[quote=“alidarbac”]OK. People whose primary source of information of a country is from their own media or popular culture have a higher percentage of bullshit opinions than people who have actually visited the country and interacted with the people. You can point to plenty of exceptions either way, but that’s a reasonable rule of thumb.
That’s not to say that some dorky waiguoren who has lived for a couple years in China has a monopoly on a “true” understanding of China. Indeed, I’d argue that (especially with the case of China) wandering around the brightly lit cities with their shiny new buildings and talking with people who care so much about face and hiding any sort of negatives about their own society, that visiting China can give you a false impression of what life is really like for a lot of people.
Nonetheless, relying on your own domestic newspaper articles is a poor subtitute for first-hand experience for forming an opinion on another country that isn’t completely half-assed.[/quote]
alidarbac,
I know all that.
The point of my post was actually to take issue with this statement posted by rake:
First if u haven’t been to China, i suggest u to shut the f-beep-k up under this topic.
That’s a bit extreme, IMO. Different opinions surely differ in value. But, that’s no reason to stifle them.
I’m horrified and always try to think about how long something made in china is going to keep working … but anyways in the 70’s and 80’s everything was made in Taiwan, so things change faster than you expect … maby in the next decade everything is made in let’s say India, Vietnam … African countries … or perhaps we move manufacturing back home or closer to home because it’s proven for many products that it’s not worth manufacturing abroad … it needs more manpower to manufacture something in China so real savings or almost nill, lot’s of companies ar starting to rethink their strategy …
So, go on thinking … ye’ might grow a bigger head that fits more brain …
AS only local citizens can serve in the ROC army I get to wonder why your ignorance is not low enough… at least get yourself some education above kindergarten level will ya.
preach, bro. ordinary people just wanna live their lives, do their own things. who gives a shit if taiwan turns into part of china while you’re still poor as f*** and not having the permission to go to places like shianghai and taiwan…
AS only local citizens can serve in the ROC army I get to wonder why your ignorance is not low enough… at least get yourself some education above kindergarten level will ya.[/quote]
I was under the impression that there was a single exception among us.
[quote=“bartleby”]As for strong nationalism despite being a crap country, you can find that in India too. I think it’s common in countries which have old civilizations but bugger-all-else. Arab countries are the same, from what I’ve heard.
The culture may be 5000 years old, but you can’t eat it, wear it, shelter from a rainstorm under it.[/quote]
That five thousand years thing has got to be a crock of shit anyway.
Way back in the Xia dynasty China was never united anyway just a bunch of sad looking cities surrounded by mounds of earth, in a small part of China. What do they base five thousand years on ? China wasn’t united until the Han dynasty right ? About the same time as the Roman empire. Stone henge has been around for longer !
European culture dates back at least 5000 years. Chinese culture is very over rated. It never produced much anyway (because they never needed to, self sufficient).
5000 years and produced very few inventions compared to the last 400 years of European culture. Oh yeah the wheel barrow and fireworks (one form of compass non magnetic). And of course the highly non effective accupuncture. Also a famous book on Chinese herbal medicine (Shen nung) that has a lot of very doubtful cures such as the use of sea clams for their magnetic healing powers.
Compare this to Newton, Einstein, Gallileo, Crick, Bell, Stephenson, Pateur etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc (the list is so long on western inventions and innovations it would take pages). I also wish they would stop picking their noses when making sandwiches and claiming the common cold is caused by the weather and drinking chicken soup and not a virus, this is 2006 not 1566. If i was part of a culture that had been around five thousand years but was so surpassed by the west, i wouldn’t be advertising it.
If China is so great why are so many livng in Canada; and then ask you what you are doing in China ? The Chinese are good at one thing of course, tzwan chien
The above is all said in good
at least they don’t drop napalm on other people!
China is Chinese. This is the culture where the first word taught to children is ‘yes.’ Traditional will die hard. It lives on and grows in the hearts of all Chinese; their disatisfaction with it will soon show itself.
A few weeks ago I was talking with a psychologist; she said dreams are frowned upon in Japan. People who talk about them are considered crazy.
Ah Asia. People bottling up all their feelings is gonna make people explode.
[quote=“t.ukyo”]I hope this will not be put in the Flame forum, but hey, even the “American foreign policy sucks” thread was left in the civilized corner of this board.
Alright, here we go:
China is a Communist country, yet has the worst working conditions in the world. Go figure.
No friggin rule of law whatsoever. You cross the path of a party boss, you are screwed, simple as that.
A cesspit of corruption. You want to do business there? Better bring a “warchest” for hongbaos.
The damn arrogance and nationalism. Yeah, right, they are proud of China, yet 70% want to go to the US or Europe - simply get out of that dump. What a wonderful place, aight?
The damn China bubble. I mean, come on, they have been cooking their books for years and still are being hyped as the comming Asian superpower. 8% growth in 2002? No way.
China bubble part two. How about 200 million unemployed and rising? How about soaring deficits to finance BS projects like the 3 Gorges?(I give the 3 Gorges 10 years, and then it will have turned into a giant pool of mud) How about a population that’s aging like they want to turn China into one big Florida? Environmental degradation anyone?
And last and most important: It is a fucking Communist country. I grew up in one too, and let me tell you, Communism is one big fat pile of shit.
Alright, I am feeling better now.[/quote]
I am confused are you talking about China or Taiwan; I mean aside from the communist thing (which is debatable insofaras a true communist system does does have a free market economy) it all seems pretty much par for course here as well.
So do you actually have a point or you just another drum beating, China hating Taiwanese nationalist whose total sum understanding of democracy only extends to those who agree with you, otherwise its time to attack them for having different ideas?
