“I want to be a corrupt official when I grow up”


Below is a little clip allegedly from the Chinese newspaper Southern Metropolis Daily of some precious little schoolchildren. In the clip, a number of them tell us what they want to be when they grow up (I think I wanted to be a baseball player).

Now, I don’t speak Chinese but I understand that all of the kids give pretty standard answers. But, one little girl goes way off script at about 2:00 into the clip.

[Girl]: “I want to be an official”
[Reporter]: “What kind of official?”
[Girl]: “A corrupt official, because corrupt officials have a lot of things.”

Hilarious!  Can someone who speaks Chinese confirm this.  I suspect it’s true because her face is blurred out in the video.

Now, that’s the honesty that only a child can show. Bravo.

(clip embedded below)

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Edward Harrison is the founder of Credit Writedowns and a former career diplomat, investment banker and technology executive with over twenty years of business experience. He is also a regular economic and financial commentator on BBC World News, CNBC Television, Business News Network, CBC, Fox Television and RT Television. He speaks six languages, a skill he uses to provide a more global perspective. Edward holds an MBA in Finance from Columbia University and a BA in Economics from Dartmouth College.

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5 Comments

  1. avatar Name says:

    You are correct on the translation, pretty funny stuff there.

  2. avatar Name says:

    Yeah. The girl (?) with burred face did say that… Didn’t feel good as I am a Chinese.. Should show this clip to WenJaBao.

  3. avatar LavrentiBeria says:

    Understand that Geithner’s office has tried to reach her.

  4. avatar Vaughn says:

    Hilarious! Indeed! I believe Premier Ho shall establish a committee to do a thorough investigation of corruption of his government. Poor little guy must have never heard of US bankers, not to mention Goldman Sachs. Otherwise, the answer definitely will be bankers. OK, make that Investment banker.

    The clip is about a 6-year old, first grade student on the first day in the school. She was asked what she would like to do when she grows up.
    ” I’d like to be an officer.”
    “What kind of officer?”
    “A corrupt officer, because a corrupt officer can receive tons of gifts.”

    Funny, the chinese character of corrupt is written by combing a symbol of man with a symbol of shell (the first form of money used by ancient chinese). It was clearly displayed as the title of the clip.

  5. avatar SOUP PARTY says:

    A true story

    I have never been able to forget my dad’s laughter when my answer to similar question was, “I want to be a legitimate business man.”.