China¡¯s bystander problem

[Randy W]

.

China’s bystander problem: Another death after crowd ignores woman in peril

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/10/24/chinas-bystander-problem-another-death-after-crowd-ignores-woman-in-peril/?wprss=rss_world&clsrd

 

When a 26-year-old woman in Beijing leaned a little too hard against a roadside barrier and got her neck stuck between two of the railings, Chinese bystanders did what they're increasingly notorious for doing: nothing. Security camera footage showed over a dozen people gawking and taking photos of the woman, who stood helpless on the side of a busy Beijing street in broad daylight for 30 full minutes before anyone tried to help. Finally, someone called the police, who pulled her out and rushed her to the hospital, where she was pronounced brain dead on Thursday.

 

. . .

 

Her family was told that she got stuck at around 8:53am after she got off the bus, and she was rescued 20 minutes later. No one had attempted to free her, and she may have lost her chance to survive during that time, the newspaper reported.

[Dennis143]

That is so sad and tragic. Not only for the young woman, but for Chinese society as well.

[warpedbored]

I've seen it time and again. It's one of the few things that really disturb me about Chinese society. Human life there is cheap and if you aren't a friend or family member people won't help you.

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

Last week I was taking the subway in Guangzhou at a busy time of day. Hell, in GZ, nearly every hour of the day it is busy, but this was just after lunch. I was standing nearby the subway door, and watched as an elderly woman was struggling to lift a two wheeled shopping cart onto the subway car. There were several young people standing near her and all ignored her; they had emails to read and cell games to play. The yellow warning light and chime began to sound signaling the doors were about to close. She and her cart were now right in the middle of the doorway, and would have been crushed by the closing doors if she was not able to get out of the way.

 

I then pushed about three young people out of the way and grabbed the woman and her cart and lifted her aboard. Cantonese people like this older woman are very small in stature, so her shopping cart weighed more than she did. The door then closed and she looked at me with a surprised smile and said "xie, xie, xie xie". Those around looked for a moment and went back to what they were doing.

[warpedbored]

Maybe Dennis can verify this thought but it appears to me that once in the US the Chinese seem to be different.When the wife and I went to San Francisco to renew her passport we visited Chinatown. A little old lady tripped on the curb and fell down. Immediately several people ran over to help her up.

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

I am told by the Chinese locals that they avoid helping others to keep themselves safe from injury scammers. They say if you help someone that it's possible for them to suddenly claim you are the one who injured them. Then, instead of being helpful, you will wind up paying hospital bills. While this kind of thing may happen, surely it's not as often as Chinese television news and Internet leads them to believe. There are many fables and tales of gossip that are perpetuated by Chinese media. You'd think the government would be working to stop these rumors rather than trying so hard to silence their critics.

[Dennis143]

I am told by the Chinese locals that they avoid helping others to keep themselves safe from injury scammers. They say if you help someone that it's possible for them to suddenly claim you are the one who injured them. Then, instead of being helpful, you will wind up paying hospital bills. While this kind of thing may happen, surely it's not as often as Chinese television news and Internet leads them to believe. There are many fables and tales of gossip that are perpetuated by Chinese media. You'd think the government would be working to stop these rumors rather than trying so hard to silence their critics.

I have often thought this was as good a reason as any to assume why Chinese (as someone here once called it) pastime pleasure is watching another's suffering.

 

I think Carl is correct that their habits change after living here. I have never witnessed any Chinese living here not immediately coming to the aid of someone else. In fact, I see them quite eager to lend a helping hand... still, I haven't witnessed any life or death situation either.

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

During this short video a Chinese driver is filming when a suicidal girl jumps from a bridge into the middle of a busy highway. Not only didn't anyone stop, they went out of their way to back up and drive around her:

 

 

Graphic Content

[credzba]

while it seems callous to drive away, what are you going to do if you stop?

Calling emergency is certainly the best thing to do.

 

Perhaps it is pragmatism ?

[david_dawei]

I am told by the Chinese locals that they avoid helping others to keep themselves safe from injury scammers. They say if you help someone that it's possible for them to suddenly claim you are the one who injured them. Then, instead of being helpful, you will wind up paying hospital bills. While this kind of thing may happen, surely it's not as often as Chinese television news and Internet leads them to believe. There are many fables and tales of gossip that are perpetuated by Chinese media. You'd think the government would be working to stop these rumors rather than trying so hard to silence their critics.

 

Bottom line to many chinese behaviors is fear... It is so deep and takes so many paths it is inconceivable in our minds.

[warpedbored]

The girl was still alive. I saw her raise her arm. Of course emergency should be called but immediate first aid could save her life. No one even tried to help her. So sad.

[lhp]

The NYT ran some photos of people on the sidewalk on Changan Jie who were injured by the jeep that was blown up in front of the Forbidden City. The only person shown helping the injured? A foreigner.

 

I had my students address the topic of bystanders choosing not to help the injured, and they had some interesting stuff to say. I wrote it up here: http://bit.ly/viuSqY

[Mick]

The NYT ran some photos of people on the sidewalk on Changan Jie who were injured by the jeep that was blown up in front of the Forbidden City. The only person shown helping the injured? A foreigner.

 

I had my students address the topic of bystanders choosing not to help the injured, and they had some interesting stuff to say. I wrote it up here: http://bit.ly/viuSqY

 

I followed the link and read your article. I, too, found the story of the student's mother moving. I heard similar stories when I was living and working in China and also witnessed several incidents where people refused to offer help. It will be interesting to see how the younger generation evolves in terms of moral development.

[danb]

Part of me agrees with you all. How can the Chinese people react in such a manner to a person in need? Especially to a small child in need. A big part of me says that I would step in help and play the good Samaritan. It is only the right thing to do, right? It is only thing that should be done. "Those Chinese", what can they be thinking!!!

Well as I was driving home tonight from work I started thinking. What are those Chinese thinking? Why are they thinking that way? Same problem/issue but entirely different resolution. It may be a matter of perspective.

As I was speeding down the lonely dark highway I was wonder how could I explain/understand it. That difference in perspective. I came up with some ideas. One idea had to do with The Great Wall of China, the walled City of Xian, a traditional Chinese house* that I have visited at the Peabody Museum in Salem,Massachusetts, and the traditional round houses of the Hakka people in Fujian Province. It seem like a great idea.

But just as i was putting the explanation all together I pulled into the driveway, turned off my lights and lost my train of thought. I had been a long night at work tonight. Good night. Danb

 

* link to the Peabody Museum in Salem , Mass. : http://www.pem.org/sites/yinyutang/

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

The NYT ran some photos of people on the sidewalk on Changan Jie who were injured by the jeep that was blown up in front of the Forbidden City. The only person shown helping the injured? A foreigner.

 

I had my students address the topic of bystanders choosing not to help the injured, and they had some interesting stuff to say. I wrote it up here: http://bit.ly/viuSqY

 

 

Wow, very well-written article IHP. I'm especially impressed with the tone you expressed in how we as foreigners can watch this and have completely different feelings than the Chinese. You also mentioned in your article the problem with extortion toward those who try to help. I have heard these claims and pass them off as mostly blind rhetoric, as I wonder whether any stats are available to show what happens to good samaritans in China. Surely there are many stories of carefully planned events that include jumping in front of a moving car for the sole purpose of extortion. I hear in the end the extortion victim simply must pay and has little recourse. Sad situation.