Wrong

The story goes that a husband, after a long business trip, returned home and suddenly pulled his wife aside, showering her with praise: "Oh, my beautiful wife! You're amazing, you've moved me so much. I was only gone for a month, and you've transformed our beloved home so dramatically. This is what modernization is all about!" His wife, completely bewildered, asked, "What?" Still ecstatic, he continued his effusive praise: "Well, take the bathroom, for example. It's so beautiful and modern. It's spotless, cool, and even has an automatic light that turns on when you open and close the door – how classy! I could sit there all day and not want to leave!" Hearing this, his wife shrieked, "Oh my God! You've got some stuff in my new refrigerator!"

Of course, that's a made-up story. Only a madman would mistake a refrigerator for a toilet. Before discussing this human behavior, allow me to say a little about this delicate matter concerning animals. Don't dismiss it too quickly; for animals, choosing where to relieve themselves is not at all haphazard. Anyone who has ever herded buffalo knows that the "exemplary" buffaloes try to relieve themselves in their barn, and even in that cramped barn, however clumsy, they will still choose a corner to prioritize their "unruly" needs. In some exceptional cases, when they can't get home, these notoriously stupid buffaloes will choose a familiar spot along the way to stop and make their "makeshift toilet." Pigs are the same; even confined to a less-than-clean pen, they still choose a "private corner." These are animals, the kind without language, without education, without dyed hair, trimmed eyebrows, or tattooed lips!

Now, turning to humans, it's quite interesting that personal hygiene is considered one of the four great pleasures in folklore—a significant honor. For humans, it's a completely different matter. For humans, relieving oneself isn't simply a physiological activity within the excretory process of a living body. Even the act of discarding a toothpick reflects an individual's cultural background, and by extension, that of the community, let alone such a thing! Yet, unbelievably, just this week, right in the heart of the capital, two women, with bright faces, elegant and refined appearances, and seemingly not mentally ill, openly and brazenly urinated in the elevator of an apartment building! Believe it, it's true! Thank goodness, there's camera footage. Watching the clip again, I'm choked with anger at the sheer disgustingness of this culturally incompetent individual. They used their hats to cover the camera, then pulled down their pants to urinate. I have to commend her for her precise timing! 26 seconds, no more, no less, to get rid of that foul-smelling liquid. Just as she finished her sneaky act, the elevator doors opened. Oh my god, if the doors had opened a second earlier, that mess would have been exposed! That was a close call!

There is no justification for this perverted behavior. The internet is abuzz with criticism, and it didn't even take 24 hours for netizens to dig up the Facebook profile of the "victim" and question him. All the criticism is directed in the same direction. A few people are acting superior, offering advice like: "She's a woman, she couldn't help it, be understanding. It's just a bucket of water, why make such a fuss about it?" Listening to these keyboard warriors is sickening!

Some "vulture" Facebook users clumsily tried to justify the two women's actions by claiming they were... mistaken! Then they called for ignoring the issue and focusing on something bigger. Good heavens, if you can't even resolve the small issue, how can you think about the big one! Don't use compassion to defend something so filthy. Don't try to elevate yourself by treating everything around you as worthless. It may seem small, but it's a form of civilization, and civilization is one of the indicators of societal development. That behavior is not small at all. It reflects the wretched, irresponsible culture of a segment of society that is parasitic and lurking within the community. They secretly throw a dead rat onto the street. They throw a handful of sugarcane pulp out the window after chewing and swallowing the juice. They strive to be clean and fragrant themselves, yet brazenly discard everything unpleasant. If such heartlessness, lack of awareness, irresponsibility, and even cruelty are considered minor issues, then when will they ever become major ones?

The difference in protecting living spaces isn't just about infrastructure, but also about people's awareness. Vietnamese people still seriously lack a sense of community. We only exploit the community for personal gain; how many do the opposite? Last year, a video went viral showing some Westerners volunteering to clean up trash in a ditch in the city, while Vietnamese people stood on the bank watching, laughing, and pointing. Yet, when a truck carrying ducks overturned, people rushed out to grab the meat. After eating a candy wrapper, they threw it on the sidewalk, even though a trash can was just a few steps away. Why? Because the sidewalk doesn't belong to them, that's all. Why are netizens so furious about urinating in the elevator? The reckless behavior of the two women in the elevator is the final straw, reflecting this bizarre lifestyle. Using an object to block the camera proves they're not confused. The coordinated actions of the two main characters suggest this is likely not the first time. Even holding back urine to relieve itself in the elevator can be considered intentional vandalism. It is strongly reprehensible. They weren't wrong; perhaps it was nature that made a mistake in creating them. That's the first story.

The second hottest story of the week is the discovery that a prominent Vietnamese television manufacturer, with the slogan "The pinnacle of Japanese technology," has imported at least (and I emphasize, at least) 70% of its components from China. Clearly, the impressive collection of awards, the pride of a Vietnamese brand, and the ambition of "reaching the world" of its young owner have crumbled before a painful truth. They didn't manufacture anything; they only imported, bought, assembled, and repackaged to sell. They exploited the trust of customers and the reputation of the nation. For years, customers, and even those who hadn't yet become customers, had poured all their affection into this one mistake! The Prime Minister has ordered relevant ministries and agencies (including the Ministry of Public Security) to investigate.

The sudden and unexpected collapse of a Vietnamese brand is a huge loss, but what truly hurts society is the loss of trust. With hype like that of "Khải Siu," Asanzo, and Alibaba, followed by a sudden, dramatic fall to the bottom of the abyss, who would still be naive and patient enough to believe in Vietnamese brands? Vietnam Television immediately removed the name of the "shark" director from the "Investment Council" of a hugely popular reality TV show. Mistaken trust, misplaced love, misplaced idolization, misplaced support… everything was wrong except for the deception! It suddenly makes me think of Vietnamese cars, Vietnamese instant noodles, Vietnamese coffee, and thousands of other brands. The market continues its fast-paced and proud rhythm. Hopefully, these recent "bait and switch" stories will serve as a lesson for Vietnamese businesses to recognize the right path forward. From the consumer's perspective, perhaps we also need a more tolerant, understanding, and supportive approach. We shouldn't overlook anyone, but we also shouldn't kill the wrong person!

Nguyen Khac An