From the Readers

Academic lies and the govt

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-07-14 07:55

Comment on "Credential Lies" (China Daily, July 10-11)

Tang Jun's lie about his PhD degree is being debated hotly across society. But if we replace IT with medicine, I guess most Chinese will recall a name immediately: Zhang Wuben. Tang and Zhang both are self-proclaimed experts and have built a lot of fan following and made a lot of money.

Similar cases are reported regularly, highlighting some social problems. First, the grassroots people have few channels to protect their rights. If China's healthcare system can provide affordable medical treatment to the people, the low-income group won't have to follow Zhang's ridiculous prescription of eating beans to prevent cancer.

Tang uses his personal story to tell migrant workers, who suffer because of the urban-rural residency system, that they can still dream to make it big in life, which is not at all true.

In other words, society has to offer greater space and more opportunities to the grassroots people to dissuade them from believing in the lies of people like Tang and Zhang.

Second, the authorities always use different criteria to judge the rich and the poor. Sister Phoenix, a poor girl, was labeled a symbol of "vulgarity" by a spokesman for the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television a few days ago and was banned from going on air. But till now no official has criticized Tang for lying about his education. The discrimination shows how a society indulges the rich and how inequalities are created.

Although some scholars have hailed the "China model", the hoax played by Tang and Zhang show China still has a long road to travel before it is modernized. Its people need scientific education, a social welfare system and mobilization opportunities. Apart from providing people all these public good, the government should also supervise the elites.

Ling Ma, via e-mail

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(China Daily 07/14/2010 page9)