Anger cannot right social wrongs

Wang Mudi, an anchor with Guangdong TV Station, recently wrote in his micro blog that he "wants to slash people" because doctors at a hospital injected needles four times into his girlfriend for blood transfusion. In the face of strong criticism from netizens and the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, Wang later apologized for his remarks. The incident calls for better communication among people, says an article in Beijing Youth Daily. Excerpts:

Wang was not wronged and should have apologized (which he did) for his aggressive online postings, which could intensify conflicts between patients and doctors. Civil behavior demands that no one, let alone a journalist, pass such comments.

The reaction of the doctors' association seems to be justified, because medical staff could face life-threatening situations in these times of rising patient-doctor conflicts. The conflicts could be blamed on the way the healthcare sector functions, but they also reflect the lack of reconciliation mentality among people today.

More people now seem to be filled with rage than ever before. They explode at the drop of a hat instead of using reason to get what they want or to put their arguments across. For example, even if Wang was fired by the TV station, as the CMDA demanded, it would not have improved the relationship between doctors and patients.

In most cases, it's the people who decide the nature of the society they live in. If people turn a blind eye to and tolerate a hostile social atmosphere, they will push society away from reason and cohesiveness. Only by giving opposing sides a chance to reconcile and being rational and inclusive can we build a more civilized society.

The opinions expressed on this page do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

(China Daily 02/28/2014 page9)