Don't Hesitate to Say No

A particular phenomenon found in Chinese culture - or all Asian cultures for that matter -is that we refrain from giving positive answers. Instead, we trouble ourselves with an abundance of roundabout sayings. For example, the word "death" is not used when talking about death. Likewise, when it comes to refusing or turning down an idea, a plain "no" would have the same effect as an atomic bomb. Culture plays a major part in this.

Laying great importance on personal relationships, we cannot be too careful when speaking to others so we weigh our words carefully lest they should be inappropriate or unsuitable. Therefore, a direct "no" is often thought to be rather rude and impolite. it should be used with extreme care if not totally forbidden.

Taken from another perspective, the inability to say no is as much a culture problem as a moral one. Since it is only when we regard something wrong or inappropriate that we say "no" to it and this hesitation is generally due to two reasons: First, we are unable to differentiate between right and wrong; and second, when this ability of judgment has been blocked for so long it destroys our values. The first case is generally found in children and adolescents. Without this vital ability, they will find it hard to resist the temptation of say, cocaine offered by pals.

But it's the second case that has been eroding our society as of late. There are people who know what is right and wrong and they understand the must say no when an evil flame looms its heinous head. But their covetous hearts aim at something else and therefore their eyes are blinded.

What I'm talking about is those high profile people who appear to be the representatives of our country but cave in the face of illegal wealth. Take the former Shanghai's Mayor Huang Mingyu for example. A once promising man with great political expectation, he was charged with bribery of over 1 billion yuan and was sentenced to death. Do they lack the education to be indifferent towards money? No, what they truly want is perhaps the awareness of the limit of their power.

To those people whose duty it is to heal the suffering mass from the torture of illness i say: Don't hesitate to say no when you are asked to damage the body you are curing, even when you are tempted by those shining dice. That is your duty. To those people whose duty it is to represent the views of the majority i say: Don't hesitate to say no, even when your heart gets excited at the sight of those bills. That it is your duty. To those people whose duty it is to judge between right and wrong and give a voice to the disadvantaged, don't let outside values veil your clear judgment. That is your duty.

It is only when we have all understood our own duty that we can truly say no to those temptations.

This Stands Original