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Where has our conscience gone?

: 0 Comment(s)Print E-mail China.org.cn, October 21, 2011

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Editor's note:

A two-year-old girl run over twice by two vehicles, ignored by 18 passersby and later saved by a trash collector last Thursday in Foshan, Guangdong Province, died this morning after spending the week in a coma. The incident, which was captured on video by a surveillance camera, shocked the nation and provoked a heated debate on the moral fabric of Chinese society. What causes such indifference to suffering?

China.org.cn presents you points of view from columnists, public commenter, our readers and micro-blog users on this issue.

Heiko Khoo: Yue Yue shows the need for a new collectivism

The images of tiny Yue Yue being run over twice and treated as an inconvenient lump of trash by 18 passers-by is a deeply disturbing shock to all of us and our collective consciousness. Naturally people are asking why such monstrosities appear today in China. How widespread is this callous indifference to the fate of others? Is there something numbing the senses like a general moral anesthetic? Is there hope that underneath a barbarity of indifference there is a wellspring of humanity that simply lies dormant? >>

Shen Bin: China must foster environment for good deeds

The current "brave act for a just cause" rewards system has encouraged a lot of good deeds. But it has fallen short of people's expectations to address the risks that if they help they might incur costs or be blamed for the accident. If do-gooders can be granted exemption from legal prosecution, and get timely legal services provided by social organizations, they won't have to worry about the potential and unpredictable risks. Things will then be back to normal and more people will reach out to those in need. >>

Gabrielle Pickard: Galvanise pedestrian safety and put a tighter leash on children

Instead of the world taking the 'moral high ground' and announcing it is China's rush to riches that can be accountable for the "cold-hearted pedestrians", we should learn from this tragic and disturbing case. Not only should parents across the world keep a better eye over their young children, but councils, particularly in busy cities, should make more of a concerted effort to galvanise pedestrian safety. >>

Taryn Machingo: Will Yue Yue reset China's moral compass?

There are many factors that could have caused society to turn into this new monster but one thing can be for sure is that this is not strictly a Chinese problem. I believe that this tragic incident can shed light on an issue that we are having as a species. Sadly, China has become the scapegoat for a global need for moral renewal. >>

Moral sinkhole [By Jiao Haiyang/China.org.cn]

Comments from our readers:

Comments from Weibo users:

Posted by Dax

It is a very sad event. There are likely more of these, but this one just happened to be captured on cctv cameras. I think, if this was my child I want someone to help her. If it was someone else's child I would help since I know how much it would mean. Once a family member dies then you see how important life is. Do not hesitate to help someone in need.

Posted by Dreaming a happy life

I do not think this is a moral issue. It's about trust. We dare not to give others a helping hand because we dare not to trust one another; it's not because we do not have the desire to help.

Posted by Ken

China has lost its way. In your attempts to gain more wealth, to defeat the west, you have became the west. Macdonalds, Blue Jeans, Cell phones, even T-shirts in English, where is China? Where is Chinese pride and culture?

What has happend to the revolution? What has happend to the people? Where is the great way forward?

Or is Captilism your new god and guiding force?

Blame the government, blame the Region, blame the west. But at the end of the day we all decided our fates. We decide what is normal, and what is not. Things are as they are allowed to be. Not as they are.

Posted by Damowuxue Dan

I have asked my students not to give up their faith in people and society because of this incident. We should not give in to the point of view that bad people in this society outnumber the good. That's misleading. People all have their personal angels and demons. In the Cultural Revolution, our demons broke through. But the civilization is advancing forward. We are independent individuals, but we must also help one another. That is the only way we can restore our faith in each other that has so badly damaged.

Posted by anon

Something is clearly sick about Chinese society and those individuals who assume the good samaritan was doing it for fame. It's time for a moral revolution.

Posted by Xiaohun Guyeye

People are not evil in nature, they are just realists. Behind each decision is a struggle to weigh the benefits against the losses. Conscience exists in the moment before making the choice.

Posted by Awni

Two-year-old child left unattended by mother? Hit several times by vehicles on the road??Callus attitude of passersby??? This shame is greater than the Great Wall of China. The Chinese Government must impose fines on all the careless who left the child unattended, drivers who run over the child, bicycle passersby.To give value to life.

Posted by the silent wolverine

"This kind of news sends chills down my spine every time. We once believed in a world filled with love and were taught by the government on maintaining high moral standards -- but the cold reality just keeps flying in the face of our belief."

Posted by GodsOmnipotentFlatulence

This story remind me of the poor 15 year old British girl Robyn Nixon and an older lady by the name of Molly Morgan, both of whom laid dying in public, and both ignored by passersby..... except for those who stopped to take a souvenir picture of the spectacle. Both Britain and China should adopt "Leaving the Hit & Run and Crime Scene" law similar to France's, as contributor below suggests.

Posted by Yuyuyuyu

When facing the supposed intelligent and wise judge in the "Peng Yu case," how many good-hearted people can say without any doubt that the bus driver was innocent? That he was really the victim of a scam and was in fact helping out the fallen elder? This kind of absurdity repeats, and I'm afraid people's hearts harden after every case. Cold-hearted people do cold-hearted things. It's a cycle of cause and effect. When people lose their sense of security, compassion becomes a luxury. Before they can care for others, they must first care for themselves.

Posted by Salsera

The rag collector wouldn't be educated enough to know how to give spinal support when lifting the girl. She only did what she instinctively thought was a initial step to a rescue: moving her out of the center of the road to prevent her from being crushed further by other cars.

She's the only one with a heart in that whole place.

Posted by Van-stephen

"The scavenger probably never imagined she was actually 'richer' than many of us. She follows her conscience, which many of us have already lost."