Summary of Key Points
In some rural areas of Henan, melon farmers sought help from the media due to unsold melons, only to have their requests withdrawn by local officials who viewed it as "negative public opinion." This incident exposes a misalignment in the sense of responsibility among grassroots officials and a skewed view of performance: they see themselves as mere onlookers, not as the key players in solving problems. These officials fail to proactively understand the difficulties faced by the people and treat their requests as a source of embarrassment, focusing solely on maintaining a good image for evaluation purposes while remaining indifferent to the farmers' actual losses. The article emphasizes that the primary duty of officials is to address people's livelihood issues, and that the proper approach to managing public opinion is to confront problems head-on rather than trying to conceal them, as this can erode public trust and turn small issues into bigger ones.
I. Why Did the Farmers' Request for Help Become "Negative News?"
It is entirely natural for melon farmers to seek media assistance to sell their produce when they cannot do so on their own—just as you would ask relatives or friends to help sell your overripe apples. However, some officials, upon learning of the situation, did not go to the fields to assess the extent of the problem or help find buyers; instead, they were concerned about how the news might affect their performance and pressured the farmers to withdraw their requests. This is like a child who faces mistreatment at school, with parents scolding the child for bringing problems home rather than helping to resolve them.
II. The "Onlooker" Mentality of the Officials: Three Misconducts
The article vividly describes this mindset as follows:
1. Ignoring People's Suffering: Melons take several months to grow and ripen, so price drops and unsold crops are not sudden occurrences. If officials had visited the fields more often and asked the farmers about market conditions, they could have identified the issue early on. Their delay in responding until the farmers were forced to seek media attention is a clear case of dereliction of duty.
2. Treating Requests as Embarrassment: They did not take the farmers' losses seriously, considering such news as damaging the local image or causing trouble for their superiors. Their focus was on their own careers rather than the farmers' well-being, a typical example of selfishness.
3. Indifference to Hardships: For these officials, "no negative news" means no issues in their jurisdiction; whether the people's problems were resolved or not was of little concern to them. Withdrawing the requests was like trying to hide the rotten melons, making things seem better on the surface but failing to address the real issue, which only further disappointed the farmers.
III. A Misguided View of Performance: Is Concealing Problems More Important Than Solving Them?
These officials have a completely misplaced view of their role. They believe that avoiding problems means doing well, prioritizing public opinion management over serving the people. For instance, solving the problem of unsold melons would be a genuine effort to address a livelihood issue, whereas treating the farmers' requests as mere nuisances is a sign of neglect.
IV. The Real Difference: Officials Are There to Help, Not to Watch
The difference between officials and the public lies not in titles but in their responsibility to support the people. While onlookers might offer help when they see trouble, officials are entrusted with solving problems. If farmers cannot sell their melons, officials should consider how to assist them, not how to prevent others from knowing about the issue. This misplacement of responsibility leads to growing public distrust.
V. The Proper Approach: Confronting Problems Rather than Concealing Them
Effective public opinion management is about solving issues, not hiding them. For example:
- Regularly visit grassroots areas and farmers' homes to identify potential problems in advance (e.g., coordinating with buyers if too many melons are grown).
- Actively connect farmers with e-commerce platforms, wholesale markets, or local supermarkets, and even organize promotional events for the melons.
- Treat people's requests as signals that they need help; when officials step in, it shows they are committed to solving problems.
Only by addressing these issues can the farmers' losses be reduced, and there will be no negative news. After all, what the public wants is for their products to be sold, not for the problem to go unnoticed.
In Conclusion
Officials are not mere onlookers; they are there to support the people. When problems arise, their role is to take action, not to conceal them. True responsibility means taking steps to solve issues, not avoiding them.