Start a fire yourself.

(Baonghean) - The looting in recent days feels like a festering wound in my heart. Domestic and foreign newspapers report on it, but I don't dare read it because I feel ashamed for some people whom I should call my compatriots who committed such reprehensible acts. I don't think they are so poor that those beer cans and flower pots could alleviate their hunger. So why does it still happen, despite being strongly condemned before?

Human social behavior is controlled by two important factors: law and social norms. I often come home from school very late, sometimes at 2 or 3 in the morning, and when I get to a red light, I still see some people waiting even though the road is empty with no oncoming traffic. If someone ran the red light at that time, nothing would probably happen, so why do they still stop? Firstly, they are afraid that cameras might record their license plates, so they don't dare to do it (fear of the law). Secondly, they feel ashamed that others are waiting at the red light while they are breaking the law (feeling out of place in their behavior, fear of social opinion). And another reason, in my opinion, is far more important: habit. The Japanese have a habit of not running red lights, yielding to pedestrians, queuing for everything, and saying thank you to the person who prepared their food when eating. When good behaviors become habits, they become a beautiful cultural trait, and beautiful cultural traits are preserved for a very long time.

I really enjoy watching animal documentaries. If you pay attention to a lion's hunt for buffalo, the lions almost always win. Lions always believe that the weakest prey will lag behind, or at least one will run in a different direction from the rest of the herd. If the buffalo turn around and point their sharp horns at the lions, there's probably nothing more for them to say. Conversely, the buffalo run away because they only think of themselves and believe they won't be eaten. They probably don't consider that one day they will grow old and weak, fall behind, and become easy prey for the lions. Sometimes they run away simply because they see another buffalo running, without even knowing why they're running.

I think the reason for running away—that it's "herd mentality"—is what's really worth discussing. Following the crowd is perhaps one of the most "childish" forms of human social behavior. It reflects spontaneity and disorganization. Participants are easily incited, so their actions can spiral out of control (beating up a dog thief), or reveal an animalistic nature of fighting over food (looting). To develop a natural "brake," we need to cultivate good habits ourselves.

It seems people no longer trust each other. Customers lose faith in businesses as many companies engage in fraudulent practices, selling counterfeit and substandard goods. Parents lose faith in nannies after incidents of child abuse. People lose faith in officials as major corruption cases are gradually being exposed. The greatest misfortune humanity is enduring is that people have lost faith in each other yet still have to live and force smiles...

If each person ignites their own flame of passion, the flame of noble love, then I believe the future will still be bright. Whether light can dispel the darkness depends on how many people carry torches, not how many don't. Shine brightly, because even a small flame can be recognized amidst the surrounding darkness. Just believe that.

Nguyen Ngoc Hoa

(Sent from Kyoto, Japan)