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This kind of thing doesn't just happen in education, and it's difficult to say how to really stop it. For example: My aunt had surgery about a year ago, and ou

This kind of thing doesn't just happen in education, and it's difficult to say how to really stop it. For example: My aunt had surgery about a year ago, and our family paid out quite a bit of money to everyone involved in her surgery. On top of the normal fees, we gave the surgeon, first assist, second assist, anesthesiologist, and even the secretary large sums of money. When my mother told me about this, I was shocked. "Why?" I asked. You'll have to understand that my family in China, while well off, has never participated in the cycles of alleged corruption. In fact, my uncle rejects so many bribes (gifts from business interactions) to the point that people have started leaving gifts anonymously at my grandmother's door. Yet, this wasn't about getting ahead in life. My mother told me, "we just want to make sure they have an incentive to do the best job they can." Honestly, I don't blame her. We didn't pay to skip a line, and we didn't pay for any organs (not that type of surgery anyway). We paid the people involved because we felt it would inspire them to do a better job. Is that wrong? Maybe. I don't really know anymore.

Cieplak 14y ago
Tipping, for example, is considered bribery in some societies, while in others the two concepts may not be interchangeable. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bribery http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bribery
- derleth 14y ago
  > Tipping, for example, is considered bribery in some societies, while in others the two concepts may not be interchangeable. To clarify for our non-American readers: In the USA, and possibly Canada as well, waitstaff in restaurants are typically not paid a living wage (that is, they're paid even less than minimum wage, which isn't a living wage by itself anymore either) because both restaurants and the law expect them to make it up in tips. In some restaurants, the menu will say that an automatic gratuity (that is, a tip) of some specified percentage is added to the bill of parties of eight or more people. Typically, tips range from 15%-20% of the total bill, but there's no law governing how much people actually give. Merely bringing this up in the wrong crowd will reliably generate a massive argument. So, uh, keep that in mind, too.
schuke 14y ago
Probably yes. Once the doctors realise that they can make extra money by simply doing what they are supposed to do, they would stop performing their duties without extra tip. Who would tip if doctors do their best anyway? Since not everybody can afford tips, those who tip the most get the best service and those who don't get no service. This is extremely unfair to those disadvantaged, esp considering health care is already very costly in China to the point of bringing many families to bankruptcy. This is exactly what happens in the education system here and goes strongly against the very point of health care and education, that is, to provide basic services insuring everyone has fair opportunities in a society.

Cieplak 14y ago

Tipping, for example, is considered bribery in some societies, while in others the two concepts may not be interchangeable. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bribery http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bribery

derleth 14y ago
> Tipping, for example, is considered bribery in some societies, while in others the two concepts may not be interchangeable. To clarify for our non-American readers: In the USA, and possibly Canada as well, waitstaff in restaurants are typically not paid a living wage (that is, they're paid even less than minimum wage, which isn't a living wage by itself anymore either) because both restaurants and the law expect them to make it up in tips. In some restaurants, the menu will say that an automatic gratuity (that is, a tip) of some specified percentage is added to the bill of parties of eight or more people. Typically, tips range from 15%-20% of the total bill, but there's no law governing how much people actually give. Merely bringing this up in the wrong crowd will reliably generate a massive argument. So, uh, keep that in mind, too.

schuke 14y ago

Probably yes. Once the doctors realise that they can make extra money by simply doing what they are supposed to do, they would stop performing their duties without extra tip. Who would tip if doctors do their best anyway? Since not everybody can afford tips, those who tip the most get the best service and those who don't get no service. This is extremely unfair to those disadvantaged, esp considering health care is already very costly in China to the point of bringing many families to bankruptcy. This is exactly what happens in the education system here and goes strongly against the very point of health care and education, that is, to provide basic services insuring everyone has fair opportunities in a society.