alwaysonsunday:Thefireworkson年初二werevulgar

alwaysonsunday:Thefireworkson年初二werevulgar

鄧永鏘(DavidTang)中國會、上海灘創辦人

Thefireworkson年初二werevulgar.Therewasmoresmokethansparks.IttypifiedsomethingcrassaboutHongKongwantingtodisplaythemostamountofmoneyspentonfireworks.ButwhatdoesitsayaboutHongKongtohaveputonthemostextravagantseriesoffireworks?Notmuchandnobigdeal,ifyouaskedme.Themusicwasalsovulgar.Theparadeon年初一wasnolessinelegant.Allthefloatslookedplasticandcontrived.Theymovedwithdancerswhocouldn'tdanceandwhodressedinpapertassels.Itwasalittletacky,tosaytheleast.
Butdon'tgetmewrong.Iamnotapartypooper.IlovecelebratingtheChineseNewYear.ButwhenIthinkbackhowwediditwhenwewereyoung,IonlygetsadandsighwhenIseewhathappensnow.WeusedtodressinnewclothesonNewYear'sDay.Therewasasenseofoccasion.Everyonewouldbeforehandgooutandchoosecarefully.Shopswerenotrammeddownyourthroats.Nowadays,everyonedresseswhatisknownas"casual"atbest,andatworst,shabby.Nobodyseemstocare.Weusedtoletoffsmallfirecrackers.Wewouldnowbearrestedifwedidthat.Weusedtostayathomeandeatsmallbanquetswithourfamiliesandrelativesandfriends,andwetalkedandlaughedandhadconversationsandproperrelaxation.Today,wearedesperatetogooutandstandinthestreettoseesomethingcommercialandostentatious.Weusedtowalkleisurelyattheflowermarketandtheflea-markets,andwesmiledandwerecontentwiththesmallthingsoflife.Now,wegotocoveredgraniteshoppingmallsandrushtowardsthebiggestoneseveninplaceslikeMongkok.WhatismissinginHongKongisatruesenseofindividualismandsmallcommunities.Thesmallshopsarefastdisappearingundergreedydevelopersandlandlords.Thesmallenterprisesarebeingswallowedupbybigbusinesses.Indeed,IoftenwonderhowHongKongqualifiesasthefreesteconomyintheworld,whentheplaceisactuallyrunbyahandfulofpeople.Ifyouwereayoungmanwantingtobeadventurousortobeanentrepreneur,howwouldyoumakemoneyinHongKong?Thetruthisthatthisplaceisaclosedshop.Furthermore,land,whichunderpinstheeconomy,iscontrolledbythegiantlandlordswhoaretheonlyoneseverabletoaffordtobidatGovernmentauctions.ThecostbaseofHongKongissoprohibitivelyexpensivethatexpatriatesareinvariablyhard-pressedeventomakeendsmeetwiththeirsalaries,stilllessabletoaffordtorentofficespaceandresidence.Onlythisweek,wereadinthenewspaperthatIFCTowerischargingrentof$100persquarefoot.Howcantheordinarymanmakeitinthistown?It'sallbigbusiness.

Asaresult,virtuallyallofourcottageindustryisgone.Artistry,craftsmanship,smallenterprisesofservices-allofthesecannolongeraffordtopaytherents.Rememberthategg-tartshopfavouredbyChrisPattenbeingforcedtomoveafterdecadesofservingliterallymillionsofsalivatingandsatisfiedmouths?HaveweinHongKongeverthoughtthatweareheadingtowardsasocietyinwhichbeingbigandthinkingbigandbeingashow-offandbeingpretentiousisgoodforourfuture?Givemebackthosewonderfulscaffoldingsofoperasandoperettasinvillagesandsmalltownsanyday.Givemebackthosestreetstallsandtinyshopsthatopenatdawnandshutatmidnightwithdecentpeopleunderstandingthemeaningofhardworkandwhoarethesaltoftheearth.Givemebackthosefamilybusinessessustainedbyfamilytalksandgatheringsandunities.Givemebacksmallness.Givemebackindividualism.I'dmuchsoonerseeasmall,butsweetandmodestdisplayoffireworksovertheharbourandhearandseeinsteadtheappreciationofhumanvoicesandheartsratherthanboomsandclangoursofburningdollarnotesbehindsmokingcrackers.Givemebackthehumanfaceandconditionofmicro-sensitivitiesandimaginations.Disneylandisnotalandofdreams,butanaffectationofabigfancyball.Ourindividualfeelingswithinourmanageabledimensionsofeverydaylifeshouldbethedreamonwhichweseektosurviveandlive.WeinHongKongneedtopromoteandencourageasenseofmodestyandunderstatedstylishnessandculture.OrelsebuildingafancyWestKowloonculturalcentrewillresembletheShahofIranbuyingexpensivepaintingsforamodernmuseumwhichtheIranianpeople,quiterightly,shunned.Weneedtocultivateourheartsandbelessworriedaboutwhatothersmightthinkofus.