Emma Watson-Inspired Book-Sharing Drive Stumbles in China

Chinese people are reading books in the train provided by a company to support book-sharing campaign inspired by Emma Watson. Source: http://ichef-1.bbci.co.uk/news/660/cpsprodpb/13983/production/_92495208_504503739.jpg

Based on an article with the same title posted by BBC on November 18, 2016

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-38024544

 

Book-sharing campaign has become a new trend in China thanks to Emma Watson. This campaign was initiated by a company based in Beijing by spreading more than 10.000 books across the public transportation in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. The campaign also has attracted some Chinese actors’ and large publishers’ attention as they have participated in the activity of book-sharing. Despite their approving attempt at encouraging Chinese people to read more, they have been regarded with skepticism by a lot of Chinese people through social media. 

The criticisms exposed in social media have conveyed that the campaign is not effective enough as there were several books kept untouched due to some reasons. Shanghai Metro and Guangzhou Metro supposed that the campaign would hamper commuters and public order. Compared to Emma Watson as the trendsetter, who is well educated and known as an activist, some Chinese actors have got a piercing remark saying that it is a shame that they do not even read, but they want to foster other people in reading. Murong Xuecun, a Chinese writer, stated that Chinese people’s lack of reading was caused by tight schedules, so the campaign would barely tackle the issue behind people’s low interest in reading. 

I would be very glad if the campaign occurred in Indonesia. On the other hand, I partly agree that the campaign is not conducted efficiently enough. In my opinion, the book-sharing campaign indeed deserves compliments, but it is better that people taking part in the campaign have a good strategy, for instance, making a special occasion or a system to make sure that people get the books and not simply leave the books everywhere. Furthermore, I think that to criticize other people, we have to deliver our opinions politely and even help them find the solution instead of being so rude and annoying.