Democracy is an ideology by Rainbow Chiu

Nowadays, compare to other form of government, liberal democracy is most accepted by the world. In these decades, “democracy” became a magic word. Anything related to democracy seems absolutely correct, because it represents freedom.

 

But honestly, how much do people know about democracy? People say democracy is good because it protects our freedom and it is a significance of civilized. How about the deficiencies?

 

Liberal democracies produced more material benefits then other forms of government, but there are many factors other than political system are also involved, such as economic system, the issue of exploitation, natural resources, etc.

 

Democracy can avoid the abuse of power, but may also lead to failure to use power for the common good, because of the lack foresight of the citizen.

 

Democracy is not prefect, but a better form that we could apply now. It has become an ideology, when people started thinking that democracy is a merited good thing. It is a danger if we stop questioning one thing but we believe in it deep.

 

For instance, liberal democracies periodically hold elections where groups with differing political views have the opportunity to achieve political power. Eighteenth of November is 2007 district council election of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. In these years, the voting rates of Hong Kong are remained in a low standard. It is because Hong Kong people paid very less attention about political issues, but economic matters.

 

Do you know the candidates in your constituency? Beside the posters you saw when you walked pass the road and the few sentences that wrote in the election platform. What do you know about them? If people just rely on these to make their decision of voting, honestly it is not common good.

 

In the passed few years, 2012 universal suffrage (普選) is a hot topic in Hong Kong society. The insistence of Hong Kong people pursuit the universal suffrage right of chief executive election can be seen in the media. Different politicians held assemblies or parades and claimed that suffrage is necessary and it is the want of citizens. In actual fact, less of Hong Kong people care about political issues. Youth are concern about themselves rather then the society. Elder have lesser accessibility to political issues. And the middle age people care money more than other things. As a result, they will only support the political issues that are benefit to them. So, only the highbrows who interested in political matter really understand the situation of Hong Kong. The movement of universal suffrage is a significance of elitism in Hong Kong. The elitists think they know the public’s interests better than the public does, and they use the name “public” to bargain with the government.

 

In my opinion, universal suffrage is a good thing but it must base on a foundation that most of the citizens have developed well intellectual and moral capacities. Therefore, educate citizens to take political business to heart is more important than 2012 universal suffrage right. It is not enough that people know it is important, but also understand the reasons. This is the original connotation of liberal democracy.

beauty = inflawlessness?

Women faces are precious. They need to have a slim, shiny and wrinkle-free face. Is that enough? We will say no. Women also need to have slim cheeks with white skin. If a woman does not have white skins or does not have any skincare treatment knowledge, she will be labeled as a LAZY woman. Therefore, white skin is an important part for women to be defined as beautiful. So, whitening products are important in letting women’s status more secured in the society because these products help to “whiten” the skins to keep them young looking and beautiful. But why having white skin is so important for women? One of the reasons is that we are all living under the patriarchal regime. Women are economically and politically dependent on men; it has been a long term tradition in the Chinese Society. Therefore, personal beauty becomes the most important thing for women in their life. Women need to be beautiful and keep themselves young to attract men to marry them. For the married women, they need to keep their young and beautiful face forever to please their husbands. Females stay at home, do housework and spend time to apply treatments and cream on their faces. They belong to the private sphere (which is home) and wait for their husbands to come home from work. They do not need to compete for work with men in the public sphere. Besides, Victim Feminism is the other reason for women to strive for white skin in any circumstances. Feminism is motivated by the feminists in the society. Feminists are fighting for women status quo with men on social, political and economic issues. For victim, it means the people who suffer. Therefore, victim feminism means that women suffer in the society. Women in the society have to keep themselves young and good looking in their lifetime. The values in the patriarchal society forced women to do it, sometimes they may not willing to do so. By keeping themselves young and good looking, they can attract men and get married. Then women will stay at home to do housework. Therefore, the status of men in the society will not threaten by women (e.g.: Political status). In addition, for women, whitening not only uses to attract men, but it is also to show their superiority in the peer group. If a woman uses SK-II as her skincare product, it shows that she is more superior to the others because of the expensiveness of the products. 

Moreover, whitening is a cultural act for the Asian Women. History tells us that white people were superior. They had had a lot of colonies and power. In modern times, the Asian economies boost up and, therefore, whitening their skin becomes a way for them to “look like” westerners because they want to have a status quo with the west and do not want to be classified as the inferiors.

