But her perceptions are generally held to be true, at least from the perspective of someone from a Western country. She said Taizhong was dirty, heavily polluted, there were cockroaches, the traffic was bad, and it stank. She said there were people burning ghost money at the side of the road, and splotches of betel-nut juice all over the place. Well, what part of that isn’t true?
Really, people must be taking issue with the way she wrote the article, and the emphasis she put on certain aspects of her experience. I don’t see how they can claim that Taizhong is clean, non-polluted, cockroach-free, safe traffic-wise, and with fresh air.
Whatever keeps out the riff-raff. She may very well have done us a favour. 
Edit: I should maybe try to get an article published in South Africa making Taiwan sound worse than Soweto. 
Of course. But, that’s not the same as saying you think its hot and I don’t. The author’s description was obviously a statement of her perception and not of fact. She acknowledged the same for those who could not figure this out immediately. She thinks Taiwan stinks. That’s her perception. It isn’t false, even if others believe Taiwan smells like a rose.
Only if you get hit and injured. Anyway, see my comments above.
Not relevant. She perceived Taiwan one way. She was truthful in describing Taiwan as she perceived it. How does anyone not understand this?
Of course he has that right. He also has the right to be obtuse.
But her perceptions are generally held to be true, at least from the perspective of someone from a Western country. She said Taizhong was dirty, heavily polluted, there were cockroaches, the traffic was bad, and it stank. She said there were people burning ghost money at the side of the road, and splotches of betel-nut juice all over the place. Well, what part of that isn’t true?
Really, people must be taking issue with the way she wrote the article, and the emphasis she put on certain aspects of her experience. I don’t see how they can claim that Taizhong is clean, non-polluted, cockroach-free, safe traffic-wise, and with fresh air.[/quote]
Yes so her preceptions maybe true and Tommy maybe wrong. Not the point I was making. 
Tommy has the right to believe whatever he wants although he maybe wrong. He also has the right to believe others have a distorted view of reality. Her article was not really that far off the mark I just thought she made a very bad decision. Considering she did indeed read up about Taiwan before she came and seems to be scared of insects one would think a sub tropical country is a bad choice lol. As for beetle nut well I eat it myself so no comment on that; perhaps it distorts my perception of things a wee bit 
Not untrue, unfortunately. In the age of Fox News and a lot of what’s seen on CNN, this is unfortunately not a false statement. Poor old Walter Cronkite might have something to say about it, but if this is what qualifies as news and reporting nowadays, it could be argued that it is just representative of larger patterns in the industry.
I once interviewed a station programmer from one of Montreal’s bigger radio stations for a media class I was taking in college. He said something about industry standards that has always stuck with me. He said that “fuck” on the radio comes across a lot louder than when said in normal conversation. Despite your arguments, I can’t help but feel the same about statements like “if there are rules, no one follows them” and “Imagine putting your head over a sewer…That’s what it’s like here, everywhere, all day and all night…” true as they may be or not. As a reporter, she should be aware that she is responsible for what she writes or will be criticized for it thereafter if she is careless or insensitive. Certain characters like Rush Limbaugh have made careers out of social commentary and invite the criticism that goes along with it, but for Craig who has, as far as I can tell, mosty done album and CD reviews of rock bands for the paper and publicly describes herself as a reporter…I doubt from what I’ve read that she deserves that kind of credit.
Of course. But, that’s not the same as saying you think its hot and I don’t. The author’s description was obviously a statement of her perception and not of fact. She acknowledged the same for those who could not figure this out immediately. She thinks Taiwan stinks. That’s her perception. It isn’t false, even if others believe Taiwan smells like a rose.
[color=#FF0000]Tommy has the right to disagree and believe she has a distorted sense of smell. I agree with her though lol[/color]
Only if you get hit and injured. Anyway, see my comments above.
[color=#FF0000]ok[/color]
Not relevant. She perceived Taiwan one way. She was truthful in describing Taiwan as she perceived it. How does anyone not understand this?
[color=#FF0000]How do you know she is telling the truth? She maybe angry about something or just lying. More importanty again just because she perceives does not mean she is right. Perception does not mean fact. [/color]
And people are bashing the poor woman for being biased. I got news for you… its not just Fox and CNN that are guilty of editorializing the news.
Maybe. I just can’t get over how many people are treating her obviously subjective piece of fluff as some sort of official government statement of condemnation of another country.
I don’t see how any of that is relevant. She’s a human being. She traveled to a place that she perceived to be strangely different from her home. She wrote about it. It was obviously a subjective piece of fluff. I have no problem with anyone having a different opinion from hers. I myself think she was sorta wimpy. I love Taiwan despite the things that she was unable to deal with. But, I certainly do not begrudge her right to have a different opinion of Taiwan. And I certainly never, not even for one second, felt that she or the newspaper were making some sort of official statement or judgment of Taiwan.
