A report by SET News titled “Should We Donate to the Powerful Sichuan Jiuzhaigou Earthquake? His 4 Reasons for Refusing Donations Go Viral” mentions that PTT netizens pointed out four reasons why there is no need to donate. First, it concerns how the CCP handles “tofu-dreg” construction projects; second, Mainland China’s poor attitude toward the Republic of China (R.O.C.) in the past; third, severe corruption in Mainland China; and finally, the idea that “Taiwan should not count on China’s ‘friendship,’” citing Hong Kong as an example.
SET News further noted that the post was immediately “pushed to the top” by PTT netizens. Some users supported the original poster’s argument, commenting “An honest and good post, upvoted,” “Thanks for sharing this, learned something new,” and “Better to donate supplies than money.” However, other users held opposing views, believing that pro-independence internet trolls were once again trying to steer public opinion and that charitable acts should not be mixed with politics.
If you ask me, the fact that an earthquake as far away as Jiuzhaigou, Sichuan, can shake out such a large crowd of “Chuunibyou” (delusional) netizens in Taiwan is honestly staggering.
Donating is itself an act of goodwill from the heart. To be honest, this amount of money is essentially pocket change for the Mainland Chinese government. Setting aside Mainland China’s current formidable economic strength, the same logic applied to the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake—the money you donate is for emergency relief, but in reality, Japan wouldn’t be significantly affected by the lack of it. Even looking domestically rather than abroad, the surplus of “charity” donations from the Kaohsiung gas explosion a few years ago eventually led to Chen Chu being sued, with the allocation of funds being constantly questioned.
Donating is your own goodwill, your own positive energy, and your own merit. But do not think of yourself as too important; otherwise, it’s just “Chuunibyou.”
Today, it is your free choice if you do not want to donate, but waving a flag and demanding everyone follow your lead in refusing to donate is simply contemptible.
Even if we take ten million steps back, at the moment the Sichuan earthquake just broke out—when the number of casualties was unknown, the extent of property damage was unclear, and it hadn’t even been determined if any of our own people from the R.O.C. were among the victims—the first reaction of DPP supporters was to immediately shout for a refusal to donate. This kind of reaction suggests they need to see a psychiatrist, right!? Whether the Mainland side even needs donations is not even certain yet.
If PTT netizens refuse to donate because the Mainland is “not friendly enough” to the R.O.C., then what about when the Japanese colonized Taiwan, murdered hundreds of thousands of residents, and forcibly took Taiwanese women to serve as “comfort women” for the Japanese military? These events happened less than a hundred years ago, yet today a crowd of people rushes to donate to Japan. What kind of drama is being performed here?
A netizen named “William” put it well: “Goodness… transcends borders, transcends race, and crosses nations. It is simply a hope to help from a heart sparked by a genuine thought, let alone expecting anything in return. It is purely the hope of passing warmth to those in need.”
As for the “Chuunibyou” malice filling your own hearts, please keep it at home and stop putting your lack of decency on display.