Topic: news Good Samaritan Commits Suicide After Being Blamed for Accident

Maybe this story looks like just another awful example of how the Chinese people can be greedy and opportunistic. But as with all stories on the internet - indeed in any media - there is often so much information missing. Do we know for sure that the old man accused Brother Wu of hitting him? We just assume that because his family tried to get money that it was the old man's idea. In fact, it's possible that he was unaware of their actions. Next, maybe after being knocked down by someone else, the old man suffered a concussion, and simply assumed that the next person he's aware of - helping him, as it happens - is in fact the person who knocked him down. Third, when a person takes their own life, there are often many, complex, long-term factors that contribute to it. Almost been there twice myself, and so I am well acquainted with the inner turmoil and darkness that leads to such a final, despairing act. Yes, the old man's family's "demand" for compensation pushed Brother Wu "over the edge" - but I highly doubt Brother Wu was of such a fragile nature that this one thing did it. Ultimately, if we are honest, each person is finally responsible for their act of committing suicide, even if there appears no other alternative to them in that moment. Is the money-grabbing part of Chinese culture that we see all too often a good thing? Of course not! But while China may have this dark side of their collective behaviour fairly prominently visible, let us not forget how often people in the US sue each other and businesses for all manner of ridiculous "personal injury", and how many other places around the world - notably Africa (sorry Africa, but it's just true) - are just as "greedy", selfish and inconsiderate. Maybe we would do better to blast the Chinese people less - even if they "deserve it" - and do more to contribute a positive experience to the world. Do we really expect that continually berating, tongue-lashing and generally negatively venting all over the Chinese people on safe, anonymous social media sites like eChinaCities, or Facebook et al, actually does China any good or helps them to moderate their behaviour? I seriously doubt it. I'm not blind to the bad behaviour: I just don't think the venom that many spit at said behaviour is at all helpful - to either side, as it happens. Maybe that speck of dust in our collective western eye really is more like a plank of wood...