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Opinion
Liberal or conservative, Hongkongers must learn to listen to those they disagree with
- At the fundamental level, the protests are disagreements over values. If the city is to reach closure, people on both sides of the divide must have the sophistication to listen to the other side and spot opportunities for give and take
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As Hong Kong’s astonishing summer of discontent rolls on into autumn, people on both sides of the political divide find themselves in a gridlock. While Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s decision to withdraw the extradition bill is a welcome step, the saga may not end here.
The city remains deeply polarised. How can we reach closure in our collective nightmare? Social science research points a way. Consider a pair of opinion polls that asked people at two rallies the same question, “Which two of the following do you consider to be Hong Kong’s most important core values?”
Those at the July 21 demonstration organised by the Civil Human Rights Front overwhelmingly chose freedom and democracy. By contrast, those at the July 20 “Safeguard HK” rally organised by the pro-establishment camp chose lawfulness and economic development.
These results shed some light on the nature of the conflict playing out on our streets. The clashes are not just expressions of anger about economic woes; they are manifestations of sharp disagreements over which values deserve priority.
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