That’s because the reporters usually just hang out at the police station and drink tea with the cops on duty. When something happens, they’re among the first to know.
It’s called guanxi and it’s the only way to get things done on this island.
Well, I just got back from the funeral and I wanted to share my first thoughts with you all. Here’s something I wrote to share with my friends and family who weren’t personally affected:
People never usually understand the real meaning of the saying, “Live everyday like it’s your last.” One way of misunderstanding it is thinking that you have to “enjoy” yourself everyday and not be concerned with the little details. Another way of misunderstanding it is to literally act as if you’ll be gone tomorrow and to think you have to go crazy.
However, the real meaning is that you need to really value the people in your life; value those that you love and value those that love you. After all, without your loved ones, life is meaningless.
Don’t put off spending time with your family and friends because you’re “busy”. Whatever you’re busy about can wait; sometimes, people can’t. Don’t create huge conflict with others over small issues; you never know when they’ll be gone, and you’ll look back and realize you argued over nothing.
Living each day like it’s your last means to love and be loved. Value the people in your life and don’t wait until it’s too late.
In response to bob: I pretty much hold the same view as you, and I think everyone is to blame, in part. There are so many issues surrounding every tragic, but preventable, thing in life that it’s unproductive to focus on who to blame. We should all figure out a way to make society better, rather than passing around blame. And in terms of traffic accidents, I truly believe that nobody should have the right to a private vehicle; we should all rely on a good public transit infrastructure operated by professionals. Private motor vehicle deaths are one of the leading causes of death in most societies, yet nothing really radical has been done about it.
The youths who were unfortunate enough to be the ones that were directly involved (all 20-30 youths were involved, but only those few who collided could be convicted), undoubtedly will be scarred for the rest of their lives. Not only emotionally, but also economically, because Taiwan records these things on their permanent profiles. They did accept responsibility, however.
Taiwan Luthiers: That’s exactly the reason why I’ve decided that I can’t bear living in this society anymore. My wife and I are going back to Canada this summer, after having lived here for nearly four years. All that you mentioned is so very entwined in Chinese culture that it would take enormous effort to change their way of thinking just a little. I also believe that it has a lot to do with the pace of modernization that Taiwan (and other countries in Asia) have undergone; the people did not have lifetimes to get used to the new ways.
daisyhotkiss: The media here have a lot of relationships with the police. The reason why the reporters are always there is because the police inform them directly of whatever is going down.
And just to update you all: nobody is even considering that the police did anything wrong in the way they set up their checkpoints. The reply I got from Apple Daily was that they won’t consider having a news series about police laziness. They said that in the case of my uncle, the police didn’t directly do anything wrong and can’t be held accountable.
My guess is that the media won’t say anything negative about the very people that inform them of their news stories.
The media can make a difference; like in Canada, the Toronto Star ran a series about police racism a few years ago and thus caused the police to improve the way they trained their officers in dealing with “minorities.” However, in Taiwan, it seems that the media is less interested in making a difference, and more interested in ratings.
Cultural indifference is not the excuse to not demand change and just give up on this land and go elsewhere. This is exactly the way every other Taiwanese and many other developing countries think. Everyone wants to get a green card or citizenship in another country because they believe things are “better” there. American culture had some pretty undesirable things too, like back in the 1930’s blacks were considered inferior and in those time they had separate bathrooms and drinking fountains and even busses for colored people. If it weren’t for people like Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King making a difference (often with great sacrifice) things would never change, and you’re talking about something that is so deeply entrenched into the American culture that no one thinks about it. I think same with Taiwan. People have a herd mentality here if someone steps up and say or do something about it you can bet multitudes of people will also do something about it. Fact is most people here agree that the traffic, police, education are really flawed in this country, but the problem is no one wants to do anything about it. Like I said government is passive by nature they won’t do anything until someone speaks up. It’s not that hard either all we need is someone to put pressure on the right people.
Peace to you and your family, shawnc. Take care and good luck with your move.
