MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1976
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YOUNG PEOPLE URGED TO CARE FOR OTHERS
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THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, SAID TODAY THAT YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD BE SOCIALLY MINDED AND SHOULD CARE WHAT GOES ON AROUND THEM AND FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE WELFARE OF THOSE
INDIVIDUAL PERSONS WHO ARE THE LIVING FABRIC OF SOCIETY+.
SPEAKING AT THE SPEECH DAY OF NEW METHOD COLLEGE AT THE CITY HALL, MR. LEE FELT THAT IT WAS A PITY THAT THERE WERE STILL A LARGE NUMBER OF YOUNG AND EDUCATED PEOPLE WHO DO NOT TAKE AN ACTIVE INTEREST IN WHAT GOES ON OUTSIDE THE IR IMMEDIATE CIRCLES.
+THEY ARE A VITAL PART OF THE SOCIETY AS A WHOLE AND THAT ITS FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND PROSPERITY WILL DEPEND TO A LARGE EXTENT ON THE IR APPRECIATION OF ITS PROBLEMS, THEIR CONSCIOUSNESS OF ITS NEEDS AND THE CONCERN FOR ITS PROGRESS,+ HE STRESSED.
THIS, HE CONTINUED, REVOLVED AROUND THE CONCEPT OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND HINGED ON HOW MUCH ONE SHOULD CONTRIBUTE ONE'S SELF TO THE GENERAL WELL-BEING OF THE SOCIETY AND HIS FELLOWMEN.
+WHILE THEY ARE NOT UNAWARE OF THE NEED FOR THEIR OWN PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY AFFAIRS AND PARTICULARLY IN THOSE WITH THE AIM OF PROMOTING THE WELL-BEING OF THEIR FELLOW MEMBERS, THEY OFTEN FIND EXCUSES FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO BE INVOLVED, HE POINTED OUT.
+THEY HAVE NOT YET FULLY REALISED THAT THEY IN FACT CAN CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TOWARDS SOCIETY, EVEN IN THEIR SPARE TIME, WHERE THE TREND HAS BEEN IN RECENT YEARS TO MAKE FULL USE OF VOLUNTEERS IN MANY FIELDS.+
BIG CITIES LIKE HONG KONG, HE CONTINUED, WERE USUALLY CHARACTERIZED BY APATHY AND SELFISHNESS AND THIS WAS OFTEN THE RESULT OF EXPECTING TOO MUCH FROM OTHER PEOPLE AND GIVING TOO LITTLE OF ONE'S SELF.
+THERE IS A TENDENCY TO THINK THAT THE QUALITY OF ONE'S PERSONAL LIFE IS DEPENDENT UPON OUTSIDE FACTORS, UPON FRIENDS, UPON OPPORTUNITIES AND UPON MONEY BUT IN FACT IT DEPENDS MAINLY UPON ONE'S SELF, THAT IS, HOW ONE MAKES THE BEST OUT OF LIFE.+
HOWEVER, MR. LEE EMPHASISED THAT, MAN DOES NOT LIVE FOR
HIMSELF.+
HE ADDED : +WE ALL FIND SATISFACTION AND A SENSE OF FULFILMENT IN DEVOTING OURSELVES TO THE GOOD OF THE COMMUNITY, IN BEING PUBLIC SPIRITED, IN ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY, AND IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER CONTRIBUTING TO THE RICHNESS OF COMMUNAL LIFE.+
MR. LEE TOLD THE GRADUATES THAT AS A YOUNG GENERATION, THEY WERE NOW AND WOULD CONTINUE TO BE PART OF SOCIETY AND THAT THEY COULD NOT ESCAPE RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS IT.
+TO TAKE IS HUMAN BUT TO GIVE IS DIVINE, HE ADDED.
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