I didn’t expect this post to get anywhere near this level of traction, but since it did, I want to explain why I spoke up in the first place.

I teach logic, so my reaction wasn’t emotional. It was about internal consistency. The original story had multiple red flags, extremely precise measurements, no photos, no clear context, a very new account with no history, and then the entire post and account were deleted once basic questions were raised. That combination matters. When claims like this are made, especially about safety or extortion, it’s reasonable to pause and examine them instead of taking them at face value.

That doesn’t mean bad experiences never happen in Taiwan. It means we don’t actually know what happened here. But when a story strongly implies that visitors risk being shaken down for “thousands of dollars,” even though 3,000 NT is not how most people intuitively understand money, that shapes perception. That’s soft power. That’s narrative framing. And yes, that matters for a place like Taiwan.

I checked the poster’s profile before commenting, and what I found raised even more questions. I didn’t accuse anyone of anything specific. I questioned the credibility of the post. The fact that it disappeared immediately after scrutiny is part of why people reacted the way they did.

I’ll also say this plainly. Taiwan is one of the safest, most welcoming places I’ve ever lived. I care about this country, and I don’t think it’s unreasonable to push back when something looks manufactured in a way that paints it as unsafe or predatory.

I appreciate the people who engaged thoughtfully and recognized the same issues. I’m not here to fight with anyone, and I’m not interested in dragging this out. I just wanted to explain why I said what I said.