蔡子強﹕需要世代對話，而非世代戰爭

【明報專訊】前一陣子，有一批自稱「50後的專業人士」，於報章發表全版聲明，呼籲立法會議員支持高鐵撥款，他們自稱自己在大學時代積極支持學運，以行動爭取公義和民主，卻批評反對人士「假專業」，把事件「政治化」。

我看了這份聲明時，第一個反應是瞧不起他們。他們對別人提出諸如「假專業」這類嚴重指控，但卻連道出自己姓名的勇氣和承擔也沒有，是相當不負責任的行為，枉稱學運分子。但後來與一些朋友聊起，他們卻說也不盡然，在今天這樣的一個環境，真的道出姓名，怎麼知道會不會被那些激烈網民，進行人肉搜索、網上欺凌。這種論調，我聽了好幾次，而且往往是出於中生代之口。

我不知道這是否那群人沒有道出姓名的真正原因，但至低限度，朋友們的說話，卻反映出，社會上不同世代的人，彼此對對方的成見和不信任，正在惡化。一次高鐵事件，尤其是上周六於立法會門外發生的衝突，更把這種成見，推向一個新的高峰。

我一向鼓勵學生關心社會，為社會爭取公義。一群年輕人，不為選票，不為金錢，不為任何利益，只為別人快將湮沒的家園走上街頭，其出發點是令人感動和尊敬，以至喝采的。

動機雖然高尚 但手段值得商榷

但高尚的道德動機，卻並不代表可以合理化過程中出現任何的不當行為。集會現場絕大多數人都是和平理性的，而事實上，組織者如朱凱迪和司徒薇等，便不斷呼籲會眾要冷靜抗爭，「今日不要受任何挑釁，不需要衝，不需要撞，我們人數已經贏了。不要暴力，我們要用和平方式，快樂抗爭！」他們，還有很多很多人，都如徐詠璇所說，是「混亂矛盾中，正義堅貞的力量」。

但是任何一場大型社會運動，都有很多不能預計的火花，我們不能因為這些零星的越軌行為，而否定了整場運動，但卻有必要指出當中的不當，而不能因為政治正確的理由，而視若無睹。

你可能覺得我說的很多話也不中聽，但作為一個知識分子，我覺得有責任道出心裏感到之不妥，雖然在風頭火勢之下，我知道這絕對不會討好。正如呂大樂所說，今天鼓掌是沒有代價的，在報章寫些評論，說些「今天誰也不怕誰」、又或者「只有犯錯的政府沒有犯錯的人民」之類的說話，無疑十分慷慨激昂，痛快淋漓，但卻會起覑火上加油的效果。

我相信向別人擲水樽，又或者在示威現場把玻璃樽摔向地上，是過了火位的；

我相信以打火機燒記者背包，也是過了火位的；

我相信衝擊立法會，都是過了火位的；

我相信對不同意見人士，在今次是一些在Facebook發表意見的女記者，進行人肉搜索、網上欺凌，更加是絕對過了火位的﹗

我不想把這些零星行為無限放大，但我也不想對此視而不見。否則若然有一天，這些行為不幸變本加厲的話，將很有可能引起社會反彈到另一個極端，收窄社運的空間。

替天行道的虛妄

因為自信掌握了真理和公義，而進行擲樽、燒別人背包、衝擊立法會、又或者人肉搜索、網上欺凌的個別人士，我想向他們再說一次，幾個月前我在《明報》這個專欄寫過那篇〈替天行道的虛妄〉，當中的一段說話：

「他們每個人心目中，都有自己所認定的『正義』，覺得自己理直氣壯，大義凜然。那可以是愛國主義；也可以是雙普選；又或者是公投。

他們的武器，或許不像死亡筆記般殺人於無形，又或者國家機器般赤裸和刺眼，但卻可以一樣的橫蠻和暴力。他們常常辯說自己沒有軍隊，亦不能抓人坐牢，因此不要過分渲染，但當你進行網上欺凌，又或者訴諸街頭恐嚇時，我看不到受害者所面對的壓力和恐懼，會與國家機器加諸的白色恐佈，有什麼大分別。

權力，本來就不單是只有國家機器的那一種形式，國家機器從來都不是分界的標準 ……

不錯，世上有很多醜惡和不公的事，但當我們打算匡扶自己心目中那份﹃正義﹄，替天行道時，或許應該先看看《死亡筆記》的故事，再想一想，我們會否過於遇神殺神，遇佛殺佛，為世間造成更大的不公義。」

我想過去幾百年人類文明的一大進步，就是放棄在各種不同理念和信仰中，找出一套唯我獨尊的終極真理，而接受一個多元社會的概念，轉而尋求在遊戲規則之上，找尋一套彼此可以接受、保障到各方的共識。

