What is the dumbest observation or suggestion about Taiwan that you have ever heard or read from a fellow Waiguoren? I can think of two right away:
The American blogger who in all seriousness suggested the Taiwanese government should spend taxpayers’ money on adding tone marks to all street signs. So he could learn the proper pronunciation of place names and so on.
The foreigner in Taipei at Christmastime, who was impressed with a few Xmas displays on the sides of some department stores, and then confidently declared that Taiwan had the most beautiful seasonal displays of any place in the world. Apparently this person had never been outside of Taipei, let alone to any major city in the Western world or any Xmas market in any European town.
I met a western guy living in Taiwan that espoused pro-China and pro-unification (under CCP govt, of course) views over drinks. I think that’s pretty fucking stupid for someone living and working here. Go live in Beijing then. Needless to say I didn’t associate with this wumao for long.
Although I am not pro unification, a lot of Taiwanese are pro unification, so why can’t that foreign wumao be too? He lives here, pays taxes presumably, why can’t he have an opinion about what would be best for Taiwan?
He can, but it’s a treasonous opinion to have imo. No different than being pro-North Korea and living in Seoul. Or wanting the USA to go back to the confederacy. What can I say, I don’t like people who are provided a decent life in a country and yet hold traitorous viewpoints that present a threat to said country’s existence. It’s biting the hand that feeds you.
Oh, when I said “go live in Beijing” I didn’t mean I wanted to see him literally kicked out. I just think it would suit him more.
I worked with a guy like that at a kindy. A real Sinophile, supported the Chinese takeover of Tibet and Xinjiang. He actually believed that might makes right. When I showed him an Economist article that described China’s claims to Taiwan as historically suspect and morally dubious, he just snorted. So why was he living and working in Taiwan, and not in China?
I think a lot of people who haven’t lived in other large Asian cities think that. I’ve lived in Shanghai and Tokyo - Taipei to me is like a smaller version of Nagoya.
I would say that most Taiwanese simply don’t care. As long as life continues, they go to work, get paid, etc. they couldn’t care less who’s running the show. KMT, DPP, or CCP.
They only care when any political party interferes with their ability to do the above.
