作者2007年寫去南華早報及香港虎報的電郵。
編緝你好,
現在是香港中學會考放榜，我寫信來希望貴報不要把拿10A狀元的消息來充塞頭條，因為如此的頭條會對香港社會做成相當不良的影響。自1997年以來，香港教育署不是年年都提倡「求學為求知，求學不是為了求分數」，但是不少的香港傳媒都懶理香港教育的新宗旨，照樣每年硬銷一次10A會考生的神話，但沒有考慮到這到底代表了什麼意思呢?這是不是說這班10A會考生都是香港社會的中流抵柱，所以香港社會不可能沒有他們一直以來對香港的貢獻呢?這是不是說一向以來都這班10A會考生都是在不斷改善香港的政治/經濟/社會環境?這之少是不是說一向以來都這班10A會考生都會飛黃騰達，個個都成富商巨匱，舉足輕重，成了香港不可或缺的人材?但是恕我孤陋寡聞，我甚少留意到報紙及傳媒在製造完這些三分鐘英雄後有什麼跟進，去檢視一下到底這10A凡的會考結果和在現實社會的成功到底有幾多的關係?
如此一來，傳媒/報紙只製造三分鐘明星而不求甚解，只會加深香港的功利理性主義: 讀書不是為求知識、不是為了不惜一切發掘真相，不是為向自己的理性誠實，而只是為了用任何手段得到成績表上的A，愈多愈好。試問在如此的氛圍下，香港怎可能產生出像陳易希及霍金博士之類的出類拔萃的人材，令人類的科學及文明大步向前邁進?
所以，我希望貴報盡一個知識份子的良心，不要再傷害反智香港的智性發展了。
謹此敬上
一關心時事的香港市民
(My email to SCMP and Hong Kong standard.)
Hello Sir,
Please refrain to act like other braindead media by making 10A result of HKCEE a news. This is for the consideration of the effect of such a headline. Since 1997, HK Dept of Education constantly promote the idea of ‘Study not for the sake of score, Study is for the sake of understanding’. However, all media continue to propaganda a myth of 10A student by making them headline at tomorrow. What sense does it make?
Does it mean our society is operate largely because of the contribution of these academic achiever? Does our society become better because of them? Does it mean those academic achiever would then on the fast track to become rich, successful in the future? Does any media ever follow up on these one time achiever?
This has encourage the intellectual pragmatism: It is no longer necessary to learn the truth, but produce what get me an A. Intellectual integrity and deeper understanding of the subject is thus deeply discourage. They are the antithesis of guy like Stephen Hawking, Chan Yiu Hu. When we have more of the 10A student, we have lesser chance of produce any of them.
Please, for the good conscience, stop damaging the intellectual future of Hong Kong!
Sincerely
Concerned Citizen