:loco:
Where have I argued that perception = fact?
:loco:
Where have I argued that perception = fact?[/quote]
You said to Tommy “Tommy her perceptions are hers and they are not false”
If something is not false it is a fact no? Therefore you are saying her perception are facts.
[quote=“fenlander”]You said to Tommy “Tommy her perceptions are hers and they are not false”
If something is not false it is a fact no?[/quote]
No. Facts can be true or false. That’s what makes them facts as opposed to opinions.
No. I am saying that her perceptions are true to her and thus not falsehoods spread. The perceptions she described, such as the smell, were like my example of different perceptions of hot and cold. Many Taiwanese perceive Taiwan winters to be cold. I don’t. I am wearing shorts today. I am not saying that those who believe it is cold today are wrong. I’m just saying that I perceive it to be pleasantly mild. The smell was stinky to the author. I find it bearable. She wasn’t describing facts that can be proved true or false, such as the number of cars parked in a lot.
I agree with you that the “sewers sometimes stink”, but that’s not what she said. She said “Imagine putting your head over a sewer on a really humid day and breathing in as deep as you can. That’s what it’s like here, everywhere, all day, all night”
You would call that accurate?
[quote=“Tigerman”]
How does the apology come too late? While Ms. Craig explains that she had a horrible experience, she states clearly that many people have wonderful experiences in Taiwan.
If a reader concludes, based on one person’s description of her own admitted subjective perception that a particular place is “hell on earth”, then that reader is an idiot.[/quote]
You are being naive if you don’t think that people who have never been here would get a horrible impression of Taiwan after reading this article. I have no problem with the author’s message. But there’s a serious disconnect between the bulk of the article at the beginning and her ultimate conclusion.
I think a lot of the people who’ve criticized this story and its author had some sort of genre confusion when they read the piece. A lot of the responses seem to be along the lines of it isn’t newsworthy, accurate or a fair portrayal-- as if any of these were the point of the article in the first place. I’m surprised how many people cannot separate news reporting from storytelling and how many people cannot tolerate different perspectives. Ms Craig came to Taiwan, experienced difficulties and went home again having, she says, learned some important leassons in life. And then she wrote a mundane little piece of human interest fluff about it-- put in the section of the paper to be read right after the comics and the crossword puzzle. I still don’t get what the big deal is.
But her perceptions are generally held to be true, at least from the perspective of someone from a Western country. She said Taizhong was dirty, heavily polluted, there were cockroaches, the traffic was bad, and it stank. She said there were people burning ghost money at the side of the road, and splotches of betel-nut juice all over the place. Well, what part of that isn’t true?
Really, people must be taking issue with the way she wrote the article, and the emphasis she put on certain aspects of her experience. I don’t see how they can claim that Taizhong is clean, non-polluted, cockroach-free, safe traffic-wise, and with fresh air.[/quote]
Yes so her preceptions maybe true and Tommy maybe wrong. Not the point I was making. Tommy has the right to believe whatever he wants although he maybe wrong. He also has the right to believe others have a distorted view of reality. Her article was not really that far off the mark I just thought she made a very bad decision. Considering she did indeed read up about Taiwan before she came and seems to be scared of insects one would think a sub tropical country is a bad choice lol. As for beetle nut well I eat it myself so no comment on that; perhaps it distorts my perception of things a wee bit [/quote]
She said Taizhong was dirty, heavily polluted, there were cockroaches, the traffic was bad, and it stank. She said there were people burning ghost money at the side of the road, and splotches of betel-nut juice all over the place. Well, what part of that isn’t true?
I’m not the biggest defender of Taiwan/Taizhong out there but this is blantantly untrue. Large parts of Taichung City are very liveable, the traffic is pretty light and it doesn’t actually smell that bad (except for in parts). Air pollution is bad though but the same all over most cities in Asia. The old part of Taizhong is a mess like most cities in Taiwan, newer parts aren’t like that. There is little evidence of beetlenut spit in daily life. She claims to have lived overseas in her rebuttal but I guess that meant homestay in the US or Germany or UK …something like that.
A lot of foreigners come to Taiwan and they don’t have enough money for a decent place, a car,take the hsr, aren’t prepared properly with language etc. I know I was one of them! Things are a lot easier after you figure out how to improve your living conditions, as she said she should have gone to Taipei first.
Anyway…I wouldn’t take it too seriously…people complain about the weather where I am from and that there is nothing to do except go to the pub…well if you don’t like to cook what are you doing in the kitchen?