 

To conclude, because of those reasons that mention before, women have to try hard to keep their skin white. This becomes a culture for most of the women to follow and engage in. However, women lack the uniqueness even though they think they can have superiority in the peer group and even having a happy life. And they seem lost themselves while they are blindly following this. The standard of beauty is not constant and keeps changing. So, women would like to do anything to catch up with it. And the beauty culture would hardly lead women to get out of this “flawlessness”.

Crystal Lai

Have you bought Harry Potter and the Dealthy Harrows? – by Crystal Yam

　　　　　　　　　　　　　       

      When I took the bus to school, back home or to somewhere else, I always see a group of people reading a thick book in these few days. Before these days, those people usually play with their NDSs or PSPs during their travelling. Thus I am quiet interested on what they are reading and I want to know what kinds of books that attract people reading. While I was on my way home yesterday night, I was peeping at a mother and her son as they were enjoying reading their books. I think the mother is over forty years old and the son only a primary school students. I saw they were reading the newest Chinese version of Harry Potter and it is called Harry Potter and the Dealthy Harrows (哈利波特 – 死神的聖物). This book has just gone on sale to the book stores last week (20th October, 2007), but many people have already started reading it, even more they have finished the whole story. Although I am a Christian and this religious may not suggest us reading it, I am a super fan of Happy Potter series products, such as the books, films, computer games, etc. As I investigated of my church mates, many of them like to read the books of Harry Potter too. They tell me that they read Harry Potter just for entertainment and don’t think that it will not influence the attitudes of their thinking. In my opinion, Harry Potter is a popular culture of recent year throughout the world as we can see about its things around us everywhere. It is not dominated by high culture since the general public can get in touch with it very much, but the people in high culture would still watch it. It is special that all people in the world are likely to watch and not for one specific culture or class. 

        When I passed through the book stores or searched from the internet, I saw that there are many different ways to promote the final version of Harry Potter, no matter the Chinese, English or other languages’ versions. For example, Crown Publishing Company which is the only publishing agent of Harry Potter in Hong Kong, they give out some limited gifts to their consumers for encouraging people buy the books. There are huge numbers of people to register through the internet after buying. The agent must get a lot benefits as they receive many forms of the readers. I think it is a good strategic to sell their products since this book is the last series books of Harry Potter. This book not only has many readers to consume in United States and Britain, but also an upsurge to Hong Kong people. Also, some of the book stores use these kinds of promotion to attract the readers. They give out the souvenirs and posters to the people who buying the book since they expect there are many people to spend money on them. I think it is a method to release the books quicker and the book stores can be buyout from the publisher or the wholesalers and get the benefits faster than just waiting for the consumers to walk in. When I search from the internet, I also see that different countries have different methods to promote the books out, such as, in Taiwan, there was a costume competition, people have to dress up like the characters in the book and compete with the others to see whether they won in the competition. In other western countries, the book stores use similar ways to draw people’s attentions and sell their products. In my opinion, this is just the same as the theory of consumerism. Adverting and promotion are used for mass consumption and as a commercial culture. People use their money to get their interests for getting happier. They have high demands for their needs as they are not merely bought the products of the gifts, they read the books for escaping from the reality to have a feeling of pleasant.

References

http://hk.news.yahoo.com/071020/12/2hv04.html

http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%93%88%E5%88%A9%E6%B3%A2%E7%89%B9%E8%88%87%E8%87%B4%E5%91%BD%E8%81%96%E9%9D%88

http://hk.news.yahoo.com/071020/12/2hv05.html

iPod is more than a music player! (by Janette W.)

When you get into a train, you can find many people are paying full attention on their portable game players. Meanwhile, you may also notice that many people are listening song and most of them are wearing white earphones. Yes, that’s the iPod earphone! Almost all of them are iPod users and I am not in the exception!

Since the first launch of iPod in 2001, this little machine with big storage and a mechanical scroll wheel has created a craze in the field of digital music player. Although it has been the sixth year since its first launch, iPod is still so popular. Up to now, there are 5 different series of iPod ranging from iPod classic to the newly launched iPod touch. For its sale, there are over 110 million units worldwide being sold, as of September 2007. In the market of digital music player, iPod do has the largest market share.

There are plenty of reasons that making iPod being so popular. The major reason should be that it’s the product of apple. Before the introduction of iPod, Apple is well-known by its computer. The computer of Apple is called Macintosh. It is especially for art professional and graphical use. Together with its higher price comparing to other computer brands and the stylish appearance, it gives consumers the illusion that Apple’s products are more high quality and more professional oriented. This special brand image of Apple has also been applied on iPod, making iPod being different from other brand’s music player though their functions are really quite similar.

