(The Standard P.2 18 Mar 2013) What's happening to Hong Kong?
We're
raised to respect and look after our parents. But instead, what we've seen in
the past several days was absolutely (完全地) shocking.
In
two separate (個別的) cases, parents were violently
slain (被殺死), and the brutality (殘暴行為) involved
struck the social nerve very, very hard.
In the
first incident, a couple in their 60s was first reported missing, with an
appeal made on Facebook for help in locating the man and his wife.
Then,
police investigators found their dismembered (肢解的) bodies. The skulls (頭顱) were stored in the refrigerator, while some
other body parts were tossed into the sea.
Police
have laid murder charges against the youngest son, 29, and his friend, 35.
More
details, including the motive, will be known after the suspects appear in
court, but this much is known of the parents: they were dedicated (專注的 ) to the task of bringing up (教養) their son since he was a boy.
On
Saturday, we were stunned (大為震驚) by another grisly (可怕的) murder.
Another
father was killed and his wife seriously wounded. Their son, 18, has been
arrested, along with his 19-year-old friend.
Both
cases are sick. Is this what our society has become?
Despite
the alarming similarities (無獨有偶) , the incidents aren't related(相關的).
First,
according to police investigations, the similarities included both sets of
slayings (殺戮) being planned.
In the
past, family violence was usually spontaneous. But it seems different now.
Second,
the suspects spent a lot of time closeted (私下密談的) at home playing computer games.
According to media reports, the teen held for killing
his father and wounding his mother in Yuen Long fancied (空想) himself as a "lonely swordsman. (孤獨劍客)"
It's
troubling to see young people spending most of their days in the virtual (虛擬的) world.
It seems more and more of them are turning to
cyberspace (網際空間) for the
satisfaction that they can't find in the real world, playing fictitious (虛構的) roles
of heroes and saviors (拯救者) , even
demons (惡魔).
Their
return to the real world is painful, as the old feelings of inadequacy (不適當) or inferiority (自卑感) come
back.
I wish
that a survey by the Hong Kong Playground Association (香港遊樂場協會) was
wrong in finding that out of every 10 young people, at least one was addicted
to the virtual world.
Then,
there was the similar modus operandi (樣式做法) that in each case, the suspects (嫌疑犯) allegedly (據宣稱) sought (尋找) the help of a friend.
It's
serious because, if one can't distinguish (辨別) between
right and wrong, the other should be able to. This is what collective wisdom is
supposed to be.
I'm
confident the judicial (司法的) system will be able to see justice done (伸張正義) for the victims.
But
does it mean the problem will end and there is nothing more society can do?
The
virtual world offers no human touch in relationships.
The
gunman who killed 20 children and six adults at a Connecticut elementary school
last year was fond of playing computer shooting games.
The
Norwegian assailant who killed 77 people in 2011 was also a regular player of
violent computer games.
Cyberspace
is full of perversions (顛倒) too. Type in the word "murder" and it will
flash tips
telling you how to kill.
Our
society is getting sick. The only remedy (補救辦法) is to live in the real world.
Mary
Ma
The recent gruesome murders about two young guys with their friends brutally killed their parents. It is hard to believe that the young people were cruel to their parents. Why did they do so? What is the matter with the two guys and their parents?
回覆刪除According to media reports, the two suspects are computer nerds as they are addicted to computer. They spend lots of time on playing computer games at home. The personality of computer nerd is not only lack of conversation but also hard to develop their social network with others. It may make arguments between those computer nerds with their parents.
The case of dismembered bodies, the suspect claimed he hated his parents very much. It was because he was compelled to play the piano when he was young. He disliked playing the piano but must follow his parents’ “order” to do. If the couple had let his son do what he liked, the latter would have loved them. Yet he had a plan for killing them instead. It is a tragedy.
Those cases of murders give a message of alarm for the public. It not only reminds the government and schools to pay attention to cyber addicts but also awakens parents to realize their children that what they like to do. Parents should lead children to develop habits which the latter likes.
The cyber addicts spend lots time on playing online games maybe they like living in the virtual world more than in real world. It is bad for them to develop better relationship with their families and friends. It is time for us to consider how to lead them to live in the real world. Teachers and parents should encourage them to widen their social circles.
Kitty Ko