"Fearsome words" are words that appeared in the suicide note of movie star Ruan Lingyu after she committed suicide. This stirring event, after a period of empty theory, has gradually snubbed, as long as "Ling Yuxiang Elimination" is stopped, just like last year's Ai Xia suicide incident, it will be completely extinguished. Their deaths, however, were like adding a few grains of salt to the boundless sea of people, and although they made the mouths feel some taste, they were soon light, light, and light.
This sentence, at the beginning, also caused a little turmoil. Some commentators said that she was to blame for her suicide, which can be seen in the daily newspaper's account of her litigation; soon a reporter openly refuted it, thinking that the status of the newspaper now, the prestige of public opinion, is extremely pitiful, there is still the slightest power to dominate whose fate, and moreover, those records, mostly taken from the facts of the scribe, are by no means fabricated rumors, and the old newspapers are there and can be re-pressed. Therefore, Ruan Lingyu's death has nothing to do with journalists.
It is true that the present newspaper cannot be like a newspaper; it is true that the commentary cannot be talked about with the heart and lose its power, and it is also true that the discerning man will never blame the journalist excessively. However, the power of the news is actually not completely falling to the ground, it is not harmful to A, but it will hurt B; it is weak to the strong, but it is still strong to the weaker, so sometimes although it swallows and endures, sometimes it can still show off its might. So Ruan Lingyu and the like became a good material for carrying forward Yu Wei, because she was quite famous, but she was powerless. Small citizens always like to hear about people's scandals, especially those of some acquaintances. The old pious women in the streets and alleys of Shanghai, as soon as they knew that there were wild men coming in and out of the family of the neighboring sister-in-law, relished it, but if they told her who was stealing Han in Gansu and who in Xinjiang was remarrying, she would not listen.
Ruan Lingyu is appearing on the screen and is a person everyone knows, so she is a good material for the newspaper to make a scene, at least it can increase the sales. Readers read this, and some think: "Although I am not as beautiful as Ruan Lingyu, I am more serious than her"; some think: "Although I am not as skilled as Ruan Lingyu, I am higher than her birth"; even after committing suicide, I can also give people the idea: "Although I do not have Ruan Lingyu's skills, I have courage than her, because I did not commit suicide." A few copper dollars revealed their own victory, which of course is very calculated. But a person who makes a living from acting, as soon as she encounters the first two feelings of the public, she is enough to reach the end. Therefore, we should not talk about any social organization or the abuse of the strength and weakness of the will that even we do not know, let's put ourselves in the shoes of the people, then we will probably know that Ruan Lingyu's thinking that "people's words are terrible" is true, or people think that her suicide is related to news records, and it is also true.
But the journalist's defense, believing that the record was mostly taken from the economic officer, was also true. In Shanghai, some newspapers between big and small newspapers, and most of the social news is a case in which the lawsuit has already eaten the ** bureau or the ministry of labor. But there is a little bad habit, it is preferable to add some descriptions, for women, especially like to add some descriptions; this kind of case, there will be no famous public and juqing included, so it is better to add some descriptions. The age and appearance of the men in the case are mostly honestly written, and when they meet a woman, they will have to play their talents, either "Xu Niang is half old, and the charm is still there", or "Cardamom is old, exquisite and lovely".
A girl ran away, running by herself or being seduced is not known, Caizi concluded, "The little sister sleeps alone, not used to no lang", how do you know? A village woman was drunk twice, which was a common thing in poor and remote areas, and as soon as she arrived at Caizi's pen, she gave her the title in large characters, "Strange obscenity does not reduce Wu Zetian", how do you know this degree? These frivolous sentences, coupled with the village girl, probably had no effect, she could not read, and her relatives did not necessarily read the newspaper. But for an intellectual, especially for a woman who has come out of society, it is enough to hurt her, not to mention the deliberately publicity, special rendering of the text. However, the Chinese custom is that these sentences come with a stroke of the pen, without thinking, and at this time it will not only not be thought that this is also playing with women, but also will not think that they are the mouthpieces of the people.
However, no matter how you describe it, it does not matter in the strong, just a letter, there will be a correct mistake or an apology and then published, but no fist and no courage like Ruan Lingyu, but she is making hard material, she is painted with an extra face of flowers, can not be washed. Tell her to fight? She has no organ newspaper, how to struggle; there is injustice, there is resentment and no master, who is struggling with whom? We can put ourselves in the shoes of the people, then, probably know that her thinking that "people are fearful" is true, or that people think that her suicide is related to news records, and it is also true.
However, as I have said before, it is also true that the present newspaper has lost its power, but I think it has not yet reached the time when, as Mr. Reporter humbles himself, to the point where he is worthless and irresponsible. Because for the weaker people, such as Ruan Lingyu's first-class people, there are also some forces that affect her fate, which means that it can still be evil, and naturally it can also be good.
Neither "what is heard" nor "incompetent" is the mantra that an upward responsible journalist should adopt, because in reality, it is not so,—— it is selective and effective.
As for Ruan Lingyu's suicide, I don't want to defend her. I am not in favor of suicide, and I am not prepared to commit suicide. But my reluctance to commit suicide, not disdain, but because I can't. Anyone who commits suicide is now always reprimanded by a strong critic, and Ruan Lingyu is certainly no exception. However, I think that suicide is actually not very easy, and it is not as easy as we people who are not afraid of suicide are despised. If anyone thinks it's easy, then give it a try!
Naturally, there are probably many brave people who can try, but he disdains it, because he has a great task for society. Needless to say, it's even better, but I want everyone to have a notebook, write down the great tasks they have done, and when they have great-grandchildren, take it out and do it, and see how it goes.
May 5, 1935
