Nothing against the Baker’s dozen called Mirror, but how exactly this singing and dancing boyband is going to work as “anti-pandemic ambassadors” for Hong Kong and “the face of the city’s anti-pandemic efforts”, only time will tell. One hears the band is already making a music video in their role to fight the pandemic. Wowser.
It’s awfully nice that Mirror, their management and supportive television channel- ViuTV- have given their time and talent to the people of Hong Kong. But apart from their contributions, what else is planned?
Let’s not forget that all this was hastily put together only after Luo Huining, Director of Beijing’s liaison office in the city, this week called on Hong Kong’s property tycoons to do their part in tackling the pandemic, citing three ways: stay confident, stay united and take action.
This came after President Xi Jinping’s call for the “overriding priority” being to stop the city’s surging coronavirus infections.
Where does all this place the role of and ongoing horror show starring Chief Executive Carrie Lam and when exactly this will be brought to its inevitable end?
As for having a boyband sending a message of Hope to Hong Kong begs some answers.
Questions like how and why is singing and dancing going to address something as serious as insufficient hospital beds, overworked healthcare workers and having photos seen around the world of the poor and the elderly having to sleep outdoors at a time when the temperature has dropped.
If the Year Of The Tiger is the start of yet another round of the silly season, let’s just hope that Hong Kong’s Canto Pop community don’t jump onto the bandwagon and turn this anti pandemic fight into a self promotional bun fight where they are joined by this city’s politicians and the usual suspects in the business sector.
This scenario actually happening is not far fetched.
After all, showbiz is how Hong Kong has handled most adversities in the past along with the obligatory donations of multi million dollar cheques- but, with very often, zero plans except perhaps, “Hey, gang, let’s put on a television variety show for charity to raise awareness!”
It all comes across as style- kinda- over substance, insincerity and the lack of new or strategic thinking- like how best to inspire our minority groups to work towards creating a better Hong Kong.
Not everyone in these minority groups are domestic helpers.
Perhaps- just perhaps- all this everything that’s being “mobilised” will finally show up what has always been ailing Hong Kong: superficiality.
Superficiality was accepted in the Eighties and Nineties because that’s just how those times were. It was also because one could always see a glimmer of hope.
Somehow, we knew that eventually everything would be alright, and so there was nothing to really lose by going with the flow.
Hong Kong Belongers have never wanted to rock the boat and make waves, nor ask the hard questions. They’re good, obedient little soldiers.
Then, almost out of nowhere, came the events of 2019 and all hell broke loose.
But, now in 2022, and at a time when Hong Kong has seen things differently and is fighting for its life, what many are finally seeing is a very old city managed by old fashioned thinking, too many choosing to live in the past, or depending on the thinking of old school “academics”.
Academics have their time and place. Same for those with street smarts.
More importantly, there’s been very little teamwork in what was a cosmopolitan city and which has resulted in way too much navel gazing and no real progress.
This is being seen and felt very much today- and the hard questions are finally being asked.
One cannot help being reminded of the publicly funded CreateHK that promised much including a “worldwide search” for a leader when announced almost two decades ago by now retired government mouthpiece Duncan “Donut” Pescod.
CreateHK was meant to help discover and nurture local creative talent. And that was that. There was no worldwide anything, some local unknowns headed this government division and little was delivered.
Is CreateHK even still around?
If Hong Kong is to have a future, it needs a facelift. There’s a need for a new generation of leaders and entrepreneurs.
The Use By Date of many still making decisions are well and truly over. The fat lady sang for them years ago, but no one was apparently listening.
The question is how and where to find this new talent.
This search has been something ignored mainly because of a resistance to change and a refusal to see when things have become irrelevant.
Turning a blind eye to this is something that can no longer be put on the back burner.
Hong Kong is now seeing what happens when the wheels drop off and all we’re left with are bureaucratic wobble heads.
Perhaps they need to finally look at themselves in the mirror...
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