What’s Up, People?
The Maximum the Hormone song is wonderfully stirring for me, a Hong Kong student.
Last time on Matheo’s Attic, I vented my frustration towards the stability-seeking mass of Hong Kong. I thought that, in the defeat of Lam Chak-chun in her fight for boys’ rights to wear long hair in school, apathy and tribalism played an incontrovertible role.
Today, I was told by a teacher that because my nape hair was “too long” I have to get a trim. Let’s rewind for a bit. Two months ago, I sent an email with my 10000-word essay to the entire school, upholding a change in hair policies for boys. Why aren’t people reacting? Why do some teachers pretend like nothing happened (there are some very kind teachers who have offered me advice and encouragement), like no student ever complained, and like they have always occupied the moral high ground? I’ll tell you why: apathy. Who gives a shit about how students feel? It’s a school, and they must go by the school’s rules, no matter how idiotic they are. What’s up, people? Is this education? This is moulding. Even worse, change isn’t just oppressed in schools either.
Liberty, freedom, expression, discourse… these all sound so Western. So Western that the ethnocentric part of the Hong Kong public — the elders and middle-aged peace-seekers — can outright neglect why we quote these “damned” Western ideas in the first place: because certain rules are curbing our autonomy, because certain rules hinder harmless expression, and because certain rules breed misinterpretation if not laid down after discourse. They think we are licking Westerners’ boots and subscribing to the Western “cult”, but we are merely trying to discuss what should be allowed and not be allowed to do! Is it that they are truly imbued with xenophobia? Or are they using the rules being “traditional” and “adherent to the community’s values” as an excuse to perpetuate their dogmatic rule, refraining from reforms? Aren’t Hongkongers smart enough (with the world’s 4th highest average IQ) to realise that tribalism is fruitless, and that we should be realistic and practical in our policymaking? Why are people paying zero heed to others’ affairs and even denying their existence? Why are people so selfish and self-centered? What’s up, people?
On the other hand, juvenile “tang-pingers” (lit. “lie flat”) are joining their seniors in being useless to change. A change in the school rules? None of my business! Social justice? Go touch grass you leftist (very tribalist)! On online forums, it may seem that a considerable number of youngsters are fervent change advocates, voicing for action against unjust school rules and illogical school policies. Reality bites though! Outside the echo chamber of the internet, reality haunts me. My essay was perceived with multifarious reactions. Some encouraged, some argued, some admired — most ignored. It’s almost as if students don’t care how they are administered. To my email, I attached a simple form soliciting the thoughts and arguments of schoolmates, and not even 10% responded. Think about this. Isn’t it ridiculous that teenagers nowadays, instead of endeavouring for their future by asking for the change they seek, for their friends by going hand-in-hand against the establishment, for their good treatment by voicing against baseless restrictions, and for their cognitive development by exploring various topics, would shrug whoever asks them to use their nugget brain off and say “You know what? I don’t care! Let me read some memes on Instagram for five hours straight!”? I’m sorry for the harsh words, but this is what I feel about modern-day children — they can’t give the slightest shit for their goddamn life, let alone the lives of those in their proximity. (I’m in no sense degrading anybody here — this is a caveat to everyone. EVERYONE should be aware because ANYONE can be ensnared by apathy.) What’s up, people?
便利便利万歳 便利便利万歳
便利便利万歳 人間
便利便利万歳 便利便利万歳
便利便利万歳 人間
(Convenience convenience hurray, convenience convenience hurray
Convenience convenience hurray, humans
Convenience convenience hurray, convenience convenience hurray
Convenience convenience hurray, humans)
— — —
偏見・陰険人間糞だ
動き出せ俺 FIGHT
(Prejudiced, tricky human piece of shit
Stand up and fight me)
— — —
S的な制裁の牙から
天敵の存在を断つ
典型的な目先の欲から
チェンジできない国
(From the fangs of sadistic punishment,
I will chop up the existence of my natural enemies
From the greed of the typical near future
In a nation that can’t change)
These are from the song What’s Up, People? by Maximum the Hormone. Says a lot for me.