Beside, the clean and simple designs also contribute to the success of iPod. The design of iPod is consist of the pure white crust, the shinny base, the scroll wheel and the LCD monitor. All of them are simple and clean. Together with the touch mode which was a new technology applying on music players, when iPod was first launch, it was said that the design was so cool that feel like a high-end product and was totally different form the existing music players in the market. Because of this, many people, especially the pop-stars, were attracted to buy an iPod. The fashion and trend magazines also start to report the news of iPod. As a result from the star effects and the media effects, iPod is being portrait as a trend index. Bringing along an iPod could make someone being “cool” and trendy. Soon after, Apple has introduced other new generations with different sharp colours and iPod has become more fashionable. It is undeniably iPod has become an identity being different from non-iPod users.

To be honest, although the price was not that attractive, and the sound quality and functions were not that good, I was also being attracted to buy an iPod just because of its smart and sharp appearance. Apple clearly positions iPod as a mobile music player with large storage, ease of use and smart design, but as for consumers, buying an iPod is not just buying a music player. It’s also the case of consuming a brand and identity.

References:
http://freepen.org/eassys/07/2005-03-16a.php

“Da Siu Ran” (打小人) by Carol Yam

The traditional Chinese calendar year will be divided into four quarters of 24 solar terms, spring, summer, autumn and winter, “Waking of Insects”（驚蟄）is one of the China’s traditional 24 solar terms, usually in the solar calendar March 5th, 6th or on the 7th. According to literal interpretation, “Waking of Insects” is just the animal time to wake up.

“Da Siu Ran”（打小人）can be carried out throughout the year, but in the “waking of insects” that day, it is particularly crowded because bad people are wounding others at that day too. In recent years, Wan Chai Gooseneck Bridge under bridges has become a concentrated place of “Da Siu Ran”. It is located in Causeway Bay Canal Road East and Canal Road West, the dedicated people are known as “Bai Sun Po”（拜神婆）, the altar is at the junction with Canal Road and Hennessy Road flyover underneath. 

During the Lunar New Year in February 2nd, February 23rd and several days in each month, “Da Siu Ran” voices constantly appear in Gooseneck Bridge. It is said that this could drive out of or disputes arising from the Goblins, so regardless of men, women, they will fight the villains to wish the New Year can be smoother. 

“Da Siu Ran” on its purposes can be divided into pre-prevention negative witchcraft against a specific person with the enthusiasm of witchcraft; the ceremony was simulated on its contacts with the sorcery of witchcraft mixed. Clients commissioned specific “Bai Sun Po” using papers shear in an adult shape, as demand for specific information or do not write any information on the papers, and then using shoes or other items assault the papers to achieve the commissioned purposes. After the end of the ceremony, “Bai Sun Po” told her customers to thank you the “Guanyin”（觀音）, and “Da Siu Ran” is finished. 

In fact “Da Siu Ran” is the frustrating act, which is another method to solve the difficulties. It is not a scientific process principle, but the meaning behind it in line with scientific thinking, and this opened “knot” method is actually the same fashion with the doctor telling the mental patients to vent by tear newspapers.

Credit card – a popular payment method in Hong Kong (by Karis Man)

However mediocre it may appear, it is the most marvelous plastic ever invented. It can act as a cash substitute when you do shopping. It can alive you financial assistance by lending you money whenever you are short of funds. It is today’ s most popular payment method – credit cards. 

There are many reasons to which the prevalence of credit cards can be attributable. Credit cards as mentioned above can bring us money conveniences. In the past, our wallets were full of cumbersome and worrisome bundles of notes when we went shopping. Fortunately, those were the days. Now, no longer do we have to care above how much money we have brought when we shop, nor is it necessary for us to bother about the changes, which are usually troublesome coins. All we need to do is present our credit cards to the cashier and we can purchase any goods and services we want, provided that the machine required is available. But even if the shop does not accept credit cards, we can easily withdraw our savings from one of the many ATMs on the street. Better still, these cards are globally welcomed: We can enjoy the conveniences all over the world!

