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Ragman's story briefly rouses us from indifference
By Fernando Bensuaski |
August 23, 2011, Tuesday
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Print Edition
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A MAN was walking down the street when he was attacked by robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and left him half dead on the sidewalk.
By chance, a distinguished professor was going down that same street. When he walked by the fallen man, he did not notice the bleeding and kept walking. In the same way, a well-dressed businessman, when he came to the place of our story, did not hear the man's groans, even though he walked within a meter of him.
A migrant worker, as he tiredly dragged his feet towards a bus, did stop and went to the fallen man. He was moved with compassion, covered the man with his own coat and called a hospital, asking for an ambulance. In so doing, he earned a place in Paradise.
This story is nearly 2,000 years old. The setting has changed but the message is timeless. There is too much indifference on Earth.
In our own little corner of the world, the story and video of the ragman tossed off a bus is capturing attention and temporarily causing indignation. Why?
Because, all of a sudden, someone ceased to be indifferent. Because once someone ceased to be indifferent, the lack of compassion toward the ragman touched someone's heart.
Because buried under our self-centered worries and our plans for more wealth, there is a small flame that occasionally shines through and casts a healing light onto someone in need.
It is indifference that takes us to the place from which we watch a boy being strung up and beaten in public by his parents for 30 minutes without taking any action.
It is indifference that allows us to watch a man slap a woman as if we were watching a movie.
It is indifference that keeps us from collectively shouting at the police for allowing the existence of "urban management volunteers," one of the sickest aspects of our society.
In its efforts to create an image of prosperity, our city has sanitized itself. We don't even notice the so-called little people who make our lives more comfortable.
We simply don't see them. They are the people who keep our malls shining; they are the people who will walk several blocks because the lunch box somewhere is two yuan cheaper than somewhere else.
They are invisible. They walk by us pushing a broom, or wiping down a marble column, or rubbing brass until it shines. But we don't see them. Invisible through our indifference.
It was British philosopher Edmund Bur who wrote, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
It is indifference that numbs us to the point that we overlook that our city has been sanitized. All that was deemed dirty is gone; not even the pigeons have stayed.
The author is managing director, Goshawk Trading Strategies Ltd. Shanghai Daily condensed the article.
By chance, a distinguished professor was going down that same street. When he walked by the fallen man, he did not notice the bleeding and kept walking. In the same way, a well-dressed businessman, when he came to the place of our story, did not hear the man's groans, even though he walked within a meter of him.
A migrant worker, as he tiredly dragged his feet towards a bus, did stop and went to the fallen man. He was moved with compassion, covered the man with his own coat and called a hospital, asking for an ambulance. In so doing, he earned a place in Paradise.
This story is nearly 2,000 years old. The setting has changed but the message is timeless. There is too much indifference on Earth.
In our own little corner of the world, the story and video of the ragman tossed off a bus is capturing attention and temporarily causing indignation. Why?
Because, all of a sudden, someone ceased to be indifferent. Because once someone ceased to be indifferent, the lack of compassion toward the ragman touched someone's heart.
Because buried under our self-centered worries and our plans for more wealth, there is a small flame that occasionally shines through and casts a healing light onto someone in need.
It is indifference that takes us to the place from which we watch a boy being strung up and beaten in public by his parents for 30 minutes without taking any action.
It is indifference that allows us to watch a man slap a woman as if we were watching a movie.
It is indifference that keeps us from collectively shouting at the police for allowing the existence of "urban management volunteers," one of the sickest aspects of our society.
In its efforts to create an image of prosperity, our city has sanitized itself. We don't even notice the so-called little people who make our lives more comfortable.
We simply don't see them. They are the people who keep our malls shining; they are the people who will walk several blocks because the lunch box somewhere is two yuan cheaper than somewhere else.
They are invisible. They walk by us pushing a broom, or wiping down a marble column, or rubbing brass until it shines. But we don't see them. Invisible through our indifference.
It was British philosopher Edmund Bur who wrote, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
It is indifference that numbs us to the point that we overlook that our city has been sanitized. All that was deemed dirty is gone; not even the pigeons have stayed.
The author is managing director, Goshawk Trading Strategies Ltd. Shanghai Daily condensed the article.
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