recuperating... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2140892/big-brother-everywhere-shut-him-out-not-freely-sharing-your?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2140892/big-brother-everywhere-shut-him-out-not-freely-sharing-your?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Apr 2018 07:43:44 +0000 The privacy debate has again gained momentum with the latest Facebook row that exposed the social media giant as mishandling personal data of up to 50 million users. In this ultra-connected era, many people have unknowingly become used to surrendering their individual details for the sake of convenience so they won’t be left behind in the digital world. Views on privacy differ wildly between Chinese and Western cultures. People in the West place considerable emphasis on privacy and often go to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/2139946/why-privacy-alien-concept-chinese-culture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/2139946/why-privacy-alien-concept-chinese-culture?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Apr 2018 08:00:31 +0000 Chinese people, like most others, love money. But to be more precise, we take great joy in scrupulously balancing between saving money and spending within our means. This attitude has been extolled as a virtue. In fact, it’s become so ingrained in our psyche that no matter where or how we are brought up or how we are educated, when it comes to handling money, being sensible and frugal is second nature to us. An ‘ideal’ retirement will take HK$5.11m in savings, up 18pc from last year: Allianz... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2138956/if-youre-chinese-then-being-shameless-savvy-saver-likely-be?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2138956/if-youre-chinese-then-being-shameless-savvy-saver-likely-be?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Mar 2018 09:29:44 +0000 Picture this: you’re in a supermarket, waiting in the checkout queue to pay for only one item. The shopper in front with a big load of groceries sees this and offers to let you go first. You didn’t even think to ask, but this thoughtful person put your needs first with nothing to gain. Why do some people do it? The answer is simple: because they are motivated by a strong sense of altruism and sensibility. This city never stops and neither do its residents. Everyone and everything moves at... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2137837/yes-its-legal-doesnt-make-it-right-hong-kongs-can-do-spirit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2137837/yes-its-legal-doesnt-make-it-right-hong-kongs-can-do-spirit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Mar 2018 06:26:09 +0000 I bet most of you would be taken aback if you were told to “shit down” and “eat your foot”. I was horrified years ago when I heard a teacher utter those words to a primary school pupil, but in fact she meant to say, “sit down and eat your food”. It is quite common for non-native English speakers in Hong Kong to mix up words like “sit” and “seat”, “food” and “foot”, and “chip” and “cheap”, especially since vowel sounds such as those found in “sit” and “seat” are perceived differently. However,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2135741/what-it-makes-hongkongers-so-afraid-speak-english?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2135741/what-it-makes-hongkongers-so-afraid-speak-english?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Mar 2018 07:00:00 +0000 I wasn’t shocked at all when I read about the recent controversy over racism at London’s Heathrow Airport where a mainland Chinese traveller was required to spend 12 times – according to a sales person – that of other customers from elsewhere to obtain a 20 per cent discount at a World Duty Free shop. Racism is detestable and hurts everyone. But it appears that non-white people tend to get the raw deal in terms of racial discrimination, and very often, receive harsher treatment. Sometimes,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2134704/price-discrimination-everywhere-ugliest-when-race-involved?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2134704/price-discrimination-everywhere-ugliest-when-race-involved?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Feb 2018 07:00:15 +0000 Kung hei fat choi and welcome to the Year of the Dog. Lunar New Year is considered to be the most important festival in Chinese culture, as it is all about family unity as relatives from around the globe gather together to usher in the new year. Some people who have not grown up celebrating Lunar New Year may think it is akin to Christmas in the West because of its ethos of family unity, but they couldn’t be more wrong. The Christmas spirit is not simply about family time but also giving to... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2133848/what-happened-hong-kong-spirit-dont-ask-our-mistreated?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2133848/what-happened-hong-kong-spirit-dont-ask-our-mistreated?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Feb 2018 11:08:17 +0000 I came across a very inspiring video on Facebook recently in which a teacher in a US public school was seen starting her class in the morning by exchanging elaborate handshakes with her young students, which had been personalised to each and every one of them. It wasn’t difficult to see that they were so excited to shake their teacher’s hand as they queued outside the classroom awaiting their turn. I was totally overwhelmed and inspired by this, but sadly this is something I have rarely seen in... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2133070/hong-kong-educators-have-forgotten-schooling-should-be-fun?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2133070/hong-kong-educators-have-forgotten-schooling-should-be-fun?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Feb 2018 13:11:04 +0000 I don’t know about you, but I have yet to meet someone who has not uttered a swear word in their life. If you’ve lived in Hong Kong for any stretch of time, you are probably used to hearing casual curse words in daily conversations among the locals. Cantonese profanities, while distinctly unsavoury and unapologetically rude, are also very colourful and entertaining at times. It would be fair to say that on most occasions no one would even bat an eye at the interjection of an expletive here and... