The Good Samaritan
But what about reality?
The Biblical story of the good Samaritan is well known enough. He was the only person who went to the aid of another even although people of an allegedly moral disposition (i.e., priests) passed by.
But that’s really just a prelude to the main story about a car which has apparently broken down in a remote spot. Other drivers have passed by, but should the modern Samaritan help or keep going?
I think most of us would say that he should stop and help. And for his trouble he was shot and his car was stolen. But the story, though a little OTT, illustrates one problem with being a Good Samaritan: it might backfire. I’ve read more than one story about people in China stepping into help others only to find that they end up being sued as if they’re responsible for the original injuries. In the days when I used to travel by bus, I’d occasionally catch people who were standing when the driver would, quite often, brake sharply and send everyone tumbling. But other people would do the same, hence custom seemed to make the gesture safe.
In other cases, Good Samaritans here may be con artists, especially when foreigners are involved. I’ve had a couple of encounters with “guides” at airports who will, supposedly, take you to your check-in counter and then expect to be paid money. This sort of thing is illegal, of course, but probably nothing was done about these people until the Olympics. I wouldn’t be surprised to find Beijing Airport is teeming with them once again.
My inclination would be to weigh up the cost even although the ideal option is to help. Here I’d be much less likely to interfere just as I’d generally not intervene in the business of strangers in case the whole thing backfired. I remember once (almost twenty years ago) as I was going round to the shops, seeing some woman apoplectic with fury at some girl who may have been the daughter or granddaughter. I felt at the time that I should’ve told the woman to moderate her language towards the girl, but I didn’t because I imagine she would’ve told me rather forcibly not to interfere in her business. Besides, I don’t know what the child had done, but the (grand)mother’s language went beyond what I considered decent under the apparent circumstances.
But that’s really just a prelude to the main story about a car which has apparently broken down in a remote spot. Other drivers have passed by, but should the modern Samaritan help or keep going?
I think most of us would say that he should stop and help. And for his trouble he was shot and his car was stolen. But the story, though a little OTT, illustrates one problem with being a Good Samaritan: it might backfire. I’ve read more than one story about people in China stepping into help others only to find that they end up being sued as if they’re responsible for the original injuries. In the days when I used to travel by bus, I’d occasionally catch people who were standing when the driver would, quite often, brake sharply and send everyone tumbling. But other people would do the same, hence custom seemed to make the gesture safe.
In other cases, Good Samaritans here may be con artists, especially when foreigners are involved. I’ve had a couple of encounters with “guides” at airports who will, supposedly, take you to your check-in counter and then expect to be paid money. This sort of thing is illegal, of course, but probably nothing was done about these people until the Olympics. I wouldn’t be surprised to find Beijing Airport is teeming with them once again.
My inclination would be to weigh up the cost even although the ideal option is to help. Here I’d be much less likely to interfere just as I’d generally not intervene in the business of strangers in case the whole thing backfired. I remember once (almost twenty years ago) as I was going round to the shops, seeing some woman apoplectic with fury at some girl who may have been the daughter or granddaughter. I felt at the time that I should’ve told the woman to moderate her language towards the girl, but I didn’t because I imagine she would’ve told me rather forcibly not to interfere in her business. Besides, I don’t know what the child had done, but the (grand)mother’s language went beyond what I considered decent under the apparent circumstances.
A tale of retribution tomorrow and the question who retributes the retributers?
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