Dreams from My Father (Part 3)

The story of Obama in Chicago is highly impressive. This is easily the most enjoyable section of the book, well…at least for me it is. His determination in devoting his career to some cause that had been irking his heart for so long (racial issues in the US and his roots), even though that would mean he would make much less money, have a less stable life, and venture into a job not highly regarded by most people around him, mesmerizes me. Maybe it is because I had more or less similar experience in my youth (I devoted six years of my twenties to a cause I felt strongly about.) Most young people have a strong conscience and sense of justice about people, things and society around them. Not many of them give them serious and lasting thoughts, even less will risk their life style or career prospect to turn these thoughts into action. Obama did it. Beyond his wildest dream, even he could not imagine 20 years later he would be presented the chance to do even more.

There is a dialogue in the book that I like. It’s when Obama met his to-be employer Marty Kaufman in a job interview, for an organizer trainee role in Chicago. Here is the dialogue:

“Why does somebody from Hawaii want to be an organizer?”
Obama went on and told him a bit about himself.
“You must be angry about something.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Marty shrugged. “I don’t know what exactly. But something. Don’t get me wrong – anger’s a requirement for the job. The only reason anybody decides to become an organizer. Well-adjusted people find more relaxing work.”

Doesn’t this bring back some old fond memory to you? It does for me. Probably only those who have taken part at social actions for some causes they believe in understand the meaning of this question “What are you angry about?” Without this anger people will not be motivated to step outside the pre-defined boundary the world has imposed on them. Without this anger the world cannot advance, humanity cannot step up to a new level. It is great that Obama directed his anger at something positive and constructive.

Now in Hong Kong there are discussions about those youths who expressed dissatisfaction over the government’s decision to go ahead with the high-speed railway project. The media calls them “Post Eighties” and generally depicts them as a group of young people not having a career, losing orientation, and too aggressive in expressing their opinions. Too aggressive? Well I don’t know about that. I have not seen them carrying a suicidal bomb to Legco yet. One thing I am sure, however, is that they have demonstrated their conscience. It may not just be about this railway project. It is about the government consultation process for major capital spending. It is about the extreme imbalance of wealth distribution in the society. It is about why the interests of those rich and wealthy commercial entities are always taken care of over the poor and underprivileged. If our society can tap into the anger and energy of this group of young men and women, and turn them into something positive and constructive, the society as a whole can only benefit.