Dispatches from the State Ministry of Truth

[Maximus]

Not a bad basis, but there are plenty of people who elevate selfishness to a virtue.

Yes, there are.

[Barrister]

Here, you need to apply for a permit to conduct a protest in advance, and you need to agree with the police on the route and timing.  Otherwise, it is illegal and the police are empowered to clear the area and make charges.

There's little point to a protest that has to get permission to occur.

There's some rational basis for demonstrators needing to get permission - so as to organize security, direct vehicle traffic, that sort of thing.

Trouble is it is very easy for less-than-democratic governments to impose so many restrictions introduced ostensibly for those reason that you wind up taking away people's right to gather and protest.

[Eddie Teach]

I think a lot of people conflate selfishness with greed. Wanting things isn't inherently evil.

[Admiral Yi]

There's little point to a protest that has to get permission to occur.

That renders virtually every protest in a first world country pointless.

[Barrister]

I think a lot of people conflate selfishness with greed. Wanting things isn't inherently evil.

Well to a lot of ethical or religious beliefs, it is.  "Thou shall not covet" is one of the Ten Commandments, after all.  Buddhists has a lot to say about the negativity of want and desire.

[Camerus]

Do they still drink a lot of cognac in HK?

No clue.  What do you mean?

I read back in the 90s that HK had the highest per capita consumption of cognac.  Was just wondering if it's still big there.

It's still pretty huge in Shenzhen and the surrounding area.  My father in law has a huge collection of Hennessy, Martell, etc though most of which he received as gifts.  In fact, the Mandarin word they use for cognac is literally just "foreign alcohol" ("yang jiu").

[Eddie Teach]

"Thou shall not covet" is one of the Ten Commandments, after all. 

That's about wanting your neighbor's stuff, not a requirement to give away your own.

[Camerus]

Apparently, the protestors are alleging the people attacking them are (at least in part) comprised of triad gang members.

[Jacob]

Apparently, the protestors are alleging the people attacking them are (at least in part) comprised of triad gang members.

I would be completely unsurprised.

[Camerus]

I actually think Mono's attitudes are perfectly in keeping with the prevailing mainland Chinese mindset:  concern solely with personal/family wealth, the concomitant fetishizing of stability (understandable given its history), and the absolute indifference to the sufferings of those outside your family / those below you in the wealth ladder. 

So I guess the inevitable mainlandization of Hong Kong - which the protestors could never seriously hope to stop - and the creeping influence of Beijing into more areas of life probably wouldn't seem as worrisome when one shares so much of the Mainland perspective.

[mongers]

Monos in action:



People shout at protesters in Mong Kok - 3 October

[crazy canuck]

I wonder if there is going to be another wave of HK immigrants fleeing to Vancouver.

[Jacob]

I wonder if there is going to be another wave of HK immigrants fleeing to Vancouver.

Depends on what happens next, I think.

[crazy canuck]

Monos in action:



People shout at protesters in Mong Kok - 3 October

The guy pointing with his mouth open looks like he is straight out of casting from Invasion of the Body Snatchers.  Think of the last scene with Donald Sutherland.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEStsLJZhzo

[Maximus]

That renders virtually every protest in a first world country pointless.

There's some rational basis for demonstrators needing to get permission - so as to organize security, direct vehicle traffic, that sort of thing.

Trouble is it is very easy for less-than-democratic governments to impose so many restrictions introduced ostensibly for those reason that you wind up taking away people's right to gather and protest.

I think there is some give and take. As long as the government recognizes that protests may occur, it is in protesters' interest to work within the system with regard to time and place. Once the legal system is used to marginalize or shut down protest, however, all bets are off.