My Beloved ASIA - What Has Become Of You?

Today is Sunday 6th November 2009.

I am in Hong Kong.

As of now, I am sitting at my desk, in my hotel room with a spectacular view of the Harbour. Yes, it is breath-takingly beautiful.

Many a times I have thought of Hong Kong as being the HEART of Asia.

Please let me explain why.

If there is a city that is more developed and clapsed within a concrete jungle, it is Hong Kong. It has pride itself to be the center of Finance, Banking, Asian Cinema and etc for many decades. Until recently, she is being eclipsed by the rising magnitude of the mother dragon: CHINA and the phenomena called: Korean Pop.

Hong Kong was what other Asian cities dreamed of becoming when they grow up. She was glorious at her peak - deeply steeped in the Chinese traditions and culture, and yet poised with modern and western grace. She was the Asian model idol - if I could say so myself.

Many a times I, myself, also imagined to wanting to be like her - having the Western open minded-ness and education but strongly rooted in our Asian values. The West met East in Hong Kong - at least, that was the way it used to be. Then things started to crack at the seams - the side effects of materialism or what I would call as "the entrails" that ensue after much pursuit of power, money, politics and wealth - began to surface. And they come in various sizes, shapes, colours and forms. They are unforgiving and unbias. No one is spared or can be pardoned.

The saddest casualty to me, have always been and will always be, the youth.

On my way over to the hotel from the airport, I sat next to the limo driver and chatted with him all the way.

Apparently, there were more news report of youngsters engaging in sexual parties and losing their innocence as young as 13 years of age. And some are even taking their older lovers to court when things have fallen apart or when they wanted 'something paid' in return for "popping their cherries". These made up the recent headlines in HK.

In actuality, these make up the lifestyles of young Asians here and now in the region.

And if you think this is bad, you ain't seen nothing yet.

I have visited a Kids’ Center in a beautiful developed Asian city, and learnt first hand the horror stories of child pronography, child sex trade and child trafficking.

Boys and girls, as young as 7 and 8, had already been forced to “service” up tp 6 clients a night.


I was never the same after that visit.

Is this what has become of our Asian society?

Babies having babies,
Ecstasy achieved at the pop of the pill
Heirtage and Values are traded in for Sensory Pleasures and Viagras
It is no longer about the pursuit of happiness, life & liberty
BUT
Sustaining the frantic feed of an addiction
NAMED:
The Temporal Desires of the Diseased Mind

My Beloved Asia, how did you lose so much of yourself?

Do you know how much my heart bleeds for you?

Do you even know how much I truly love you - all of you?