Because the author is an intellectual, she is educated, and she knows the responsibility of an intellectual-to help the weak and unfortunate with her greatest strength. This is not the realm that can be achieved by "rolling in the mud" in rural factories.
Another point is that over the years, many people have said a lot of empty talk and rhetoric, but a few people really sympathize with and care about an unfortunate weak person from the heart-more importantly, treat each other as friends and sincerely understand and communicate.
This is rare, including the author's own failure to do it completely, so she feels ashamed. This is the author's profound reflection, but also the valuable part of the article: it has a strong humanitarian spirit.
Extended data
Creation background
The article was written in 1984. This is a reminiscence article, in which the author narrates several life fragments in his previous contact with Lao Wang. It was the "Cultural Revolution", and Jiang Yang and his wife suffered a lot in that absurd and turbulent special era. They were regarded as "reactionary academic authorities" and lost their son-in-law. But any bad style has no influence on Lao Wang, who still respects the author and his wife.
Therefore, the communication with Lao Wang was deeply imprinted in the author's mind. When the author wrote this article, she had passed through turbulent years. When she recalled these kind people she met in the turbulent years, she ignored suffering more, but highlighted the brilliance of human nature in the turbulent years.
Baidu encyclopedia-Lao Wang