Repatriation of jobless PhD holder reflects personal, social concerns

THE STORY OF XIAOLAN, A 38-OLD-YEAR WOMAN who got her PhD from a US university but was repatriated recently after losing her job and becoming homeless, has been doing the rounds on the Internet, with many saying she has poor social skills despite having a doctorate's degree. Comments:

The original story said Xiaolan was carrying her schizophrenia back to China and her tragedy may have more to do with her medical condition rather than other factors. But many netizens omitted this key information when they reposted the story, stressing that, despite having a PhD, she has poor social skills. This contention that higher education means lower social abilities is absurd. If you want to make chicken soup for the soul, please do not make stuff up, especially when the stuff concerns someone's tragedy.

Beijing News, April 27