Theme 1: Quality of Life

1. Theme 1: Quality of Life Topic 3: Considerations in and hurdles to maintaining and improving the quality of life

2. Quality of Life Definition of the quality of life Theme Mind Map １ ３ ２ Considerations in and hurdles to maintaining and improving the quality of life Measuring Hong Kong’s quality of life from different perspectives

3. Exploration Journey 1 Must priorities be set in maintaining and improving the quality of life? 3. Considerations in and hurdles to maintaining and improving the quality of life Exploration Journey 2 Is it not easy to maintain and improve the quality of life?

4. Must priorities be set in maintaining and improving the quality of life? Journey Exploration 1

5. Exploration Journey 1: Must priorities be set in maintaining and improving the quality of life? Let's Think What are the major considerations in maintaining and improving the quality of life? What obstacles may arise?

6. Exploration Journey 1: Must priorities be set in maintaining and improving the quality of life? When both material and non-material quality of life are satisfied, Where can one begin in improving one’s quality of life? one feels that one has high quality of life.

7. Exploration Journey 1: Must priorities be set in maintaining and improving the quality of life? But it’s hard for us to satisfy our needs all at once. How should we set priorities?

8. Exploration Journey 1: Must priorities be set in maintaining and improving the quality of life? American psychologist Abraham H. Maslowintroduced the Need-hierarchy Theory in 1970 Self-actualization Esteem needs Social needs Safety needs Physiological needs

9. Exploration Journey 1: Must priorities be set in maintaining and improving the quality of life? What physiological needs do we have? We need to see the doctor when we feel sick We need to eat when we are hungry We need enough clothes to keep warm We need a home for shelter

10. Exploration Journey 1: Must priorities be set in maintaining and improving the quality of life? What safety needs do we have? We want to be well provided for and lead a stable life We want to stay away from natural disasters and accidents We want security for our future

11. Exploration Journey 1: Must priorities be set in maintaining and improving the quality of life? What social needs do we have? We want to make different friends and have their recognition and care We want to take part in different communities and obtain a sense of belonging We want to have satisfactory a family life and the understanding and care of family

12. Exploration Journey 1: Must priorities be set in maintaining and improving the quality of life? What esteem needs do we have? We crave for different rights and freedoms, do what one wants to do We expect to improve self-esteem through personal accomplishments We hope to be respected in communities to which one belongs

13. Exploration Journey 1: Must priorities be set in maintaining and improving the quality of life? What are our needs for self- actualization？ We finish what we want to do or tasks assigned to us so as to obtain a sense of satisfaction We try our best to finish one’s work We hope to become what other people expect of us

14. Exploration Journey 1: Must priorities be set in maintaining and improving the quality of life? Need for self-actualization Esteem needs Social needs Under normal circumstances, which level of the Need Hierarchy do people pursue first? Why? Safety needs Physiological needs

15. Exploration Journey 1: Must priorities be set in maintaining and improving the quality of life? Who should maintain and improve the quality of life? Social Groups Government Individuals

16. Exploration Journey 1: Must priorities be set in maintaining and improving the quality of life? ‧Listens to its people’s opinions, devises policies that meet the needs of different social classes ‧Provides social welfare and social security ‧Gives its people economic, political, cultural and other rights How should the government maintain and improve the quality of life? Government

17. Exploration Journey 1: Must priorities be set in maintaining and improving the quality of life? How should social groups maintain and improve the quality of life? ‧Protect the interests of their members ‧Advocate their missions and arouse public attention, and even influence public policy- making ‧Provides society with different services Groups

18. Exploration Journey 1: Must priorities be set in maintaining and improving the quality of life? How should individuals maintain and improve the quality of life? ‧Fulfill their civic duties and exercise their civil rights, such as voting and expressing their opinions concerning social affairs ‧Take part in cultural and recreational activities for self- improvement ‧Help those in need in society and one another to promote social harmony Individuals

19. Exploration Journey 1: Must priorities be set in maintaining and improving the quality of life? Does the government budget take care of the people? A2 Daily News 25 February 2009 1.6 billion in the Budget to secure employment and the economy Financial Secretary John C Tsang announced the 2009-10 Budget at the Legislative Council yesterday. He highlighted new policies the government has devised to face the financial tsunami with the public. Short-term policies include more employment security measures whereas long-term policies focus on Hong Kong’s sustainable economic development by strengthening the fundamentals and developing new economic initiatives. Tsang said that the disadvantaged would be provided with assistance so as to build a caring community. The public has a rather high expectation on the Budget. It is particularly concerned with the employment situation. The Budget states that HK$1.6 billion will be used in the coming three years to create 62,000 jobs and internship opportunities, and HK$400 million is earmarked for non-recurrent funding to enhance a series of employment programmes. HK$13 million additional funding will be provided for the Labour Department to provide employment assistance to employees affected by company closures. In the face of the financial tsunami, the employment prospects of university graduates is of special concern. In view of this, the Financial Secreatary has earmarked HK$140 million to launch an ‘Internship Programme for University Graduates’ Source: 2009-10 Budget

