What is wrong with these people!

[Lottie]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/8830790/Chinese-toddler-run-over-twice-after-being-left-on-street.html

I read this awful story in the paper this morning and it has stayed with me all day - when did people become so shut down to the needs of others? I am relieved at the ripple of shock this has caused across the worlds media, it gives me hope for the rest of the worlds humanity.

 

[minmin001]

because people are afraid of getting into trouble. A very good example is someone saw an old man fell on the street and was try to be nice to help him up. in the end what did he get in return? he got sued by the family saying he was the reason the old man fell... so yes, this is a very sad sad news but what's more sad is why this is happening...

 

[jewelerman]

cant read it!had something like this happen in my area this summer,but the baby was rescued by a motorist!

 

[Madam Bijoux]

The world is rapidly turning into a 'Lord of the Flies' situation. I don't know of any solution for it.

 

[Dancing Fire]

this is more common then you American think. i was told by my Chinese friends that if you get hit by a car in China the driver wanted to be sure that you're dead even if the driver had to run you over a couple more times, b/c the dead person's family will only receive about $6K USD.

 

[packrat]

That makes me want to vomit. That poor child.

 

[Dancing Fire]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/8830790/Chinese-toddler-run-over-twice-after-being-left-on-street.html

I read this awful story in the paper this morning and it has stayed with me all day - when did people become so shut down to the needs of others? I am relieved at the ripple of shock this has caused across the worlds media, it gives me hope for the rest of the worlds humanity.

the doctors in China will not treat you unless you show them some $$$.

 

[Tuckins1]

Oh Jesus, I can't bring myself to watch the clip... This is awful, it actually has made me physically sick to my stomach!

 

[ForteKitty]

Not to make light of the situation, but that kid was in the gutter for a long time. How come the mother didn't notice her toddler was missing?

 

[Lottie]

I do genuinely sympathise with the fear of litigation for anyone who is just an innocent bystander turned helper and the no money = no medical treatment is frightening. What I cannot fathom, and what shocks me to the core is that 19 people just walked/cycled past the victim and did nothing. My basic human instinct would have been to do something, anything to help her - its just so tragic. And yes I too wondered where the mother was for all that time.

I remember a similar reaction years ago in London when two girls were subjected to a horrific attack on the tube and the passengers in the neighbouring carriage heard and saw everything but did nothing for fear of being victimised themselves.

 

[dragonfly411]

People don't care about each other anymore. It makes me sad.

 

[Gypsy]

I genuinely don't understand how no one stopped. It's incomprehensible to me.

 

[ksinger]

People don't care about each other anymore - of course they do. Even in China.

when did people become so shut down to the needs of others? - They never stopped being shut down. You're viewing the world through that particular Western European lens that says the individual is paramount. But even with that, Europe has hardly got a fab track record for always being in tune with the needs of others. And why IS the individual worth so much? Food for thought to contemplate that answer.

If rarity confers value (it does with just about everything else) than 7 billion on the planet would kinda put paid to that at some point. When the crush of humanity (1 billion anyone?) reaches critical mass in a country that doesn't have a tradition of valuing the individual over the group, then getting the occasional incident like this is not all that surprising. (The recent school attacks in China are particularly worrisome though. Just what the heck is going on over there that is finally boiling to the surface?) History is replete with cultures in extreme stress (population/food pressures in the past and perhaps now in China?) not valuing adults OR children. Female infantacide anyone? Exposing sickly children? SELLING children?

My basic human instinct would have been to do something - there is no basic human instinct. Or at least not one that can't be overcome by that other very basic human instinct for SELF preservation, or by fear and/or conditioning.

 

[Hera]

That's really terrible

I once read that it can be hard to get help in an emergency situation. Supposedly, they will be more willing to help you if you to tell them or ask them for help and to tell the person who is helping that you will pay for any damage done to their car (by getting blood in the interior, for example).


Eta: I just read it's called the Bystander Effect if you want to read about this type of situation.

 

[luv2sparkle]

That is just so sad and disgusting that so many people wouldn't stop to help an injured child, or anyone for that matter.