如果大家今天因為憤憤不平而犧牲了這套規則時，進行前述提過的越軌行為時，就可能會授人以話柄，當有一天維園阿伯要衝進立法會；又或者國家機器對你進行人肉搜索、網上欺凌時，你的申訴、抗爭，都變得軟弱無力。

正如呂大樂周二在《信報》撰文所說：

「規範與秩序並不只是一方的壓迫工具，它同時也保障到另一方。它不單只會束縛我們，而是也可限制反對我們的人。全面否定規範與秩序，大家都要付出很大代價。 …… 而在他們眼中，目的可以令一切手段都變得合理，既然目標正義，那就不必拘泥於什麼規範、倫理了。對於上述意見，我要強調：不顧議會民主的規範和倫理，最後一定不會達到大家共同追求的真民主。」

每次當我寫這些題目時，都會惹來一些網絡上的指摘，說是上一代對他們這些第四代/80後年輕人，指指點點，評點江山。但我想，是不是我們什麼都不說，就是解決世代間矛盾分歧的最好方法呢﹖我只能要求自己盡量平和、理性的道出心中覺得的不妥，但卻不認為自己應該什麼都不說，雖然這是明哲保身的最好方法。

撕裂源於誤解

如今社會的其中一大傷口，是一邊覺得遭上一代人重重打壓，誤會曲解；而相反，另一邊卻覺得下一代不可理喻，尤其是他們的網絡暴力。兩種看法都明顯以偏概全，但卻成了醞釀彼此間敵意、以至世代戰爭的一大根源。

喚起社會對下一代人處境關注的《四代香港人》那本書，是由呂大樂——一個第二代人所寫的，看過的朋友都知道，當中對覑他自己屬於的第二代人，有覑很多尖銳、深刻以及無情的批判；相反，對於第三、四代人，尤其是他們的困難，抱覑很大的同情及理解。

所以世間不是絕對的「存在決定意識」的，如果大家肯多抱一分冷靜、耐性、和包容，我相信世代間的對話和溝通是可能的。

今天，我們需要的是世代之間的對話，而非世代間之戰爭。

作者是中文大學政治與行政學系高級導師

明報2010年1月21日

三年又三年 Three years after three years

這絕對不是一篇好文章。
關於廣深港高速鐵路的示威近日引來關注與爭議。示威者反對鐵路的原因是造價太高，而香港已是一個過度發展的城市，再興建一條大型鐵路，會對城市的文化造成影響。

示威者亦表達他們對香港政治體制的不滿。當局推行政策時沒有恰當及廣泛地咨詢公眾。而香港的政制相當畸形，在議會當中，一半的議席是由親政府人士佔有，以致不受歡迎的法案與計劃亦獲通過。

我不在香港，沒有目睹示威的過程。因此，也無法評論示威者是否過激、過份或暴力。

我關心的是政府如何解讀示威者及他們的訴求。

在1月6日明報的李先知專欄刊登了一篇文章。文章引用政府消息說：「許多年近三十的年輕人，無法置業成婚，被迫繼續與父母同住，眼白白看着樓價飈升，那種無力和挫折感覺，很容易轉化成對政府和地產商的仇視，甚至認定這些不公平的情况是官商勾結造成的。」

似曾熟識的聲音。
三年前，我在皇后碼頭。當時，一班示威者在皇后碼頭露宿，反對當局為建道路網而把碼頭清拆。示威者指，碼頭有長遠的歷史，應該要保留下來。
當時，政府對示威者的不滿及訴求作同樣解讀，又答應日後會多聽年青人的意見。
三年了，同樣的事情又發生，當局又搬出同樣的解讀。

This is not a good piece.
The protest against the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link has triggered a lot of attention and controversy these days. The protesters said they oppose the rail link because it is costly and Hong Kong is already over-developed, meaning having the mega railway will further damage the city’s traditions and culture.
The protesters also expressed their frustrations about the city’s political system that the government has not properly and widely consulted the public, and the legislature will still endorse unpopular government proposals because half of the seats are occupied by pro-government politicians.
I am not in Hong Kong, I have not witnessed the protests. Therefore, I cannot comment on whether the protesters are radical, gone too far and violent.
What I am concerned is how the government interprets the protest and the protesters demand.
This is what I have read in Ming Pao Daily on January 06. The article cited government sources.

“Many people who are close to 30 cannot get married, buy property and forced to continue living with their parents. Seeing the rising property prices, they feel powerless and frustrated. They can easily become hostile to the government and property developers, and believe that the unfairness is caused by collusion between the government and the business sector.”

That sounds very familiar to me. Three years ago, I was in the Queen’s Pier, where a group of protesters were camping inside in order to block the government to demolish the historical structure to make way for road network. Protesters said the pier, with a long history, should be preserved.

The government made similar interpretation of the protesters demand and frustrations, and pledged that they would listen to young people opinion.

