Lei Feng spirit still relevant

In this way, Li’s apology may undermine the promotion of the good Samaritan spirit in China because it undermines the authenticity of the facts associated with Lei Feng.

However, the Lei Feng spirit should never be a bubble that can burst. The quest for truth and facts is important, but the upholding of the good Samaritan spirit is important as well. It would be a great pity and loss for our society if we devalue the core value encapsulated by the now mythic figure of Lei Feng. Instead, maybe the image of Lei Feng that was formed in the 1950s can be updated to better resonate with people today.

Rapid economic growth and the drastic social changes in urban and rural areas have shaken people’s ingenuous faith cultivated in some bygone good old days. The pure, selfless and altruistic spirit embodied by Lei Feng, is becoming less popular nowadays in the face of the rampant materialism in today’s society and the eroding of communities. Instead of offering a helping hand without a second thought, more and more people are considering whether it is worth their while to help others. The feeling of disappointment and suspicion generated by the Li’s micro blog post is another blow to a caring society.

No matter how times change, whole-heartedly helping others without asking for any reward is one of the foundations of a decent society. So we should wholeheartedly embrace the Lei Feng spirit.

The author is a writer with China Daily. wangyiqing@chinadaily.com.cn