The word “Hong Kong” has become something of an explosive topic in offline discussions within a very short time. The magnitude of worldview differences among people is truly staggering.

“The general public lacks the ability to think independently.” Regardless of who makes such statements, I find them inappropriate. First, the topic of “national character” is too vast to be exhausted in a moment. Second, even if there were many actual parameters to consider, the sample would hardly have universal significance. Such abstract discussions lead nowhere. When it comes to independent thinking, we should start from the individual. “Three daily self-examinations” is not excessive. Understanding one’s own thinking logic is already difficult, let alone that of others. This should serve as a warning.

Even if my refutation of the above argument has no merit, the assertion built upon it - that “the existence of the Great Firewall has certain rationality” - still doesn’t hold water. A gorilla locked in a zoo enclosure, given a million years, could never evolve into a human again. When most people can still question whether providing everything on a silver platter is loving or harming a child, how is it that these same people lose their vigilance when it comes to the Great Firewall?

Peace and stability, as phenomena, should be pursued by all. But these are appearances, not the essence. Maintaining stability for the sake of stability is putting the cart before the horse. Fire-fighting approaches to problem-solving actually provide fertile ground for bigger problems to grow. Water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it. A boat with holes can be patched. When storms come, insisting on playing billiards on the boat becomes truly ridiculous.

“Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” is a topic that should be avoided in discussion whenever possible. If something should be done, then just do it. If criticism lacks freedom, then praise lacks meaning. I actually agree with “don’t criticize the central government arbitrarily, don’t criticize leaders arbitrarily” - if you’re going to discuss, then discuss seriously, carefully, with reason and evidence. But the question is: who holds the power to define what constitutes “arbitrary criticism”? Who holds the power to define what constitutes “sophisticated mockery”? How did they acquire such power? How can we prevent them from abusing this power?

The illusion of prosperity is easy to create. Development that ignores environmental costs and moral degradation will ultimately require future generations to pay the debt.

Heaven is watching what people do. History’s great turning points are happening right now.

It’s time to leave the zoo. It’s time to learn that before beating our chests and roaring “where is the enemy,” we should first consider whether the first thing that needs to be defeated might be the devil in our own hearts.