【明報專訊】從大學時代至今，從修讀文學至公務員生涯裏，我發覺有些英文小說或名人演辭是令人刻骨銘心的，影響了我對社會變動的看法。十九世紀大文豪狄更斯的《雙城記》（A Tale of Two Cities, 1859）著名的「開場白」就以用詞簡潔有力的方法去描寫當時太平盛世的倫敦及陷於法國大革命的巴黎，作出強烈的對比：「It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…. it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair...」