Reader's Digest should've saved some time and money running their honesty test in Hong Kong. Without even knowing that only four out of 10 people would return lost cell phones to their owners, 10 out of 10 could've told you that Hong Kong is the single most dishonest city outside of Mainland China.
Again, Toronto ranked among the top of the honesty chart, with 28 out of 30 "lost" cell phones returned. I'm really starting to think I made the wrong move leaving Toronto, not to mention choosing to settle in Hong Kong of all places.
It should be noted that used cell phones are worthless in most North American and European cities. If it's not worth anything, there's naturally no urge to keep it, right? I'm not trying to justify Hong Kong's deficiency of good Samaritans with our happening second-hand electronics market. I'm just saying.
The more interesting find is that most people who see an unattended cell phone would simply walk away, no matter in which city. Apparently honesty can be nourished by the cultural setting we're in, but lack of concern for others is innate in humanity.
Anyone who's ever lost a cell phone would understand the agony of having to retrieve all the contacts, semi-important messages, photos, and what not nowadays with the unstoppable boom of the almighty digital device. I think anyone who's been blessed enough to have a lost cell phone returned to them would know better than to keep someone else's lost phone, because they would understand that a cell phone's value is not in its going rate on the second-hand market, but the content that's stored inside.
Pay it forward, anyone?
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