November in Taiwan is a time of climatic schizophrenia. On one day, it may be "Indian summer," with warm breezes and sunshine. The next day a cold front will send temperatures plunging. It's said that hospital emergency rooms are packed these days, especially with patients suffering from chronic illnesses that make them sensitive to temperature changes. However, it hasn't been the weather that has been most on people's minds here, but rather scandal and social disorder, and fears about the future of the country.

The murder of Taoyuan County Commissioner Liu Pang-you and seven others is the most vicious incident of its type in Taiwan in decades. It has taken the wind out of the sails of the government's crackdown on organized crime and corruption. How can even a county commissioner's office, with armed guards, be a no-man's land where killers can shoot everyone from guests to the cook? Who did this deed? Is Taiwan really an "island of complicity"?

It wasn't that long ago that more than 700 foreign reporters helped celebrate the birth of the first-ever democratic regime in Chinese history here in Taiwan, a feat accomplished in the face of Chinese missiles. Eight months later, in the last week of November, the Economist, Newsweek, and the Far Eastern Economic Review featured stories titled, "Mob rule," "The Sicily of Asia?" and "Dangerous Collusion." To see these leaves one trembling with fear. Is it possible that this is the price to be paid for escaping from authoritarianism? Has the disease in society become incurable?

As if all this were not depressing enough, South African President Nelson Mandela announced that his country would sever formal ties with the ROC by the end of next year. The worries all around us were suddenly elevated to the international level. Our painstakingly constructed "substantive diplomacy" is constantly running up against mainland China's high-pressure tactics. It looks like one of our closest and most important allies for decades has surrendered to an irrational "international reality." One wonders whether the many Taiwanese who have emigrated to South Africa or invested there will be affected in their status or rights. President Mandela has repeatedly stressed his desire to maintain all substantive links with Taiwan; we trust in his sincerity and place great hopes in the mission of foreign minister John Chang to South Africa.

Despite all this, I am confident that Taiwan has the ability to emerge from these storms even stronger.

This is not Pollyanna-like optimism. It comes from direct observation. Just look at the people living here day in and day out, what they are building and doing bit by bit, and the land on which they tread:

First check out our cover story on trains. Railroads paved the way for Taiwan's modernization, and they carry countless romantic memories for people here. Today, they are still winding through verdant mountains and past clear streams, reminding us of the durability and beauty of this island. As driver Cheng Jen-chung of the Taitung-Hualien line put it: "The northeast winds' autumn bring migrating birds to the Hsiuku-luan River; after New Year's one can detect the aroma of pomelo blossom; and in February the rapeseed flowers bloom. . . ." Also in this story, you'll find a group of young men-enamored of trains ever since their childhoods-who at the end of October spent NT$200,000 to rent a historic "Kuanghua" train and are striving to preserve Taiwan's railroad heritage.

Further, in the story "Please Report to Surgery!" there are veteran surgeon Chu Hsu-hsun-who can only sigh about the shortage of young people willing to dedicate themselves to the exhausting profession of surgery-and young Li Kun-hua, inspired by the heroic comic book character "Black Jack." And in "Stormy Waters for Taiwan's ICs," meet Tseng Fan-cheng, doyen of the semiconductor industry, where costs and profits are calculated to the last penny and which is striving to upgrade. In every report, one comes across people who surprise, warm, and move you. With their day-to-day lives and jobs, they tell us that Taiwan has vitality and unlimited hope.

And even in the bad news there were some good signs. Looking back on the Liu Pang-you, Chou Jen-shen, and Wu Tse-yuan cases, and the unrest at the Hsinchu juvenile detention facility, the print media covered page after page with anything that came to hand, and the electronic media was even more bizarre in its search for stories. In response, scholars and even many in the media itself called for reflection and restraint. Many asked: Is the purpose of the media to attract readers (or viewers) and thus advertising dollars? Or is it to be a voice of conscience pursuing truth for the public?

In fact, in today's Taiwan there are many voices of conscience, and much wisdom. Open up any newspaper to the opinion and editorial pages and a wide variety of voices speak on every public issue. Some are scholars, others ordinary citizens. And through discussion, often light is shed.

This brings to mind the recent visit to our magazine by the scholar and teacher Wang Chen-hwa. Wang described an "iron triangle" in each of us, in which conscience dictates. Think also on the theories of the great Ming-dynasty Confucianist Wang Yang-ming, who emphasized following the correct internal balance of what is right, and on Dale Carnegie's statement that the best sentence he ever read was: "Listen to the voice of conscience."

Undeniably, there are dark clouds in Taiwan's skies. We can surely see that Taiwan's rapidly changing society has many problems. But, even more, we can see people around us getting things done. For themselves, and the next generation, they are building a more sustainable environment.

In a recent TV interview program with former Tiananmen student leader Wu'er-kaixi, legislator Shen Fu-hsiung said, "There is an expression in America: Keep your feet on the ground and your eyes on the stars." Shen said, "That's the way I am." He might have added that most Taiwanese are also that way, and amidst their everyday, constructive lives, much hope is to be found.