Poll gives prostitutes a leg up
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Prostitutes are considered more trustworthy in China than government officials and scientists, a survey suggests.
Sex workers are considered trustworthy by 7.9 percent of 3,376 respondents, putting them in third place after farmers and religious workers, Insight China magazine said.
"A list like this is at the same time surprising and embarrassing," the China Daily said yesterday in an editorial.
"The sex workers' unexpected prominence on this list of honor is indeed unusual."
The list showed scientists and teachers ranked "way below, and that government functionaries, too, scored hardly better."
Soldiers and students were ranked right after sex workers.
The editorial found it "worrisome" that there was a "dramatic drop in government credibility ratings."
More than 91 percent of the respondents admitted "they would take government data with a pinch of salt," it said.
"Given the constant feed of scandals involving the country's elite, this is not bad at all."
It added: "At least the scientists and officials have not slid into the least credible category, which consists of real estate developers, secretaries, agents, entertainers and directors."
Why why why why why am I not surprised.
I understand that defeating corruption is a daunting task. I know that this is not a job that can be accomplished quickly, but when your people (if this were a truthful national survey, I'll bet the number would be higher than 7.9%) trust prostitutes more than they trust government officials... YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM!
My brainstorming...
Instead of using the media to their advantage, the government tres to conceal pretty much everything. Why not use the media to put pressure on corrupt officials? Why not purposely leak information to expose local government criminals? Yes, it is difficult for good China officials to go against the flow and risk being ousted by their corrupt peers. So perhaps covert operations are in order. Leak information to the press, give them the freedom to expose the most corrupt officials, give covert protection to reporters who face danger.
Instead of creating secret "police" to "maintain peace" (the government has unlicensed, unofficial, unlawful, brutally violent secret police that beat up citizens for minor infractions), the good politicians should create secret police that exposes corruption and protects the whistleblowers. Naturally, the high up officials must be able to cut all ties with these covert operators in order to not arouse suspicion among their peers. I think with covert operations, the press, and internet bloggers working together, it is possible to defeat corruption and regain the faith of the people.
Anyways, that would be my dream anti-corruption operation. I'm almost 100% sure it will never happen.
I understand that defeating corruption is a daunting task. I know that this is not a job that can be accomplished quickly, but when your people (if this were a truthful national survey, I'll bet the number would be higher than 7.9%) trust prostitutes more than they trust government officials... YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM!
My brainstorming...
Instead of using the media to their advantage, the government tres to conceal pretty much everything. Why not use the media to put pressure on corrupt officials? Why not purposely leak information to expose local government criminals? Yes, it is difficult for good China officials to go against the flow and risk being ousted by their corrupt peers. So perhaps covert operations are in order. Leak information to the press, give them the freedom to expose the most corrupt officials, give covert protection to reporters who face danger.
Instead of creating secret "police" to "maintain peace" (the government has unlicensed, unofficial, unlawful, brutally violent secret police that beat up citizens for minor infractions), the good politicians should create secret police that exposes corruption and protects the whistleblowers. Naturally, the high up officials must be able to cut all ties with these covert operators in order to not arouse suspicion among their peers. I think with covert operations, the press, and internet bloggers working together, it is possible to defeat corruption and regain the faith of the people.
Anyways, that would be my dream anti-corruption operation. I'm almost 100% sure it will never happen.
Can Jonas Blane and The Unit beat corruption?
No comments:
Post a Comment