Psychology of "pocket it first" (袋住先)

Nowadays, however, resources are abundant, and we tend to take it easy, sit back, relax, and aren't bothered to take something that is not quite exactly what we want. We would even do the opposite of “pocketing it first” and happily give up what is offered to us. Again, the gist is the absence of a feeling of insecurity that makes it unnecessary to “pocket it first”.

Our kids have been brought up in a relatively resource abundant society. Insecurity is no longer a key drive for survival. In fact, the lack of insecurity makes our young generation take things for granted. No wonder why they aren't attracted to the pocket-it-first package for electing our Chief Executive in 2017. Think about it! You refuse to take anything interim now only if you think you are likely to get something better later.

The general resistance to taking the imperfect election package is perhaps a reflection of an illusory state of content of Hong Kong people after a prolonged period of relative security. But those who are able to foresee an insecure future (like many of our mainland friends who clearly know there will be no better odds going against the central government) would unhesitatingly make the clever move of “pocketing it first”. More you feel insecure, more you would scramble to take anything on board first.

From a strategist’s viewpoint, what CY Leung has done as our Chief Executive (our official "bridge" to Beijing) so far is simply to instil a sense of insecurity by exposing the stupidity of expecting democracy in Hong Kong. Thanks to CY Leung, once the reality of insecurity is recognized, our natural instinct of “pocketing it first” will re-emerge to guarantee success of our government’s proposed election package.