[quote=“banshette”]OK I tried to resist, but I can’t.
I’m not a young, impressionable, (perhaps) desperate English teacher. I’m 42, I’ve worked on EVERY BLOODY continent except North America. NOWHERE have (decent) people lied to me so much as in Taiwan.[/quote]
How do you know? What if they were lying?
I agree. But remember, we don’t call it than in the West. We call it ‘covering yourself’.
It’s the same double standard in the West - it’s called ‘covering yourself’, until you get caught. Then it’s called ‘lying’.
Go find one and do a language exchange with him/her.
Someone in this thread brought up the term “lao shi” and it does come up in my conversations. We also are dealing with a Taiwan that is undergoing a lot of changes at all levels, cultural, political, societal, and economic. It’s a period of great flux. This has a lot of impact on the people, their attitudes and behaviors. And the Taiwanese attitudes do vary according to their social, education levels and political position. YMMV.
Most of the time, this topic comes up is w/r/t business settings, not personal ones. And people need to distinguish their personal dealings with Taiwanese versus their business dealings with Taiwanese. The thread clearly shows this delineation, IMO.
I worked in sales and marketing for most of the last 15 years, so you could say I was a professional liar. At least a professional omitter of certain critical information, a teller of not-quite-the-whole-truth. I’ve gone back to doing purely technical work because, even though work is not my whole life, and I’m scrupulously honest in my interpersonal dealings, it’s better for my soul.
The people that really scare me are the ones that lie for no reason at all, lie even when they don’t need to and there isn’t any benefit. It becomes a habit.
My kindie manager asked me to lie the other day about something. She had a look of distaste on her face and she said “I really don’t want to ask you to lie, but it would make things easier if you did.”
I said, “It’s ok, this is Taiwan. Everyone lies in Taiwan.”
[quote=“FearsomeOrange”]My kindie manager asked me to lie the other day about something. She had a look of distaste on her face and she said “I really don’t want to ask you to lie, but it would make things easier if you did.”
I said, “It’s ok, this is Taiwan. Everyone lies in Taiwan.”
I think I hurt her feelings.[/quote]
Yeah funny about that. I’ve been asked to tell students parents I was American. I taught at a so called American English school where non of the teachers were from the USA… There were 2 Aussies, a Kiwi, and a British lass from Stoke on Trent lol.
You’d hurt their feeling a lot more by correcting them in front of the person they asked you to to lie to… lol.
They ask you to lie because they already knowingly lied… and they don’t want to lose face now do they?
Fortigurn -
The society and culture that I was raised in taught honsty. It taught truthfulness and responsibility for ones actions. It also taught to expect this from others. And being as I was raised by a couple of very worldly immigrant Scottish Hillbillys I was also taught to recognize BS and how to deal with it.
I have been grateful of learning these things thru-out my life.
Especially recognizing bull shit when I see/hear/read it. No matter what it cloaks itself in. :America:
[quote=“TainanCowboy”]Fortigurn -
The society and culture that I was raised in taught honsty. It taught truthfulness and responsibility for ones actions. It also taught to expect this from others. And being as I was raised by a couple of very worldly immigrant Scottish Hillbillys I was also taught to recognize BS and how to deal with it.
I have been grateful of learning these things through-out my life.
Especially recognizing bull shit when I see/hear/read it. No matter what it cloaks itself in. :America:[/quote]
I’m very glad of that, for your sake. The society and culture in which I was raised, taught dishonesty for one’s own advantage.
This was counteracted by the teaching I received in my family, which taught honesty even at the expense of one’s advantage.
When I entered the workplace, I discovered that dishonesty at a range of levels was not only practiced but expected of me. I couldn’t help feeling disappointed, especially given that my first job was at a Presbyterian boys school. My second job was at a Methodist girls school, where I found the same level of dishonesty and unethical practice.
A number of the staff I knew were unhappy with it, but they pointed out that such behaviour was necessary to remain competitive in the marketplace.
I have finally read all the posts that were posted here. Originally, stopped because I was truly going thru a rough time. I did apologize for the blatant generalization made and still stick to it… But it
[quote]Yet, I pose this question to many of you. I have come across many blatant generalizations especially about western women on this board. Yet, have never seen many people standing up and calling for correction of that. Why is that so? Are we really that selective in whom we think deserves respect? Or is it fair game, while other things aren
Can’t everybody just be honest and realistic? That’s all that’s required, anywhere, everywhere.
I’m honest when I say I like Taiwan. Realistically I won’t spend my life here. And it has nothing to do with the people, and I certainly never meant it to appear that anything I said was aimed at the people of the country. It’s not about the people of Taiwan, it’s about people on forums who just cannot, seemingly, see things for what they are and admit them.
People everywhere lie, yes. Here it seems more prevalent, as far as I can see, for whatever reason. I have accepted that, and that is ONLY my opinion, dude. You have yours.
And as for the subject of western women - yes, on this forum, you’re toast.
Thanks Loretta, for your small effort, it’s welcome. :bravo:
