Abstract
Hong Kong can be a lonely place. In a city of 7.5 million, a spirit of community is not easy to create, criss-crossing the MTR on long commutes to longer working hours while doom-scrolling on smartphones. A feeling of isolation, even alienation, can afflict city dwellers, young and old. Where do Hong Kongers find an environment of belonging in hectic, stressful daily lives?
Who hasn't experienced the cold shoulder of indifference in chance encounters in a big city like Hong Kong? The nineteenth-century French poet Charles Baudelaire registered this loneliness in the "Parisian tableaux" section of Flowers of Evil. Lost among crowds, Baudelaire suggested that "multitude" and "solitude" are interchangeable words. The sociologist Georges Simmel claimed that cities are places that bombard our senses, fragmenting interpersonal relationships, forcing individuals into a defensive emotional withdrawal he defined as "blasé". These forces have intensified in the digital age.
And yet, Hong Kong offers lively and captivating social gatherings. Take, for example, the welcoming spoken-word poetry scene where bohemian writers, rappers, and musicians mix with university professors and students after a busy day to enjoy a shared passion for each other's linguistic creativity and performance art.
The moments they create are anything but blasé.
Who hasn't experienced the cold shoulder of indifference in chance encounters in a big city like Hong Kong? The nineteenth-century French poet Charles Baudelaire registered this loneliness in the "Parisian tableaux" section of Flowers of Evil. Lost among crowds, Baudelaire suggested that "multitude" and "solitude" are interchangeable words. The sociologist Georges Simmel claimed that cities are places that bombard our senses, fragmenting interpersonal relationships, forcing individuals into a defensive emotional withdrawal he defined as "blasé". These forces have intensified in the digital age.
And yet, Hong Kong offers lively and captivating social gatherings. Take, for example, the welcoming spoken-word poetry scene where bohemian writers, rappers, and musicians mix with university professors and students after a busy day to enjoy a shared passion for each other's linguistic creativity and performance art.
The moments they create are anything but blasé.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Specialist publication | Through dots, we connect |
| Publication status | Published - 17 Dec 2025 |