From Chaos to Hope: Public Expectations

From Chaos to Hope: Public Expectations
United Daily News editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
December 17, 2009

The United Daily News and the Far Eastern Group recently sponsored a Word of the Year Contest. We asked the public which words best symbolized the year 2009. The word "pan," (hope) took first place. Last year the word was "luan," (chaos). This year's word, "hope," reflects a shift in public sentiment. It also represents the public's expectations for the new political regime.
Given the current political climate, the emergence of the word "hope" was rather unexpected. Public morale is low. The list of candidates included 30 words. Over two-thirds of them carried negative connotations. They included words such as "ma" (verbal abuse), "hun" (muddling through), "jing" (panic), "ku" (bitterness), "men" (suffocation), and "can" (tragedy). That the word "hope" would come to the fore shows that after years of unrest and suffering, people are finally calming down. They are finally able to look to the new year with relative equanimity. They may be dissatisfied, but they are full of expectations.

The Word of the Year Contest has three functions. First, it encapsulates the collective mood of society. Second, it enables the public to both review the past and anticipate the future. Third, it reflects public sentiment and encourages the government to engage in self-examination. The contest was co-sponsored by the United Daily News and the Far Eastern Group. This is merely the second year it has been held, but it has already become the focus of public attention. It also reflects to a considerable degree the collective mood on Taiwan. This year's word "hope," was suggested by Mr. Kuo Yao-hua. That a retiree's feelings would resonant so intensely with the public, makes it even more meaningful.

Recall last year. The beginning of the new year saw a second change in ruling parties, and a restructuring of the legislature. And yet the word of the year was not "new," but "chaos." This suggests that the new administration failed to find its way. It was unable to put Taiwan back on track. The public felt as if it had been cast adrift, and surrounded by chaos. Add to this the twists and turns of the Chen corruption case, the impact of the global financial crisis, and the sudden rise in the unemployment rate. No wonder the public felt trapped, both politically and economically. No wonder the word "chaos" came to peoples' minds.

This year the situation on Taiwan is slightly different. A first instance verdict has been delivered in the Chen corruption case. Most of the dark clouds have dissipated. Chen Shui-bian is not being released. Any statements he hopes to make, will have to be made from his jail cell. His ability to incite political unrest and meddle with the political process has been significantly diminished. The wounds inflicted by the financial tsunami have yet to heal, but the economy is showing signs of heating up. Signs of prosperity are returning. Although one cannot say that all our worries have been swept away, the public feels some relief. It looks forward with "hope" for political stability and economic rejuvenation. It no longer feels it is at the bottom of an abyss.

Now compare the top ten words for this year with last year's. Except for the winning candidate, the changes in the words suggested reveal an interesting trend. For example, this years' finalists include fewer negative words such as "can" (tragic) and "men" (suffocating). They include more positive words such as "bian" (change), and "ai" (love). These show that public sentiment has reversed itself and has taken on a sunnier outlook. Especially worth pondering are the words associated with Chen Shui-bian, such as "pian" (deception), "tan" (greed), and "bian" (flattened out). These words have all disappeared from the top 10 list. This does not mean the public is satisfied with the government's handling of the Chen corruption case. But it does show that the public has emerged from under the shadow of the Chen Shui-bian kleptocracy.

What is noteworthy is that although the number one word for the year was "hope," the second, third, and fourth words were negative words such as "false, bitter, tragic, stifling." This reminds us that as the society as a whole adapts and recovers, many individuals remain incapable of surmounting the bitterness in their lives. They are unable to share the majority's calm optimism. Naturally their feelings must not be overlooked. This year, for example, what people remember the most clearly is the landslides that buried entire villages alive during the 8/8 Floods. Because it was a regional disaster, it lacked universal impact. Therefore symbolic words do not always reflect the pathos experienced. The sponsors of the Word of the Year Contest invited aboriginal children from disaster stricken regions to write the word "hope." They wanted to give them a chance to express their hopes that their homes might be rebuilt. They wanted to remind people not to forget the suffering of the disaster victims.

For two consecutive years, over two-thirds of the words on the annual word for the year list have been negative. The public on Taiwan has been inculcated with the notion that tragedies, disasters, scandals, and other negative developments are the norm. This makes it more suceptible to negative suggestions. Year after year of voting for their favored candidates may allow us to better understand our society's psychological bottom line, and adopt a more proactive, less victim-oriented posture.

