Uncle Chou says that his decisions to become a soldier and open a bookstall were, at their most basic level, based on not wanting to starve. Once starvation was no longer a threat, he discovered that his next desire was "freedom." Whether "bound for Heaven or Hell, I didn't want other people interfering," he says.
周公說選擇當兵或擺書攤，最簡單的想法是「不要餓死」；而當餓死不是威脅時，周公油然而生第二個願望「希望自由」，不管「是上天堂或下地獄，都不要別人干涉。」