There are many ways to interpret the sex photo scandal of Hong Kong pop stars. But the core of the matter, as I see it, is the wrangling between the law and morality.
On the legal side, it is not hard to pinpoint who broke the law. If you take your notebook computer to a repair shop and the repairman makes a copy of your hard drive without your permission, that is stealing, pure and simple. For those netizens who disagree, let me give an analogy: Say you call a cable repairman to your home to fix the line, and he gets curious about the contents of your closet and removes something, that would be against any rule of ethics or law. There is no way you can explain it away by saying you stumbled upon it or the item you took could be incriminating evidence against the customer.
If the repairman happened to notice Edison Chen's photos - the actor at the center of the scandal - which he felt were immoral or illegal, he should have called the authorities instead of snooping around other people's private lives.
What Chen did with his lovers was not illegal if (a) the women were not coerced, (b) they were not underage when the photos were taken, or (c) he did not intend to publicize the photos. From what we know now, it seems to be the case. So, from a legal perspective, Chen and the starlets were victims.
Yet, when you search and research online, the predominant reaction is against Chen, and not the one who filched his digital files. That is because the digital thief did not seem to have any commercial or malicious intention. He just shared his loot with some friends, and one of them could not resist the temptation to share it with the vast online populace.
It is obviously inappropriate to spread photos of such a private nature, but one cannot equate the human weakness of curiosity with the deliberate violation of the law. If anyone who has looked at the images has broken the law, there would not be a prison large enough to hold all the offenders.
The Hong Kong police belatedly tried to draw a fine line between those who share with friends and those who transmit indiscriminately, but it only turned the incident into an endless stream of titillation.
Moreover, by actively prosecuting the case, the Hong Kong police caused a backlash from netizens who accused the police of selective enforcement of the law: Why do you go after a few net users while everything was initiated by the star? They argued.
True, Chen and his bedfellows should help the police in their investigations, but what they did falls mostly into the moral realm. The licentiousness may have caught many by surprise. That is because ordinary people were duped by the giant machine of the entertainment industry, which excels at fabricating the public personas of pop idols.
Chen is portrayed as a nice, wholesome boy and Gillian Chung, one half of the singing duo, The Twins, as an innocent girl who believes in chastity before marriage. Those who believe this are simply fools. Wake up! What you see is just a role they play.
You would be disillusioned if you see them as role models. Many are not, except for their good looks. I do not sympathize with them because when they get into the business of being an idol, they implicitly follow the rules and play their roles, agreed or thrust upon them. If they play fast and loose, they must be held responsible for the occupational hazards that may ensue.
The age of innocence has long gone. This scandal only makes it clearer.
上一篇: See the light?
下一篇: Zero sum game
国内英语资讯:U.S. urged to stop using Tibet-related issues to interfere in Chinas internal affairs
国际英语资讯:Police shoot dead anti-poll protester in west Kenya
2017年12月英语六级作文范文:文科还是理科
国内英语资讯:63th joint patrol starts on Mekong River
学会做一个听众
The Real Champion 真正的冠军
新西兰女总理上任第一把火:禁止外国人买房
Dig up the hatchet?
国际英语资讯:Spotlight: British lawmakers say yes to Dec. 12 general election
国内英语资讯:Premier Li meets South African deputy president
体坛英语资讯:Olympic badminton champion Chen sails through first round at French Open
iPhone X产能减半!原因竟然是生产难度大?
国际英语资讯:UN Security Council strengthens call for womens participation in peace processes
哈佛最新研究:出现感冒征兆,喝红茶就好了
国内英语资讯:China to issue guideline to improve business environment for foreign investors
国际英语资讯:U.S. Ambassador: UN report says Syria uses banned sarin gas on civilians
体坛英语资讯:Host Indonesia expects to secure golds in at least 8 sports in 18th Asian Games
国内英语资讯:China Focus: China-made holographic projection amazes global netizens
体坛英语资讯:No shining results but some hopefuls at Chinese National Swimming Champs
为什么万圣节要吃糖果?
国际英语资讯:UN envoy calls for dialogue to find solution to Iraqs protests
国内英语资讯:China to further promote social civility in rural areas
肉毒杆菌或能用于缓解儿童和青少年的偏头痛
爱奇艺将于2018年在美国IPO 估值超80亿美元
宜家新广告遭吐槽:广告只要创意好,三观就真的不重要吗?
骑三轮环游世界的中国爷爷去世,只为宣传奥运!
国际英语资讯:Boeing CEO admits mistakes on 737 Max, deflects tough questions at Senate hearing
麦当劳中国更名“金拱门” 炸出一堆段子手
基因检测结果呈阴性?这可能是“虚假的安慰”
国内英语资讯:China will not change determination to deepen relations with Russia -- Xi