News broke today that 25 people died in a ferry collision in HK. My newsfeed on FB is full of updates about the accident and condolences from journalists in HK and acquaintances.

All these remind me of the hostage incident and its aftermath. One evening, after weeks of endless coverage and headlines, I asked my boss as we were both smoking in the alleyway: what's with the excessive, borderline obsessive coverage? He paused for a second and said: Hongkongers value life. I didn't feel like arguing with him, and in a way I was expecting him to say something more philosophical, so I said nothing. I think he's wrong. He made it seem like such is a trait almost unique to Hongkongers. Most people on this planet value life, especially when it comes to those close to them, or even just people that they know, recognise and say hi to out of physical proximity, habits and routines. It's Hongkongers' sense of identity and (the politically incorrect) encroachment by mainlanders that unite them. On top of that, there's the sense of safety, security of a developed and efficient city; the pseudo policy of let's-not-really-bother-with-regulation-until-someone-dies-and-then-blame-whoever-for-its-grosteque-lack-of-oversight and the commercial free press that sensationalises everything to appeal to the masses that are too lazy to be intellectually challenged and/or too comfortable to see life outside of the city an/or too unfortunate to be stuck at the bottom of the world's biggest wealth gap.

Oh the irony of Hongkongers dying on their way to see the mainland National Day fireworks at the harbour, followed by the scripted, typical speech from one of the officials at the liaison's office, something along the lines of: "we are in contact with the relevant department to ensure that lives that can still be saved will be saved." Name the department at the very least?

Less money on National curriculum and more money on swimming lessons would be good for the city's future generations.

RIP to the 25 people.