I’m writing this entry out of frustration, because to be honest I’ve just been amazed by the behaviour of many Chinese recently.
As I mentioned in my last entry, amid the ongoing radiation fears following the earthquake in Japan that crippled several nuclear reactors at the Fukushima plant, residents in major cities including Beijing and Shanghai rushed out to buy iodized salt.
Why? Because someone had spread a rumour on the Internet that eating iodized salt prevents the body absorbing radiation.
Many supermarkets sold out of their six-month supply of salt supply in a single day. In Beijing, where I work, there was a 100-metre-long line of people waiting in front of a salt manufacturing company. Many unscrupulous traders increased the price of salt by anything from double to five times. Once the run on salt had settled down, the media focused on reports that producers of personal care products, including Unilever, would … Read More…
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Fragility of the Chinese Mind
About the author
Zhong Li is a tech journalist who covers the latest developments in artificial intelligence, robotics, and biotechnology. Zhong Li is passionate about exploring the ethical and social implications of emerging technologies.