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2131022/foul-language-hong-kong-its-not-what-you-say-how-you-say-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2131022/foul-language-hong-kong-its-not-what-you-say-how-you-say-it?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Jan 2018 06:58:09 +0000 My neighbour was screaming at his son again the other day. In fact, it’s a weekly ritual that takes place every weekend when he makes his son wash his car. I suspect it’s his way of making his son, who is slightly overweight, do a bit of exercise and instil some discipline in him. But last night, the boy made a mistake and I felt the father was unnecessarily harsh. Instead of berating his son loudly – like he usually does – the man threw in some choice words. What was the son’s crime, you may... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2130017/what-kind-parent-are-you?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2130017/what-kind-parent-are-you?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Jan 2018 07:43:53 +0000 Have you ever worried about being perceived as racist? Here is a litmus test to put your worries to rest (or confirm them). How would you react if you were in a restaurant enjoying a quiet meal and suddenly people at the next table started to raise a ruckus because they were celebrating something? And would your reaction be any different if they were mainland Chinese, local Chinese or foreign tourists? It’s natural for us to react differently to different people and situations. For example, we... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2128326/where-do-you-stand-racist-hong-kong-heres-something-chew?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2128326/where-do-you-stand-racist-hong-kong-heres-something-chew?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Jan 2018 09:21:41 +0000 When was the last time you went out of your way to do something nice for someone, even a stranger? Some of us carry out charitable acts every now and then, whether it’s volunteer work or donating money or items to welfare groups. We may even consider tiny gestures such as helping an old lady cross the road or giving directions to lost tourists as an expression of kindness. Charitable acts are not only about the “haves” helping the “have-nots” – anybody can extend a helping hand to others who... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2127288/too-busy-be-kind-we-hongkongers-have-no-excuse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2127288/too-busy-be-kind-we-hongkongers-have-no-excuse?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Jan 2018 07:01:04 +0000 I hate to be a party pooper but to be perfectly candid, I am so glad the Christmas and New Year holiday season is finally over and done with. Life is already stressful enough, and it’s even more so during the festivities. It’s common knowledge that holiday seasons are demanding not just on one’s finances but also on professional and personal lives. They are a source of great stress for many, as people have to balance seasonal pressures, including those at work and family commitments, against... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2126375/feeling-stressed-out-after-holidays-its-probably-your-own?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2126375/feeling-stressed-out-after-holidays-its-probably-your-own?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jan 2018 06:39:35 +0000 It’s that time of the year when most people will have set their New Year’s resolutions to help close the year on a high and hopefully kick off 2018 with a fresh start. However, over the years I have learned that it is not only unrealistic but also discouraging to set resolutions. More often than not, I get halfway through the year and feel totally disheartened for not even being a millimetre closer to achieving my goals. So I have created my own benchmark, which is “to do more of the things that... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2124796/smile-stranger-hong-kong-help-break-vicious-circle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2124796/smile-stranger-hong-kong-help-break-vicious-circle?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Dec 2017 09:25:08 +0000 Here comes the Winter Solstice (dung ji in Cantonese), which marks the day with the longest night of the year. This important Chinese festival, which falls on December 22 this year, signifies one of the 24 solar terms on the Chinese lunar calendar, which used to guide farmers in agricultural production by indicating different periods of seasons. It’s not a public holiday in Hong Kong, but at work, just about every local Chinese colleague will disappear in the afternoon to rush home and get ready... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2123779/winter-coming-so-get-ready-bring-out-big-guns-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2123779/winter-coming-so-get-ready-bring-out-big-guns-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Dec 2017 05:00:18 +0000 “Don’t take our butter,” a French friend told me jokingly last week at breakfast. I am visiting Normandy, one of two historically famous butter-producing regions in France; the other is Brittany. China has been blamed for France’s butter shortage, with the average retail price of the spread going up by at least 35 per cent so far this year – in the country with the highest per capita rate of butter consumption. I’m feeling the crisis first-hand as my host no longer serves butter lavishly along... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2121754/why-frances-butter-crisis-just-latest-instalment-blame?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2121754/why-frances-butter-crisis-just-latest-instalment-blame?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Nov 2017 08:14:56 +0000 A local stand-up comedian once made a very pertinent but amusing observation on a well-known but widely disliked Hong Kong behaviour. “Happiness today in Hong Kong is when you’re alone in the lift with your finger on the close-door button as you see someone running towards it. As the doors are closing you’re like, oh my god, I’m getting better at this,” Vivek Mahbubani said. Many of us have probably had the unpleasant experience of having the lift doors shut in our face. So I wouldn’t be... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2119647/would-you-hold-lift-door-stranger-answer-says-lot-about?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2119647/would-you-hold-lift-door-stranger-answer-says-lot-about?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Nov 2017 07:25:07 +0000