Just a “Little” Corrupt: Moral Ambivalence in China
March 10th, 2010
I recall having a conversation in Shanghai several years ago with an American friend who’s lived in China for many years. We were talking about some of the things we like and don’t like about living here. I recall his saying, “But one of the things I simply cannot accept about this culture is its sense of ‘moral ambivalence’” – the orientation that right and wrong depend on ever-shifting contexts.
Han Han, a famous twenty-something Chinese blogger, race car driver and writer who is possibly the only citizen to have given the finger (literally) to very high level cadres during a public performance (though they likely did not understand the gesture) has suggested to Chinese netizens flaming a corrupt government official they should leave the guy alone. The official, Han Feng, Tobacco Sales Bureau Director of Guangxi province, had been keeping a diary for years in which he detailed all the monies he had taken as bribery, all the mistresses he’d ever kept – including sleeping with some of his staff – and all the political favors he’d ever paid out. Someone published his diary online about two weeks ago.Netizens and news commentators – on the internet, in newspapers and on TV – have been barbecuing the guy in public.
Han Han, though, believes that from a government corruption point of view, the guy was pretty honest as officials go and should be let off the hook. After all, Han Han suggests, “As cadre he only took 60,000 yuan bribe in total. This is the first time I ever saw 5-digit number coming after the word “bribery” in recent years, where can you find such uncorrupted director nowadays? Among his ex-mistresses, present mistresses steady-played-with mistresses and mistresses-to-be, not of them serve as kept lover to him.” (ChinaHUSH)
Of course, you reap what you sow. Even if you’re a society.
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