鄧永鏘（DavidTang）
中國會、上海灘創辦人
Iamstarving.Iamabsolutelystarving.Ihavenoteatenfortwodays.Iwon'tbeeatingtomorroweither.Ihatethefeelingofstarvation.Butofcourseit'snotrealstarvation.Ican,at100kg,goonprobablyeatingnothingfordaysandstillwillnotstarvetodeath.Icanprobablysurviveformonths.Butthisemphasizesmyproblem.Andindeed,aseriousproblemforalotofpeople.Thetruthisthatindevelopedworld,somanyofushavegotintothehabitofeatingtoomuch.Whenwecraveforfood,wemistakenlythinkwearestarving.OfcourseIhavenotbeenstarving.Ihavejustbeencraving.Thefactisthatwehavebecomegluttons.Weeatforthesakeofeating.Wearegreedyforfood.Whenit'savailable,wetakeit.Onethingthatdistinguisheshumansandanimalsisthatwedrinkwhenwearenotthirsty,andweeatwhenweareabsolutelyfull.Obesityhasbecomearealproblem.Obesityinchildrenisbecomingagraverproblem.InAmerica,obesityisrampant.Youcanseeallthefatpeoplethere.Notsurprisinglyastheyservemonsterportionsinrestaurants.TheAmericanshaveanacutesenseofvalueandexpectthemaximumamountoffoodonaplaterelativetowhattheypay.Sotheyenduptryingtoeatmountains.Often,theirmouthsarebiggerthantheirguts.AsetofstatisticsIsawrecentlyestimateda65%wastageonfoodservedinAmerica.Thatisagrossfigure.Itentailssomegrossbehaviour.Itreallyisdisgusting.Moresowhenwerealizesomanymillionsintheworldarestarving.ItisnowonderthattherehavebeendemonstrationsatHongKong'sWTOConference,andalltheonesbeforethat.Theunderdevelopedworldandthosewhoquiterightlysympathizewithitarecallingforamuchmorebalancedprogrammeoffooddistribution.It'sgrotesquethattheWestisvoluntarilydumpingfoodeitherbecauseofwasteorsubsidytominorityfarmers.
ButImustconfessIamnotstarvinginprotest.Ihavebeenmerelydieting.Butthecravingforfoodhasmademethinkofthewantonlyirresponsiblewayinwhichsomanyofustreattheissueoffood.Theextrasadnessisthatweareproducingsomuchmorerubbishfoodthroughalarmingprocessing.Ourhighstreetsandghastlyshoppingmallspeddleanendlesslineofunnaturalfoodwhichissobadtoournaturalhealth.Ourchildrenaremadetobeluredbyallthesesuperficialfoods.Weourselvessetbadexamplesbyeatingthemourselves.Weallendupfatandunhealthy.
Ihavebeenfatforafewyears,andwhenIreached50lastyear,Isaidnomore.Icouldnotcontinuetobefat.Ifnothingelse,Iwantedtobehealthy,andyoucannotbehealthyifyouarefat.Itookoffwithmywaferthinwifetoahealthplaceandstartedtolearnaboutamuchhealthierwayoflife,withminimalprocessedfoodcoupledwithabalanceddietandregularexercise.
Ihavealsobeenspurredonbymypangsofconscienceabouttheworldofstarvation.Itisunacceptabletobeeatingsomuchwhenwedon'tneedit,andwastesomuchwhenweshouldn'tbewastinganything.Whatisthepointofinventingallthemodernmedicinesandskillsinsurgeryanddetectionagainstdiseaseswhenwethenabuseourbodieswithmoreandmorecrapfood?Ourlifeexpectancyshouldbeover100ratherthan70.Yetsomanyofuswillonlylearnwhenitisalreadytoolate!Iamwakingupat51.Youshouldalsowakeupatwhateverageyouare.
P.S.Doyouknowthatfeelingofwantingtoscream?IfeltlikescreamingwhenIreceivedalongletterfromtheCivilServiceBureauonoureffortstopersuadetheHongKongGovernmenttoemployjustoneDownSyndromepersonintheCivilService.IfeltlikescreamingbecauseitisinexplicablehowourreputationofhavingoneofthefinestCivilServicesintheworldcanbeatthesametimesoincrediblyasinine.NotonlyistheGovernment'spolicytotalhumbug,butitseemsthatwethecitizensarehavingtoacceptit.Inaseparatespace,IwilltellyouhowyouneedtotearyourownhairoutwhenyouaredealingwiththeGovernment.NowondertherearehundredsandthousandsofdemonstratorsinthestreetsofHongKongnowandthen.TheymustfeelexactlyhowIfeel:screamingoutloud!