 

[chemgirl]

Ugh, I couldn't watch the video, although I did read the article. How horrible! That poor girl was just left there. Even if people were afraid to touch her, they could have called for help and stopped traffic without assuming liability (or at least I would hope).

Unfortunately, I think this is a pretty widespread problem. People have their own agendas and I think many in all parts of the world would continue on their merry way and assume somebody else will deal with it. A few years ago I witnessed a girl pass out and fall down a flight of stairs during a charity stair climb. Corporations sponsored employees to climb the CN tower in Toronto. All of the climbers were timed. I was shocked at how many people simply stepped over the girl and kept on going (guess they didn't want a bad time?). About 10-15 people passed her before we got to her. There was a paramedic 5 floors below us so my friend ran down to get him while I made sure nobody stepped on the poor girl. Almost everyone asked what happened to her, but nobody asked if we needed help This was a charity event, in theory the participants should be fairly moral!

People can be selfish.

 

[Phoenix]

Ugh, I couldn't watch the video, although I did read the article. How horrible! That poor girl was just left there. Even if people were afraid to touch her, they could have called for help and stopped traffic without assuming liability (or at least I would hope).

Unfortunately, I think this is a pretty widespread problem. People have their own agendas and I think many in all parts of the world would continue on their merry way and assume somebody else will deal with it. A few years ago I witnessed a girl pass out and fall down a flight of stairs during a charity stair climb. Corporations sponsored employees to climb the CN tower in Toronto. All of the climbers were timed. I was shocked at how many people simply stepped over the girl and kept on going (guess they didn't want a bad time?). About 10-15 people passed her before we got to her. There was a paramedic 5 floors below us so my friend ran down to get him while I made sure nobody stepped on the poor girl. Almost everyone asked what happened to her, but nobody asked if we needed help This was a charity event, in theory the participants should be fairly moral!

People can be selfish.

Gosh, I can't believe that happened!! Lucky you and your friend were able to help the poor girl.

Re the little girl in the video, I was crying my eyes out watching that and at the same time felt so much anger and disgust. How shocking that some ppl can be so heartless!!

 

[Lottie]

Chemgirl you are so right about this being a widespread problem, there was recently a case in the UK media about two young children being found walking along a very busy stretch of motorway, they were picked up by a driver and taken to the police station but the driver that stopped was most definately not the first person to drive past and see them.

Good for you for stopping and helping the girl, I can't believe that even at a charity event people get so caught up in their own agenda and making the best time.

 

[Lottie]

People don't care about each other anymore - of course they do. Even in China.

when did people become so shut down to the needs of others? - They never stopped being shut down. You're viewing the world through that particular Western European lens that says the individual is paramount. But even with that, Europe has hardly got a fab track record for always being in tune with the needs of others. And why IS the individual worth so much? Food for thought to contemplate that answer.If rarity confers value (it does with just about everything else) than 7 billion on the planet would kinda put paid to that at some point. When the crush of humanity (1 billion anyone?) reaches critical mass in a country that doesn't have a tradition of valuing the individual over the group, then getting the occasional incident like this is not all that surprising. (The recent school attacks in China are particularly worrisome though. Just what the heck is going on over there that is finally boiling to the surface?) History is replete with cultures in extreme stress (population/food pressures in the past and perhaps now in China?) not valuing adults OR children. Female infantacide anyone? Exposing sickly children? SELLING children?

My basic human instinct would have been to do something - there is no basic human instinct. Or at least not one that can't be overcome by that other very basic human instinct for SELF preservation, or by fear and/or conditioning.

Ksinger I do agree with your post and found it very thought provoking. My answer to the bolded however is completely biased by my own upbringing and the society that I live in. I live in a small community - I could not walk to my local shops without bumping into someone I know and we do look out for the very young and the elderly, just like millions of other small communities or pockets of people all over the world, including those in China. I have also lived in cities and large towns and I do understand the disconnection and sense of self preservation that goes with that.

