In spite of my sleepless nights with my baby, I still try my best to keep up with news. Knowing what's going on in the world is very important to me. Recently, many famous people in Hong Kong, especially those in politics are making apology for one thing or the other. Most of them are about what they said the day before or years ago. I don't know how sincere they are, cos I believe that most of the words that coming out of their mouths that they later apologize for coming from their heart. Yes, they are that ignorant about history or arrogant of their power. They apologize now are simply trying to mend the damages that they did and try to get back on their quest for further fame, power, and money.
For Westerners, make public apology is nothing to be ashamed of and somethings that do translate to be something positive. Especially they are public figures that depends on public support. Clinton did that, and countless many celebrities did that. However, for Chinese to make similar apologies, regardless their intention, I think that it is an advancement after all. Cos, saving face has long been more important than many thing else in Chinese community. 'I'm sorry!' is not something you hear common. Cite my family as an example, I've never heard my dad saying he is sorry for anything. Certainly, my dad is no saint and we know that he made mistakes. I think we heard him using some poor excuses to explain his mistakes rather than saying sorry. To make him be quiet about that is already an victory in our eyes or the best he would do. It is not much different in the large Chinese community in that scene. Politicians use obscene excuses to cover their mistakes and tried to lay low. Trying to use 'time' to 'wash out' their mistakes, saying sorry is easy, it takes seconds, but they won't do it. That's why I really admire westerners' willingness to apologize. They have no bad feeling to say 'I'm sorry' when they make mistakes. They don't mind to say 'I'm sorry' to their kids, to their colleagues, to the public, to foreigners, or even to offspring of victims for wrongdoings that their parents or grandparents had done. Like the German prime minister (I forgot his name) who knee down on both of his knees on the commemorated graveyard of Jewish victims when he first visited Israel. The news report describe that he said something I think is very moving and great as a leader, or as a man. I can't recall the exact words, but the meaning is that he kneel down on behalf of his nation to apologize for the crime that his nation caused in WWII, but when he stood up, that translated to a revival of the moral of his nation or something like that. It takes a lot of gut for a leader to do that. That makes me think if I'm the Emperor of Japan, I will probably do similar things to end all bad feelings once for all for what Japan did in WWII.
Anyway, I think making public apology is a good thing in Chinese community and I hope people up North will learn to do that as soon as possible.
For Westerners, make public apology is nothing to be ashamed of and somethings that do translate to be something positive. Especially they are public figures that depends on public support. Clinton did that, and countless many celebrities did that. However, for Chinese to make similar apologies, regardless their intention, I think that it is an advancement after all. Cos, saving face has long been more important than many thing else in Chinese community. 'I'm sorry!' is not something you hear common. Cite my family as an example, I've never heard my dad saying he is sorry for anything. Certainly, my dad is no saint and we know that he made mistakes. I think we heard him using some poor excuses to explain his mistakes rather than saying sorry. To make him be quiet about that is already an victory in our eyes or the best he would do. It is not much different in the large Chinese community in that scene. Politicians use obscene excuses to cover their mistakes and tried to lay low. Trying to use 'time' to 'wash out' their mistakes, saying sorry is easy, it takes seconds, but they won't do it. That's why I really admire westerners' willingness to apologize. They have no bad feeling to say 'I'm sorry' when they make mistakes. They don't mind to say 'I'm sorry' to their kids, to their colleagues, to the public, to foreigners, or even to offspring of victims for wrongdoings that their parents or grandparents had done. Like the German prime minister (I forgot his name) who knee down on both of his knees on the commemorated graveyard of Jewish victims when he first visited Israel. The news report describe that he said something I think is very moving and great as a leader, or as a man. I can't recall the exact words, but the meaning is that he kneel down on behalf of his nation to apologize for the crime that his nation caused in WWII, but when he stood up, that translated to a revival of the moral of his nation or something like that. It takes a lot of gut for a leader to do that. That makes me think if I'm the Emperor of Japan, I will probably do similar things to end all bad feelings once for all for what Japan did in WWII.
Anyway, I think making public apology is a good thing in Chinese community and I hope people up North will learn to do that as soon as possible.
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