The word "hope" emerged in late 2009. It summarized the past year. It also expressed our collective hopes for the coming year. Some people hope for a rejuvenated economy. Some people hope for a brighter future. Some people hope for national unity. Some people hope for cross-Strait peace. Some people hope for social progress. Some people hope for relief from suffering and disaster. We too hope that the new year will go our way, and that our compatriots can enjoy peace and prosperity.

由「亂」到「盼」 台灣期待更大的提升
【聯合報╱社論】
2009.12.17 03:12 am

台灣選出二○○九年的代表字，「盼」字拔得頭籌。從去年的代表字「亂」，走到今年的「盼」，反映民眾心境上的轉折，也顯示人們對新局的期待之殷切。

以當前的政治氣氛而言，這個「盼」字的出線，其實讓人有點意外。國家社會情勢低迷，在候選名單上的卅個字，超過三分之二都是負面感受的字眼，如罵、混、驚、苦、悶、慘等；「盼」字能在其間脫穎而出，顯示人們在歷經多年的不安與煎熬後，心情上似已更加沉澱，因而能用比較平靜的態度看待這一年：不能說滿意，但懷抱期待。

年度代表字的選拔，意義有三：一則在總結社會的集體感受，二則提供民眾自身回顧與前瞻的參考，三則反映民情促主政者反省。這項由聯合報及遠東集團共同舉辦的活動，雖然今年才第二屆，但不僅成功凝聚了社會焦點，也相當真切地反射了台灣社會的集體心理。今年這個「盼」字，是由郭耀華先生所提出，一位退休人士的感受能獲得那麼廣大的共鳴，似乎更具深意！

回顧去年，從年初歷經政黨再輪替及國會結構重整的嶄新政局，但最後年度代表字選出的不是「新」，而是「亂」。這顯示，新政府執政未能及時掌握方向，無法將台灣政局帶上新的軌道，讓民眾產生茫然、失序之感。此外，扁案偵辦的波波折折、枝節橫生，以及全球金融風暴的突襲，造成失業率驟升，政治和民生雙陷困頓。在那種情況下，人民的感受豈是一個「亂」字了得？

今年台灣的情勢略有不同。扁案經過一審判決，漫天疑雲大致底定，陳水扁只能在獄中發聲，對政治的騷動和干擾作用大為降低。此外，金融海嘯帶來的重創雖未全部復元，但經濟有回溫跡象，景氣信號已出現綠燈。雖不能說一掃愁鬱，一般民眾的苦悶多少有所紓解，社會心境轉為「盼」，期待政治安定、經濟回春，可見谷底心情已經過去。

再以今年選出的前十大代表字與去年相比，除了榜首字，若干些微的移動也透露出有趣的趨勢。比如說，接連兩年皆上榜的字中，負面的代表字「慘」和「悶」排名都下降，而正面代表字「變」與「愛」排名都前進，顯示人們情緒的黑白反差正朝著陽光面調整。更值得玩味的是，與陳水扁有關的代表字，如「騙」、「貪」、「扁」，今年全部從前十名單上消失。這雖無法說明民眾大致滿意扁案的偵辦，卻可反映出人們在心情上已擺脫了陳水扁窳政和貪瀆的陰影。

值得注意的是，今年名列前五名的代表字，除了「盼」外，第二到第四名皆為負面字：假、苦、慘、悶。這也提醒我們：在社會集體調適和復元的過程中，仍有極高比率的人無法克服生活中的種種愁苦，無法分享多數人的平靜和樂觀；當然，他們的感受也不應受到忽略。以今年為例，人們記憶最深刻的，應該是八八水災崩山、滅村的悲劇；但因為那是一場區域性的災難，未造成全面性衝擊，所以代表字中未必能反映其間悲情。這次主辦單位特別邀請災區原住民學童用毛筆寫下「盼」字，讓他們說出期盼重建家園的願望，目的也在提醒人們不要忘了災民的苦難。

連續兩年，台灣的年度字名單，負面字都佔了三分之二以上。究其原因，或者是台灣人被灌輸了太多悲情，或者災難、醜聞等負面事件本來就比較容易造成心理衝擊。透過年復一年的票選，也許可以幫我們看清其間的社會心理底蘊，從而向更積極的面向轉化。

「盼」字出現在二○○九年尾，既是對過去一年的總結，也是對未來一年的期許。有人期盼景氣回春，有人期盼前途光明，有人期盼國家團結，有人期盼兩岸和平，有人期盼社會向上提升，有人期盼人民免於痛苦和災難。我們亦願與國人一同期盼：新的一年風調雨順，國泰民安。