You are right, Europe is no beacon of morality either - where is? Things like this happen all over the world, not just in China, but as an individual I hope that I will always be shocked and disturbed by stories such as this.

 

[Arkteia]

The response has to do with some politics or cultural paradigm.

I got a letter from my friend, which had been sent from many people to one another. I do not know how I managed to erase it, so I can not copy and paste it. Bottom line is, the advise in that letter was to a) never pull over when stopped by an unmarked police cars and, b) never stop on small, empty road, especially in the evening, driving alone, if you saw an abandoned baby or a child in a car. Apparently, this was a new scam pulled over by criminals. The baby was a "bait" for a young woman or a man driving alone...people would stop... then they would be dragged out of the car, the guys robbed and killed, the women robbed, raped and killed. I do not know how much truth is there, there have been cases in some states reported... All I know that I am taking this warning seriously, and so do may other people I know. If this scam becomes common, guess what society's response will be... (Of course I would call 911, but what if the baby was really abandoned/abducted and I do not rush for help? But then I know of this scam so I keep on driving and call 911 ... of course I would remember the license plate)

Not to defend people seen in that video, it was horrible and I could barely watch it. Could not believe my own eyes.

 

[ksinger]

The response has to do with some politics or cultural paradigm.

I got a letter from my friend, which had been sent from many people to one another. I do not know how I managed to erase it, so I can not copy and paste it. Bottom line is, the advise in that letter was to a) never pull over when stopped by an unmarked police cars and, b) never stop on small, empty road, especially in the evening, driving alone, if you saw an abandoned baby or a child in a car. Apparently, this was a new scam pulled over by criminals. The baby was a "bait" for a young woman or a man driving alone...people would stop... then they would be dragged out of the car, the guys robbed and killed, the women robbed, raped and killed. I do not know how much truth is there, there have been cases in some states reported... All I know that I am taking this warning seriously, and so do may other people I know. If this scam becomes common, guess what society's response will be... (Of course I would call 911, but what if the baby was really abandoned/abducted and I do not rush for help? But then I know of this scam so I keep on driving and call 911 ... of course I would remember the license plate)

Not to defend people seen in that video, it was horrible and I could barely watch it. Could not believe my own eyes.

Snopes alert! Urband Legend Alert!!
Something like this perhaps?

Subject: Important Crime Alert-- Read this!

From: Moffatt, Wayne
Subject: Important Alert
To: SAO Office

National Gang Week is starting soon. This is their new target method: While driving on any roads, if you see a baby car seat sitting on the Side of the road, DO NOT STOP!!! This could be a Gang's trap. They target people especially women, to stop their vehicle to help a baby. They make this baby look as if it has blood on itself or on it's clothes. When you exit from your vehicle in attempt to help, the gangs jump out. They have beaten women to near death, and then rape them. Their goal is to torture the victims to death in anyway possible. If you do happen to see a car seat, DO NOT STOP, CALL POLICE IMMEDIATELY!!!. Please forward this message to everyone you know.

Det. G. J. Lee ID 1352
Montgomery County Police Department
Investigative Services Bureau
Centralized Auto Theft Section
2350 Research Blvd.
Rockville , MD 20850

Wayne Moffatt

What is most interesting to me is what is the underlying view of human nature that enables people to fall for this stuff...over and over and over....

 

[D&T]

Chemgirl you are so right about this being a widespread problem, there was recently a case in the UK media about two young children being found walking along a very busy stretch of motorway, they were picked up by a driver and taken to the police station but the driver that stopped was most definately not the first person to drive past and see them.

Good for you for stopping and helping the girl, I can't believe that even at a charity event people get so caught up in their own agenda and making the best time.

Unfortunately, if something like this happened in the US, you would be very wary to pick up these kids (I would stay with them and call the police and waited possibly, but certaintly not put them in my vehicle and drive off with them) becuase well I think the US is a very sue happy letigious country and who knows the good samaritan now becomes a kidnapper

 

[ksinger]

People don't care about each other anymore - of course they do. Even in China.

when did people become so shut down to the needs of others? - They never stopped being shut down. You're viewing the world through that particular Western European lens that says the individual is paramount. But even with that, Europe has hardly got a fab track record for always being in tune with the needs of others. And why IS the individual worth so much? Food for thought to contemplate that answer.If rarity confers value (it does with just about everything else) than 7 billion on the planet would kinda put paid to that at some point. When the crush of humanity (1 billion anyone?) reaches critical mass in a country that doesn't have a tradition of valuing the individual over the group, then getting the occasional incident like this is not all that surprising. (The recent school attacks in China are particularly worrisome though. Just what the heck is going on over there that is finally boiling to the surface?) History is replete with cultures in extreme stress (population/food pressures in the past and perhaps now in China?) not valuing adults OR children. Female infantacide anyone? Exposing sickly children? SELLING children?

My basic human instinct would have been to do something - there is no basic human instinct. Or at least not one that can't be overcome by that other very basic human instinct for SELF preservation, or by fear and/or conditioning.

Ksinger I do agree with your post and found it very thought provoking. My answer to the bolded however is completely biased by my own upbringing and the society that I live in. I live in a small community - I could not walk to my local shops without bumping into someone I know and we do look out for the very young and the elderly, just like millions of other small communities or pockets of people all over the world, including those in China. I have also lived in cities and large towns and I do understand the disconnection and sense of self preservation that goes with that.

You are right, Europe is no beacon of morality either - where is? Things like this happen all over the world, not just in China, but as an individual I hope that I will always be shocked and disturbed by stories such as this.

Truly, I understand. I hope I don't come across as simply argumentative and callous. I find such stuff disturbing too. The way I cope with those things that bombard our consciousness almost every day (short of avoiding them altogether like IMDanny, and honestly, which we never got/had to entertain before Youtube), and which I cannot change (brutality in China) is to try to retain some perspective. Otherwise I am reduced to an emotional hand-wringing wreck wailing about the ghastly state of people "these days" and saying that people don't care about each other "any more".

Stuff like this has always happened, WILL always happen, and I will not be able to stop it. It is a brutal and sad truth. Ponder it from too emotional a standpoint and you can become seriously depressed - and STILL not be able to do anything.

As another point, you mention living in small communities. I think that is key. We humans are, at heart, tribal. Get too large a group and those bonds of care can barely be forged, and are very tenuous at best. This issue is, I think, at the heart of many of our social problems. Our massive size (as a species) versus our individual limitations on feeling connected.

 

[Lottie]

D&T you are right, I just re googled the story and unwittingly I have exaggerated! The driver ushered them to the side of the road and called for help, she didn't take them to the station. Apologies.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/sep/23/parents-children-wandering-motorway-sentenced

I wonder what else I exaggerate without knowing about it! That fish I caught the other day, it was THIIIISSS big......

 

[D&T]

D&T you are right, I just re googled the story and unwittingly I have exaggerated! The driver ushered them to the side of the road and called for help, she didn't take them to the station. Apologies.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/sep/23/parents-children-wandering-motorway-sentenced

I wonder what else I exaggerate without knowing about it! That fish I caught the other day, it was THIIIISSS big......

lol...

its really ashamed sometimes that fear of litigation may stop someone from helping at times, but it hasn't stopped me yet (knock on wood - I haven't had anyone yet try to sue me for helping them)

My parents visit my home country a while ago, and witnessed a guy being ran over with a car, the driver got out of his car and threw money at him and drove off!... (luckily he survived, but not sure of how much damaged was done to him though)

 

[Lottie]

People don't care about each other anymore - of course they do. Even in China.

when did people become so shut down to the needs of others? - They never stopped being shut down. You're viewing the world through that particular Western European lens that says the individual is paramount. But even with that, Europe has hardly got a fab track record for always being in tune with the needs of others. And why IS the individual worth so much? Food for thought to contemplate that answer.If rarity confers value (it does with just about everything else) than 7 billion on the planet would kinda put paid to that at some point. When the crush of humanity (1 billion anyone?) reaches critical mass in a country that doesn't have a tradition of valuing the individual over the group, then getting the occasional incident like this is not all that surprising. (The recent school attacks in China are particularly worrisome though. Just what the heck is going on over there that is finally boiling to the surface?) History is replete with cultures in extreme stress (population/food pressures in the past and perhaps now in China?) not valuing adults OR children. Female infantacide anyone? Exposing sickly children? SELLING children?

My basic human instinct would have been to do something - there is no basic human instinct. Or at least not one that can't be overcome by that other very basic human instinct for SELF preservation, or by fear and/or conditioning.

Ksinger I do agree with your post and found it very thought provoking. My answer to the bolded however is completely biased by my own upbringing and the society that I live in. I live in a small community - I could not walk to my local shops without bumping into someone I know and we do look out for the very young and the elderly, just like millions of other small communities or pockets of people all over the world, including those in China. I have also lived in cities and large towns and I do understand the disconnection and sense of self preservation that goes with that.

You are right, Europe is no beacon of morality either - where is? Things like this happen all over the world, not just in China, but as an individual I hope that I will always be shocked and disturbed by stories such as this.

Truly, I understand. I hope I don't come across as simply argumentative and callous. I find such stuff disturbing too. The way I cope with those things that bombard our consciousness almost every day (short of avoiding them altogether like IMDanny, and honestly, which we never got/had to entertain before Youtube), and which I cannot change (brutality in China) is to try to retain some perspective. Otherwise I am reduced to an emotional hand-wringing wreck wailing about the ghastly state of people "these days" and saying that people don't care about each other "any more".

Stuff like this has always happened, WILL always happen, and I will not be able to stop it. It is a brutal and sad truth. Ponder it from too emotional a standpoint and you can become seriously depressed - and STILL not be able to do anything.

As another point, you mention living in small communities. I think that is key. We humans are, at heart, tribal. Get too large a group and those bonds of care can barely be forged, and are very tenuous at best. This issue is, I think, at the heart of many of our social problems. Our massive size (as a species) versus our individual limitations on feeling connected.

Absolutely not, it made for very interesting reading and really made me think about the dynamics within my own community. Your post made me think a bit further than the initial horror of my original post.

 

[tuffyluvr]

Sickening...

 

[minousbijoux]

Sadly, human nature has a way of doing this over and over. Google "Kitty Genovese" (though many of you may remember it from psychology classes in college); an amazing story of denial, assumptions, confusion or something.

 

[Arkteia]

The response has to do with some politics or cultural paradigm.

I got a letter from my friend, which had been sent from many people to one another. I do not know how I managed to erase it, so I can not copy and paste it. Bottom line is, the advise in that letter was to a) never pull over when stopped by an unmarked police cars and, b) never stop on small, empty road, especially in the evening, driving alone, if you saw an abandoned baby or a child in a car. Apparently, this was a new scam pulled over by criminals. The baby was a "bait" for a young woman or a man driving alone...people would stop... then they would be dragged out of the car, the guys robbed and killed, the women robbed, raped and killed. I do not know how much truth is there, there have been cases in some states reported... All I know that I am taking this warning seriously, and so do may other people I know. If this scam becomes common, guess what society's response will be... (Of course I would call 911, but what if the baby was really abandoned/abducted and I do not rush for help? But then I know of this scam so I keep on driving and call 911 ... of course I would remember the license plate)

Not to defend people seen in that video, it was horrible and I could barely watch it. Could not believe my own eyes.

Snopes alert! Urband Legend Alert!!
Something like this perhaps?

Subject: Important Crime Alert-- Read this!

From: Moffatt, Wayne
Subject: Important Alert
To: SAO Office

National Gang Week is starting soon. This is their new target method: While driving on any roads, if you see a baby car seat sitting on the Side of the road, DO NOT STOP!!! This could be a Gang's trap. They target people especially women, to stop their vehicle to help a baby. They make this baby look as if it has blood on itself or on it's clothes. When you exit from your vehicle in attempt to help, the gangs jump out. They have beaten women to near death, and then rape them. Their goal is to torture the victims to death in anyway possible. If you do happen to see a car seat, DO NOT STOP, CALL POLICE IMMEDIATELY!!!. Please forward this message to everyone you know.

Det. G. J. Lee ID 1352
Montgomery County Police Department
Investigative Services Bureau
Centralized Auto Theft Section
2350 Research Blvd.
Rockville , MD 20850

Wayne Moffatt

What is most interesting to me is what is the underlying view of human nature that enables people to fall for this stuff...over and over and over....

OK I checked it. I did not get the whole thing, about the National Gang Week, hence I could not Google it and read Snopes. (Never heard about them before). Thank you! Interestingly, in the letter that I got, Gang was not mentioned, but you are right about the rest...

 

[ksinger]

The response has to do with some politics or cultural paradigm.

I got a letter from my friend, which had been sent from many people to one another. I do not know how I managed to erase it, so I can not copy and paste it. Bottom line is, the advise in that letter was to a) never pull over when stopped by an unmarked police cars and, b) never stop on small, empty road, especially in the evening, driving alone, if you saw an abandoned baby or a child in a car. Apparently, this was a new scam pulled over by criminals. The baby was a "bait" for a young woman or a man driving alone...people would stop... then they would be dragged out of the car, the guys robbed and killed, the women robbed, raped and killed. I do not know how much truth is there, there have been cases in some states reported... All I know that I am taking this warning seriously, and so do may other people I know. If this scam becomes common, guess what society's response will be... (Of course I would call 911, but what if the baby was really abandoned/abducted and I do not rush for help? But then I know of this scam so I keep on driving and call 911 ... of course I would remember the license plate)

Not to defend people seen in that video, it was horrible and I could barely watch it. Could not believe my own eyes.

Snopes alert! Urband Legend Alert!!
Something like this perhaps?

Subject: Important Crime Alert-- Read this!

From: Moffatt, Wayne
Subject: Important Alert
To: SAO Office

National Gang Week is starting soon. This is their new target method: While driving on any roads, if you see a baby car seat sitting on the Side of the road, DO NOT STOP!!! This could be a Gang's trap. They target people especially women, to stop their vehicle to help a baby. They make this baby look as if it has blood on itself or on it's clothes. When you exit from your vehicle in attempt to help, the gangs jump out. They have beaten women to near death, and then rape them. Their goal is to torture the victims to death in anyway possible. If you do happen to see a car seat, DO NOT STOP, CALL POLICE IMMEDIATELY!!!. Please forward this message to everyone you know.

Det. G. J. Lee ID 1352
Montgomery County Police Department
Investigative Services Bureau
Centralized Auto Theft Section
2350 Research Blvd.
Rockville , MD 20850

Wayne Moffatt

What is most interesting to me is what is the underlying view of human nature that enables people to fall for this stuff...over and over and over....

OK I checked it. I did not get the whole thing, about the National Gang Week, hence I could not Google it and read Snopes. (Never heard about them before). Thank you! Interestingly, in the letter that I got, Gang was not mentioned, but you are right about the rest...

Well, these things go around in various flavors - one might say National Gang Week, the other not, but the idea is the same.
I'm genuinely curious what exactly made you believe the version you got. What was your first, gut response? Did it go straight to a deep fear that you harbor? Not trying to psychoanalyze you, just interested. I'll confess, the vast majority of people who I've gotten these from over the years, are generally older(in their 60's or 70's) and extremely conservative. Those two things may or may not have something to do with that. I just know I've never gotten one from a 20-something of ANY social leaning.

I know why I do not believe it or others like it.

1) I am a congenital skeptic. To the degree that I'm able I always check claims.
2) Things that I read that seem overwhelmingly constructed to A) evoke a fear response and B )get me to DO something (email to everyone I know for instance) in response to that fear, are particularly suspect and need verification.
3) I really don't have a bad view of human nature. I find us a mixed bag, and even in "these degenerate times" I find a larger balance of decency in people than not.
4) Any such thing that comes via email is automatically a load of crap. That is a default position.
5) I work in IT, and am reminded about social engineering (a form of which these emails are) almost daily.