China: Prostitutes more trustworthy than government officials

A startling result of an online survey of more than 3,376 people published by Insight China magazine reveals that China's prostitutes are considered by some to be more trustworthy than its politicians, teachers and scientists!

The survey found that 7.9% of the respondents considered sex workers trustworthy, placing them third behind farmers and religious workers. A post on China Daily website says a result like this is surprising and embarrassing at the same time. The article analyzes the social background and reasons which lie behind the sex workers’ unexpected prominence on this list of honor and concludes that it reflects the government's indifference to, if not disregard of, citizens.

Generally speakingChinese local cadres report only to their superiors, and their appointment, promotion or removal has little, or nothing, to do with input from the community they are supposed to serve. So, the author suggests that efforts must be made to restore the government's credibility and the first step is to put an end to public servants being remote from the public interest. Chinese netizens seem in total despair as to the credibility of their government officials. The following is a selection of comments on the topic at SouFun.com:

不过我觉得这个对比不太合理。在诚信度方面,妓女都是后付款的,诚信度自然很高。和二奶比较的话很合适……那个一般都是先付款的。

However I don't think this is a reasonable comparison. As to the credit of prostitutes, it would be normal that they have more credibility than our government officials because the payment is always made after performance of their ‘services’. Prostitutes should be compared to Chinese officials’ mistresses since the latter are often paid beforehand.

Another netizen says:

民间已经以这种极端的方式来表达他们的信任程度,这说明中国共产党的信用已经破产了。

That people express their feelings about the governments’ credit record in such an extreme way indicates that the credibility of CCP is completely distrusted.

Someone thinks that the current social context is the main cause:

社会环境造成的。现在官员说话,与电视广告一样。

It is generally derived from the social context. What the government officials say now is just like the advertising slogans.

A blogger named Zuiyanwulong posts a comment on Sina.com saying one party dictatorship is the root of bribery and corruption:

中国腐败已快烂到根了,为什么中国人民这么老实本分甚至麻木?因为说也没用,气也没用,一党执政,没有威胁,没有压力,他们就恃无忌惮的贪,因为从下到上金字塔形的贪污模式,所以以官官相互为原则,实在瞒不住就以牺牲下级官员为解决方案,所以贪不断根啊!

Corruption is about to erode the roots of this country but why we are we still so resigned to it? I think it is because although we say a lot and complain a lot about it our efforts turn out to be futile. We feel helplessness. The system of one-party autocracy is so entrenched that the officials can be as corrupt as they want and in turn it creates a top down pyramid of corruption in China. The officials are protected under this system and that's the reason why corruption cannot be eradicated.

Besides the scattered thoughts, coherent opinions can also be found online. A blogger posts an article on the famous Chinese forum Xici.net saying that he worries about that the poll may show wider and deeper problems in current China- namely the social credit crisis:

设若说房地产老板、演艺明星等被认为是诚信最差的群体,笔者绝不怀疑,因为在金钱决定一切的这个商业时代,人们早已领略了他们的为钱而动的“风采”。

If a poll like this showed that men like real estate businessmen and entertainers are the least trustworthy, there would be no room for doubt since it is already a business driven world right now and we all know that money is their overiding motive.

The author continues:

但令笔者颇为惊讶的是,原本社会声望较高的科学家、教师居然也排在了诚信危机的范畴之内,且“不及性工作者”。——怪哉,过去妓女属于下九流,而今教师的信任度在人们心目中居然还不如妓女,这实在是一件令人极度惊诧和匪夷所思的事情。

But what surprises me most is the fact that men who share a high social reputation such as scientists and teachers are listed as ‘less trustworthy’ and their credibility is even lower than prostitutes. This is weird because prostitutes traditionally are among the lowest classes in society but now their credibility is seemingly higher than teachers and scientists. What an incredible reversal!

In conclusion, he thinks it's society's shame:

诚信的本义就是要诚实、诚恳、守信、有信,反对隐瞒欺诈、反对伪劣假冒、反对弄虚作假。所以,教师更应为人师表,言传身教,以信取人。但时至如今,教师居然还不如妓女,这能说不是一种悲哀吗?

The meaning of credibility is to be trustworthy, be honest and keep promises. Therefore, behaviour like cheating, hypocrisy or lying or falsification run counter to this meaning. Teachers are supposed to be role models for students with their teaching and behaviors. But now teachers are considered worse than prostitutes. Isn't that shameful?

Simultaneously, an English blogger looks on the positive side of the survey result and thinks that it indicates that worship of personalities now belongs in the past:

At least prostitutes work their butts off for an honest living rather than plundering the people who do work.

Edited by Bob Guy

5 comments

  • Ranger_lost_in_Mordor

    doesn’t surprise me at all. Whenever there is a nation ruled
    by buchnes of truculent dictators who muffle and trample the opposition, there is no way for its people to trust the athourity,even in the most democratic country of the world,
    there are still people disbeliving the government.

    btw, what has globalvoice done to my comment on
    blog:han chinese’s prejudice and discrimination towards
    Urighurs. Is this the way how you guys muffle people like
    me ? huh ?

  • […] Beitrag erschien zuerst auf Global Voices. Die Übersetzung erfolgte durch Ingrid Fischer-Schreiber, Teil des “Project […]

  • […] Iată unul dintre cele mai interesante comentarii postate de un cititor chinez, care are și o altă explicație a fenomenului… Nu cred că e o comparaţie rezonabilă. Dar e normal că prostituatele sunt mult mai credibile decât oficialii guvernamentali, deoarece sunt întotdeauna plătite după performanţa “serviciilor”. Detalii aici. […]

  • I do believe that government offical is of less trustworthy . however, through a survery just more than 3k pepole could show, teachters are aslo of less trustworthy, it is a question.

  • Hills of Athens

    Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness.–Confucius

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