Little Emperors

It's taken me a year now to see this happen, and I thought I never would: Yesterday, while riding the MTR, I saw a young woman get up from her seat and offer it to an elderly man. I hope I didn't make it too obvious when I stared in surprise.

It's not that Hong Kongers never give up their seats. On the contrary, they give them up all the time -- to children. Tottering old grandparents urge their grandkids on to seats while they carry the kids' backpacks, and often bags of groceries besides. Adult strangers will routinely give up their seats for children in their school uniforms, and with a smile. It's taken me a long time to get used to seeing this and to accept it as normal.

This practice is just a part of what's called "Little Emperor Syndrome," where kids are commonly spoiled and pampered beyond belief. Some say it's the result of China's one-child policy, even though the one-child rule doesn't apply to Hong Kong. Others say it's because parents are afraid that, with society's loss of Confucian ideals, their kids won't want to care for them when they are old, so they curry favor by indulging in their kids' every whim. Whatever the reason, I find that one of the more unpleasant aspects of Hong Kong life is dodging kids running around and screaming in shops, restaurants, and other public places. Worse still is watching them physically and verbally abusing their domestic helpers/nannies and other adults within their sphere of influence. I have never seen an adult attempt to discipline a child when out in public.

So while I try to remember that "while in Rome, do as the Romans do," one thing I refuse to do is give up my seat for a kid. I will, however, make sure that my seat goes to elderly people and anyone else who clearly needs to sit down. But chances are very likely that that person will promptly give the seat to the next kid who shows up.