20. Exploration Journey 1: Must priorities be set in maintaining and improving the quality of life? Do local green groups arouse people’s concern for energy-consumption problems? On the night of 21 June 2009, more than 1,600 buildings in Hong Kong will take part in the ‘Dim It Brighten Up’ campaign. The campaign not only means to have the lights off for two hours but also to make the public aware of the impact of our wasteful lifestyle on the environment and cherish our resources in different aspects of our lives so as to reduce the burden on our Earth. It is also hoped that the government would legislate to prevent light pollution soon. Otherwise, the Pearl of the Orient would become a low-efficiency light bulb. Source: Friends of the Earth – http://www.foe.org.hk/welcome/gettc.asp

21. Exploration Journey 1: Must priorities be set in maintaining and improving the quality of life? Does personal participation arouse public responses to political and social affairs? Hong Kong Alliance held the 20th Anniversary vigil at the Victoria Park last night. The organization’s figures show that 150,000 people attended the vigil. A newspaper interviewed 373 attendants and found that 51% of them attended the vigil for the vindication of June Fourth. 26 % of them expressed worries that the next generation might forget about the incident. In addition, 8% and 7% of the interviewees were dissatisfied with the positions of the central government and the Chief Executive on the June Fourth incident. News Comment Source: Adapted from various local newspapers, 5 June 2009

22. Exploration Journey 1: Must priorities be set in maintaining and improving the quality of life? Let's Think How do the above examples reflect the influences of the government, social groups and individuals on Hong Kong’s quality of life? 資料來源：綜合本地各大報章報道，2009年6月5日。

23. Exploration Journey 1: Must priorities be set in maintaining and improving the quality of life? What factors affect the priorities of government policies on the maintenance and improvement of the quality of life? Ways through which social groups express their demand Citizens’ level of concern Resources that can be mobilized Interests involved

24. Exploration Journey 1: Must priorities be set in maintaining and improving the quality of life? Let's Learn More Given a rapidly ageing population and our limited financial resources, we should direct resources to the elderly in genuine need to ensure the sustainable development of our existing non-contributory social security and welfare system, which is based on a simple tax regime. As such, the Government needs to consider introducing a means test mechanism. The current recipients of the old age allowance will not be affected. The 'Fruit Money' episode Source: 2008-09 Policy Address

25. Exploration Journey 1: Must priorities be set in maintaining and improving the quality of life? Let's Learn More Hong Kong POP website: 61% of a survey’s respondents disagreed to the Chief Executive's proposal to introduce a means test mechanism to the Old Age Allowance while 30% agreed to it. The ratio of opposition is higher than that concerning Article 23 of the Basic Law. The 'Fruit Money' episode School of Journalism and Communication, CUHK: 47 % and 20% of 800 interviewees opposed to and supported legislation respectively. Lingnan University Among the 500 people polled, 51% believed there was no need for legislation. Source: Adapted from various local newspapers, 25 October 2009.

26. Exploration Journey 1: Must priorities be set in maintaining and improving the quality of life? Let's Learn More To show the government’s respect for public opinion, we have decided to shelf the proposal of a means test mechanism and increase the amount of the old age allowance to HK$1,000. We had did expect that the policy would arouse heated debate, but public opposition was overwhelming. A long-term sustainable policy is considered unsympathetic and arrogant, and rational policy discussion was defeated by sentimentality. What I want to emphasize is that the introduction of a means test mechanism does not contradict ‘respect to the elderly’. The issue needs to be reviewed when the right time comes. The 'Fruit Money' episode Source: Adapted from various local newspapers, 25 October 2009.

27. Exploration Journey 1: Must priorities be set in maintaining and improving the quality of life? Let’s Think What considerations of the government are reflected in the increase of the old age allowance? Why does the government have these considerations?

28. Is it not easy to maintain and improve the quality of life? Journey Exploration 2

29. Exploration Journey 2: Is it not easy to maintain and improve the quality of life? Let's Think What difficulties may arise in the maintenance and improvement of the quality of life?

30. Exploration Journey 2: Is it not easy to maintain and improve the quality of life? What difficulties may arise in the maintenance and improvement of the quality of life? A lack of resources Low overall technological level in society A lack of social cohesion Different perceptions of social justice Regional and international factors

31. Exploration Journey 2: Is it not easy to maintain and improve the quality of life? Difficulties posed by a lack of resources to the improvement of the quality of life Decline of the quality of life Hong Kong has a huge population but little land Hong Kong lacks land resources Prices of land and properties are high Wall effect and heat island effect are serious Needs for housing and environmental concerns are not addressed

32. Exploration Journey 2: Is it not easy to maintain and improve the quality of life? Difficulties in improving the quality of life with technology Use of technology is still uncommon Technology is expensive Insufficient knowledge of technology

