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Q: is respect for the elderly taken to far?
Today an old man leveraged himself into a bus by planting his elbow in my lower back. I shrieked in pain and shook him off, and after he got done telling me off for it half the bus looked at me like I'm a puppy kicker.
I feel like at home (the US) old people who behave badly are treated just like any other rude rude asshole. But I feel like here the elderly are put on some kind of "can do no wrong" pedestal simply by virtue of not having died yet.
Is there a point where people can have to much respect for the elderly?
They're just looking at you for the spectacle. And he's just screaming because you made him lose face. No one rushed to your defense or got involved not out of disapproving or approving of you, but because they didn't want to attract attention to themselves. It would have been the same if it was a twenty-two year-old who elbowed you.
No one respects a stranger in China, of any age. Doesn't matter how old they are. I've never noticed any special respect for the elderly, except for family members.
actually i think they were surprised you reacted to it, that is common here old young or whatever. in beijing i saw one guy bear hug another guy , a complete stranger just to get himself on to a crowded subway train. how stupid is that . he would have only had to wait 2 minutes for the next train ! the other guy was startled but still continued talking on . sometimes it's like someone went back in time and gave neanderthals cars , cells , metros, buses etc. the behavior is so stupid and disrespectful
It's a all a sham. Chinese people only show respect for the elderly when it's convenient. I've seen old homeless people shaking their little cans asking for money and people walk right past without giving them a second thought. 100 year old women get on the bus and no one jumps up to offer them a seat. It seems like younger Chinese people don't even notice old people most of the time.
you guys said are right in some aspects. but please don't go extremely. most ordinary people still want to help others, youngers,elders and disables.but they afraid get cheat. this is complex society, we have a monopoly govertment and unimposing charity organizations. the official won't guarantee people security if they get hurt when they do some goods. so the ordinary people have to be careful when they help fake begger, cheater, and some elder with black heart. 
I often see the elderly treated like crap here. Kids not giving up seats on the subway, people honking at elderly as they slowly cross the street. Seems it's all BS.
My former co－worker told me one morning, that she was asked to give her seat to a grandpa, and she said to that grandpa, she is pregnant, he walked away...
I just don't get it, why there will be any old people on the subway in rush hour?! Don't they know there will be a lot people on the bus or subway? They can get hurt even...
crimochina:
so old people should not work? old people should not go anywhere? in america if someone is elderly or pregnant people still let them get on first and get seated first. strangers make other strangers aware that a pregnant woman or an elderly/ disabled person is getting on even during rush hour. love you wenna but your wrong
icerock:
i don't know other city's people how to do ,but in xi'an, young people alway give their seat to others who real need a seat. everyday when i take bus go home,there has a girl disable hold walking stick get in bus in the same time. since it is rush hour, so the bus always fill with people, but no matter how crowd it is, someone will give his seat to this girl. ——so what you guys think?
wenna7:
Yes, old people shouldn't work, Chinese government is not doing a good job for them...but they do have children, what r they doing!!! Just ask money from parents to buy themselves an apartment??? And they shouldn't be out during rush hour... For their own good.
