| Horrifying. | |
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| Oct 17, 2011 21:05 |   |
 | THE fate of a toddler left comatose after being knocked down by a van in a market - with her mangled body run over by a second vehicle and ignored by 18 passers-by - has prompted an outpouring of soul-searching and self-revulsion across China. Yueyue, two, was 100m from her family home in Foshan, south China, when she wandered into the path of a van on Thursday last week. The child might have been saved if a seven-minute procession of cyclists and pedestrians had not looked the other way. The callousness of the drivers and those who walked on has been taken by Chinese as evidence that the country is losing its soul. One netizen commented on what he called an ethical decline that starts with corrupt officials and ends with a "zombie" population stripped of its humanity. "Find those 18 passers-by, dissect their brains and see what medicine the Communist Party has been feeding us to make them like the walking dead," wrote one widely forwarded post on the Chinese equivalent of Twitter. Even after Yueyue was carried off the street and put against some sacks, the unwillingness of people to become involved was all too obvious. The 57-year-old rag collector who finally moved her ran from shop to shop to find the toddler's parents and was repeatedly told to mind her own business. After doctors declared the child brain dead, her parents received a phone call from one of the drivers saying: "If you had hit her, you would run too." A man who identified himself as the same driver told local media: "If she's dead, I may pay only about 20,000 yuan ($3200, but if she's injured it may cost me hundreds of thousands of yuan." Both drivers have since been arrested. As details of the tragedy emerged, surveillance camera footage provided harrowing images of cyclists, shoppers and even a mother and child ignoring the bleeding toddler as they walked by. |
| Oct 17, 2011 21:08 | #1 |
| The video allowed Chinese to count and condemn the people who saw Yueyue but did nothing to help her. China's largest microblogging site, Sina Weibo, rapidly became an arena for fury and accusation. "This is not about 18 individuals reflecting on their hateful indifference, but a matter of shame for everyone. We are a kind people. When did we start hiding that?" said one. "Humans beget humans, devils beget devils. China gave birth to this f***ing society," wrote another. Many bloggers highlighted what they saw as contrasting Chinese and foreign responses to an endangered life, citing an incident last week when an American tourist jumped into a lake in the southeastern city of Hangzhou to rescue a Chinese woman from drowning. The focus has shifted from the callousness of the passers-by to practical pressures that kept them from trying to help. Many remember a case in 2006 when a 65-year-old woman fell in the street and broke her hip. Peng Yu, 26, rushed to help, took her to hospital and gave her 200 yuan for good measure. She later sued him, winning an award of 45,000 yuan because the judge decided that Mr Peng's gift was evidence that he had caused her fall. Since then the fear of litigation has increased. In June, last year, a man helped an elderly woman only to be sued for 100,000 yuan. By September the Ministry of Health advised the public not to rush to lend a hand to the elderly if they fall. The results of that advice are already evident. Last month in central Wuhan, an 88-year-old man collapsed in the street and was left to die because no one dared to help. The Communist Party's official newspaper, the People's Daily, subsequently conducted a poll that found that 80 per cent of people would not help an elderly person in the street for fear of extortion. Many microbloggers yesterday wondered if they would have behaved differently. Others, echoing similar comments after a high-speed railway collision in July, blamed the country's breakneck pursuit of profit for the death of "the good and the beautiful". One, on a tack that resulted in censors deleting some microblogs on the Sina Weibo website, blamed a government that had "broken the moral standards of the Chinese nation down to a level where the people are screaming". The Times |
| Oct 18, 2011 02:17 | #2 |
| Just a question for all 18 passers-by: How do you feel now? According to the news, a young mom with her 5 years old girl passed by when the accident happened. But she did nothing and just went away. To the young mom, what if your girl ask "Mom, is she all right now?" when you got back home? What are you going to tell her? |
| Oct 18, 2011 03:27 | #3 |
| GUEST12222 | A tragic situation. And, read on as above "80 percent of people would not help an elderly person in the street for fear of extortion"! Reminiscent of Germany some years ago? Well folks, see the future. Fear? No! Excuses excuses! It starts with the 'me mentality', disrespect grows. Just see how people push and shove in the street. Me first, the 'all about me mentality'.Gradually over time, and through the generations which foster the 'me mentality', the tolerance builds. People stop 'seeing'. Welcome to the future, oh, the present. |
| Oct 18, 2011 20:26 | #4 |
| Quote:Originally Posted by BBQQ <br /> According to the news, a young mom with her 5 years old girl passed by when the accident happened. But she did nothing and just went away. <br /> <br /> To the young mom, what if your girl ask "Mom, is she all right now?" when you got back home? What are you g... I agree with you 100% BBQQ and your thoughts are very honorable,,but those questions you ask will not make a difference to a cold stone. Those people did not care before the accident and did not care when it happened and wont care tomorrow. But when tragedy strikes ,,,,the "me mentality" will come pouring out of those who want others to mourn their losses. Forget everyone else,, just like what Guest says. I have seen many animals get hit by cars and left for dead,, but never have I witnessed such a heinous ignorance in closing a blind eye on a human life. regardless of financial repercussions. This is an inexcusable coldness when it was in everyones power to act. This is a black eye that will be long remembered. |
Last edited by LARRYBOY: Oct 18, 2011 20:29 |
| Oct 18, 2011 22:58 | #5 |
| Chinese people have changed so fast. I can’t remember when I read this but really want to share with you. One day, an old man went out for shopping. Suddenly, he saw a dozen people standing in a circle and talking about something. It seemed that an traffic accident happened. Out of curiosity, he decided to see what happened. Unfortunately, he was too small and couldn’t squeeze in. Then he came up with a good idea. He shouted loudly “Out of my way! Out of my way! It’s my son. It’s my son.” It worked. All people let him pass but they burst into laugher. He finally saw that it was a donkey that was hit by the truck. Actually, there are a large number of Chinese people who are as curious as that old man. But why they ran away when they saw the girl lying on the road? To all the passers-by, what if the tragedy happened to your girl? I am not cursing you. Just put yourself in other’s shoes and think about it. If you worry about being set up, at least you can call the 120 for help. Don’t be indifferent anymore! |
| Oct 19, 2011 22:55 | #6 |
| Is this what China is becoming? Is this...progress???? |
| Oct 20, 2011 12:30 | #7 |
| Progress... Another civilized society has born... sob... Carlos |
| Oct 21, 2011 22:22 | #8 |
| Laugh, I "enjoy" reading your little joke. You were right. Chinese people are very curious when they encounter the accidents before. Now they become indifferent. They never want to see what happens, just walk away. |
| Oct 28, 2011 02:30 | #9 |
| I can never understand why anyone would want to see the remnants of a car accident. What is the attraction? |
| Oct 28, 2011 22:17 | #10 |
| Quote:Originally Posted by BOBERT I can never understand why anyone would want to see the remnants of a car accident. What is the attraction?Bobert, it could not be a car accident. They just want to know what happens when they see people gather together. I also have no idea about this. |
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