"Shame on us Chinese." Chinese writer reflects on the lack of response to child run over twice.

[snagglepuss]

and sees the death as symptomatic of a deepening moral crisis.


snip

It might have been a different story if one of the 18 people had lent Yueyue a hand. None even bothered to call for emergency services. Later, when interviewed by a journalist, one of the passersby, a middle-aged man riding a scooter, said with an uncomfortable smile on his face: "That wasn't my child. Why should I bother?"

snip

This is only the latest incident where tragedy has struck as a result of the callous inactivity of onlookers. Last month an 88-year-old man fell over face down at the entrance of a vegetable market near his home. For almost 90 minutes, he was ignored by people in the busy market. After his daughter found him and called an ambulance, the old man died "because of a respiratory tract clogged by a nosebleed". If anyone had turned him over, he might have survived.

snip

The fundamental problem, in my view, lies in one word that describes a state of mind: shaoguanxianshi, meaning don't get involved if it's not your business. In our culture, there's a lack of willingness to show compassion to strangers. We are brought up to show kindness to people in our network of guanxi, family and friends and business associates, but not particularly to strangers, especially if such kindness may potentially damage your interest.

Fei Xiaotong, China's first sociologist, described Chinese people's moral and ethical characteristics in his book, From the Soil, in the middle of the last century. He pointed out that selfishness is the most serious shortcoming of the Chinese. "When we think of selfishness, we think of the proverb 'Each person should sweep the snow from his own doorsteps and should not fret about the frost on his neighbour's roof,'" wrote Fei. He offered the example of how the Chinese of that period threw rubbish out of their windows without the slightest public concern. Things are much the same today.







Read more at

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/oct/22/china-nation-cold-hearts

[ClarkUSA]

1. The "shame" is not limited to one culture. Remember Kitty Genovese?

Here's what happened: http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=Kitty+Genovese&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

[snagglepuss]

2. Whatabout, whatabout, whatabout. This isn't about Genovese, it's not about

Hitler, its not about Idi Amin. This is about an incident in China and a Chinese writer reflecting what it says about his culture.

[Posteritatis]

3. I sort of expected a first-post derail, but was saddened to see it nonetheless. (nt)

[ClarkUSA]

4. I was making a relevant point. This is a discussion forum.

I've seen DUers use this issue as a reason to score anti-Chinese culture points when this event first happened.

WTF are you jumping on me?

[snagglepuss]

16. It comes across as holier than thou pure arrogance. The writer is Chinese

she is saying that this is a problem that China needs to address, she doesn't say that this was an anomaly and take issue with how it is being viewed by the world. Do you think she is too dumb to understand that there are other people in the world that are just as cold-hearted? She deserves kudos for naming the problem that she thinks her country needs to address and not hiding behind the fact that heartlessness is found worldwide.

[JI7]

19. many CHinese outside the mainland were critical and not surprised

they are some of the biggest critics.

[snagglepuss]

22. No question about that and there are countless millions in China who would

agree with Zhang. What she and others are saying makes sense when one considers the endless stories coming out of China about lax regulations which result in countless food poisoning, and non-existent animal welfare laws that has lead to bears being caged and kept alive only to have their gall bladders milked. Several years ago in the LA Times, a Chinese scientist wrote about Chinese beekeepers using banning substances to increase production and collecting honey in lead pots. He said that total disregard for public safety is a huge problem.

People who chime in with whataboutery are not doing the Chinese any favors. It would seem that disregard for strangers is not simply a failing among farmers but is rooted in a particular world view.

[Tunkamerica]

7. Just read about that and it is completely different.

[ClarkUSA]

8. Only in that twice as many bystander stood by and did nothing to help.

I'm a New Yorker, born and bred. Don't kid a kidder.

[Tunkamerica]

10. Someone called the cops minutes after the attack; the operson who called was the only

one who def. saw the stabbing. No one else knew a homicide was in progress... The video of this kid being run over twice and people stepping over the body is different.

[WinkyDink]

12. Yes, women scream and scream in terror for no reason.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

17. Sure they do. My wife doesit all the time... it pisses me off.

If she sees a spider or something startles her, she screams. Like, life-threatening blood curdling horror movie screams. I knew girls in college that did this too.

During our first year of mariage she did this a few times and I actually came running with the shotgun from the closet expecting to find an intruder or a rapist or something. Nope... just a centipede, or spider, or she stubbed her toe.

Nowadays I don't even call out to see if everything's OK unless there are at least 2 screams. I certainly don't come runnin for fewer than 3 screams.

[FSogol]

21. Wow, we must have the same wife. One day, I'll drop dead of a heart attack because she shrieked

when a cricket jumped on her.

[WinkyDink]

11. DKaK is one of my favorite expressions. And quite apropos here.

I mean, it's not like the KG story is FAMOUS or anything, right?!

[Tunkamerica]

14. You guys are right this story is exactly the same. No differences at all.

I don't know how I thought they were different.

[Tunkamerica]

13. From wikipedia:

Later investigation by police and prosecutors revealed that approximately a dozen (but almost certainly not the 38 cited in the Times article) individuals nearby had heard or observed portions of the attack, though none saw or were aware of the entire incident.<4>

<4>"Nightmare on Austin Street" American Heritage, Oct. 2006.

[pnwmom]

18. Yeah, that was bad. But this is much, much worse.

This was a 2 year old run over in the street. People walked right past her -- were within a couple feet of her. Any of the many people who walked or drove right past could -- at the very least -- have stopped to call for emergency help, with absolutely no risk to themselves. Anyone could have stood there and kept a second vehicle from running over her. At the very least.

[Warren DeMontague]

5. that story is horrible.

simply horrible.

[Mimosa]

6. "That wasn't my child. Why should I bother?" (in OP link) sums it up.

There are similar people here in the US but our whole culture hasn't gotten there YET. :(

[WinkyDink]

9. When the govt hardly cares about melamine in "food," it seeps into the culture.

[JI7]

15. this was far worse than Kitty Genovese where there is some dispute of what happened

in the case of this little girl in China there was nobody else there which could have been a threat . it was a girl by herself. the people who went by did so themselves and nobody else was with the girl yet they ignored it.

now, it's not just they didn't do anything but the reaction wasn't one of them being worried or not knowing whether or what they should do. it was more of one where they just had no concern or care.

now to that first driver. he hsould have seen her the first time but assuming he didn't. he still ran over her again slowly. that was one of the worst parts. he wanted to finish her off. he should be charged with murder.

and the woman who DID try to do something is being attacked and accused of wanting fame and money. when she was going around asking about the girl or who her parents were the others around there told her to shut up and mind her own business.

i have also heard the excuse about how people are worried they might be sued. but this is a little girl we are talking about. they could have called for help.

[Cal33]

20. I am reminded of something I had read in the papers some 50 years ago. It happened in Queens, NY.

An apparently despondent person was standing on a window ledge. Soon a crowd
gathered in the street below, watching. Someone started to shout, "Jump!"
And before long, the crowd was chanting in unison, "Jump! Jump! Jump!" I could
hardly believe what I read!

[applegrove]

23. My brother-in-law does business in China. He walked by some men digging one day

and noticed they didn't have any bracing in the holes they were deep within. Why he asked? No regulations requiring safety precautions he was told. Life is not valued there.

[snagglepuss]

24. That is why thousands die in mines. There are thousaudns of dissidents

working tirelessly to improve conditions but the Chinese have to look critically at themselves. I don't think it is a coincidence that they have no laws protecting animals. Those who care about the humane treatment of animals face an uphill battle in China.