Uncivilized Passengers are “Locusts” According to Beijing Subway’s Weibo

Uncivilized Passengers are “Locusts” According to Beijing Subway’s Weibo
Nov 11, 2013 By eChinacities.com

Beijing’s subway is the busiest in the world. With approximately ten million people competing for a seat on a daily basis, even the most patient and tolerant among us have succumbed to a negative thought or two about fellow passengers, especially when someone’s elbow is lodged in your rib cage.

However, on November 10, Beijing Subway perhaps went a little too far with the negative thoughts by calling “uncivilized” passengers “locusts” on their official Weibo account. The post read: “The locusts who passed through Line 10 have left behind a mess… Beijing's generosity is commendable, but sometimes excessive tolerance is the biggest problem. To those who engage in vandalizing behavior in the capital we only have this to say: You are not welcome here!” The post was even accompanied by a photo of paper waste in a subway carriage. While many of us have said worse, it is probably not okay for Beijing Subway to join in on the ranting, professionalism and all that.

The post immediately attracted debate and netizens condemned the use of the word “locust”, calling it discriminatory. Other users have called on the Beijing Subway to take responsibility for this post, saying it’s incredibly insulting to all subway passengers. Many others pointed out that subway carriages don’t have bins so there’s no place to put unwanted waste and that the action of a few doesn’t represent the majority. By the afternoon, the post had been deleted but that didn’t stop screenshots from spreading like wildfire through the web.

Beijing Subway responded by saying that a junior editor had written the post in an effort to raise awareness about uncivilized behavior.

Source: ifeng.com

Warning:The use of any news and articles published on eChinacities.com without written permission from eChinacities.com constitutes copyright infringement, and legal action can be taken.

Keywords: Beijing subway Uncivilized Passengers are Locusts

13 Comments

All comments are subject to moderation by eChinacities.com staff. Because we wish to encourage healthy and productive dialogue we ask that all comments remain polite, free of profanity or name calling, and relevant to the original post and subsequent discussion. Comments will not be deleted because of the viewpoints they express, only if the mode of expression itself is inappropriate.

Mateusz

Now, just to wait for the protests. Locusts, and Locust-Americans are super oppressed and whoever posted that on Weibo needs to be fired.

Nov 14, 2013 19:13 Report Abuse

Finbar

I don't see how people complain about the locust part, as it's aimed at those dirtying the subway. Did the people who got offended feel as though it was aimed at them? Good, then the guy's message seems to have reached some of its audience. Those who feel offended must somehow realize that they're behaving in an inappropriate manner - now it'd be nice if they actually took heed and did something about it (like that'll happen). As for the excessive tolerance, I agree. I think a lot of people around here behave rudely in part because they get away with it. Spitting, pissing, smoking where one shouldn't (elevators, anyone?), and littering all over the place, are all things that are frowned upon where I'm from. Light a cigarette in a bar or restaurant (which has been banned over there) and not just the owner, but other customers will tell you to quit/go outside/fuck off. Same goes for other things that are considered rude. Over here I rarely ever see anyone speak up when someone does something disgusting/rude, probably because they either don't care, or think 'nobody else is telling them to stop it, and I don't want to be the one to do so'. I've had numerous encounters with people where something annoyed me (usually noise), and I went up to their apartment to tell them to keep the noise down. Usually, this helps, though there are of course the arseholes that stay quiet for five minutes and resume their noise, but at least it shows that if people were to complain more about things that bothered them (and please, not by yelling at each other, as that'll just annoy even more people), perhaps in a constructive manner, things could really get better.

Nov 14, 2013 15:07 Report Abuse

Vyborg

'Sometimes excessive tolerance is the biggest problem'. I've been wondering about this before. Is criticizing other's behavior considered impolite/uncivilized because one makes the other lose face? Is that the reason everyone here thinks they can do whatever they like? And be extremely sensitive about some healthy feedback. Considering the way the people deal with their garbage and their fellow men, China looks more like a zoo than like a country. This junior editor may give us hope for the future. The next senior editor will be from his generation if not him. Cheers to the awareness-raisers of our times!

Nov 12, 2013 10:19 Report Abuse

Nessquick

It is not only commuters, also the cleaner force is not doing their job well. I am using my line 6 in SH for more than 2 years now. there is one carriage, which have chewing gum sticked on the hand rail, above head. all this time, 2 years, I happen to touch it many many times. I have to next time remember the car number and avoid it :-) clean force clean just the visible rubbish on floors, but nothing else. you can find thick layers of black dust just above the doors or on windows sometimes

Nov 12, 2013 10:15 Report Abuse

Nessquick

And, don't let me talk about the handrail in bus ...

Nov 12, 2013 10:16 Report Abuse

DaqingDevil

So the term "locusts" is discriminatory? That...coming from a whole nation of people who just LOVE to discriminate? Cool!

Nov 12, 2013 08:38 Report Abuse

sharkies

It's discriminatory to the locusts...haha

Nov 13, 2013 14:38 Report Abuse

Guest849094

I doubt these people will EVER going to get civilized

Nov 12, 2013 07:57 Report Abuse

sharkies

It's not just Beijing, it's the whole of China

Nov 12, 2013 07:31 Report Abuse

Englteachted

Kudos to someone in China taking a stand against bad behavior. What is wrong with calling uncivilized people locusts?

Nov 11, 2013 21:34 Report Abuse

DrMonkey

People can be made aware that their behaviour is harmful. But for this, one have to say things, open the mouth, and make the message clear. If it was indeed a guy who wrote this, congrats mate, you got courage and this people like you who might help to improve things.

Nov 11, 2013 21:14 Report Abuse

carlstar

Totally are locusts but that is China. People are unable to be civilised in China. No bins? Hold onto your crap and take it with you, maybe put it in a bag or pocket. No toilet? wait for train to stop and go to the toilets in the station instead of using a bottle or floor. No room? Wait for the next train instead of jumping into a packed train of pissed of people. Needing to get on the train? Wait to others get off and don't complain if those getting off smash into you because you are a cunt.

Nov 11, 2013 19:46 Report Abuse

Nessquick

may you write it chinese and send to everyone mobile as sms ? To make sure it will work, send this mass-sms every week :-)

Nov 12, 2013 09:37 Report Abuse