Summary of the Key Points
This news report exposes a individual named Zhang Long, who over the past 20 years has fabricated, purchased, or obtained various titles—both genuine and fake (such as claiming to be a guest professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, as well as holding real positions like a guest professor at a university and a charity ambassador)—to present himself as a “versatile expert.” The story highlights the incident and uses three “unexpected” aspects to explain the underlying reasons, pointing out that “title worship” is the root cause of the problem. It also proposes solutions to prevent similar situations from occurring.
1. Zhang Long’s “Title Menagerie”: Over 50 Titles Spanning Multiple Fields
Zhang Long has amassed an astonishing number of titles, covering nearly every sector including media, academia, art, business, and philanthropy. He has self-proclaimed himself as the “Editor-in-Chief of Western News Network” (which turned out to be a fake website) and the “Number One Expert in Chinese Brand Promotion.” He also holds prestigious titles such as “Guest Professor at a University” and “Executive President of the World Multicultural Alliance,” and even claims to be a calligrapher, lyricist, and original musician. The list of titles is nearly 800 words long, and reading it out would take several minutes. Ordinary people would be dazzled by such a collection, but Zhang Long used them to transform himself from an unknown individual into a “versatile celebrity.”
2. How Did Zhang Long Obtain Genuine Letters of Appointment?
Surprisingly, some of Zhang Long’s titles were actually legitimate, such as those as a guest professor at Hebei Academy of Fine Arts and an ambassador for the Shaanxi Provincial Charity Federation. How could someone without real qualifications gain the endorsement of these reputable organizations? On one hand, Zhang Long was adept at exploiting loopholes, using his existing fake titles as a stepping stone to gain the trust of genuine institutions. On the other hand, some organizations were too careless in issuing these titles, either in the hope of gaining “resource exchanges” by associating with a “famous” individual or failing to thoroughly verify his background, resulting in them being deceived by his false identities.
3. How Did Zhang Long Avoid Getting Caught for 20 Years?
Zhang Long managed to avoid being exposed for over 20 years despite his numerous titles and participation in numerous public events with celebrities and official organizations. There are two main reasons for this:
- The public’s lack of discernment or a tendency to overlook the issue, assuming that more titles equate to greater capabilities; even if some people were aware of the discrepancies, they were reluctant to confront him for fear of offending him.
- There are gaps in the regulatory system: there are no unified standards for awarding titles, and no public disclosure mechanism in place. As a result, authorities failed to effectively oversee these fake titles, allowing Zhang Long to operate unimpeded.
4. “Title Worship” as the Underlying Problem
The root of the problem lies in the deeply ingrained culture of “title worship” in society:
- Many people prioritize titles when interacting with others, believing that more prestigious titles indicate greater competence and resources.
- Organizations are willing to grant titles to “famous” individuals for the perceived benefits they bring.
- Regulatory authorities do not place enough emphasis on this, as they assume that titles inherently signify credibility without verifying the actual achievements of the individuals holding them.
5. To Stop More “Zhang Longs,” Changes Are Needed at All Levels
To prevent similar cases from happening in the future, a multi-pronged approach is necessary:
- Organizations: Before hiring guest professors or collaborating with individuals, they should thoroughly verify their backgrounds and not rely solely on the “famous” status.
- Regulators: They should establish rules to prohibit the trading of titles and crack down on false titles and misleading promotions.
- The Public: People should not be misled by titles alone and should focus more on the actual achievements of individuals, rather than their fancy titles.
Only when society as a whole adopts a mindset that values substance over titles can individuals like Zhang Long no longer hide their deception.