Over and above these conveniences, credit cards also offer a host of privileges that other payment methods cannot compete with. Different credit cards provide exclusive discounts at various selected merchants, for example. What is even more enticing is that many a credit card offers cardholders rebates – wherever and whenever we spend, we still be rewarded in cash dollars! What is more, if cardholders spend more than a certain amount a year, their subsequent year’ s annual fee will be waived. And then, the most preferential treatment is cardholders can have a special discount offer when they dining on some designated restaurant, such as Spaghetti House by Citibank credit card and Watami Japanese Casual Restaurant (和民居食屋) by DBS credit card. It is therefore no wonder that the use of credit cards is gaining in popularity.

    

Besides, due to some credit card which offer members perpetual annual fee waiver, it attracts more people to become a cardholder. Under mass media, credit cards assigned a superior identity to people. It represented cardholders can settle down all the unexpected accident free and have a great enjoyable shopping experiment every time. Moreover, there are more welcome gifts to applicant who can apply the credit cards successfully. It attracts more and more people who keen on gaining petty advantages. Thus, under this all positive evaluation, using credit cards purchasing is very popular in Hong Kong.

Tempted by the many benefits provided by credit card providers, people shop with their credit cards to the fullest; as if they have forgotten that they will need to pay the bills someday. As such, a myriad of tragedies arise.

The most evident one is that credit cards turn cardholders’ ifestyle into a lavish one. Tanks to the long interest free repayment period, people presently think that they are capable of spending their future money and they therefore shop without a budget. Then, when they find that they cannot afford to repay the debts, they will simply obtain new loans to repay old debts. Their total will, as a result, snowball. Based on these circumstances, a licensed Money Lender Company establish in the consumer finance market in Hong Kong. For example, United Asia Finance Limited (亞洲聯合財務有限公司) provides a loan services to help credit cardholders who cannot settle the full payment.

 

While each payment method has its own drawbacks, credit cards do bring us some unique conveniences. It therefore comes as nonsense for us to reject such a useful invention. But to minimize the number of tragedies, of paramount importance is that we use credit cards wisely. Patently, the key here is self-discipline. Should we be self-controlled, the merits of credit card actually outweigh its defects. For this reason, credit card is still a popular payment method in Hong Kong.

References:
(1) http://www.spaghettihouse.com/spaghetti/eng/index.html
(2) http://www.watami.com.hk/ch/index.asp
(3) http://www.hangseng.com/hsb/eng/pmo/grp01/p10/index.html
(4) http://www.uaf.com.hk/

How to define a perfect man? By K.W.Keith.Iu

Introduction

The image of a perfect man nowadays has been unconsciously fixed, and sometimes portrayed as strong, cool and muscular in order to meet audience’s expectation. Many magazines which are available in the public, are usually depicting the men who are the most favorite type in the society nowadays. On the other hand, texts are also very important as they are used to describe the images briefly. The image and the text are closely related.

The relationship of the text and visual image on the magazines’ cover

Two “Men’s Uno” covers have been chosen so as to discuss the ideal perfect men who have been represented in them.

The first cover I would like to discuss is a cover with a mainland actor Li Ya Peng (李亞鵬). (See Fig.1)He wears neatly and gazes at the camera, sit on the sofa, the title is “路人甲乙丙丁”. As we know that Li is not quite famous in the mainland, though his reputation is not very well, he can still be portrayed as a cool man on the cover.

The second one has been captured the famous Korean singer “Rain”. (See Fig.2) Just like Li, he also contemplate the camera, and meanwhile, opens the button of his jacket to show his muscles. The title is “繼續引爆韓流力量” (To explore the Korean trend), which is used to describe the allure of Rain. Men are usually defined as charming if they have muscular bodies. On this cover, Rain has done a great job because he successfully shows the most favorite, ideal and perfect man type. 

Conclusion

“Images rarely appear without the accompaniment of a linguistic text of one kind or another.” (Storey, 2003:107) Text and visual image are also inevitable placed in the media, which are closely related with each other. “Magazines and newspapers consist of more than printed words. Their popularity is unthinkable without taking into account the photographs, the illustrations and the visual advertisements which appear on almost every page.” (Storey, 2003:103)

By the influence of the text and visual image, the stereotyping has been easily created by the editors and disseminated to the society. After then, the so-called “true” concept has been recognized over the world. “Readership and reader expectation form part of this context.” (Storey, 2003:107) Indeed, the visual images mean nothing but after reading the description towards the cover, the reader will be affected by the texts so as to fix the concept of the images. “The image does not illustrate the text; it is the text which amplifies the connotative potential of the image.”(Storey, 2003:107)

 Reference

Storey, John. “Newspaper and Magazines,” Cultural Studies and the Study of Popular Culture, 2^nd ed. (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2003), 87-109.

