After the epidemic, the past that cannot be returned

I haven't written a new article for a long time, and there are many factors. The working team lost half of its staff in a month and a half. With the increase in workload, there is not much time and energy to think about things, and even not much time to read the news. During the holidays, I tend to go out for a walk. Reading and writing are put aside, and there are still three or four unfinished books on hand.

Omicron's visit to Hong Kong has now come to an end. The number of newly diagnosed cases has increased from tens of thousands a day at the peak to only about 200 to 300 cases a day on average. traffic jam. But to be honest, even at the most "severe" moment of the epidemic, I still went out on weekends. During this period, I gradually felt that the city was sparsely populated and all industries were depressed, and gradually regained its popularity. . Of course, I have also heard some people say that my family has been infected with the virus before, and there is no need to be afraid of being infected again when going out in the short term.

The so-called "anti-epidemic" measures, which were once pushed to the level of spiciness, have been gradually relaxed recently. Restaurants can resume dine-in dinners and each table can seat more people. Places that have been closed for a long time, such as theaters, recreational facilities, etc., can also be reopened. It is no longer mandatory to wear masks in country parks. However, the relaxation of "anti-epidemic" measures does not mean that society has truly "returned to normal". At least, when going to many places and participating in various activities, you need to scan the "Safe Funeral" QR code and follow-up vaccines. a prerequisite. And the government made various mistakes in confronting Omicron's visit, and even some of the government's diehard loyalists could no longer support it. This kind of rupture will only be deeply rooted in the hearts of Hong Kong people, and the superficial prosperity of the city cannot be concealed.

Although in reality, many people go straight to shopping malls and other places, but the premise of returning to a "normal" life requires sacrificing privacy and the freedom to make decisions about their physical conditions. The "Vaccine Pass" gradually requires citizens to take the second and third injections, and the requirements may be further strengthened in the future. distortion?

China, which has been reluctant to accept the coexistence of the virus, has finally been unable to resist the magic of Omicron in recent months, and a large number of citizens have been infected with the virus in many cities. Shanghai, the largest city known as the "Ten Mile Foreign Market", has also implemented quite extreme lockdown measures.

Over the past few months, on Mastodon, I have seen many netizens inside the wall reposting the reality of Shanghai. Given everyone's perception of an "international metropolis", it is truly jaw-dropping. In Shanghai in 2022, there will still be people who starve to death because they cannot buy food, patients are refused treatment, people are forcibly confiscated by the government for group purchases, and there is no privacy or personal dignity in the "fangcang shelter hospital". People who do not think that these are the sights that first-tier cities should see.

All parts of the world have chosen to coexist with the Wuhan pneumonia virus. China still insists on (dynamic) "clearing", and has unconsciously shortened the distance from the world. Outside of China, which country or city still requires people to undergo large-scale nucleic acid testing or even ban them? Moreover, I have also heard that some Chinese policy changes are becoming more and more their own way. To create something with Chinese characteristics, any voice of opposition is also labeled as being influenced by "foreign forces", and the restrictions on Chinese people leaving the country are tightened. restrictions, the outline of a closed country, has already taken shape.

When there are 1.4 billion people on earth who have been cut off from communication with the rest of the world, and their perception of the world is also radically different from that of people in other countries, the impact on the development of civilization and the international situation is quite unpredictable.

After the "uniform" and "completed" Legislative Council elections, and the delayed election of Hong Kong's chief executive, there are more elements of human manipulation. It was not until the so-called "nomination period" was about to start that Madam Qi said that she would not seek re-election, and the then Chief Secretary for Administration, Li Jiachao, was the "true son" of this election. In the end, Li Jiachao unsurprisingly became the "only candidate" in this election and "frozen garlic with high votes".

Although Hong Kong people have long seen that the election of a small circle is a drama, the past few dramas are still called a bit of competition. Even if the "True Destiny" has already been scheduled for the sixth, it is still necessary to have some fake dramas to be real, at least one. a complete policy. But this time, when there is only one weak "candidate", that person has not yet published a political platform, and a group of loyal trash has already voiced their support, and in the end, what they handed over is just an empty homework, "governance" The vision and policy are also lackluster.

Therefore, Hong Kong people don't even have the desire to eat peanuts and watch the show. They can only laugh at things like "will definitely do their homework" and "We and Us", lamenting that the world is getting worse.

Perhaps, this is also a portrayal of Li Jiachao's police background. The police system trains people's thinking to obey and execute orders, which allows more space for totalitarian intervention and intervention in the governance of Hong Kong. The nationwide testing that had spread so much earlier led to the grounds being banned. Qi Po has used many methods to "gain opportunities" to temporarily shelve its implementation. Absurd measures that cost the people and money still have a chance to come to Hong Kong again.

Under the fifth wave of the epidemic, the scene of a large number of people staying outdoors waiting to be admitted to the hospital and the bodies of the deceased can only be placed beside the beds of living people, still attracts Hong Kong people; , under such a haze, it is still not far from the people of Hong Kong.

The anti-extradition movement, the national security law, and the strict immigration control in the fight against the epidemic have caused Hong Kong's reputation in the international community to decline. Outside, it is not rated, and the recently released Press Freedom Index, Hong Kong's ranking has also dropped to 148th; and the number of net population outflows is still at a high level in the first half of 2022.

It is still an idiot to believe that Hong Kong still has many international advantages, and doing a good job in public relations will not help improve Hong Kong's already corrupted international image. One day we cannot get rid of the national policy of "supremacy", and the future of Hong Kong is still uncertain and will lead to a darker landscape.