When Logic Adheres

IN A SUBWAY STATION in Shanghai recently, a young man collapsed on the platform, and hundreds of people nearby scattered like a covey of quail after a shotgun blast. Nobody but nobody stepped forward to offer help. Ostensibly, this is an indication of uncaring oriental coldheartedness. On the surface, one might assume that Shanghai is doing its best impersonation of New York city. But there's more to the story. There is a deadly virus spreading throughout part of Africa, and this has been well publicized throughout China and the world. People are wary of any personal contact with one who collapses. Also, there has been a crime wave in china in which the operational method is as follows: a person collapses, and when someone comes to help, a gang of thugs jumps out from a hidden place and accost and rob the person trying to help. Usually the bait is an older person, to lend credibility. Usually people in large groups behave in accordance with brute motivations. There are times, however, when a certain understandable logic adheres.