2022年7月1日

Last month, I mentioned that some traditions might have changed their meaning over years, for example, the red packets for the Chinese New Year.  The change always means progress, or realization of the previous wrongly-conceived concepts.  For example, foot-binding is downright inhumane and humiliating; likewise, slavery is another example of some people mistreating others who are weak and have not enough means to change the situation. You can imagine how mad I am whenever I read about people mistreating the weaker bunches, for example, new immigrants , minority groups, domestic helpers, etc. They just took advantage of the vulnerability of, say the domestic helpers, by asking them to do the work they did not want to do in the first place. Other movements took years to die down, like flat Earth or cigar-symbolize-success concept.  Some once-hailed ideology turned out to be unacceptable to subsequent generations.

 

But it is also human nature that people accept the status quo, or wanting to reaping without sowing, and enjoying fruit of others’ labor.  A case in point might be you may want to buy $30 fast food set, rather than spending the same amount in the market and cook it yourself. The latter does not seem cost effective or attractive. Even there may be very limited set choices for the $30 fast food, you might still opt for it, rather than toiling in the kitchen to withstand the heat. The inertia, because of habits or because of the fear of changes, might lure you into accepting whatever comes your way. Although boiling frog is an apologue, it teaches the danger of inertia.

 

There are conflicts when we decided to change or move forward, because more often than not, the change affects more than one person.  But we do what we must do: if it will improve the greater good of the community, no more foot-binding, for example, we definitely advocate it. The domestic helpers also join force, so that their welfare in working on a foreign land can be respected and guaranteed.  The boiling frog will leap away to his kind, when the heating water is unbearable. In short, changes are inevitable. When we stand together, truth and goodness will prevail.  Don’t forget that.

 

Anson Yang