There is a lot to be said about Chabuduo-ism on the ROC/mainland/elsewhere on this forum. We all seem to know what it means.
Got me thinking. How do we actually say this is English and Chinese.
Are there specific expressions that describe it in our languages as a noun e.g. (Chabuduo-ism started in the late Ming dynasty) , adjective (That architecture is neo-classic chabuduo, The bike mechanic pulled the chabuduo card on me), verb (Just when I thought I’d get authentic Italian food, the restaurant chabuduo-ed on my ass?
[quote=“cyberguppy”]There is a lot to be said about Chabuduo-ism on the ROC/mainland/elsewhere on this forum. We all seem to know what it means.
Got me thinking. How do we actually say this is English and Chinese.
Are there specific expressions that describe it in our languages as a noun e.g. (Chabuduo-ism started in the late Ming dynasty) , adjective (That architecture is neo-classic chabuduo, The bike mechanic pulled the chabuduo card on me), verb (Just when I thought I’d get authentic Italian food, the restaurant chabuduo-ed on my ass?
Urban dictionary language also permissible.[/quote]
差不多心態 I think is the closest way to say it in Chinese.
差不多心態 on the other hand can be found in many sources.
Hu Shih (胡適) wrote an essay in 1924 called The Chronicles of Mr. Chabuduo (差不多先生傳) highlighting this fault in national character.[/quote]
Well, that’s like 90 years ago and described the attitude of people in mainland China at that time.
I think using Chabuduo-ism to describe the way the people in modern Taiwan do things often is not quite accurate. (In a way it can be, rather ironically, a chabaduo assessment in itself). Chabuduo, I believe, is often used when talking about laziness and stupidity. I think the people in Taiwan in general are rather smart and industrious and if things are not done the right way (at least in the eyes of Western observers) I think it has less to do with laziness and stupidity but rather with choice, based on preference (for example, earning quick money instead of investing in long-term development). Just my
Chabuduo-ism exists everywhere… but especially when pragmatic solutions override any quest for perfection.
It is when a 70% good enough short term quick fix at ultra low cost is better than investing a little extra to make sure the problem doesn’t reoccur again and future generations don’t have to deal with their failure to pay attention to details.
Have a look at the average sidewalk, building, electricity and telephone cable display, house design and furnishings, problem solving technique, business practice here and the mainland (and other countries) and you’ll find it all steeped with that mediocrity.
I guess not everyone can be German or Japanese and that’s ok too.
Moving on - what is the English word for Chabuduo-ism?
[quote=“cyberguppy”]Chabuduo-ism exists everywhere… but especially when pragmatic solutions override any quest for perfection.
It is when a 70% good enough short term quick fix at ultra low cost is better than investing a little extra to make sure the problem doesn’t reoccur again and future generations don’t have to deal with their failure to pay attention to details.
Have a look at the average sidewalk, building, electricity and telephone cable display, house design and furnishings, problem solving technique, business practice here and the mainland (and other countries) and you’ll find it all steeped with that mediocrity.
I guess not everyone can be German or Japanese and that’s ok too.
Moving on - what is the English word for Chabuduo-ism?[/quote]
My point is that the term Chabuduo-ism is not a good one to describe those shortcomings you might see everywhere.
Before looking for a Chinese/English equivalent, maybe we should first define what Chabuduo-ism means?
[quote=“hannes”][quote=“cyberguppy”]Chabuduo-ism exists everywhere… but especially when pragmatic solutions override any quest for perfection.
It is when a 70% good enough short term quick fix at ultra low cost is better than investing a little extra to make sure the problem doesn’t reoccur again and future generations don’t have to deal with their failure to pay attention to details.
Have a look at the average sidewalk, building, electricity and telephone cable display, house design and furnishings, problem solving technique, business practice here and the mainland (and other countries) and you’ll find it all steeped with that mediocrity.
I guess not everyone can be German or Japanese and that’s ok too.
Moving on - what is the English word for Chabuduo-ism?[/quote]
My point is that the term Chabuduo-ism is not a good one to describe those shortcomings you might see everywhere.
Before looking for a Chinese/English equivalent, maybe we should first define what Chabuduo-ism means?[/quote]
I’m going to define chabuduoism in a chabuduo way:
Chabuduoism la, it’s just like tha y’know. Don’t think too much, OK?
I’m going to define chabuduoism in a chabuduo way:
Chabuduoism la, it’s just like tha y’know. Don’t think too much, OK?[/quote]
That would be the same as how Hu Shih defined it. Hannes is saying that Chabuduoism has evolved to mean more than just that.
I would use the same definition as Hu Shih and Dr. Jellyfish. The deliberate Chabuduoism Hannes is talking about is mcuh more sinister and thought out.
[quote=“hannes”][quote=“cyberguppy”]Chabuduo-ism exists everywhere… but especially when pragmatic solutions override any quest for perfection.
It is when a 70% good enough short term quick fix at ultra low cost is better than investing a little extra to make sure the problem doesn’t reoccur again and future generations don’t have to deal with their failure to pay attention to details.
Have a look at the average sidewalk, building, electricity and telephone cable display, house design and furnishings, problem solving technique, business practice here and the mainland (and other countries) and you’ll find it all steeped with that mediocrity.
I guess not everyone can be German or Japanese and that’s ok too.
Moving on - what is the English word for Chabuduo-ism?[/quote]
My point is that the term Chabuduo-ism is not a good one to describe those shortcomings you might see everywhere.
Before looking for a Chinese/English equivalent, maybe we should first define what Chabuduo-ism means?[/quote]
Actually I like the rapid fire phrase that allows me to vent at a broad spectrum of things I find substandard. A well rounded but rough cut encompassing one that hits the nail on the head and puts a smug smile on my face.
If you are looking for a better def, this may do: when pragmatism overrides perfection as the best choice at hand.
I was discussing this exact topic with my coworkers (all local Taiwanese, I’m the only foreigner here) just last week, after once again being frustrated with some of the 差不多 or 大概 (DaGai) work coming from our engineers downstairs in the factory.
I just told them about this thread and one of them said she remembers a book from elementary school called 差不多先生 (Mr. ChaBuDuo). But as Hannes said, it was more describing mainland China style and trying to teach how not to be…差不多.
[quote=“Yang Gui Zi”]I was discussing this exact topic with my coworkers (all local Taiwanese, I’m the only foreigner here) just last week, after once again being frustrated with some of the 差不多 or 大概 (DaGai) work coming from our engineers downstairs in the factory.
I just told them about this thread and one of them said she remembers a book from elementary school called 差不多先生 (Mr. ChaBuDuo). But as Hannes said, it was more describing mainland China style and trying to teach how not to be…差不多.[/quote]
