I wasn't comparing this situation with anything China related. By even mentioning those laowai/expats you're giving them way too much credit. Empathy/compassion takes effort in that you must put forth your own energy to actually listen to and deduce what is really going on. Of course passing judgment is much easier and doesn't require the mind doing anything but sending an electric zap in the neurons of the brain and then moving attention somewhere else. I expect the expat population to generally lack empathy or sympathy because generally many of them got out of their home country in the first place ot escape from some problem. They're scared ppl will find out about their secrets, whatever that might be.

Like I said earlier, the ESL world is every bit as cutthroat as any other industry, perhaps more so. This is a worldwide phenomenon and is extremely problematic in developing countries. After reading Addie's story some personal memories of experiences that were very simliar if not almost identical came up in my mind and I felt that the liars of this "school" need to be told they run a crappy business, that's the point.

I've worked with Turkish/Turkic people. They can be just as conniving and backstabbing as any other group of people whom we criticize on these boards (chinese, american, etc.). I don't care for them as they are just as unsympathetic and lack empathy as a group. Don't put too much hope in them!!