The Science of Spitting
Laura Robertson
CBN News
May 16, 2007
I never knew that there was a mathematical, scientific approach to analyze pedestrian spitting, but many in the Chinese government are far wiser than I. China's Capital Ethic Development Committee just completed a comprehensive study on spitting in Beijing, and they're quite pleased with the results.
According to their analysis of 230,000 passers-by in different places, only about 5% of the people were caught spitting, versus about 8.5% last year. Lu Yingchuna told
Xinhua News that the changes indicate that Beijingers "now have a higher level of civilization."
Of course, these results didn't come without some blood, sweat, and tears. During the first week of May, which was the May Day holiday, police arrested 89 people for spitting. Though the punishment was only a maximum fine of about $6.41, its significance is more symbolic than anything else.
It would be kind of odd to have a jail cell composed of murderers, rapists, and spitters, but somehow I think the government in Beijing won't go that far to clean up the city's image. Spitters are safe for the time being.
Of course, they still might be bombarded with one of the 10,000 complimentary "spit bags" handed out by the government, or even a "no spitting" distributed by one of the loyal followers from Lu-Chin Mischke's
Pride Institute. The Pride Institute has manners seminars, and provides booklets and newsletters on good citizenship.
Between the Pride Institute and governmental agencies for ethical development or spiritual civilization, China's ready to unleash an army of politeness cops. At this rate, by the time of the Olympic Games next year, the tourists will probably be the ones arrested and enrolled in mandatory manners seminars.
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