Because of the presence of this new culture, many people in important responsible positions in the community seem to second-guess what others in authority want them to do or say. This attitude has implications for policies and responses to events, such as the actions of HKU's leaders involved in the Robert Chung incident, for it seems clear from the panel's investigation that the top levels of the university administration, especially the vice chancellor, were overly sensitive to the political implications of the university's work and thus sought to take steps in order to be seen as a politically neutral institution in the community and in the eyes of those in power in Hong Kong and probably in Beijing as well. Tung Chee-hwa himself has been accused of succumbing to this subservient culture, and it can be said, in fact, to be the basis of his philosophy for implementing the 'one country, two systems' formula that undergirds the basis for the transfer of Hong Kong's sovereignty to China. Another ramification of the 'culture of subservience' is censorship, both self-censorship as people alter their work to align the products of their labour with the perceived desires of those in authority and control over the work of others as is evident in the Robert Chung affair. Lost in this process of conformity are a diversity of views about the solutions to the community's problems as well as people's freedom.
Life becomes harmonious, but monotonous and dull.
Society loses the energy that is needed to invigorate itself and to generate new ideas, new ways of thinking and doing things, new responses to the needs of society. Overall, the attitudes and events in Hong Kong that seem to indicate the adoption of a 'culture of subservience' point to a basic conflict between two basic characteristics of relationships between superiors and subordinates, i.e., between loyalty and accountability. The concept of accountability, on the other hand, is not well-established on the mainland, although the continual and ongoing campaigns against corruption in China seem to reflect a greater level of awareness and respect for the notion of accountability. However, guanxi is such a powerful force within the political fabric of the mainland that it can presently overcome the practise of accountability. This stance, however, raises questions about the sincerity of Tung's insistence on making senior government officials more accountable, a major theme of his annual policy address in Legco in October.