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Writer's picturePeter K F Cheung SBS

Humbled By The Infinite


  1. FADE IN


  2. Act 1


  3. INT. LIVING ROOM - 08:45


  4. Sitting in a sofa, PETER scrolls a chat group message on his mobile.


  5. PETER (V.O): Another human-centric post on humility and perspective.


  6. Pausing.


  7. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Let me share something different.


  8. Peter mines a video clip via YouTube.


  9. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): That's it. Carl Sagan's Pale Blue Dot.


  10. As Peter taps "Play", we see on screen the Earth is quickly turned into a pale blue dot by the immensity of space.

  11. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): And that's home.


  12. And we hear the narrator saying:.. every human being who ever was, lived out their lives...


  13. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): The universe is also vast in time, making the Earth and the entire history of humanity seem fleeting and insignificant in comparison.


  14. Act 2

  15. MONTAGE OF PETER'S STRUGGLES WHEN YOUNG.


  16. A. Castle Peak Hotel, 1969-1974. Peter (15- 20) works as a part-time waiter.


  17. B. Shing Tai Dyeing Factory, Tsuen Wan, Summer 1971. Peter (17) works as a factory worker.


  18. C. Yue Wo Tong, Lau Fau Shan, 1970-1973. Peter (17-19) works as a part-time waiter.


  19. D. Lido, Repulse Bay, Summer, 1973, Peter (19) works as a bar-tender.


  20. END MONTAGE


  21. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): To support myself, I always worked on holidays. Life was tough.


  22. Pausing.


  23. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): When my bright peers couldn't offer any meaning of life, I helped myself by studying Philosophy.


  24. Recalling.


  25. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I liked Cosmology as I wanted to know about my role, if any, in the Cosmos.


  26. Recalling.


  27. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): And Metaphysics too, as I was concerned not only with the nature of things that exist, but also the nature of things that might not.


  28. MONTAGE OF PETER'S CAREER DEVELOPMENTS


  29. A. Housing Dept, 1974 -1980, Peter (20-25) works as a Housing Assistant.


  30. B. Lands Dept, 1980 -1981, Peter (26) works as a Land Executive.


  31. C. Law School, HKU, 1981-1985, Peter (27-31) studies as a Government Legal Scholar.


  32. D. Attorney General's Chambers, 1985-1991, Peter (31-37) works from the rank of Assistant Crown Counsel to Senior Crown Counsel.


  33. END MONTAGE


  34. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): During my career developments, I tried to be human-centric by delivering more public value.


  35. Pausing.


  36. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): But when I stared at the night sky, I couldn't ignore the fact that I'm a part of this larger, interconnected system.


  37. A Facebook feed has caught Peter's attention.


  38. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Oh, that rich man will turn 101 this year. It's a great privilege.


  39. Thinking.


  40. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Carl Sagan, who narrated the Pale Blue Dot video clip, died at the age of 62.


  41. Thinking.


  42. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): And here I'm, still alive and well, at the age of 70.


  43. Pausing.


  44. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Unlike my younger days, I don't feel lost now, but I'm still questioning my place in the cosmos.


  45. Thinking.


  46. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Being an instance of intelligent beings on Earth, I'm truly being humbled by the infinite.


  47. Contemplating.


  48. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Yet, it seems that all humans are empowered to make a difference on Earth.


  49. Copying the video clip link, Peter sends it to the chat group.


  50. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I hope the clip would help viewers see the world, and their own lives in a really new and humbling light.


  51. Act 3


  52. INT. LIVING ROOM - 20:45


  53. Peter inserts an AI drawing entitled "Humbled By The Infinite ..." to a draft.


  54. PETER (V.O): My background was such that I had to struggle with life's challenges even when I was very young.


  55. Thinking.


  56. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Learning the cosmic scale of the universe helped me realize that my personal problems were really small in the grand scheme of things.


  57. Reflecting.


  58. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): In the vastness of space and time, I'm no more than a floating dust particle in the pale blue dot.


  59. FADE OUT


  60. THE END


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