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In Hong Kong, a group that called itself “I have to practice suicide” on social networking site Facebook appeared to call for a mass suicide and a total of 188 actually joined the group and agreed to commit a mass suicide on 21 Dec. The “death date” was exposed after a registered secondary school girl, who could not wait for the date, attempted suicide by trying to throw herself off the roof.

In Philippines, about 100 of gunmen kidnapped and killed dozens of local politicians, lawyers and journalists in the southern Philippines on 23 Nov. To date, 57 bodies, including 18 journalists, were found.

Nothing is permanent in life? There is no happiness in life?

In modern city, people's material living conditions have been greatly improved, but they have lost the balance as they are having endless material desires. To them, happiness no longer exists and life is meaningless. The Internet indeed provides young people a broader world, but it is a “virtual” world and the “man-machine dialogue” has narrowed interpersonal relationships while bringing a new crisis at the same time.


As the Internet has become an integral part of life for young people nowadays, those who are having suicidal tendency share their feelings through Facebook. Misery loves company, it may easily lead to a mass suicide tragedy. It is worrying that it does not limited only to Hong Kong, but similar tragedy happened also in Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom. It seems to have become a deteriorating trend for “unhappy people” to form a suicidal group on the Internet.

If we say that the mass suicide attempt in Hong Kong is a cowardly self-destruction act of those who have lost happiness, then the massacre in Philippines would be an insane behaviour to deprive others' joy.

Philippines used to be the world's “happiest realm” as its people are optimistic. However, once the election season approaches, the country will be haunted by fear of assassination. The happiest Philippine people will as well become the most suffering people of the world.

A total of 148 people were killed during the 2004 elections. Those who were killed included politicians, journalists, lawyers, judges, labour movement leaders and innocent civilians. The massacre a few days ago was just a start for another political vendetta.

Philippine politics is closely related to powerful clans. These wealthy political families are having armed forces of their own. In order to fight for power and money, they will do whatever they want and make the Philippine people to suffer in the most painful way. Even the “people's power” is not able to bring happiness back to them.

Only people who are happy will treasure and respect life. Only they can affirm the value and significance of life and achieve the goal of human caring. How can the world lose happiness? (By LIM MUN FAH/Translated by SOONG PHUI JEE/Sin Chew Daily)

( The opinions expressed by the writer do not necessarily reflect those of MySinchew )
MySinchew 2009.11.27