Pingfa Posted November 12, 2014 at 04:45 PM Report Posted November 12, 2014 at 04:45 PM I don't really see why the matter is worse when a woman or child is beaten by a man. The average man can do far more damage to the average woman than the other way around. Women are not only physically but emotionally different, most aren't likely to hit back if a man is brutally beating them. That goes doubly so for children, needless to say. Surely this isn't a point of contention - two men of similar stature having a little scuffle is not the same as a clearly stronger male beating up a woman or child. For what it's worth, if it's just two men having a minor scuffle, I wouldn't intervene. Someone getting a booboo isn't worth losing sleep over. Quote
LiMo Posted November 12, 2014 at 05:17 PM Report Posted November 12, 2014 at 05:17 PM Well, you are arguing from a point of who has more power and who is more likely to be injured. I'm arguing from more of a moral perspective. Ok a massive great hulk of a man is more likely to to kill a child quicker than a small woman but if the intent is there the result will be the same, and they are equally appalling no matter who does it. I agree that psychology has an important part to play in it, many women probably, through no fault of their own, underestimate their ability to defend themselves. Nevertheless, I thought your comment placed undue stress on the sex of the aggressor when anyone violently persecuting another person should be stopped. If there's any chance that a woman giving her child a good kicking is considered less serious because "the average man" can do far more damage I think there's something wrong there. (I never brought up two blokes having a minor scuffle, I was mainly referring, albeit implicitly, to incidents where one side is clearly not putting up adequate resistance.) This is getting off topic anyway and I think we can both agree that most of the time it is a good thing to intervene to stop people being beaten up by unscrupulous types. 2 Quote
陳德聰 Posted November 12, 2014 at 06:20 PM Report Posted November 12, 2014 at 06:20 PM There is something performative about intervening as well. I have stood directly in between a group of thugs beating someone at a bus stop, on my phone with the police, yelling at the top of my lungs, and it wasn't for the thugs, it was for all the people standing by at the bus stop doing nothing, for the people driving by in their cars, and hopefully for people in the restaurant as well. I am fine looking like an absolute crazy person in any context if it prevents harm, and I think that is largely individual rather than cultural, but I can agree it would be less likely for me to be this way had I been raised elsewhere. 1 Quote
Guest realmayo Posted November 12, 2014 at 06:52 PM Report Posted November 12, 2014 at 06:52 PM Different kind of performance -- you are trying to draw attention to yourself in order to draw attention to the event you want to stop, i.e. for the benefit of the being-beaten. I'm talking about some aspect of a relationship being played out in front of an audience, but ultimately for the benefit of the performers. Quote
Guest realmayo Posted November 12, 2014 at 06:57 PM Report Posted November 12, 2014 at 06:57 PM Personally I feel I'm less likely to intervene now than, say, 10 years ago, but whether that's because of exposure to the Chinese way of thinking, or just because now I'm older I'm more cynical or less idealistic or just less drawn to aggressive situations than I was in my 20s, I don't know. Quote
889 Posted November 12, 2014 at 11:48 PM Report Posted November 12, 2014 at 11:48 PM Agree that some street fights are more performance than fight. But the key accessory if you're going to participate in one is an accompanying friend who will struggle to pull you away before you get really hurt.But some street fights -- thugs attacking street vendors, thugs attacking thieves, thugs attacking other thugs -- are the real thing. It's plain stupid to get involved in these, and you may as well have 我刚刚来中国 "Just Arrived in China" written on your back. Quote
LiMo Posted November 13, 2014 at 12:31 AM Report Posted November 13, 2014 at 12:31 AM Man breaks up a fight by eating crisps. Saw this today. Funny what turns up eh. https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=796743440391116 Quote
Angelina Posted November 13, 2014 at 02:55 AM Report Posted November 13, 2014 at 02:55 AM Why Chinese people might think talking to the police is a bad idea. Shivers http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzA3NzkxODkwMA==&mid=201646259&idx=7&sn=8aeaeb9a049b572a4854a5b5cf59029a&scene=2&from=timeline&isappinstalled=0#rd Quote
Pingfa Posted November 13, 2014 at 12:44 PM Report Posted November 13, 2014 at 12:44 PM I was mainly referring, albeit implicitly, to incidents where one side is clearly not putting up adequate resistance Ah, then I see how I what I said could be miscontrued. I wasn't thinking in terms of a man beating a child as opposed to a woman beating a child, I was comparing a man beating a woman as opposed to a man hitting a man. An unarmed petite lady isn't going to do a lot of damage to a 'great hulk of a man' Thus, one big man beating up a petite lady is worse than two men of similar stature trading punches. That being said, of course I'm in agreement that were the other party, wether male or female, in a position to do serious injury to another (armed and dangerous) then it's worth intervening. Perhaps it would have been more appropriate to say a stronger party attacking a weaker party is worse than a weaker party or one in a position of equal power attacking another. 1 Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and select your username and password later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.