Scapegoating
The story is relevant to today's society. In the story, the townspeople select their victim by a lottery. They then kill the victim to get a good harvest. In today's society, we choose a scapegoat to bully and push all the blame on so that they can benefit/not be reprimanded.
Hypocrisy of Men
Humans also tend to "go with the flow" until the attacks are directed at him. In other words, we are willing to do injustice to others but we only protest saying that it is unfair when the injustice is towards us.
In the story, Tessie goes through the whole procedings happily. But when Bill opened his piece of paper and saw the big, black dot, only then did Tessie shout, "it's not fair!"
Likewise in today's society, this happens too. Here's a scenario (sorry for the singlish)
Dua Tao :Peter like Mei Ling
Ah Beng : hahaha, you like Mei Ling!
Peter : no..no...no lor! I don't like her lar. She so-
Ah Beng : Iknow you like her. Don't need to hide! Hahaha!!!
Peter : (blushing profusely) Don't like that lar. Very embarrasing leh.
The next day...
Ah Seng : I saw you flirting with Ai Choo yesterday!
Ah Beng : don't lie lar. Where got?
Ah Seng : I saw with my own eyes. You like her is it?(winks)
Ah Beng : No lor, she so ugly one. She so-
Ah Seng and rest of the class : Ah Beng like Ai Choo! Ah Beng like Ai Choo! ...
Ah Beng : Stop it lar!
Peter and some others who were bullied: Ah Beng like Ai Choo!
Peter >> Ah Beng : who ask you to keep making other people. hmpf!
This is a perfect example in our context today. Ah Beng makes fun of others but when others make fun of him, he starts to feel upset. We think that as long as others are doing it, it is alright to do it. It is only when we are the victim will we push for change or ask others to stop or realise it is wrong.
"Uncaringness" of Human Nature
Humans are uncaring by nature. In the story, Bill forces the slip of paper out of Tessie's hand so that Tessie would die. Also, Tessie's closest friends spared no thought for her. They were very enthusiastic in trying to kill her. No one stood up to try to stop the stoning.
In today's society, this problem is also within many of us. Here's a scenario( sorry for singlish again)
Mum: Why do you look so gloomy?
Neighbour : I lost my job. boohoohoo...
Mum : oh, that's too bad. byebye.
Look how uncaring mum is. Although this is what I hope most of you would not say, this is something very similar.
Ah Beng: Brother! Why so sad one?
Ah Seng : My parents don't care about me. Boohoohoo...
Ah Beng: Never mind lah brother! We go disco party party! Happy Happy! Don't care about what parents lar.
He may seem caring, but he only wants to cheer himself up, and not helping his friend or comforting him.
If you liked all these scenarios, please post a comment.
Thank you
1 comment:
I find that scenario on that disco thing a fantastic example. I shall be copying it. The rest of the scenarios were fine, except for the hypocrisy of man subtitle. Tessie Hutchinson actually did not go through the whole proceedings carefully. She started getting worked up the moment Bill Hutchinson drew the piece of paper that had the black dot on it. She was devastated only when she herself drew the piece of paper during the "redraw".
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