I had only been back in Hong Kong for a day, still adjusting to the time difference, when I dragged myself out of bed at 5:00 AM on Monday to catch the first flight to Taipei. I was attending d/acc day to listen to talks and share about d/hk. I might discuss the philosophy of d/acc in another article later, but this week, I want to talk about the “D” in DHK.
A reader once asked me about my process for choosing topics for the weekly report. As the saying goes, “ideas are cheap, execution is precious.” I find topics everywhere; the real difficulty is developing them. Even for subjects I know best, it takes me half a day to write. My schedule is filled with pending topics, already planned out to issue #221 in September. Yet, almost every week when I actually sit down to write, I end up tackling issues that have jumped the queue for various reasons. Like this week, my sharing about d/hk unearthed the long-shelved topic of “D.”
The “D” in DHK
Many know that DHK was originally called #decentralizehk. When simplifying the brand back then, my good friend R strongly advocated for “DeHK” and even proactively checked the availability of domains like dehk.org. Many have heard of DeFi, DeX, etc., making the meaning of DeHK quite apparent. Coupled with the domain availability, it was a good name. The reason I insisted on DHK and regretfully didn’t accept his suggestion is that the “D” represents far more than just decentralize.
When most people see DHK, the first association the “D” might trigger is probably “Dollar”; after all, HKD reversed is DHK. I didn’t intend to create this association, but if it helps someone remember DHK, it’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Most people know the original core meaning of D is Decentralize. Literally translated, DHK could mean “Decentralized Hong Kong,” which aligns with the mission stated in our declaration: “to provide web3 civic education for Muggles.” What was truly unexpected was that several years after DHK was founded, the Hong Kong government also put forward similar discourse, (in a sense) embracing cryptocurrency and aiming to “build Hong Kong into a digital asset management center.” While I don’t think this makes DHK politically correct or eligible for funding to run web3 civic education, at least blockchain is no longer universally condemned, and cryptocurrency isn’t seen as a monstrous threat, which is undoubtedly a good thing.
Decentralize’s twin is Democratize. The physical world of Hong Kong lacks democracy; DHK attempts to create democracy in the digital world. You might think this sounds naive (“膠” – slang for silly/unrealistic), but at least I am sincerely committed (“真心膠” – genuinely committed despite appearing naive) rather than just talking the talk. DHK volunteers use a QV (quadratic voting) mechanism each quarter to evaluate contributions, and then distribute the community’s leftover $DHK for the quarter based on contribution levels. This is the democracy we created ourselves – not only practical but also more advanced than the voting and distribution mechanisms of any country. Democracy isn’t just about voting; more importantly, it’s about daily participation. In this respect, DHK’s consistent approach is that everyone can join as a dao member, and every dao member can become a volunteer to initiate their own projects.
Besides Decentralize and Democratize, Diversify is also essential. Only a society with choices can be diverse, and only a diverse society allows individuals to have choices in life. A system lacking diversity cannot be truly decentralized, nor can it achieve genuine democracy, and vice versa. Therefore, diversity is another core value of DHK, inseparable from decentralization and democracy.
There’s another “D” that is particularly important for Hong Kong: Diasporic. Since 2019, the UK alone has seen over 200,000 Hong Kong immigrants, nearly 4% of Hong Kong’s population. Adding those in Taiwan, Canada, the US, Australia, and elsewhere, it’s no exaggeration to say Hong Kong has become a diaspora. I deeply agree with the sentiment that “Hong Kong is not just a place, but more importantly, its people.” However, to prevent this from becoming just a romantic slogan, we need a vessel to carry the history and meaning of this “Ship of Theseus.” Claiming DHK is that vessel might be an overstatement, but it can at least be a piece of the puzzle. DHK volunteers are spread across Hong Kong, the UK, Taiwan, and North America, while dao members are even more dispersed. This group’s identity is no longer based on a shared location, and perhaps will increasingly not depend on the ID cards and passports they hold. Through weekly reports, discussion groups, and other activities, using networks, tokens, and blockchain for daily interaction, DHK continues to interpret the identity of Hong Kongers in everyday life, constructing a diasporic community.
The final “D,” and the main reason I attended d/acc day, is Defend. The “D” in d/acc stands for Decentralize and Democratic, but also Defensive, while “acc” means Acceleration. Combined, it signifies accelerating technological and economic development while simultaneously avoiding centralization, valuing democracy, and prioritizing defense. For instance, in today’s rapid AI development, rather than solely competing to develop Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) or even Artificial Superintelligence (ASI), d/acc focuses more on whether the emergence of AGI and ASI could lead to unprecedented disasters as described in science fiction, or obliterate human value.
Currently, all nations hope to win the AI race. Some see it not just as a competition for economic efficiency but as an arms race. Some patriotic elites in the US even refer to AI research as the “new Manhattan Project.” As the name implies, if detonated, the consequences could surpass nuclear bombs, becoming the most severe man-made disaster in history. Despite the extremely severe potential consequences, the winner enjoys exclusive benefits while the disaster is shared collectively (perhaps even borne by others). Preparing for AI defense, especially in the current climate emphasizing national priorities, is destined to have no market. Even far-sighted heads of state are unlikely to gain popular support. What is shared by the most receives the least care – a typical tragedy of the commons, and a core concern of d/acc.
Returning to the main theme, what DHK aims to defend are Hong Kong’s culture, traditions, and core values, including Traditional Chinese, Cantonese, freedom, democracy, the rule of law, and human rights. Language is a “niche” issue shared with places like Taiwan and Guangzhou, while the others are universal values, or at least values upheld by advanced nations. Thus, what DHK seeks to defend includes not only Hong Kong but also broader humanistic concerns.
I have no intention of deifying DHK. Quite the opposite, I am keenly aware of our limited strength. Just preserving Hong Kong’s history is a lifelong task. Therefore, defending universal values like the rule of law and human rights might seem like “being overwhelmed by too much empathy/passion” (“困乏我多情”). DHK’s daily practice focuses more on Hong Kong issues, implemented bit by bit through projects like the “Drifting Classroom” – focusing on marginalized small shops), the “UBR Unconditional Basic Reader” program (collecting Hong Kong books), donating to support local civic media, and the conceptual DHKid identity system.
DHK isn’t the only thing centered around “D”; so is the Japanese manga One Piece. In One Piece, there is the so-called “Will of D,” a belief associated with a certain country or family, symbolizing the spirit of resisting oppression and pursuing freedom. Whitebeard, the captain of the Whitebeard Pirates, once said that the “Will of D” will be inherited by future generations; even if the bloodline is broken, the spirit will endure and eventually change the world.
In One Piece, D also carries another layer of imagery, representing Dream and Dawn. To uphold the “Will of D” is to hold onto dreams, believing firmly that darkness will eventually pass, and dawn will arrive.
p.s. DHK’s predecessor was my column #decentralizehk in Apple Daily. Once, a good friend J advised me not to be so provocative with my language to avoid trouble. I understood J was just concerned, but this type of concern puts extra peer pressure on citizens already walking on thin ice and unwilling to compromise. Annoyed, I complained that J didn’t blame the regime oppressing the people but instead blamed me for my peaceful social intervention. We went back and forth and had a small argument. Recalling this small incident isn’t about assigning blame, but about illustrating how tense the spirit is, how tight the pressure, when living in an authoritarian society and speaking under white terror.
p.p.s. Dedicated to the unwavering Will of D.
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