A mobile phone is an indispensable tool for urbanites. The mobile communication network coverage in Hong Kong is comprehensive, with few loopholes. However, I wonder sometimes if this "convenience" is really good for us. Hong Kong citizens are far from public minded, and this mobile phone convenience may sometimes lead to inconvenience for others. The best example of this is a movie theatre. Even though audiences are reminded to switch off their cell phones before the film begins, it's still common to hear phones ringing multiple times during the screening. What's worse is that the rest of us can only suffer in silence, as we would be treated to a barrage of insults for daring to question another's right to leave their phone on during a movie.
The MTR is another example. You must have experienced someone talking loudly and incessantly on a phone while on the train. Though unwilling, you're privy to intimate details of whom your fellow passenger will date that night, which horse they will bet on or whom they had a fight with the night before. We often hear about the importance of respecting privacy, so I have no idea why these people don't have similar qualms about openly broadcasting their personal business, especially considering how difficult it is for me to read, take a nap or simply enjoy some peace and quiet when travelling on the MTR.
A Japanese colleague once said to me, enviously: "It is so convenient that you can talk on a mobile phone on a train in Hong Kong." The fact is that what seems to be normal practice in Hong Kong is considered public harassment in Japan. The Japanese send SMS with their cell phones while on the train, and will talk on the phone only in the event of an emergency. I told my Japanese colleague that he'd miss the quiet trains of Japan if he ever spent more time with our chattering noisemakers.
The Japanese verb for "causing inconvenience to others" is spelled "迷惑," the Chinese word for "perplexing." A cell phone was originally invented for convenience, but has now led to various kinds of "perplexing" situations. It has become increasingly difficult to take in a moment of peace in Hong Kong. Is it because our personal development has not caught up with our technological advancement? I am truly perplexed.
By Jan Mak
*Translation from Chinese article.
