1 — What Is True Elite Consciousness?
To be candid, one of the things that has given Master Chi the greatest satisfaction and relief in recent years is the rise of “great nation consciousness” among China’s young people. This so-called great nation consciousness is not purely about “hot-blooded patriotism” — though patriotism is certainly an important part of it. What is truly remarkable is that a significant portion of today’s young people, along with the general public, have developed a profoundly clear understanding of “the logic behind a rising great nation.”
This understanding has helped us all gradually recognize that the true strength of a people and a nation does not come from the hollow vocabulary and slogans of “Western benchmarking.” It comes from targeted, sustained effort across all the components of national power — technology, economy, infrastructure, stability — creating and building through collective effort, until that effort crystallizes into one great collective success. And it is precisely on this foundation that the people sharing the same vessel can broadly benefit and prosper.
So it is not hard to see that today, we no longer fly into resentful condemnation of the whole enterprise simply because one or two things fall short of perfection. Especially compared to the era twenty years ago when cynical populism ran rampant — today, we understand what our efforts are for, and what is truly worth giving ourselves to.
Frankly speaking, Master Chi never anticipated that this kind of consciousness would become a shared understanding among young people within China. Looking at online communities across the entire world — whether Reddit, Facebook, and Twitter in the United States, or communities like Lihkg in Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan — virtually none of them possess the kind of clear “great nation framework” that we have.
Put it simply: what is a great nation framework? “Don’t give me vague nonsense, and don’t lecture me about abstract ideologies and empty buzzwords. Right now, how do we upgrade our industries? How do we raise per capita income? How do we maximize the future potential of our cities and sectors? How do we advance our capabilities in the semiconductor space?” This spirit of pragmatism and substance over empty reputation — that is the true “golden spirit.” It is scientific, straightforward, and efficient. What’s more, this framework has already been deeply internalized in the hearts of more and more young Chinese people.
This is not flattery — the stark contrast is visible the moment you step outside and look. The facts are right in front of us. (Take any given trending topic: discussions on North American Facebook and Reddit almost never produce any analysis with genuine depth or constructive value.)
And this is the core reason Master Chi has such confidence in the future development of our motherland — today, we all understand that beyond endless complaints and bickering, we know what we should be busy doing. We know what true “great justice” means, and we understand what “universal common benefit” looks like. That consciousness is the genuine “elite consciousness” — one with true scale and substance.
And yet, right now in Hong Kong, this kind of elite consciousness is in desperately short supply.
A word of caution: we must never mistake the “refined self-interested” for the elite. For people like that, it has always been about feeding at the trough themselves, with no concern for the lives of ordinary people. Hong Kong’s rent-seeking class is a case in point.
2 — Why Does Hong Kong Today Lack Elite Consciousness?
As a small boat that has drifted without anchor for decades and centuries, Hong Kong has — in truth — never received any systematic “de-colonization” education since its return to the motherland. And what does “de-colonization” education mean? It means giving the people of Hong Kong a thorough, genuine big-picture perspective on their own interests — rather than the weak and perpetually wavering posture of always looking for someone else to lean on.
This is quite clearly visible in the events we’ve seen. In the early days, when Hong Kong was under British colonial oppression, a powerful surge of patriotic feeling arose across the population. Yet today, when Hong Kong’s confidence has been shaken by its own decline, they immediately wave the flags of Britain and America seeking rescue. This reveals, at a fundamental level, their core belief: always find a powerful and favorable backer — that is how we survive. As for how Hong Kong people, through their own efforts, might restore the city’s former economic glory — no one mentions it.
This problem permeates the entire island of Hong Kong, from the once-celebrated Hong Kong stars to senior government officials to the great merchant houses. In the current situation, they have each shown their hand — declaring their patriotism and so forth. But to this day, we have not seen a single Hong Kong person stand up with the resolve and wisdom to say “it falls to me and no one else” — to work toward stabilizing and rallying their community and situation.
“Not one Hong Kong person has truly stood up for Hong Kong people, decisively carving out a genuinely meaningful path forward.”
Such a phenomenon cannot but be called tragic.
And yet it is hardly surprising. Because when you truly immerse yourself in Hong Kong, you discover a very peculiar phenomenon — the second characteristic of colonial culture: the very first thing every successful person thinks about is their exit strategy.
What does that mean? The wealthy merchants of Hong Kong, the stars, the politicians — they all speak endlessly of loving Hong Kong. Yet in reality, they have already secured their American, Canadian, British, or Australian passports. For these “safely ashore” Hongkongers, they go to the mainland to make money, and they go abroad to retire. As for Hong Kong — it is, in truth, merely one chapter in the story of their lives.
This is why, given “excessive freedom,” the elites will not choose — or do not feel compelled — to stand up and share Hong Kong’s fate. Three words: it’s not worth it.
3 — The Price and Consequences of Lacking Elite Consciousness?
The result? You’ve seen it yourself — a mob roaring “Zhina scum, get out of Hong Kong!” rather than “How do we build Hong Kong’s industries!” And then there’s physically driving mainland students out of their schools, and setting fire to people holding different opinions — truly, in some sense, an inevitable outcome. Because once a mob realizes that its violence carries no consequences, and that the more it vents the more satisfying it becomes, its brutality will naturally escalate without end.