I am confused are you talking about China or Taiwan; I mean aside from the communist thing (which is debatable insofaras a true communist system does does have a free market economy) it all seems pretty much par for course here as well.
So do you actually have a point or you just another drum beating, China hating Taiwanese nationalist whose total sum understanding of democracy only extends to those who agree with you, otherwise its time to attack them for having different ideas?[/quote]
I think you are the one confused if you think it is debatable if China is a communist country. It is a one party system where people don’t get to elect their leaders. Unless your only criteria of whether a country’s government is communist or not is whether you can make money. I have been involved in 3 businesses here in Taiwan and I can tell you I do not give away hongbaos and none was asked. And there’s no 200 million unemployed here because the entire population of Taiwan is like 23 million and we have like 4% unemployment, I would guess half is not because they can’t find work but rather they prefer not to work! And as far as rule of law is concerned, perhaps it’s not a perfect system in Taiwan but at least the President’s son-in-law and the wife can get indicted for corruption.
Par on course here as well? That is the most laughable thing I’ve read so far. Try to get out of your cave more often and it may do you some good.
Actually, there are other political parties in China. But, in any event, the type of elections or even lack of elections in a nation doesn’t make that nation’s government communist.
I am confused are you talking about China or Taiwan; I mean aside from the communist thing (which is debatable insofaras a true communist system does does have a free market economy) it all seems pretty much par for course here as well.
So do you actually have a point or you just another drum beating, China hating Taiwanese nationalist whose total sum understanding of democracy only extends to those who agree with you, otherwise its time to attack them for having different ideas?[/quote]
I think you are the one confused if you think it is debatable if China is a communist country. It is a one party system where people don’t get to elect their leaders. Unless your only criteria of whether a country’s government is communist or not is whether you can make money. I have been involved in 3 businesses here in Taiwan and I can tell you I do not give away hongbaos and none was asked. And there’s no 200 million unemployed here because the entire population of Taiwan is like 23 million and we have like 4% unemployment, I would guess half is not because they can’t find work but rather they prefer not to work! And as far as rule of law is concerned, perhaps it’s not a perfect system in Taiwan but at least the President’s son-in-law and the wife can get indicted for corruption.
Par on course here as well? That is the most laughable thing I’ve read so far. Try to get out of your cave more often and it may do you some good.[/quote]
No, not at all. I’m saying that you’ve got it all wrong. China is definitely not truly a communist nation. The issue isn’t really debatable, unless you wish to look foolish. And it isn’t because I say they are not communist… its that they follow free market policies and other capitalist policies… difficult to be truly communist when you follow free market policies, no?
I guess the obvious was hidden from you when you stated the following:
The existence of nutty cults like Falun Gong, Eastern Lightning, and Three Grades of Servants that gain converts rapidly through coercion and brainwashing.
“China has become a global environmental problem. Initially, it was only the economists who were shocked by how the country was changing the world with its cheap clothes, televisions and washing machines. But now climate researchers are concerned about another Chinese export – the pollution it is spreading across the planet.”
[quote=“fenlander”][quote=“bartleby”]As for strong nationalism despite being a crap country, you can find that in India too. I think it’s common in countries which have old civilizations but bugger-all-else. Arab countries are the same, from what I’ve heard.
The culture may be 5000 years old, but you can’t eat it, wear it, shelter from a rainstorm under it.[/quote]
That five thousand years thing has got to be a crock of shit anyway.
Way back in the Xia dynasty China was never united anyway just a bunch of sad looking cities surrounded by mounds of earth, in a small part of China. What do they base five thousand years on ? China wasn’t united until the Han dynasty right ? About the same time as the Roman empire. Stone henge has been around for longer !
European culture dates back at least 5000 years. Chinese culture is very over rated. It never produced much anyway (because they never needed to, self sufficient).
5000 years and produced very few inventions compared to the last 400 years of European culture. Oh yeah the wheel barrow and fireworks (one form of compass non magnetic). And of course the highly non effective accupuncture. Also a famous book on Chinese herbal medicine (Shen nung) that has a lot of very doubtful cures such as the use of sea clams for their magnetic healing powers.
Compare this to Newton, Einstein, Gallileo, Crick, Bell, Stephenson, Pateur etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc (the list is so long on western inventions and innovations it would take pages). I also wish they would stop picking their noses when making sandwiches and claiming the common cold is caused by the weather and drinking chicken soup and not a virus, this is 2006 not 1566. If i was part of a culture that had been around five thousand years but was so surpassed by the west, i wouldn’t be advertising it.
If China is so great why are so many livng in Canada; and then ask you what you are doing in China ? The Chinese are good at one thing of course, tzwan chien
The above is all said in good
at least they don’t drop napalm on other people![/quote]
ask your self if europe is better than china why are there so many white people in canada and united states, your contradicting your self
China was never a communist country. Nor was Russia. There has never been any such thing as a communist country. “Communist” in the sense it is used in relation to China just means “murdering fascist dictatorship where the value of human life is zero”.
Now, as for the subject matter: China sucks because nothing you buy works. And any service you have supplied is either deficient in some serious way. Only the foreigners complain about this. Everyone else just accepts it as normal. This is a direct legacy of living in a “communist” country. Oh, and another one. Everyone leaves China as soon as they can. Thus only the refuseniks are left behind. They in turn become super-nationalistic because it’s either that or admit they have to live in the shithole because they can’t get out. Some actually end up believing their own bullshit and become rather happy. These are the people who say things like “Shanghai is a world-class city” and “Shanghai is a truly international city like London and New York”.
