Show compassion in the right way!

(Baonghean) - When the first information and images of the floods were broadcast on television and spread on the Internet, charitable activities across the country began, urgently and with great compassion and responsibility. However, somewhere, the excessive zeal of these charitable hearts might make people in Central Vietnam feel disheartened.

For generations, Central Vietnam has been accustomed to flooding during the rainy season. This narrow strip of land, with its steep, hilly terrain and few rivers, means that even a single heavy rainstorm can cause a massive influx of water from upstream, instantly submerging villages, crops, and roads. People in flood-prone areas are all too familiar with this situation; they are always proactive and self-reliant in dealing with storms and floods. Almost every household stockpiles food for the rainy season, has storage sheds to protect belongings when floodwaters rise, a small boat ready to be launched when floods arrive, and methods for herding livestock to safety. Therefore, no matter how severe the flood, they never panic but remain proactive and support each other to overcome it.

Human kindness during the floods in Central Vietnam in October 2016. (Illustrative image: Internet)

Central Vietnam boasts specialties stemming from their experience in coping with natural disasters, such as dried sweet potatoes, chewy sweet potatoes, dried shrimp, and dried fish... which can be eaten directly without cooking to help them survive storms and floods. The traditional cooking method of Central Vietnam, "chopping large pieces and stewing in a salty sauce," is also a "specialty" of this region prone to storms and floods. These aspects of life have shaped the courageous, spirited, and thrifty, sometimes even stingy, character of the people of Central Vietnam. Therefore, not everyone can appreciate the tough nature of these people who have grown up enduring the harshness of nature.

Before the advent of media and the internet, no one knew about the images of storms and floods, no one organized fundraising campaigns to support the people of Central Vietnam, but these courageous people never begged for help from anyone. They themselves and each other weathered the natural disasters, rarely becoming beggars after each storm and flood season.

Today, with the development of media, in just a few seconds, images of the hardships faced by these hardworking people quickly spread across television, newspapers, and social media, followed by expressions of sympathy and calls for donations to support Central Vietnam in overcoming the floods. That's the Vietnamese way; they are easily moved and always generous when their compatriots are in trouble.

Sadly, the development of online journalism and social media, driven by the need for views to attract advertising and likes to express oneself, has also brought about many unpleasant and offensive things. Many people have posted images and overly sentimental messages about the floods in Central Vietnam, turning the courageous and self-respecting people of Central Vietnam into pitiful figures waiting for handouts. They even use tragic images from other floods, from other regions, and associate them with Central Vietnam simply to evoke public sympathy.

People in Central Vietnam need help to overcome difficulties, and they appreciate genuine acts of kindness. However, if they are turned into pathetic beggars just to satisfy someone's self-promotion, that is utterly reprehensible!

Bao Ngan