Do Chinese lecture one another more than foreigners?

Language Learning Chinese
21

Of course Chinese people are not good listeners. Thousands of years ago, it took a strong dominant will to control and make a nation. Think that kind of attitude has changed? Not yet. The nation was ripe to accept something like Confucianism.

Look at schools.
Look at how children are raised.
Look at Chinese familes. Aren’t there specific names that indicate position and elder status for every family and extended family member?
Look at how Taiwanese bosses.

We need a few more millennia before any real change.

22

Certainly all that’s been said about the actual lecturing and writing is spot on, but to address the tangental issue of inability to accept or process the unexpected, isn’t this also a matter of face?
After many many sad years of dealing with local bosses and management, I’ve really come to understand that the Western concept of “information exchange” is not what fuels most “problem-solving” activities here.
Basically, the boss decides what the problem is, decides what the solution is, and then calls a meeting and sits patiently whilst all present present their cases, announcing finally what his boss-superior wisdom has allowed him to devise by way of a solution.
And this part, I swear I am not exaggerating or making up.
Irrespective of whether the problem even exists!
I have witnessed the exact following exchange (with an exemplary problem used for entertainment purposes, all other dialog is precisely as it originally was spoken) in meetings:
Dep’t B middle mg’mt: Sir, we have a problem with (Department A) bringing their pet elephants to the office, that’s why our productivity is down, they bring their pet elephants to the office, and it distracts my staff
Boss: So we agree that there’s a problem with (Department A) bringing their pet elephants to the office, yes?
Dept. A: Uh, no, sir, actually, nobody in Dept. A owns an elephant, and certainly nobody has ever brought one to the office, you can check the security video
Boss: Oh, Ok, sure, thanks. So what are we going to do about this elephant problem?
Dept. A: Uh, sir? There is no elephant problem, right?
Boss: Yes, that’s right. There is no elephant problem. Ok, well, let’s say that, from now on, Dep’t A can’t bring their elephants, and if they DO want to bring their elephants, they have to clear with it the manager of Dep’t B, is everybody comfortable with that?
Oh, and everyone in Dep’t B gets a promotion.

I’ve seen it, man.
Finally, I’ve come to believe that the boss’ very existence hinges on complete belief in his infallibility and Zuesian wisdom.
Solipsistic Managment, right?
I’m the boss.
I got to be the boss because I’m always right.
I’m righter than anyone else, if I weren’t, why would I be the boss?
The higher up any of my people are in the organization, the righter they must be.
Or I wouldn’t have promoted them.
Because…I’m the boss!
Or something like that.
And of course, you can substitute any other position of authority for boss here.

23

[quote=“the chief”]Certainly all that’s been said about the actual lecturing and writing is spot on, but to address the tangental issue of inability to accept or process the unexpected, isn’t this also a matter of face?
[/quote]

But where does this concept of “face” come from? What is it’s geneology or etiology?

24

[quote=“gary”][quote=“the chief”]Certainly all that’s been said about the actual lecturing and writing is spot on, but to address the tangental issue of inability to accept or process the unexpected, isn’t this also a matter of face?
[/quote]

But where does this concept of “face” come from? What is it’s geneology or etiology?[/quote]

Well, I’d say your post before the one I’ve quoted provides as good an answer to that as anything.

25

I would actually be interested in a serious answer to that question. Does anyone know its origins?

26

I would actually be interested in a serious answer to that question. Does anyone know its origins?[/quote]

We could probably figure it out with some study. I wonder who are the great Chinese philologists? Is there a Chinese Nietzsche of sorts? :slight_smile: