Over CNN is this report about Bush lauding a dead marine in his speech to support his stand that the US must "finish the job." This marine was a full scholarship grad student (Chemistry PhD) at Stamford. He signed up because he felt that he should serve his country. Any person interested can look up the details elsewhere.
I am making this post because the above item brought up the memory of a story I came across when DXP first opened up China. The Chinese newspapers were groping their way to report on subjects other than the dry CCP approved stuff. One of this was to write apocryphal stories and invite readers to respond. Most stories were forgettable baby steps on social behavoir - eg. societal responsibility, dating, parent child relationships, premarital love and so on. The one that made a great impression on me was this.
A farmer fell into a swift flowing river and was in obvious distress. The people who saw this stood by but made no attempt to rescue the farmer. Then along came a medical student who promptly jumped in for the rescue. Unfortunately the elements were too powerful and both the farmer and the student watered.
The newspaper's moral for this story was that people should help one another and the Chinese peasantry was too selfish, too (insert your favourite vice here). People should follow the example of this medical student who was willing to risk his life to help a poor unknown farmer.
The readers' response knocked the socks off everyone. There was universal condemnation of the editorial staff for coming up with such a stupid story. The medical student was far too valuable to the country. Very few in China will ever get that chance. He owed it to society and to the country to finish his studies and serve the people. It costs the country a lot of money to send him through medical school for him to throw it all away for a poor farmer.
Chinese peasants not stupid.
What has this to do with the marine's story? Nah I'm not gloing there.
