Friday, October 21, 2011

Chinese Toddlers and Keeping Hope Alive. . .

All my life people close to me have tried to buoy my spirits and convince me that human society isn't really that bad. And I have always tried, to borrow a phrase from Mr. Jackson, to keep hope alive. After all, I recognize that I have been very lucky in life; I have been able to devote my life to art and writing, I have had people in my life that I loved and that have loved me back. And I have always maintained a firm belief in socialist politics because I think that society should exist for the benefit of all and that the only hope for our race is that we take care of each other.

All that said, it is sometimes difficult to "keep hope alive," don't you think? Everyone knows the story now of the little girl in China who was run over by a car in a market and had to just lay there on the street while no one came to her aid. Another truck event ran over her again as she lay there, it slowed down as though it was going over a speed bump. I have seen the event on video and it is unbelievable, startling, and ultimately profoundly saddening. How does one come to grips with such an event? It happened thousands of miles away to a little girl that I don't know and will never know. However, somehow watching those people who casually walked around and stepped over a small, dying, little toddler has made it just a little more difficult for me to maintain the faith that we all require to go on.

(An important post-script to the story of the little dying toddler; after 19 people went by without even bothering to stop and help the dying girl, the person who did finally stop was a very poor old woman who ekes out a meager living collect junk form the city's trash. Why does it not surprise me that it was the poorest of the poor who stooped to help a child?)

1 comment:

900ft Jesus said...

what you wrote, I feel like that most of the time. Then some random stranger will do some little thing, something as simple as smiling in an elevator and saying some small thing that shows they recognize that every other person is as real as them, and I think, yes, that's why it's worth it, that's why I have hope.

I don't believe everyone will one day care about everyone else, but it's the few really kind, good ones that make saving our species worth it. At least that what I tell myself. The caring ones are so precious, even more so when you consider how unfeeling so many others can be to people they don't know. I want to hug them and say thanks, but I settle for a smile and some words just for them.

Man...Friday night...you really got me going!

There's a bit of an uppside to the horrible tragedy of the little girl. I read the video has gone viral in China, and there has been a shocked response with many asking what their countryfolk are coming to - some introspection, hopefully some awakening.