Man pushes would-be suicide off bridge

[doo_much]

A Chinese man was pushed off a bridge by an angry passer-by after his threat to commit suicide held up traffic for five hours, Chinese media reported on Saturday.

Retired soldier Lian Jiansheng, 66, broke through a police cordon and reached out to shake the hand of would-be jumper Chen Fuchao before shoving him off the bridge.

"I pushed him off because jumpers like Chen are very selfish. Their action violates a lot of public interests," Lai was quoted as saying by the China Daily newspaper.

"They do not really dare to kill themselves. Instead, they just want to raise the relevant government authorities' attention to their appeals."

Chen, 2 million yuan ($293,200) in debt because of a failed building project, fell 8 metres (yards) onto a partially inflated emergency air cushion and was hospitalized with wrist and back injuries. Lai was detained by police.

Chen was at least the twelfth person since early April to threaten suicide at the same spot, the Haizhu bridge in Guangzhou. But none jumped and -- until Lian gave Chen a helping hand -- none was pushed.

[hamin_aus]

An hero.

[Vampyre_2099]

Glad someone had the balls to do it, and I agree with his motives... Jiansheng I mean

[freeboy]

Much respect!

[lancelot]

WHHHHhhhhahaaaaaaHHHHHAAAAAaaaa

[Tribble]

I am conflicted. The human side of me thinks this is horrendous - and the other part of me wonders if I would have given in to the temptation to push him too.

[D3PART3D]

[jee]

je...sus! for letting me swear like this!! how can you agree with this $$hole who has no feelings for anyone but himself and his traffic hold-ups?
if someone is trying to raise an open discussion for something so important in a country where they are "forced" to believe in issues, why not listen or be sympathetic?

[mina.magpie]

I've had to deal with three suicides by people whom I've known and been close to. Whatever the reasoning for it, it may seem trivial to us sometimes, but we never know what the circumstances around that choice to end things is. Suicidal people need care and compassion. A "swift kick in the pants" is not gonna help. The dude who went and pushed him off is a selfish ar$e.

Mina.

[Jane]

He survived?!

[CapNemo]

I'm sorry but if he wants to kill himself he should do it and not stand there for five hours to think about it at the expence of others

[hamin_aus]

The dude who went and pushed him off is a selfish ar$e.

And rightly so.
I don't think I'd push a would-be jumper off a bridge, I'm not that ballsy - but if he had held me up for 5 hours I'd be thinking about it.
I'd maybe even start chanting JUMP JUMP JUMP - like they do in the movies.

if someone is trying to raise an open discussion for something so important in a country where they are "forced" to believe in issues, why not listen or be sympathetic?

What issue was he trying to raise? The fact that he is a moron who got into debt? If everyone who was in debt threatened to jump off a bridge, there would not be enough bridges.

I'm not a big fan of attention whoring and people who try to make their problems mine.

[mina.magpie]

I'm not a big fan of attention whoring and people who try to make their problems mine.

I respect that. We all have such busy, hectic lives that something like this can range from minor inconvenience to literally life-and-death (Imagine if there was an ambulance with somebody sick in it in that traffic jam)

Sometimes though things are just too big for one person to handle by themselves. At some point everybody needs help. That day might come when one gets old, or you might get injured, or the combined weight of everyday problems might just become too much to bear. At some point we all need to ask for help, only we don't always ask for it in the most responsible ways, be that because of pride or fear or for whatever other reason.

Anyway, sorry for the wordy reply, but I think it's worth considering before judging people too harshly.

Mina.

[Tribble]

mina.magpie, look I agree that at times things may get a bit much. But you don't threaten to jump and hold up traffic for 5 hours. You generally listen to reason and go and chat to someone who can perhaps help - or you jump. If he had actually intended jumping - he would have done it quickly and quietly. He would not hang around for that long.

Not saying I would ever push someone - but I do understand their frustration as this was the 12th person since April to threaten to jump.

[mina.magpie]

You generally listen to reason and go and chat to someone who can perhaps help - or you jump.

Absolutely right. People who threaten suicide want to be stopped, but sometimes it takes a while to convince them that there is an out. People who are ready to catch the bus just do it.

but I do understand their frustration as this was the 12th person since April to threaten to jump.

Me too. Just keep in mind that, as jee pointed out, China has undergone enormous cultural and economic changes over the last 20 years or so. Sometimes it's hard for people to cope with change, especially in the kind of pressure-cooker environment the Orient is known for.

Point of interest: I taught English in Taiwan for a while a few years ago, and got to be friends with this one girl who studied at Taipei National University. At that point they had the highest student suicide rate in the world, simply because of the huge expectations to succeed and cultural pressures put on them. Ironically that's probably why that guy pushed the jumper off as well - for us being late is just being late - you apologise, switch on the TV to explain, and get on with things. But being late for a meeting with a client or something along those lines means a huge loss of face in Chinese culture, which has much wider implications.

Anyway, didn't mean to start an argument. I agree: Having this kinda thing go into double-digits over the course of two months is gonna make people go kinda nuts from frustration.

Mina.

[doo_much]

You generally listen to reason and go and chat to someone who can perhaps help - or you jump.

Absolutely right. People who threaten suicide want to be stopped, but sometimes it takes a while to convince them that there is an out. People who are ready to catch the bus just do it.

but I do understand their frustration as this was the 12th person since April to threaten to jump.

Me too. Just keep in mind that, as jee pointed out, China has undergone enormous cultural and economic changes over the last 20 years or so. Sometimes it's hard for people to cope with change, especially in the kind of pressure-cooker environment the Orient is known for.

Point of interest: I taught English in Taiwan for a while a few years ago, and got to be friends with this one girl who studied at Taipei National University. At that point they had the highest student suicide rate in the world, simply because of the huge expectations to succeed and cultural pressures put on them. Ironically that's probably why that guy pushed the jumper off as well - for us being late is just being late - you apologise, switch on the TV to explain, and get on with things. But being late for a meeting with a client or something along those lines means a huge loss of face in Chinese culture, which has much wider implications.

Anyway, didn't mean to start an argument. I agree: Having this kinda thing go into double-digits over the course of two months is gonna make people go kinda nuts from frustration.

Mina.

Hmm, cultural differences isn't something I'm normally well attuned to so thanks for this.

Interesting how callous we all become sometimes though isn't it?

[hamin_aus]

Interesting how callous we all become sometimes though isn't it?

You say callous, I say human condition.

[mina.magpie]

Hmm, cultural differences isn't something I'm normally well attuned to so thanks for this.

That's the thing. China, Japan, to an extent places like Singapore and such as well are all shame societies. Samurai and other nobles considered suicide the only honourable way to die when you failed, and that same idea persists throughout the society. China doesn't have nearly the kinda suicide rate Japan does, but it's climbing quickly as they become a similar society, with more of a middle-class as opposed to mostly peasants. My dad does alot of business in China, and the people whom I've met through him take things WAY too seriously. Their entire sense of self-worth is tied up in their standing, performance and stuff. It's really scary actually. I couldn't live that way.

The thing is, they start their kids off young. When I worked in Taiwan, I taught ESL to a bunch of four-year olds. When I was four I played. These kids work, from the time they get to school at 8, to the time they leave, around 4 in the afternoon. I tried to incorporate play and games and stuff as much as possible, but excelling is really all these kids know, and pretty-much if you cause your family to lose face by under-performing, you're in for a very rough time.

Mina.

[Bladerunner]

I would have pushed him. Period. (And I'm serious, provided I wouldn't face any criminal charges.)