Self-Transcendence
FADE IN:
INT. CLUBHOUSE - DAY
Skimming through a newspaper, PETER stops at a photo featuring a father and his 23-month daughter lying face down in muddy waters along a river bank. His daughter is tucked inside his father's T-shirt and with her arm wrapped around his father's neck.
PETER (V.O.)
(Moved)
They daughter clung to
his Dad until her final
moment. Staying put in
El Savador seemed not
an option for the father
and he wanted to chase
his American dream...
EXT. ROAD - DAY
Sitting in the driver seat, Peter listens to the car radio. An anchor reports that: she resurfaces again in a photo...quoting...people thought that I'd "die", but with the staunch support ...I won't "die"...
PETER (V.O.)
(Frustrated)
Hong Kong has become
ungovernable and she
is still thinking about herself.
It was power and glory, now
is powerless and shame!
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.)
One resonating message
I got from my Harvard
professors on leadership is
to retire gracefully if the
circumstances warrant.
MONTAGE OF PETER'S ENCOUNTER WITH A COLLEAGUE IN THE 1990s.
A. After a meeting, a COLLEAGUE (32) continues to discuss with Peter concerning intellectual property (IP) legal policy issues.
B. The colleague calls Peter several times a day to discuss IP legal policy matters.
C. IP Bills tabled are passed by the Legislature.
D. For six months, the colleague has stopped connecting with Peter.
E. Then Peter learns from the newspapers that the colleague has hung himself at home.
F. Peter attends the colleagues funeral and hears that the colleagues chooses to end his life due to work pressure.
END MONTAGE
.
PETER (V.O.) He was a first-class honour
Cambridge graduate and
an Administrative Officer.
After our collaboration,
he was transferred to
another policy bureau at
a higher position - a junior
directorate.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Even if he couldn't deliver,
killing himself was totally
disproportionate. He could
have quit the job and re-start
again, given his good
potential and qualities.
INT. STUDY - DAY
Peter works on his computer.
PETER (V.O.)
I didn't think about death
until 1992. My first wife
and I were too busy to
equip ourselves that we
took life for granted. The
silent cancer ended her
life and our marriage in
six months.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.)
For living things, death
is certain. What and
why do we live for?
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Pleasure aside, do we
need to be satisfied that
there's meaning in our
lives?
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Further, are we just one
among the many as a
species. Do our individual
thoughts and actions make
a difference?
Pausing.
PETER(V.O.) (Cont'd)
Are we true to ourselves?
Who am I after all? What
exactly constitutes my
individual self?
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
I ponder more often such
issues now, especially when I'm out of town.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Meanwhile, my goal is to
continue to create, tell my
my stories and share my
feelings in my creative
works and publish my stuff
to the world.
FLASHBACK
INT. INTERVIEWING ROOM - DAY (1980)
Peter (25) is being interviewed by a 3-member Panel with name plates in front of them. Their ranks are Principal Land Executive, Chief Land Executive and Senior Land Executive. Looking at Peter's CV dismissively, the Chief Land Executive questions Peter crossly.
CHIEF LAND EXECUTIVE
You study Logic? What's
that all about?
PETER
It's reasoning according to
strict principles of validity...
The panel looks bewildered.
PETER (Cont'd)
I give a simple example of
deductive logic. The
major premise is "All men
are mortal." The minor
premise is:"I'm a man."
The logical conclusion is:
"I'm mortal."
END FLASHBACK
PETER (V.O.)
I'm prepared that I may
not rise with the sun the next day.It's just a matter
of time. I'm just a negligible
part of a greater whole.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Having understood myself
and shared my thoughts
and feelings of human
development, I might be
able to achieve self-
transcendence, before
vanishing under the sun.
Peter checks a facebook notification.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
My younger daughter likes
my Happy Birthday song
to her!
Peter smiles.
FADE OUT. The End