Three years. Same thing happens again, and the same interpretation is offered.

煮食 Cooking

京城的食物，太咸太油，常常食用不利健康。因此，最近決定學煮食。
先來煮皮蛋瘦肉粥，第一次煮時燶了，第二第三次煮時用電飯鍋，效果有改善。
想問如何弄蒸肉餅呢？

Beijing food is too salty and oily, eating too much is not good for health. I have to learn cooking.
First I made porridge of rice. The first attempt was a failure, and I had made some improvement in the second and third attempt.

寒流襲京 Cold snap

現時氣溫零下10.8度。今天最高氣溫是零下8度，最低氣溫是零下16度，據說是五十年來最低溫。
我上身穿了一件普通背心內衣、一件保暖內衣、羊毛衣、外衣、冷衫、絨毛外套及長羽絨，合共7件衣服。下身穿了保暖褲及牛仔褲。還有手套、帽和厚襪。
光是穿衣，已用上20分鐘。

The temperature now is -10.8C. The highest temperature of today is -8C, and the lowest is -16C, which is said to be the lowest in 50 years. I wear a vest, a warm keeping (heat tech) underwear, wool cloth, a shirt, another wool cloth, a jacket and a down jacket. For the bottom part, I wear a warm keeping underpants and jeans. And I have gloves, hats and thick socks.
It takes 20 minutes to put on all these clothes.

Some good restaurants幾家好餐館

WL來探望本人及側田。她與我去了以下幾家餐廳。
1) 大理
這家餐廳位於胡同裡面。每人收費100元。食客不可選擇吃什麼，一切都由廚師決定。100元一般包括2款涼菜及5款熱菜。坐在胡同裡吃飯幾特別。光是環境已值100元。





2) 小王府
在一公園裡面。據說其餃子是京城最好之一。餐廳亦有提供較便宜的烤鴨(70元半只)。


3) 1949
側田也有去
高級食府。三人埋單要800元(因為叫了幾杯紅酒)。這家餐廳裝修西化，其烤鴨比大董好吃。

WL came to visit me and Justin. She and I went to the following restaurants.
1) Dali Courtyard
The restaurant is located in a courtyard house. It costs 100 yuan per head. You cannot choose what to eat. The chef will decide what you are going to eat. Usually, 100 yuan includes two cold dishes and five hot dishes. It is interesting sitting in the courtyard eating the delicious Yunnan food. The environment is worth 100 yuan.

2) Xiaowangfu小王府
Located inside a garden. Its dumplings is said to be one of the best in Beijing. It also offers roasted Peking duck at a cheaper price (about 70 yuan for half).

3) 1949
Went there with Justin also.
The restaurant is located in a former industrial school site. It is expensive. It costs 800 yuan for three people, including several glasses of wine. The Peking duck is better than Da Dong. It is more like a westernized restaurant serving Chinese cuisine.

景山公園Jingshan Park

今天下雪，特別去了景山公園，從高處望被雪覆蓋的紫禁城。
I go to Jingshan Park today to see a snow clad Forbidden City.

Merry Christmas in Beijing

Merry Christmas
My sister, her husband and two of her friends came here to visit me during Christmas.
Her flight was delayed for almost two hours because of foggy weather in Hong Kong, and she arrived here at about 6pm. We had to skip shopping at a cloth market, and immediately headed to Da Dong 大董restaurant for Peking duck.
The duck was delicious and not greasy. The other dishes were also good and they all looked attractive. A dinner for five people cost 844 yuan.



One dish at Da Dong.

Saturday
Weather was extremely cold on the Boxing Day with temperature dropped to about –10C, but we still went to the Great Wall as planned. We woke up at 7am and rushed to the station for the Great Wall train, which departed at 10am after a 30-minute delay.
Badaling was crowded. A big company organized a tour for its employees, bringing in hundreds of visitors. Some of them wore high-heel shoes, and had difficulty climbing the wall.

All of us were freezing, and we were reluctant to take our gloves off for taking pictures.
We walked for about two hours, and then took a block to go down and take the train departed at 3:30pm back to the city.
After that, we went to Nanluoguxiang 南鑼鼓巷 for a short walk. We went to滿福樓 for mutton hot pot. Fantastic is the word I can think of this restaurant. It has an old Beijing atmosphere. Its service is good, and the mutton is … wonderful. The roasted mutton shashlik should not be missed even though it cost 8 yuan each, four times higher than what the street vendors charge.
We got back to Nanluoguxiang for a Vanilla pancake.

Sunday.
I had to work, and they went to the Forbidden City and Wangfujing.

Monday.
We went to 都一處燒麥, established since the Qing dynasty, in Qianmen. The restaurant is not as good as the tour guide book has described, but it is still worth a visit. They went back to Hong Kong after that.

Thanks sister, for giving me a wonderful Christmas.