We need to think clearly about a rather central question here: what exactly are today’s rioters opposing and attacking? The answer is: nothing.
Especially when “Zhina scum, get out!” is being screamed at every moment within the crowd of rioters — the intent can no longer be concealed. This is also what Master Chi said in his earlier analysis: they will not stop, they will not restrain themselves. What they want is an endless cycle of venting and rioting — not the freedom and democracy they claim to seek. The current situation — “We must protest! Therefore you cannot go to work! You cannot go to school! You cannot open your shops!” — stands in stark contrast to what any reasonable person would understand as “freedom.” What? For the sake of your freedom, the freedom and safety of others can be sacrificed and trampled? What kind of logic is that?
Likewise, we see attacks on anyone holding a dissenting voice — the mob beatings of ordinary citizens that have continued since the beginning of these events, the vandalism, the “burning people alive,” and vigilante justice meted out to mainland visitors — all of this is corroborating evidence.
Pardon my directness: to this day, I cannot understand how having grievances is one thing, but beating and chasing away mainland students who came simply to study — threatening and assaulting them — is another thing entirely. Master Chi is too slow-witted to figure that one out.
Clearly, positioning a small number of mainland people and the HKPD as enemies is their optimal target — because mainland compatriots working or studying in Hong Kong are relatively few in number and have their own futures to attend to, so they will not fight to the death against them. And the HKPD — an enforcement body of extraordinary restraint that only responds proportionally after being hit with petrol bombs, arrows, bricks, and iron rods — is, in their eyes, exactly the kind of soft target that can be kneaded at will.
So on one side, the HKPD is constrained by law; on the other, mainland compatriots are few and vulnerable. Both groups are ones the rioters do not fear in the slightest.
Unfortunately, in an environment where no “elite” holds the situation together, the rioters’ actions go unchallenged and unchecked — there are only young people seizing the moment to run wild and stir up chaos.
We should understand: the foundation of a strong city lies in a solid commercial base, fair and open rule of law, and abundant capital flow. Only when all three are present can the great arteries of that city sustain the vital infrastructure of welfare, healthcare, and education. What Hong Kong’s rioters are doing right now is fundamentally attacking those great arteries.
Even if the visible consequences of this damage will take time to fully materialize, for a city that has virtually no other tangible pillar industries to speak of, this destruction is irreversible.
Many people say it seems as though Hong Kong’s international reputation remains relatively strong? Such talk reveals a complete ignorance of finance. Just last month, a large number of international rating agencies downgraded Hong Kong’s credit ratings — and that is the truly lethal problem. Because it is a clear signal that says: “There are now doubts about your trustworthiness.” By the same token, now that all the goodwill from the mainland has been spent in vain, we have begun preparing our next moves in earnest. Financial platforms in Shanghai, Shenzhen, Macau and elsewhere are all advancing steadily and in good order.
At this point, many people will ask: can Hong Kong’s financial function be replaced? The answer is that no city’s financial function is one-of-a-kind. It may have its own unique characteristics, but once other platforms rise, Hong Kong will inevitably suffer — because the total pool of business and capital is finite, and what one gains, another loses. That is simply the way of things.
As for Hong Kong’s future — Master Chi hopes it will be well. He hopes it will be stable. He hopes it will be at peace.
But a city that, even as its elites have all departed and its situation remains turbulent and uncertain — engulfed day and night by flames of rage and hatred — and yet somehow continues to thrive: look across the entire world, and you will not find a single one.
(Think carefully — in the past twenty years, has Hong Kong’s business world, entertainment industry, government, or cultural scene produced anyone of the stature of those who emerged before 1997? Even one?)
If there is such a person, please name them.
There are always young people, and young people always grow old. Perhaps when this generation matures, and a new generation of Hongkongers awakens with clear eyes, they will reflect and ask: Mom, Dad — why did you, back then, stop people from going to work and school, burn down schools and businesses, and beat other people?
And by then, Hong Kong may have already lost its glory and forfeited every advantage it once had.
Truly — if you love Hong Kong, please do not burn her flesh. Do not trample her spirit. Instead, build her up. Help her. Like the compatriots across the water, put in the effort to build your own city, and restore her to brilliance and beauty. Can you do that?
PS: Because Master Chi grew up in Canada, he has many friends from Hong Kong and Taiwan. It must be acknowledged that their most pronounced characteristic is that, before ever visiting the mainland, they tend to carry all manner of negative impressions — but once they have lived in the mainland for a meaningful period of time, they invariably become more patriotic than many mainlanders themselves. This is a fascinating phenomenon — as the saying goes, going abroad is the best patriotic education; and by the same logic, coming to the mainland is the best antidote to prejudice.
So it is little wonder that while mobs flooded the streets venting their rage, all of Hong Kong’s true elites quietly headed north and rallied behind the motherland. And it is also no surprise that recently there has been a noticeable uptick in consultations coming from Hong Kong — because they are the ones who are smartest, and who understand where the future lies.