There is no one in the world who is soft and weak as water, and no one who attacks the strong can win.
International financial center is a very special field. Many cities have strived for this status in the past, including Amsterdam, Vienna, Florence, Venice, Paris and Philadelphia in the United States. The status and potential of London and New York were not generally recognized at first. Be optimistic.
Author: GUDORDI | 2023-11-06
A photo of John F. Kennedy and his family in Hyannis Port. John F. Kennedy is wearing a white shirt in the upper left corner. (Wikimedia Commons)
There is no one in the world who is soft and weak as water, and no one who attacks the strong can win, and there is no way it can be easily defeated. The weak overcomes the strong, the soft overcomes the strong, no one in the world knows it, and no one can do it.
──Lao Tzu in “Tao Te Ching”
In the last chapter, the author mentioned that two great men, President Kennedy and Mr. Sun Yat-sen, have one thing in common, that is, they both have courage and determination that are difficult for ordinary people to understand, to pursue difficult goals that are difficult for ordinary people to understand, and may not be seen in their lifetimes. To achieve any results.
In American history, Kennedy was a very special president. He is the youngest president in U.S. history (43 years old when he took office) and only served for 1,036 days. However, he is deeply respected and missed by American society and even the world. There is no doubt that John F. Kennedy was very gifted in public speaking, and he really walked the talk. He was often able to handle issues with an outstanding statesman’s vision, closely linking the interests of the United States with the well-being of all mankind. Throughout history, few people have achieved what he achieved.
John F. Kennedy gave a speech on May 25, 1961. (Wikimedia Commons)
Should focus on the aspirations of the entire era
Kennedy once said: “We must think and act not only to deal with immediate considerations, but to deal with the needs of the entire age in which we live…” (We must think and act not only for the moment but for our time).
There is no doubt that President Kennedy lived in a great era, and he himself was a man with a deep sense of history and destiny. For him, perhaps no matter how big the problem is, the most important thing is to take the first step. In theory, there is no problem that cannot be solved. He once said: “Our problems are man-made, so they can be solved by humans. Nothing about human destiny is absolutely beyond the capabilities of humans.” (Our problems are man-made, therefore they can be solved by man. No problem of human destiny is beyond human beings.)
These words are full of mission and courage. Kennedy seemed convinced that there was no need to hesitate or talk too much about important matters that involved historical responsibility and the larger picture. Indeed, there may be some things in the world whose importance exceeds considerations of probability, but for those who can experience this level of inspiration, they only pursue their best efforts and no longer care about anything else…
The founding fathers of the United States were not poor, and Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the American Declaration of Independence, was a large landowner. (Wikimedia Commons)
Courage without hesitation works wonders
Courage and determination without hesitation and at all costs can indeed bring about miraculous results sometimes?
Does such a thing really exist in the human world? This reminds me of the last sentence of the American Declaration of Independence: “In support of the Declaration, and by unswerving reliance on the protection of divine providence, we support each other. And for the support of the Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our. Fortune and our sacred Honor.)
It is worth noting that the American War of Independence was not a war between officialdom and the people. The founding fathers of the United States were not poor, and Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the American Declaration of Independence, was a large landowner. Therefore, the founding fathers of the United States did not have “nothing to lose.” On the contrary, the wealth they already possessed was already a dream for many ordinary people.
Perhaps, we need to understand this before we can have a deeper understanding of what the actions of Jefferson and others meant. It is worth noting that the American War of Independence was not a simple war between ordinary people. The founding father of the United States was just a civilian, but his opponent was the British Empire, which was the most powerful in the world at the time. Looking back today, the entire war lasted for a full eight years. In the early years, neither France nor Spain gave the United States clear and firm support, and Washington and others were in danger many times. Basically, if the British Empire had devoted all its efforts to fight it, the United States would have had zero chance of winning the war. A historian once said that throughout the war, the only thing that allowed the founding fathers of the United States to defeat the British Empire was their firm determination to do whatever it took.
Looking back, if the British Empire had wiped out the United States, it is hard to imagine that more than a hundred years later, the United States would have saved the British Empire at least twice without negotiating any conditions. The development of history is sometimes ironic and mysterious.
In the case of Hong Kong, the chances may not be as bad as many assert. (Wikimedia Commons)
Hong Kong's chances aren't so bad
Through the above examples, what the author wants to illustrate is that sometimes we cannot just rely on the estimation of probability, or look at the problem from the perspective of personal career or life span. Historical experience tells us that sometimes no matter how difficult it is, courage and determination without hesitation and risk-taking can bring incredible results. At the same time, as pointed out by quoting the Tao Te Ching at the beginning of this article, apparent strength does not necessarily mean everything, and in the case of Hong Kong, the chances may not be as bad as many people assert.
In short, the international financial center is a very special field. Many cities have strived for this status in the past, including Amsterdam, Vienna, Florence, Venice, Paris and Philadelphia in the United States. The status and potential of London and New York were not initially known. generally favored. This shows that judging whether a city can become an international financial center is not a simple matter. Let’s talk about the road to international financial centers in London and New York next time.
“Hong Kong’s Legendary Future” Series 41
Contact the author: Gudordi@proton.me