 Figure 1

 Figure 2

Hong Kong’s concert: just for entertainment / enjoy the music? – by Winnie Lai

Last night I went to see Eason Chan’s concert, and the name is “Eason’s moving on stage 1”. His concerts only use three sides of Hong Kong Coliseum. So, he can try much more different effects on the stage. Some of the effects are not like the previous’, they designed a long stairs, and his band are standing in different floor.  This is the style of him, like to show out all his band members on the stage, he thinks it is more respect for them, it seems that are in the same way.

Also, in the recent years, the atmosphere of the Hong Kong singers’ concerts, have put more elements inside there, many props and show on the stage, and copulate with their songs. And, in many this kind of concert, the singers are also use some dancers to dance. In this show I can see that some of dancers, they wear the underwear and do some very bold posture. For the western countries, maybe it is not a big deal. But in Hong Kong, is a traditional society, not so open at all. Some of them are still cannot accept this action. But some of them are accept, maybe they accept our culture, the girls should wear fewer clothes as they can, they should show some sexy posture. The people are through the mass media, like TV, newspaper and magazines, many of them have accepted that the society have changed, girls are not like the previous, they can wear the bikini or underwear on the stage, not only on the beach or in the bedroom now.

Eason’s clothes are also very special. Wyman Wong(黃偉文) is his image designer in this concert, he tried to make the clothes become bisexual clothes, that mean Eason would wear the clothes which is not for the men or the women, it have combine with two sex. For example, in the beginning, he wore the wedding dress, and there have a mantilla(頭紗) on his head. In the traditional culture, only women should wear like this. And in the second part, he wore a kimono, and there was a Kanzashi (髮釵) on the head too. I think it is quiet interesting, and it is a good try to use different cultural elements to put on for his clothing.

　

On the other hand, before I have saw Miriam Yeung’s concert too. One part of her concert, it did not relate with the concert. It was like a game, and played with the audience. If they won it, they can get the presents, it was a watch which is sponsor for Miriam. And they try to use her concert and promote their products.

 In the recent years, this atmosphere, become popular, include a game, and to send the product. And the sponsor’s poster or printed on the gift which is give to you while you enter into the Hong Kong Coliseum, and they remind us their products. It really does not similar with the previous concert. Do the concerts really become much more commercialize? Watching a concert not only enjoy for the music, audience should consume their products at all? Or just for entertainment and make fun in the concert only?Back to Eason’s concert, some indications are also showing that, concerts are not only enjoying the music. At the outside of Hong Kong Coliseum, it also provides a counter to sell the souvenirs, like Eason’s T-shirt and caps. Some interesting thing is that, it also sell the memory card, it really make me shock, and I want to know that how does the memory card related with the concert? Although the concerts’ style have change a lots of in these few years, and I think this show is quiet good, because it is a great opportunity to have a good try for Eason Chan.

 

Reference:

http://on.cc/cgi-bin/orimain/search/orisearch.cgi?start=1&end=10&search_query=%B3%AF%AB%B3%A8%B3

http://www.seikowatches.com/asia/press/news_miriam07aw.asp

 

Winnie L.

Are you a kidult? (by Chloe C.)

Yesterday, I window-shopped in Sino Centre. I found there are many adults buying toys, their ages are around 20 to 30 years old. I saw that they were fascinated with the toys in shops. They looked so satisfied when they had bought the toys. I think that they are called kidult which I heard this term before. Some of my friends called themselves kidult; they are like the people whom I met yesterday. They always spend lots of money on their favorite toys.  Many adults visited Ani-Com Hong Kong and Asia Game Show in Hong Kong, including my friends. So, it seems that an increasing number of adults spend money on toys. Kidult culture is likely growing fast. 

Do the kidults buy toy in order to catch up the toys that they didn’t have in childhood? My friends said that they are not childish. The toys they bought are not the children’s toys. Then I am trying to distinguish the difference of the toys. I found that the makings of some toys are exquisite; they usually consist of metal components. Moreover, some toys’ prices are very expensive which children cannot afford. I am also trying to find the difference of kidult and children’s attitudes towards toys. I found that the kidults buy toys for collection and children buy toys for playing. However, some toys I saw are too childish for me and also too complex for children. 

