CHANGCHUN - Such
coin buckets full of one yuan coins (1 yuan equals 15 US cents) have popped up
in front of subway stations, and on overpasses and walking streets in many
cities in China. A billboard is placed beside the bucket, which reads: Help
yourself if in need, but take no more than 5 yuan.
According
to the National Business Daily, a coin bucket was recently placed in a subway
station near one of the busiest streets in Chengdu, capital of southwest
China's Sichuan Province. A hidden camera captured what happened. Some people
took pictures of the scene and uploaded them online, some hesitated before taking
the coins, and others used the opportunity to educate their child.
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The
internet is sharply divided on the challenge. "I saw the 'test' at the
subway station and nobody took any coins," read a comment on microblog
Sina Weibo. "Maybe that is because people's lives are changing for the
better." "I think it's great," said another Weibo user.
"When you have no change for the bus, you can change your big notes into
coins." But many people remain suspicious, calling the challenge "meaningless"
because it is not "scientific."
"The
idea of observing people's reactions to the buckets is, in itself, evil,"
read one comment. "A camera is placed in the vicinity, so who would dare
to steal anything?" "What would happen if the coins were changed into
100-yuan notes?" While the public remain divided over the challenge,
another report has suggested it is just a marketing gimmick, clickbait.
According
to the Chengdu Economic Daily, a technology company began the event and posted
the story to attract more followers to its WeChat account. Gao Zhuancheng, with
the sociology research institute at Shanxi Academy of Social Sciences, said
that the challenge is too simple to say anything about morality.
"Rather
than testing people's desire for money, I think it is more of a test of
people's trust for each other," Gao said. "What if it is a trap?
People are doubtful about it because few will voluntarily try something unknown
in public." Enditem