It's been very distressing stumbling across these situations since living over here - and I've actually stepped up once or twice to assist (when nobody else would) if I could be of use. It took a while for me to figure out what made people act this way and...sure, at first, I thought it was just terrible people who were more concerned with themselves than others but that wasn't it at all. The only reason many in the West don't do the same thing (vilification by society aside) is because of laws protecting them from illicit repercussions. In the States, we have a Good Samaritan law but, in China, there is little to protect the people from having their entire lives and futures taken away from them after simply trying to help someone in danger - who turned out to be an unethical opportunist. It makes quite a bit more sense when you think of it from that perspective. I've been mentioning how the issue could be resolved for several years now, hoping it will spread to the right ears. Things are getting better - as they do in developing countries, eventually - but there's still a bit further to go and...in the wise words of Plato: "Never discourage anyone...who continually makes progress, no matter how slow." ;) (y)

It's been very distressing stumbling across these situations since living over here - and I've actually stepped up once or twice to assist (when nobody else would) if I could be of use. It took a while for me to figure out what made people act this way and...sure, at first, I thought it was just terrible people who were more concerned with themselves than others but that wasn't it at all. The only reason many in the West don't do the same thing (vilification by society aside) is because of laws protecting them from illicit repercussions. In the States, we have a Good Samaritan law but, in China, there is little to protect the people from having their entire lives and futures taken away from them after simply trying to help someone in danger - who turned out to be an unethical opportunist. It makes quite a bit more sense when you think of it from that perspective. I've been mentioning how the issue could be resolved for several years now, hoping it will spread to the right ears. Things are getting better - as they do in developing countries, eventually - but there's still a bit further to go and...in the wise words of Plato: "Never discourage anyone...who continually makes progress, no matter how slow." ;) (y) - Tweet Email Tweet EmailA woman got her neck trapped between roadside rails in Beijing Monday morning. For about half an hour, all passersby looked on curiously without helping her. She was pronouned brain dead at local hospital this morning. Security