            

There is lots of toy shop in Hong Kong. Because of an increasing number of kidult, the toys for adults are produced more than the past. As kidult has purchasing power much more than children, now they are a target customer for toy market. The games such as PS3 are also too. Moreover, magazines such as “Kidult” and “Jet” promote kidult’s lifestyle. Some advertising implies that through consuming the kidult’s products, you can be always young. The expectation of adult’s behavior is changed. In the past, adult who act like kids is represented as immature. On the other hand, now kidult is more acceptable and is represented as fashionable and creative.  

           

Besides toys, the kidult’s culture is spread to other products. It is easily found that there are a lot of cute cartoon on products. I found a shop in Admiralty MTR Station which sells Hello Kitty’s clothes and accessories. The shop’s target customer is women. Moreover, some tissue has a Snoopy package. Even, Hello Kitty is printed on rice cooker and car. So, the kidult culture is not within toys only.

Some people disgust kidult culture, they regard kidult culture is a social problem that leads to the late marriage. Personally, I think that the kidults are not consuming the toys for materials but a memory of childhood. Maybe they have an underlying purpose for consuming toys, they probably want to keep a childlike characteristic or they want to relax by this. I think that I’m also a kidult as I also prefer being naïve rather than being mature. The toys can reflect my value.

Cantonese pop songs reflect one’s identity (by Meiling W.)

    People will use lyrics to build up his/her own identity in the “right” places at “right” times. They want to let others know their inner thoughts, to recognize who they belong to.

    Lyrics are a reflection of peoples’ livelihood. There was rapid economic growth in 1970s and Hong Kong people had more leisure time to listen to music. Singer Sam Hui was very famous and was being crowned as the“Father of Canto-pop”. People found Sam Hui’s songs are closely related to their livings and they started to use lyrics to represent themselves. His songs are very colloquial. (Please refer to fig.1) His lyrics can signify the feelings of Hong Kong people at that time like the hardship of “blue collar” social class etc. Even now, when our parents sing Sam Hui’s songs, we know they are the older generation. We recognize our parents through the use of lyrics to represent themselves.

    Furthermore, some youngsters also use discourse to show their own self. Lyrics contain attitude of the writer or social beliefs such as Stephy’s new song “Light Bulb” (Please refer to fig.2) is regarded as “Maudlin Love Ballads”. The lyric shows the sadness in love affairs. When youngsters use these kinds of lyrics in their daily life such as posting lyrics in their blogs, we know what identity they wanted to show us.  They are youngsters who are trapped by complex relationships or to reflect their stance towards love etc. When other youngsters see these kinds of discourses, they will believe relationships among youngsters should be complicated. When they came across difficulties, they will pull off a discourse to “wrap up” themselves.

    In other circumstances, people may like to project a different identity. In Karaoke lounge, they would more likely to pick some rhythmical and lively songs to create a happy and relax atmosphere. It depends what friends they are with and the mood at that moment and what impression do they wanted to show.

    Moreover, some lyrics are very aggressive and carriers some bad concepts. A few years ago, singer Amanda Lee has a song called “You won’t have a Good Ending”. (Please refer to fig. 3) The lyrics are very direct and explicit. It was about a woman who was dumped by a man. The woman cursed the man and wanted to take revenge.  The song was criticised by many people as they worried it may bring negative effects to teenagers. As individuals are unaware of how we are “constituted’ by discourses, we may think that it is normal to take revenge on the “ungrateful guy/girl”, as a result may bring out social problems.

    As what we have discussed in above, we are unaware of how we are “constituted” by discourses and many discourse existed before each of us came on the scene and will exist long after we have left the scene and we are just carriers who act them out, thus there are both positive and negative social practices in the social culture. As Cantonese Pop songs are influenced from a variety of international styles, including jazz, Western pop music and so on. There are different ideologies being put in “Canto-pop”, different attitude towards love, violence or nationalism and so forth are being put into lyrics. Our culture is bit by bit made up by discourses. Hence, all these create a certain kind of truth that are accepted and make function as true in a certain extent.   

References

Holiday, A. (2004) Intercultural Communication: An Advanced Resource Book.  Routledge: London. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantopop#Cantopop_lyrics 

http://everything2.com/index.plnode_id=1707084 

http://www.coolmanmusic.com/sub-page/samhuis.html 

http://www.coolmanmusic.com/sub-page/stephys.html 

http://www.coolmanmusic.com/sub-page/amandas.html