I haven't posted in 8 months. That's a long time. I won't try to summarize or bless you with little sound bites from the past semester. Just a little story from recent experience.
A couple of nights ago Emily and I went for a walk with a friend of ours. We hadn't seen each other for a while so we caught up on all kinds of things. One of the topics we covered was child raising. There were lots of little tots running around the little park we were walking about in, and our friend had brought her own 20 month old daughter as well, and we are hopeful for children soon, so it seemed like a great topic.
Our friend expressed her concern about raising her daughter according to good ethical boundaries. She used the example of honesty. She said, 'If I teach my daughter to be honest I'm afraid that when she grows up she will be disillusioned about society.'
I share this story to highlight two things. First, a great need in Chinese society for an ethical overhaul. Our friend is not the only one who feels this ethical vacuum. You can talk with any man-in-the-street and they would confirm the same sense, that there is no standard that people generally look to when deciding right and wrong. They all agree there is a need for one, but no one can point to something definite that guides their life. Many Chinese today are struggling for hope in a world where ethical relativism rules the day. What is most important is what is most expedient.
The second thing is a conflict of interest. Generally I think American's would agree that if you're an honest person you can make your way and do well in the world. You don't have an overwhelming sense that you must construct your own reality (i.e. lie) in order to see success, or at least avoid being taken advantage of. This doesn't require you to tell everything to everyone all the time, discretion is acceptable. But you don't have a fear your honesty will bring you sorrow and suffering. We work on the assumption that truth will ultimately win the day.
Can you imagine what life would be like walking out the door each day with your guard up, not knowing if someone was going to take you for a ride, where the stakes were as high as 'lie or lose'?
Perhaps I've lived too long outside the States. I may be naive. Maybe American life is as much an ethical vacuum as Chinese.
What do you think?
I like your title. I am glad it is not 'Honesty is History.' I don't think the US is as much of a vacuum as your protrayal of China, but I think there is an erosion. In a world where economy rules, and China has a great manufactuing sector, many may soon look to China as an example in business and life. That is scary to me.
ReplyDeleteJason
That's an interesting observation, Jason. I'll have to remember that for future posts. What kind of example will China be to the world in the next 10, 20, 50, 100 years? That remains for our children to find out.
ReplyDelete