Ordinary Gweilo

Thanks to Fumier for drawing this to my attention.  It’s from the marvellous letter column of the always interesting SCMP from that great thinker Simon Patkin:

Let there be light

I refer to news that the group Lights Out Hong Kong wants to plunge our city into darkness for three minutes next month ("Green groups hoping for City of Darkness", June 30). I can’t help thinking that this campaign has nothing to do with clean air. It takes us down a slippery slope, with its anti-development message. How soon before they lobby for lights out for five or even 24 hours a day?

We need electricity and light for life. Before electricity, the average life expectancy was 30; today it is about 80. No business or business group should support a cause that openly advocates darkness for Hong Kong – not even for three minutes. Man must reshape his environment to survive. Instead of this darkness campaign, let’s celebrate the achievement of people like light bulb inventor Thomas Edison. Let there be light.

SIMON PATKIN, Causeway Bay

He’s a genius, really he is, and I won’t hear a word said against him.

[Link to Lights Out from Shaky]