33. Exploration Journey 2: Is it not easy to maintain and improve the quality of life? Let’s Learn More: Different opinions in Hong Kong towards food labelling Packaged food products with an annual sale of fewer than 30,000 are exempt from nutrition labelling and thus the law exists in name only. The citizens may be misled and their health is not safeguarded. The authority should not set standards that are different from other countries regarding nutrition labelling. Food providers may not sell products of low market sales in Hong Kong and it will not only affects Hong Kong’s trade volume but also reduce people’s choice of food products. Genetically- modified agricultural products may harm human immune system. Citizens should be careful when buying such products. It is inconsistent with international standards to exempt certain food products. Any nutritional claims such as high calcium and low fat should be stated to consumers. The government should legislate for a compulsory labelling system to ensure citizens’ right to information. Source: Adapted from various local newspapers, 29 April – 7 June 2008.

34. Exploration Journey 2: Is it not easy to maintain and improve the quality of life? Do you think the different opinions on food labelling is good or bad to the improvement of the quality of life in Hong Kong?

35. Exploration Journey 2: Is it not easy to maintain and improve the quality of life? What is social cohesion?

36. Exploration Journey 2: Is it not easy to maintain and improve the quality of life? What is social cohesion? Definition The ability of society to attract and integrate its members in order to realize specific social functions or achieve certain goals through collective behaviour. Examples ‧After the Sichuan earthquake, many Hong Kong people donated money and volunteered to visit Sichuan to help the victims ‧ During the 20th anniversary of the ‘June Forth Incident’, many Hong Kong people participated in the march and vigil to express their concern for the incident through social solidarity.

37. Exploration Journey 2: Is it not easy to maintain and improve the quality of life? How does social cohesion affect the improvement of quality of life? Divergence among social members on public affairs makes consensus difficult and may even upset social harmony. It also makes it hard for government to devise policies. In the long run, it is detrimental to the improvement of the quality of life.

38. Exploration Journey 2: Is it not easy to maintain and improve the quality of life? Different perceptions of social justice hinder the improvement of the quality of life What is the scope of social justice? Recognition of diverse values Protection of individuals’ autonomy Emphasis of equality Transparency of social policies

39. Exploration Journey 2: Is it not easy to maintain and improve the quality of life? Different perceptions of social justice hinder the improvement of the quality of life A lack of social justice/different perceptions of social justice among social members Obstruction to the implementation of policies related to the improvement of the quality of life Results Much time is needed to resolve conflicts and reach social consensus

40. 專題探索3︰怎樣衡量香港的政治素質？ Exploration Journey 2: Is it not easy to maintain and improve the quality of life? Let’s Learn More 2008-09 Policy Address highlights the needs for balanced social interests and the protection of social justice The second challenge is balancing social interests and upholding social justice.  Public policies should balance the interests of different social strata.  We also need to devise long-term solutions and foster community consensus over controversial policies.  In parallel, we need to take a forward-looking approach in promoting social development.  This includes upholding the family as the core social value of this modern Chinese society and introducing sustainable measures to meet the challenges posed by an ageing population.

41. Exploration Journey 2: Is it not easy to maintain and improve the quality of life? Difficulties posed by regional and international factors to the improvement of the quality of life Air pollution in the Pearl River Delta Lowers environmental quality Lowers economic quality Lowers the quality of life Affects Hong Kong’s air quality Weakens foreign investors’desire to invest in Hong Kong Threatens Hong Kong’s competitiveness

42. Exploration Journey 2: Is it not easy to maintain and improve the quality of life? Difficulties posed by regional and international factors to the improvement of the quality of life Threats posed by globalization to Hong Kong’s quality of life Environment: Global warming Economy: Financial tsunami Food safety: Global food crisis, food safety Diseases: SARS, Influenza A (H1N1)

43. Exploration Journey 2: Is it not easy to maintain and improve the quality of life? Hong Kong and the US differ in their preventive measures of the spread of Influenza A (H1N1) A1 Daily News 15 may 2009 Hong Kong government urged the US government for better preventive measures Human swine flu has further spread around the world. Secretary for Food and Health York Chow Yat-ngok wrote to US Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services for exit screening measures at the airport, including temperature taking, health declaration and issuing appeal to US citizens with flu symptoms to stop travelling. Chow reinstated that all WHO members are responsible for stopping the spread of the virus and he hoped that the US could do better. Chow also forwarded the letter to Chen Zhu, president of the Ministry of Health of the PRC in the hope that the Chinese government would voice out the demands to the US government for the Hong Kong government. The spokesperson of the US Consulate said that the US had carried out various measures in the face of the epidemic to prevent the spread of the virus. The relevant measures are in line with the guidelines laid down by the WHO, i.e., to not take travelling restrictions as preventive measures. Source: Adapted from various local newspapers, 15 May 2009.

44. Exploration Journey 2: Is it not easy to maintain and improve the quality of life? Let's Think As a cosmopolitan city, does Hong Kong have an advantage in cooperating with other regions or countries to improve the quality of life?

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