4 ms·

The world's most wanted man protected by those with nothing. Absolutely incredible.

confluence 10y ago
> People talk a lot about courage in politics, courage in war; standing up in the face of great odds. These things are fabulous, wonderful, but I’ll tell you right now that I would trade them all for a world of these everyday heroes. What I thought I knew about bravery was nothing compared to what I saw in Hong Kong. -- Edward Snowden Truly worth the read. I encourage everyone to do so.
aws_ls 10y ago
And they remain with nothing: 'The refugees who harbored him three years ago still live in miserable conditions in a wealthy city that doesn’t want them'
- confluence 10y ago
  I believe that the point of this story was to shine a light on how one of the wealthiest cities treats their poor and to show us what courage they have to keep fighting.
- pen2l 10y ago
  I come from Asia. This is something I noticed first-hand. Those with nothing donate a much larger percentage of their wealth than those with a lot. Seems absolutely insane, but it's true the more experience I gather... here in America, I find it to be true again. Seems so counter-intuitive, I wonder why this is so persistently true.
  - hood_syntax 10y ago
    They know what it's like to not have enough, imo
    - sophacles 10y ago
      I would say it is this, combined with first-hand knowledge of what getting a "little" help at the right time can really do.
  - pasbesoin 10y ago
    I don't have sources, but I've read before, repeatedly, of this being noted. I believe there may even be some economic, sociological, psychological, anthropological studies to this effect. As I recall, one argument is that a lack of resources requires greater cooperation. Or, people without portable, fungible wealth, are required to trade and cooperate with those in their immediate vicinity. However, I feel all this misses the heart of the matter: Human connection. One way in which the "modern" world often feels increasingly sterile. Though that human connection works both ways: Great kindness, and great exploitation. Though the latter may be limited both by geographic reach and the ability of local society to simply "cut you out" should your transgressions exceed the pain of doing so. Personally, in the "middle class" here in the U.S., I have struggled for that connection. I've found it with select friends I've made over the years, but not with neighbors. A few neighbors respond kindly, but many are indifferent and a few outright hostile.
  - acchow 10y ago
    I wonder if part of the story might be that Americans (and really most wealthy countries) have a tendency to feel like they've "done their part" through taxes. And since the rates are progressive, you not only contribute more in dollars, you actually contribute a larger portion of your income the more you make, so wealthier people actually are "giving more". Surely this has an effect on the culture. Contrast the 33% tax bracket in America @ $190k (then you add on medicare taxes and social security and state taxes which would be about 10% in California) with Hong Kong's maximum of 15%. I don't know what it's like in the country in Asia you come from.

> People talk a lot about courage in politics, courage in war; standing up in the face of great odds. These things are fabulous, wonderful, but I’ll tell you right now that I would trade them all for a world of these everyday heroes. What I thought I knew about bravery was nothing compared to what I saw in Hong Kong. -- Edward Snowden Truly worth the read. I encourage everyone to do so.

aws_ls 10y ago

And they remain with nothing: 'The refugees who harbored him three years ago still live in miserable conditions in a wealthy city that doesn’t want them'

confluence 10y ago
I believe that the point of this story was to shine a light on how one of the wealthiest cities treats their poor and to show us what courage they have to keep fighting.
pen2l 10y ago
I come from Asia. This is something I noticed first-hand. Those with nothing donate a much larger percentage of their wealth than those with a lot. Seems absolutely insane, but it's true the more experience I gather... here in America, I find it to be true again. Seems so counter-intuitive, I wonder why this is so persistently true.
- hood_syntax 10y ago
  They know what it's like to not have enough, imo
  - sophacles 10y ago
    I would say it is this, combined with first-hand knowledge of what getting a "little" help at the right time can really do.
- pasbesoin 10y ago
  I don't have sources, but I've read before, repeatedly, of this being noted. I believe there may even be some economic, sociological, psychological, anthropological studies to this effect. As I recall, one argument is that a lack of resources requires greater cooperation. Or, people without portable, fungible wealth, are required to trade and cooperate with those in their immediate vicinity. However, I feel all this misses the heart of the matter: Human connection. One way in which the "modern" world often feels increasingly sterile. Though that human connection works both ways: Great kindness, and great exploitation. Though the latter may be limited both by geographic reach and the ability of local society to simply "cut you out" should your transgressions exceed the pain of doing so. Personally, in the "middle class" here in the U.S., I have struggled for that connection. I've found it with select friends I've made over the years, but not with neighbors. A few neighbors respond kindly, but many are indifferent and a few outright hostile.
- acchow 10y ago
  I wonder if part of the story might be that Americans (and really most wealthy countries) have a tendency to feel like they've "done their part" through taxes. And since the rates are progressive, you not only contribute more in dollars, you actually contribute a larger portion of your income the more you make, so wealthier people actually are "giving more". Surely this has an effect on the culture. Contrast the 33% tax bracket in America @ $190k (then you add on medicare taxes and social security and state taxes which would be about 10% in California) with Hong Kong's maximum of 15%. I don't know what it's like in the country in Asia you come from.