Dog owners' comment condemnable

Three women walking their dogs in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, recently complained that civic cleaners were not cleaning the wastes of their pets properly. Their uncivilized and heartless comment instantly drew a sharp retort from another woman and also created a storm on the Internet. The woman, surnamed Gan, who protested against the three pet owners' comment, said human life is much more valuable than those of pets. Gan has drawn widespread praise from people, including the Guangzhou deputy mayor, for her action, says an article in Chongqing Times. Excerpts:

The three dog owners should be ashamed of what they said. They may be well off, but their remark shows that they are far from civilized. In fact, it exposes their sense of vanity. In civilized society a pet owner is responsible for cleaning the wastes of his/her pet. The three women not only not cleaned their dogs' wastes, but also accused civic workers of doing a "shoddy" job of cleaning them.

The three women, however, are not the only disturbing elements in Chinese society today. For example, a rich person recently offered money to the victim of an accident as compensation without regretting the action. Also, when some migrant workers recently asked the management to pay their due salaries, a management official had the temerity to say that he was ready to pay 100,000 yuan if he could beat up a worker and break his leg. Such incidents show that some people believe "money can buy everything" or "might is right", which is not at all true.

According to a recent survey, 63 percent of the respondents said a person stands to lose if he/she yields ground to others. But a healthy society should not be evaluated in terms of losses and gains.

People in general do not hate the rich; they hate the rudeness and brashness that some rich people have become used to. Society has functioned (and will continue to function) on the basis of many unwritten social norms and every member of society has to follow them if he/she wants to be a part of it.

Adventure sports need support

Two tourists died after being trapped in freezing temperatures on Lingshan Mountain on the border of Beijing and Hebei province recently, triggering mix comments online. Some netizens praised the efforts of the rescue team, while others criticized backpackers for taking undue risks and even saying that rescue operations for such "risk-takers" was a waste of taxpayers' money, says an article in Beijing News. Excerpts:

Since sports like mountaineering have been included in the Regulations on National Fitness, it is unfair to accuse hikers and mountaineers of irresponsible behavior. Only a few people in China participate in outdoor adventure and they should be extended every possible help in times of emergency.

Clubs for outdoor adventure in China have undergone rapid development in recent years, but the industry is still in nascent stage and some clubs cannot provide professional training, let alone organize rescue operations. We should learn from other countries' experiences and devise norms for China's outdoor adventure industry.

In many other countries, outdoor adventure is seen not only as an individual quest, but also as a necessary social activity. For example, for the promotion, operation and supervision of outdoor adventure, the New Zealand government offers training, education as well as official certificates. It even provides every outdoor adventure organization with funds for training.

In China, outdoor adventure deserves due support through regulation and funds for the healthy development of the people. Although people, especially tourists, should be aware of the risks involved and be fully prepared for the consequences of taking risks, the government and organizers should conduct risk assessment, make relevant regulation and help adventure seekers to avoid dangers.

(China Daily 01/08/2013 page9)