What can Chinese best learn from my country?
- Source: Global Times
- [01:31 December 22 2009]
- Comments
Aaron Low, Canadian who previously worked at the Canadian consulate, and now works as a consultant in healthcare
A sense of empathy
What does a massive death toll in a coal mine disaster, the collapse of a school building in an earthquake due to corrupt business practices and an inability to queue while walking down the stairs of an elementary school have in common?
Each is an indicator of a deep problem that exists in Chinese society.
I refer to a lack of empathy. The Chinese are very good at taking care of their close personal relationships, but when it comes to being empathic to strangers, they are sorely lacking.
How many times have you seen a pedestrian or a bicyclist nearly hit by a much larger vehicle?
How many times have you seen a much younger person push aside the elderly to catch a bus?
How many have been waiting hours in the rain for a taxi, only to have somebody step in front of them and steal it right from under their nose? Although these things happen in other countries, it is not nearly to the extent that it happens here.
In the small towns and big cities of India, people will look at foreigners curiously, but eventually smile and nod acknowledgement or shyly look away.
If you lose your wallet in Japan, somebody will pick it up and run after you for several blocks to return it to you. No native Brit would seriously consider jumping the queue, stealing your taxi or entering an elevator before everyone who wanted to alight had done so.
Why? Because an implicit social contract exists in these countries that binds people together empathically, "I will treat others as I want to be treated."
The source of this may stem from intrinsic religious roots, whether Shinto, Hindu, Buddhist, or Christian, or maybe education that teaches to never push while going down stairs and to let others have the right of way when in doubt.
A stronger sense of Chinese empathy would create safer worksite practices implemented by employers who first consider the safety of their employees, building contractors who first consider the well-being of others and a safer environment for everyone, especially schoolchildren.
