IN PRAISE OF POLITICAL NAIVETE:
There is no doubt that Hong Kong citizens sometimes behave in a manner that can only be described as naivete: unsophisticated, natural simplicity. But what is wrong with that? A cursory review of current history will indicate that some of the greatest socio-political developments first began as an idea in the mind of a charismatic leader which took roots among his followers and then propagated to a large number of supporters who were "naive". Abraham Lincoln and the war against slavery, Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement and Dr. Sun's rebellion against the Qin government... the list goes on and on. All were made possible through the devotion and sacrifice of countless "naive" people who acted according to how they felt in their hearts and not as a result of some sophisticated, calculated, compromised consideration. Naivete is not only good: it is a necessary ingredient for the future growth of our political systems.
