One of the qualities instilled from childhood in our generation was that of expressing gratitude when some kindness was extended to us. Times were tough in those days, yet our hard-working parents still took time to teach us the basic niceties of well-mannered behavior - which, in turn, we have tried to pass on to the generations succeeding us. Such kindness and courtesy having provided a societal foundation for our upbringing, most of us are dismayed and deeply disappointed over the attitude of some of today's students, who appear to be incapable of appreciating how very fortunate they are. Instead they take it for granted that they know better than their elders - because they are cocksure of their righteousness in resolving our current political and economic problems - and that they are destined for future leadership roles! And they can't wait!

But stop! Spare us, please, from the puffed-up egos of our would-be saviors. In the last couple of years we have seen far too much of their troublemaking to faintly consider entrusting them with the responsibly of performing any good work.

These ungrateful youths would not be attending universities if it were not for the taxpayer money that subsidizes their studies.

Now let us turn to another aspect of how those self-centered students somehow enjoy a totally undeserved special status, often glamorized and egged on by their media and political patrons. Easily the most galling aspect of their involvement in those violent street protests was that when charged in court they were allowed to escape being appropriately punished for all the chaos, disruption and economic damage they had inflicted on other law-abiding citizens. Many were not even given a slap on the wrist. Instead it was more like a gentle stroke on the fingers with a large feather, and a white one, too - the color signifying the abject surrender of the legal authorities!

The aggressive and bad behavior of some students at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) was a disgrace that should not have been allowed to happen in the first place. These activists have been acting as though they have the right to dictate who should be appointed to the university's governing council. Naturally, they have identified the candidate close to their cause.

A year ago we saw at graduation ceremonies examples of the vilest behavior by students, who turned their bodies away from the rostrum and bent over, presenting their backsides to the guests of honor.

We, who are older and wiser, are perplexed by these and many other disgraceful incidents - particularly because we also dreamed of going to university. But in our day there were only two such institutions - HKU, the acknowledged "elder statesman" of our education system, and the Chinese University of Hong Kong at its remote location in the New Territories - and competition to enter either was correspondingly fierce. Now there are over a dozen higher education institutes and universities that are allowed to award degrees on Hong Kong - and applicants are spoilt for choice.

Moving on, who instils these feelings of superiority in the minds of these self-righteous students, their belief that they know better than their elders, and their attitude of complete ingratitude for the privileges they have been accorded? Logically, the answer must lie in some connection with the lessons they are being taught. So is it not reasonable to ask what checks and balances are being used by the education authorities to oversee the curricula that are being taught to these highly opinionated youths?

Older and wiser heads in our society strongly believe that something has gone amiss in the guidance today's students are receiving from their lectures - plus the encouragement it seems they are receiving to "take to the streets", launching illegal, violent protests that cause very costly disruptions.

Is there not a case for a wake-up call to be delivered not just to the students but to the overly liberal-minded teaching staff of the institutions from which it is presumed they are getting their ideas? The present situation should not be allowed to continue unchecked. It seems inevitable that such a situation means that sooner rather than later we will have to suffer the unnecessary agony of a rolling program of still more illegal and violent protests.

Parents of obstreperous university students should follow through on their responsibility to teach their sons and daughters some home truths about their good fortune in receiving public subsidies for the final years of their education.

The author is an international businessman and keen observer of Asian affairs.

(HK Edition 12/02/2015 page10)