🇪🇺 Europe | Why Europeans Think Asia is Poor and Backwards

[OysterOmelet]

@hannes

What now? Do you think this is bad or good? Should we do something about it? What are the potential reasons and implications? Why should we care? Is it a misconception or is it deserved? Should the Europeans educate themselves and change their perception? Should Asians show them that their perception is wrong? Should the Asians do something about their poverty and backwardness?

Pure and unadulterated pursuit of knowledge for its own sake.

[hannes]

That’s a rather peculiar way of pursuing knowledge.

The problem l see is that “European” and “Asia” is so broad a topic that it becomes almost meaningless. It would be much more interesting if you had one single example, like “one guy from France told me, he only goes to Thailand because he thinks other countries in Asia are poor and backwards.” Now that would be a much more interesting starting point for a discussion, because it’s more clearly defined and not as fuzzy as the topic you started. You can always expand from a more defined point later own and perhaps indeed come to the conclusion that many Europeans think the same way as that imaginary Frenchie.

[BiggusDickus]

@afterspivak

It’s mostly the Brits and the French (as well as the Americans and the Soviets) that messed around in the twentieth century, with Germans and Italians also doing their share of damage too.

The Swedes are an interesting case. As an ally of the Dutch they were involved in the colonization of what is now Tainan. Does this mean I can get residency in Sweden?

Guy

Messed around in Asia? Japan did a fair bit. China is doing it now.

[afterspivak]

Absolutely true.

Guy

[OysterOmelet]

@hannes

That’s a rather peculiar way of pursuing knowledge.

The problem l see is that “European” and “Asia” is so broad a topic that it becomes almost meaningless. It would be much more interesting if you had one single example, like “one guy from France told me, he only goes to Thailand because he thinks other countries in Asia are poor and backwards.” Now that would be a much more interesting starting point for a discussion, because it’s more clearly defined and not as fuzzy as the topic you started. You can always expand from a more defined point later own and perhaps indeed come to the conclusion that many Europeans think the same way as that imaginary Frenchie.

OK let me clarify one more time.

I got the notion that Europeans think Asia is poor and backwards from reading this forum.

Now that I’ve been going to Europe virtually every year, I see why. They only go to Thailand, and they have no interest in the Far East.

[OysterOmelet]

European economy stagnating

I agree with this part, Europeans believe they are decades ahead of everyone, I have hardly time talking to colleagues about Taiwan semiconductor boom. Simple they don’t believe. On another side I had comments from Taiwanese who believe whole Europe is in straight down decline. My personal experiences are different and we as a family have better life in Germany. I pointed out why. Taiwan has a lot of short comings and usually locals don’t understand how limited a life of emigrant really is in T…

[TT]

@OysterOmelet

OK let me clarify one more time.

I got the notion that Europeans think Asia is poor and backwards from reading this forum.

Now that I’ve been going to Europe virtually every year, I see why. They only go to Thailand, and they have no interest in the Far East

This only works if you ignore all the Europeans on this thread telling you otherwise.

Lol, and the best you can pull up is @The who was permanently banned some time ago for repeated bigotry?

[OysterOmelet]

How did you imagine what Asia was like before arriving?

Europe is nice. Just not as nice as most people think before living here. It’s one thing to vacation, another beast to live there. And it depends on where in Europe just like where in Asian really. I just think it’s funny people who live in shithole areas in Europe like the ones I talked to think Asia is a giant shit hole.

[OysterOmelet]

How did you imagine what Asia was like before arriving?

It happens to me too, but I find that response comes only from Europeans. Most Europeans who haven’t been to Asia don’t believe what I say, especially about Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Seoul. They have the idea that these countries are the same as poor areas in Vietnam etc. they think it is mostly under poverty people even though a lot of technology come from these places, they will still say it is only an export kind of thing and they have no interest in coming to visit this backwa…

[TT]

You can cherry pick all you want, but there are plenty of posts that state the opposite

[OysterOmelet]

Funny nobody in that thread objected to the notion that Europeans think Asia is poor and backwards.

[TT]

Plenty of people have disagreed with you on this thread

[OysterOmelet]

I wasted all this time searching just to win a stupid online argument.

I’m going to Brazil tomorrow and I need to pack.

My priorities are out of wack.

[TT]

@OysterOmelet

I wasted all this time searching just to win a stupid online argument

Trying to, anyways

[OysterOmelet]

@OysterOmelet

I wasted all this time searching just to win a stupid online argument.

I’m going to Brazil tomorrow and I need to pack.

My priorities are out of wack.

I should become a poet.

[PeiHua-Connie]

@hannes

I drank some Lithuanian zero alcohol beer the other day. Couldn’t read a single word on the can. All hail the new Taiwan-Lithuania alliance!

Was ist das beste Bier Europas?

[PeiHua-Connie]

@OysterOmelet

I wasted all this time searching just to win a stupid online argument.

I’m going to Brazil tomorrow and I need to pack.

My priorities are out of wack.

Yes, why do you visit Taiwan so you can post correct information??? Strange you post here yet not visit Taiwan.

I meet most people think Taiwan is good, like this about

Frankfurt: Erster taiwanesischer Waffelladen eröffnet – Das erwartet die Gäste

[OysterOmelet]

@PeiHua-Connie

Yes, why do you visit Taiwan so you can post correct information??? Strange you post here yet not visit Taiwan.

Visit Taiwan to find out what Europeans think of Taiwan? TBF, you’re not the only one in this thread suggesting crappy survey methodology. Also, this thread isn’t about food. Careful about gaining weight.

[hannes]

I get that you are under the impression that Europeans think a certain way about Asia. There is nothing wrong with that. My only issue with this is that you lump all Europeans together and you lump all of Asia together starting with the title. I would at least attempt to be more precise to make this discussion worthwhile. At least say “Some Europeans think…”. You only provide anecdotal evidence, your trips to Europe and some posters on forums. Suggesting that Europeans (many, a majority?) think of Asia as poor and backwards is not based on facts and if you want to pursue knowledge, as you claim above, facts should be kind of important.

I wonder what you will say about Brazilians now. Please do some research while there and ask as many people as possible what they think about Asia. Obrigado!

[TheSituation]

You mean 3 of the top 10 most traded currencies in the world? Looks like we have lots of ignorant Americans and Asians on this thread with limited understanding of Europe

G10 currencies