In elementary school, I had a class called Morality. We read case studies about model children who helped elderly grandmas crossed the street and a Chinese soldier who gave his life saving two drowning North Korean children during the Korean War. Also, we all knew what to do if we saw a penny on the street – pick it up and give it to a policeman. Neither I nor my friends really gave this class a second thought, we just assumed that if it ever came down to such scenarios, we’d do the same.
But the question is, would we? Ever since the tragedy of the little girl in Guangzhou, who was run over by two cars and left unattended by seventeen passerbys, I find myself wondering often just how much morality we have left in us as a nation. In a country where money and status is everything, how many of us are actually motivated by something other than greed and self-interest?
A more recent article in the newspaper again brought this topic to my attention. A young man jumped in the river without hesitation to save a drowning family. He ended up sacrificing his life for them, but when asked about the matter, the rescued ones said, “what the f*** does this have to do with me?” and left, never even uttering a word of thanks. It is absolutely appalling that a society has come to this. At some point in time, we have apparently turned against the acts of Good Samaritans, and the people who do what should come instinctively in these situations are treated with spite and apathy. What kind of twisted message does this send to the children who are sitting in Morality class today?
These days, “development” is the word on everyone’s lips. China has come a long way in eradicating poverty and revitalising its infrastructure, but development isn’t just economic. Monetary success loses its meaning when a society is no longer equipped with the basic traits of humanity. I remember a cab driver in Singapore fondly telling me his experience in Beijing in the 1980s, a time when people rushed over to help when he dropped the stack of books he was carrying. He hasn’t returned in nearly thirty years, but hopes to see the city with that same spirit when he does eventually. Yes, this is also my hope, and that of my family, and everyone who has sat through Morality class in the past. With our actions, we can prove that there is still hope.
Musings of a Leaf 