Wu Guangqiang

    WE are quite familiar with the following cases. On May 7, 2008, Hu Bin, a 20-year-old college student in Hangzhou, also a fuerdai, or rich kid, racing his car with friends, knocked down and killed a student crossing the road. It was the first reported case involving fuerdai who show off their wealth and hold the public interest and law and order in utter contempt, which outraged the public.

    On the night of Oct. 16 this year, Li Qiming, a drunk young driver, ran over two girl students in Hebei University, killing one and injuring the other. Instead of stopping to help the victims, Li accelerated away trying to escape but was intercepted by security guards. Without a shred of remorse, the undeterred young guanerdai, or, literally put, an official’s kid, shouted: “My father is Li Gang!” Li Gang was later confirmed to be the vice police chief in Beishi district, Baoding City, Hebei Province.

    “My father is Li Gang!” later became a catchphrase widely cited with numerous revised versions to express widespread anger and sarcasm against privileged offspring spoiled by their wealthy or powerful parents.

    A few days ago, a video clip showed several young girls, stylishly dressed and smiling, staging disgusting and brutal cruelty: killing a bunny by putting it under a glass plate and sitting on the plate…

    Sick and repugnant? These cases, however, are put to shame by another in terms of cruelty. In October, Yao Jiaxin, a 21-year-old student at the Xi’an Conservatory of Music, was driving his car when he hit a woman. Instead of helping the victim, he stabbed her eight times in the chest and killed her before fleeing. Asked why he was so foolish as to turn a traffic accident into a homicide, the fresh-faced boy said he saw the injured woman struggling to see the plate number of his car. Fearing she would badger him for compensation, he lost his mind and killed her. Once again, this offender has a father who is an official.

    Wild, defiant, contemptuous and even ruthless behavior seem to have become a trend among some young people. Fuerdai and guanerdai, in particular, have been the prime target of public resentment for their extravagant way of life and brazen disregard for social ethics and public interest.

    Traditional values and virtues such as diligence, thrift, humility, honesty, responsibility and respect for others have long been neglected in the classroom and the media. Shallow definitions of success such as money and fame have impressed people from an early age.

    Although Chinese schools do have lessons on morality, character and legal basics, these classes, compared with academic subjects, are often repellent to students because of the rigid and outdated content. Not much has been done to make moral education more attractive and effective. In addition, adults have failed to act as a role model. In many ways, it is adults who set bad examples for children.

    We can’t afford any further delay in rebuilding our morality and saving our children from becoming a soulless generation. Lawmakers should draft guiding legislation to stipulate the moral and social rights and obligations of adults and minors in conducting themselves in society. Public media should play an active role in empowering younger generations with healthy and positive values and avoid unhealthy content.

    German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said: “Morality is the best of all devices for leading mankind by the nose.” A prosperous world without morality is nothing short of a desert.

    (The author is an English tutor and a freelance writer.)