Kowloon Walled City documentary (Part 4/4) + english subtitles

Part 4 (final part) of a 1989 German documentary on Hong Kong's fabled Kowloon Walled City.

Originally uploaded by aveletrian.
Subtitles added by yours truly.

(C) 1989 Hawke Productions ltd

Category:

Education

Tags:

• kowloon
• walled
• city
• documentary
• german
• urban
• overcrowding
• cyberpunk
• eng
• subbed
• subs

[ditr16]

Thanks for uploading--enlightening! Read Pullinger's book Chasing the Dragon. She clearly states that what made the difference was God's power and the Holy Spirit. These addicts tried everything else, but failed. Then a Christian woman who dared to trust God and pray for them had MIRACULOUS results. If we could do things on our own, then why is it that humanity is not living in a utopia, though we have tried? Why aren't we able to carry out something as simple as a New Year's resolution?

[tuschman168]

@ditr16 Thank you for your post. You are raising some very philosophical questions and I don’t really feel like there is an easy answer to them nor that I have the authority to tackle them in detail unprepared in a short post on youtube. That’s why we as humans have been pondering on them for quite a while now. But for what it’s worth, here are some quick thoughts on the subject. (They are from the perspective of an atheist. I hope that doesn’t diminish them in your eyes.):

[tuschman168]

@tuschman168 The existence of a benevolent god would of course provide some answers. However, I personally feel like these answers would be too easy and wouldn’t take everything in account in terms of evidence. Pullinger would of course report overwhelming success in her own book. We scientists call it “bias” and it happens to us as well. That’s why we have peer review. Everyone is convinced that their way is the best. Otherwise we would choose another way.

[tuschman168]

@tuschman168 This is also why there will always be conflict amongst humans and this leads to your question: “Why aren’t we living in a utopia?” I stand by my statement that we could “do things on our own”. However, it is not really in our nature to live in absolute harmony since (as stated above) different people will always have different motivations and interests. “We have tried” you say. “Some of us try every now and then” I say.

[tuschman168]

@tuschman168 We don’t really want to sacrifice our own benefits for others. Empathy is something that must be learned and trained. Small children for example are very selfish at first. But they can learn to feel compassion. And just like children I think mankind as a whole can learn, too. Step by step. This thought gives me confidence and strength. Success isn’t instantaneous…

…but we’re getting there.

[wtfusername]

This was incredibly interesting. However, this is seen from a Western point of view, and therefore must contain some cultural inaccuracies; things lost in translation. It's a shame that there don't seem to be many, if any, insider's points of view of this place. But this was a very well done documentary, with some poetic nuances in the narration. Thank you for sharing! :)

[tuschman168]

@wtfusername And thank you for your feedback. The german narration is really rather flowery at times (in a good way) and I'm glad this is still detectable in my translation. Even so, something always gets lost in translation and the informations here were translated at least twice (Chinese-->German-->English) so people are well advised not to base their opinion on this documentary alone. Sadly there is not much else info around. Like you said: Some inside perspective would be nice.

[viyanna]

Thanks, I come across this video by chance because I am learning German...even though I am from Hong Kong I didnt know much about this walled city. Thanks SO much for helping me in learning German and my own city's culture.

[burningmatch09]

Thanks for translating and uploading!

Greetings from a Brazilian guy who lives in Argentina and enjoyed your comment on how Japanese people are watching an Austrian documentary about a town in Hong Kong, translated to English by a German guy.

[smo699]

Reminds me of Zion from the Matrix movies. It was almost like a hive.

[DPheart]

@worldbones I meant forced in the way that they maybe couldn't afford to live elsewhere or that they for some other reason couldn't live an other place.

[worldbones]

London, UK

[worldbones]

Thanks for the translation on this!! I found the narration a bit one-sided too, and unnecessarily negative in places. The place is fascinating and strangely beautiful; in a post-apocalyptic, organised chaotic kinda way..

[worldbones]

@DPheart A lot of them weren't forced, they chose to live there