Scale Up
- Peter Kam Fai Cheung SBS
- Aug 27, 2019
- 3 min read
FADE IN.
INT. CLUBHOUSE - NIGHT
Staring at his phone screen, PETER suddenly looks up.
PETER (V.O.)
Where did I stay at Miyoka
a week ago?
He tries hard to think.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd)
Oh yes, I first stayed in a
hotel in Shimojishima: then
another one in Miyoka
island.
Staring at the phone.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
It seems that I've self-
hypnotized myself in
answering requested
questions from the
Quora community.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
But let me answer one
more question first. The
questioner has waited
for 12 days already.
INT. SLEEPING ROOM - DAY
Peter is reading his draft answer on the phone screen and we see:
How will the current crisis in Hong Kong be resolved?
Context. There is no guarantee that the one country, two systems principle or the high degree of autonomy in Hong Kong will continue after 2047.
Frustration. For teenagers born after 1997, they will still be under the age of 50 by then. They fear change, but are frustrated that there might not be a status quo.
Dissatisfaction. The feeling is among the young generation. The extradition bill only heightened the group grievance and triggered their outburst.
Disease. The current crisis in Hong Kong is like the outbreak of an epidemic disease, rippling among the teenagers and driving them to violent action.
Cure. Stronger law enforcement ie more arrests, charges, convictions and sanctions might deter some. But such would entrench the friend-or-foe positions.
Outreaching. There is a need to launch structured street-level violence intervention programs to stop the infection of the social disease and avert disaster.
Prevention. To achieve social wellness would require long-term economic, social and cultural investment, addressing Hong Kong teenagers' fears and desires.
PETER (V.O.)
That is how Hong Kong
can turnaround in the
short and longer terms.
Peter taps: Submit.
INT. CLUBHOUSE - DAY
Peter reads newspapers, focusing on an insert.
PETER (V.O.)
Only those front-liners
are arrested. This
arrested young offender
got full riot gear.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
He was accompanied
by social worker on the
ground?
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
What exactly was the
social worker's role?
INT. RESTAURANT - DAY
PETER (V.O.)
Since the Yuen Long
incident, I've been
answering in Quora.
My analytical opinions
on issues are the little
things that I can do for
Hong Kong.
A new red-star notification from his Quora App.
We see: 46,000+ people were sent your answer in the Quora Digest: Will China give in to the Hong Kong protesters?
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
That's how I can make use
the question-and-answer
social media platform to
scale up knowledge
transfer.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Let me do some knowledge
management myself by
contributing reviews and
posting photos to Google
Maps, or the memory of
my wonderful holidays
will fade fast.
Peter begins to check his phone's photo albums.
INT. STUDY - NIGHT
Peter sees a comment on his phone screen:
A point of view to be taken seriously. Mikael Achelger shared your answer to: Will China give in to the Hong Kong protesters?
Ding! A What'sApp notification. Peter sees a photo and a comment.
PETER (V.O.)
I might also share my
opinion with my Hong
Kong chat group.
Peter finds his opinion on the screen and taps: Share.
On his phone screen appears a blue-eye icon which reads:
Answers you wrote were viewed 10,630 times this week.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Good to know, my
knowledge transfer
continues to scale up!
FADE OUT.
THE END