What Lindsey Craig wrote was bad, but not as bad as what this person wrote about Taiwan back in 2006:
taipeitimes.com/News/editori … 2003298635
That Japanese couple just couldn’t hack it. They packed up and left after only two weeks. “Torturous stay,” indeed! And the nerve of that editorial writer, taking their side!
But wait, it gets worse. Have any of you ever heard of an Internet bulletin board called Forumosa? Why, that thing is just chock full of horrible descriptions of Taiwan, many of which are even worse than what that Craig woman wrote.
Here’s a link, in case any of you have trouble finding it: forumosa.com
It’s downright discouraging, the number of people who just don’t love Taiwan enough.
[quote=“Charlie Jack”]What Lindsey Craig wrote was bad, but not as bad as what this person wrote about Taiwan back in 2006:
taipeitimes.com/News/editori … 2003298635[/quote]
Ooooo…That’s a double kick in the face and the gonads! By a Taiwanese researcher at the Academica Sinica, no less!
[quote=“nohobobo”]I agree with you that the “sewers sometimes stink”, but that’s not what she said. She said “Imagine putting your head over a sewer on a really humid day and breathing in as deep as you can. That’s what it’s like here, everywhere, all day, all night”
You would call that accurate?[/quote]
I wouldn’t call it accurate. But, I’m not her. I accept that her perception differs from mine. I also understand and recognize exaggeration for effect. Oh, I think sewers always stink. How badly depends on how close you stand to them.
[quote]I agree with you that the “sewers sometimes stink”, but that’s not what she said. She said “Imagine putting your head over a sewer on a really humid day and breathing in as deep as you can. That’s what it’s like here, everywhere, all day, all night”
You would call that accurate?[/quote]
Taichung in 2005? Yeah. That pretty much nails it. Taichung in 1988? God almighty! It would be KIND!.
Ok what i miss? Back from berserkeley and the laundromat. And had a chance to visit my fav indian restaurant (but i hvnt been there in a year because i refuse to go before 9pm as after that time meals are half price and i usually am starved and cant wait till 9).
So we have concluded what in the last few pages. I gathered that shes a minion and that newspapers are just not spreading the gospel truth anymore. Gathered from the tiger that shes right after-all and that Taiwan pretty much stinks 24/7 everywhere ya go and thats that.
Thru this whole thing I just get the feeling that her article is not entertaining reading. Im gonna try to dig up this other blondies blog bout her stay in the wan, if i can . Now She can really write, but seems to have dis-appeared somewhere. That girl puts a smile on your face with her writing. She aint talking up Taiwan or smacking it down, shes just being REAL. And candid and fun .
If only i placemarked her blog.
point is craig’s piece stank. it wasnt worthwhile and had no redeeming value. Yes that is my opinion and may not be the opinion of others i understand. And my perception of reality is just that…my perception. Not equating to “facts” as known to some other furrimosans 
[quote=“Satellite TV”][quote=“Skyfae”][color=#0040FF]I will be coming to Taiwan next month and I just wanted some opinions on adjustment. How long did it take you all to adjust to living in Taiwan? If at all…
Thank you!
[/color][/quote]
20 years give or take 
[/quote] How long did it take you to adjust? - #23 by Satellite_TV
If only Ms. Craig had hung in there for another nineteen years or so. Seriously, though, I think Satellite TV made a good point: At least for some of us, adjusting here is an ongoing thing, maybe a lifelong thing.
Ms. Craig left in the early stages of the adjustment process, and that experience is what she took home with her and eventually wrote about.
Also, different things affect us differently, depending on our specific culture (down to the neighborhood and even the family) and our complex individual makeups. A case in point (which is probably going to mark me for life as a deee-lux nutcake, if I ain’t already so marked): When I had been here four or five years, I’d gotten used to certain things, and that somehow seemed to make room for other things that had sort of been waiting in the wings. I noticed that in certain situations I was getting annoyed with people for no particular reason, just for being there. Because this baffled me, one day I tried to find out why, and the reason that I came up with surprised me: it’s crowded where I live and work. Now I already knew it was crowded: I could see that it was crowded, and I’d read about it on the board, and I’d probably read about it elsewhere, too. But what surprised me was that I had been acting as if I didn’t know it. I hadn’t really internalized the idea. In other words, it took me four or five years to realize that where I live and work, it’s pretty crowded. I guess my mind was too busy being baffled, worried, annoyed, angered, etc., by other things, and it couldn’t get around to registering the crowdedness until it had (more or less) digested those other things.
And by the way, I’m still adjusting to the crowdedness. And if I ever do adjust to it, there’ll probably be something new to adjust to.