By Wei Zhong, China

A few years ago, I opened an appliance repair shop. I wanted to be an honest businessman and just earn a little money so my family had enough. But after some time spent being constantly busy, I saw that I’d made just enough money for the family to get by, and there was no way to save. Sometimes my monthly earnings were even less than an entry-level worker. My wife was always complaining to me about it, saying that I was too honest and didn’t know how to do business. My brother-in-law was on my case, too. He said, “We live in the age of money, and no matter how you do it, you have to get people to hand over their money to be seen as capable.” He also said things like “No wealth is without wiliness” and “Money makes the world go round” to get me to wake up and follow the trend, do business like others and not be so stubborn. I thought they did have a point, but I just couldn’t bring myself to cheat my customers. I felt I could never reconcile that with my conscience.Read More »

By Hao Zheng, China

I’m from a poor, backward mountain village with feudalistic customs and complicated interpersonal relationships. I was really influenced by that environment and things my parents would say, like “Think before you speak and then talk with reservation,” “Silence is gold, speech is silver, and he who talks a lot errs a lot,” “Keeping silent on the faults of good friends makes for a long and good friendship,” “Speak good words in harmony with others’ feelings and reason, as being frank annoys others.” Read More »