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Carrie Lam: A tragic figure, a monster or a monster created by the system?

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  1. #1

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    Carrie Lam: A tragic figure, a monster or a monster created by the system?

    Since the anti-extradition protests have stretched over half a year and only temporarily dying down somewhat due to the coronavirus outbreak, its easy to forget the details or keep track of events. But I found a good article that summarize all the events by focusing on the central figure: Carrie Lam. It is a biography and also a character study as well as an examination of the kind of system that created someone like her.

    Funny thing, the article highlights the somewhat politically tragic turn of Lam from a once gifted activist transformed into this elitist snob. How someone who once had a real idealistic sense of social justice and the urge to fight on behalf of the downtrodden changed into this monster or puppet (or both) under this political system.

    So Carrie Lam, is she a tragic figure who fell due her own hubris, a monster or monster created by the system?

    https://www.vox.com/world/2020/3/10/...hina-democracy

    Last edited by Coolboy; 11-03-2020 at 10:43 AM.

  2. #2

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    I believe Lam is suffering ftom a case of cognitive dissonance. This is a classic example. Lam believes in the power of love:

    https://www.humanresourcesonline.net...rom-the-ashes/

    Lam expressed her gratitude to the healthcare professionals who were battling the disease, government staff and volunteers. She believed that “with the power of love, not only can Hong Kong survive the epidemic, but also rise from the ashes”.

    Love...that's all nice and well, but pehaps Lam should start practising what she preached. Condoning police brutality hardly seems to me about love. Could she be struggling mightily to wrestle with the contradictions of her public statements and action? Or maybe that's reading too much, her action does not seem to trouble her, maybe grasping cognitive dissonance is beyond her ability.


  3. #3

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    Simple answer. She is responsible for her flaws, the system is responsible for elevating somebody with those flaws into the CENO position.

    Slightly more complicated answer, both of the above, plus the incentive system reinforcing the flaws of the person in the position, and the CENO reinforcing the systemic flaws because of that ideological bent (obedience to those above, arrogance and coercion of those below).

    You don’t ask if the sun results in a crooked plant or a different seed germinating, but the plant is whatever species of seed it was, germinating if the soil was right for it, and bending towards the light, wherever it’s coming from.

    Beyond that is unnecessary complexity. I don’t think anyone really wants to explore the tragedy of Carrie Lam any longer beyond a few choice expletives.


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    She's a monster that adapted to the system.

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  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by AsianXpat0:
    Simple answer. She is responsible for her flaws, the system is responsible for elevating somebody with those flaws into the CENO position.

    Slightly more complicated answer, both of the above, plus the incentive system reinforcing the flaws of the person in the position, and the CENO reinforcing the systemic flaws because of that ideological bent (obedience to those above, arrogance and coercion of those below).

    You don’t ask if the sun results in a crooked plant or a different seed germinating, but the plant is whatever species of seed it was, germinating if the soil was right for it, and bending towards the light, wherever it’s coming from.

    Beyond that is unnecessary complexity. I don’t think anyone really wants to explore the tragedy of Carrie Lam any longer beyond a few choice expletives.
    Interesting. In my defence, I didn't say her political life is a tragedy, but just a possibility to consider. Of course, the sun analogy might not be too exact here. The sun shines on the earth regardless of what is growing on it, it is utterly indifferent to the fate of the plant. But in the case of the CCP, it is not an indifferent observer, but it has a vested interest in selecting Lam and keeping her there.

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    Lam has beccome an irrlevant lame duck to most of the HK population.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RMDNC:
    Lam has beccome an irrlevant lame duck to most of the HK population.
    A lame duck can't impact the general direction of a city, province/state or country anymore. But Lam still can though. She gave a glimpse of her incompetence with the welfare cuts, then the anti-extradition mess and now the slow response to the outbreak. Never underestimate her ability to muck things up.
    RMDNC likes this.

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Coolboy:
    I believe Lam is suffering ftom a case of cognitive dissonance.
    Many believe Mrs Lam is irrelevant and it is the 'dark' hand of the Liason Office that actually matters.
    shri and dossier like this.

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by East_coast:
    Many believe Mrs Lam is irrelevant and it is the 'dark' hand of the Liason Office that actually matters.
    In which case it doesn't matter whether Lam "resigns" or not, her replacement as the CE will be no better, merely a public face to the machinations of the Liason Office. Then is Lam a scapegoat, a sacrificial lamb only? Something does not sit right there, are we sure we want to absolve all blame from Lam?

  10. #10

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    The people don't identify with the arrogant civil service woman-turned-CEO anymore, or the sorry lot that serve in her cabinet. That means she and her crew have lost legitimacy and the mandate to rule. She has as much stature right now as Caucsescu (spell?) in his last days. I hope she doesn't plan to flee to Shenzhen in a black-tinted Alphard anytime soon.


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