A State Of Nature
FADE IN:
EXT. ROAD - DAY
Blue sky. Walking towards a car park, PETER looks up at the sky.
PETER (V.O.)
What a good day!
INT. CLUBHOUSE - DAY
Sofas filled with senior CITIZENS. Holding a newspaper, Peter finds a spot to sit down and begins to read an article.
PETER (V.O.)
(Smiling)
Asking Donald Trump what
message the Hong Kong
rioters are sending? I like
his factual answer - they're
having a demonstration.
EXT. PARK - DAY
Jogging, Peter notices a partially-uprooted tree has begun to grow again.
Ding! ...Ding! Peter stops to check his phone messages.
In a What'sApp chat group communication, we see: Let's take to the streets again! Bring down that evil woman!
PETER (V.O.)
Through my regular travels
and contacts, I've been
included in chat groups near
and far, I can feel the pulse
of what's happening in the
world.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.)
They share the same
value, against the same
targets. Rioting excites
and delights them.
Peter jogs on.
EXT. SWIMMING POOL - DAY
Relaxing in a pool chair, Peter checks his WeChat chat group communications.
PETER (V.O.)
Well, my mainland friends
share a video clip from
Taiwan about the Hong
Kong riots...
Peter taps the video clip.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
It's a Taiwan anchor's
analysis of Hong Kong's
Extradition Amendment
Bill...
We hear indistinctly: There's nothing wrong with the Bill seeking to extradite criminals committing the specified 37 serious offences...In the final analysis, it's just an anti-China movement!
INT. STUDY - DAY
Sitting in a sofa surrounded by guitars, Peter watches BBC. We hear: Hong Kong people are afraid to use their metro cards. They don't want to enable others to track their whereabouts. They pay cash to buy the metro tickets instead.
PETER (V.O.)
Yes, that's the group's risk
assessment. They riot
believing their chance of
being caught is low. There're
so many of them.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
If they use violence, they
believe others will follow
suit. The police's response
will make them more angry.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
What are they rioting for?
Injustice towards them, as
criminal suspects? And
no sanction for breaching
the peace?
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Before I studied philosophy.
I didn't have my own value.
I might blindly follow others'
examples without discerning
whether they're right or
wrong.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Due to the group identity,
rioters will act in the group's
best interest.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
But their group loyalty will
diminish when the risk
of being arrested becomes
high.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Is there a way to get
rid of rioting for good?
The cause is often some
perceived injustice. To
tackle social perception
via persuasion is never
easy though.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
The other option is to
pre-ampt riots by limiting
people's freedom via law and sanction. While rioting
for less freedom wouldn't
be their intention, I believe
that would be the likely
long-term outcome.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
I think the risk of rioters
being arrested in future
riots will be high.
Peter reads an incoming news-clipping mail with links.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
University students say
they simply follow the
universal value. Sounds
good - but Is that actually
criminality?
Peter takes a look at a thick book on Philosophy on his desk.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Do they want to return to
a state of nature - no law,
no government, and no police
too? If so, our good days
are numbered!
Peter looks frustrated.
FADE OUT. The End