I’ve lost close to a dozen people in the last five years, including immediate family. Sounds absurd, I know. Another thing that people don’t get about this is that it can feel like a terrible burden: you feel like you have to change yourself because you have to make that tragic horrible death ‘mean’ something.
The only I can give is relax and let them go. Getting torn up with grief serves no-one, least of all the living, and tearing around trying to make every second ‘filled in’ will make you tired. Celebrate their lives, or what their lives could have been, and honour that, but don’t live for dead people.
I’ve never really spoken about this stuff before and my thoughts may be muddled, so forgive me if they seem insensitive to your situation.
My sincere condolences to you and your family, Shawn.
My understanding of this, is that since your uncle lost his life as a result of punks breaking the law, said punks will loose their right to EVER have a driving license again, unless their work requires it, in which case they will have a special license that allows them to ride/drive ONLY for work purposes. A relatively minor fine will be issued and that will be it. It will not be dealt as a murder.
IMO, involving the media will not change anything, and depending on how well “connected” said punks are through family members and uncles of their own, they may even get away with a lighter fine and a lighter punishment altogether. It sucks, but that’s how it works here. As you mentioned already, money can buy things here that are not “for sale” in other countries.
I agree with bob, but this said, making a good example of such tragedies would be a step forward in making people think twice before they do the same thing. But at what price?
It might be possible for your uncle’s family to sue the punks, but I think you’d be looking at YEARS before anything would come out of it, if anything at all. Not worth it, trust me. That would be like keeping the pain alive for years. Besides, Taiwan is rampant with crooked prosecutors and a “plea bargain” has a whole different meaning in Taiwan. NOT WORTH IT.
My advice to you and your family is to cut your losses and aim to move on with your lives. What’s done is done, and no matter what you do, it will not bring him back.
marboulette
shawn_c, I’m very sorry about your loss.
Thanks again for the condolences everyone… his parents, brother and sister will suffer the most, though. In Chinese tradition, parents can’t bury their children, so his mom and dad didn’t see the casket into the cremation chamber. Also, his father had to rap the casket with a cane, for his son not having “filial piety,” for leaving this world before his parents. Somehow, the Buddhist/Taoist ceremony gave me more peace than a Catholic one would’ve.
Taiwan Luthiers: You know that in order for an entire nation to change - culturally and mentally - it takes an enormous amount of concerted effort by really dedicated individuals (in terms of average people)… and although my wife is Taiwanese, I never planned to stay in Taiwan permanently. Sure, I could dedicate myself to change here, but I could also dedicate myself to change in Canada.
What I perceive, however, is that in Canada, the average individual can effect change quite effectively, whereas in Taiwan, it takes a rich and powerful individual. Therefore, would it not be more expedient to first become rich and powerful, and then try to change things? It sounds evil… but that’s the way this society works.
Moreover, although racism in America was institutionalized and accepted by many - the justice system in America is and as inalienable. No matter who thought what or wanted what, the law was the law and even racist judges had to accept certain verdicts. I can give so many examples of not only African-Americans, but also of early Chinese immigrants. Taiwan is not so similar.
Buttercup: Your comments were very nice - not insensitive at all. Thanks.
marboulette: Well, I don’t see it as a murder, either, although it sure feels like one. I’m sure it was unintentional and would be classed as “reckless” under the law in regards to culpability. I do also really understand that young people do countless things that harm both themselves and others; but it’s always more unfortunate when innocents get hurt. It’s even more unfortunate when these young people don’t mature and carry on their ways into adulthood, as I’m sure many of us have seen.
And you are right, any type of pursuing of the issue would just prolong the pain; his parents already want to forget about it. Nothing’s going to bring back their son.
Should the goal not be to become rich and powerful? Not so that you can enjoy such-and-such lifestyle; but so that the people and the things that you care about can be protected. In not-so-democratic countries, the aforementioned will give you great leverage. But even in very democratic countries, money can still help to change society.
There’s a saying, “Opportunities are given to those that have prepared,” and to me, it means that facing challenges with money, influence, power, etc. is less of an uphill battle than trying to do so without.