“Glass heart” 玻璃心 bōlí xīn — slang for someone who can’t take criticism or is hypersensitive to perceived slights.
What do you all think about the glass heart syndrome not just in Taiwan, but in China and other Far East countries?
Where everyone is afraid of causing offense in the heretofore harmonious and hyper-polite society, and if offense is caused, an overreaction ranging from a public temper tantrum to Armageddon ensues?
What are the origins of this cultural norm?
Why do people act this way?
Is it overall good/bad for society?
How do you deal with it?
Have you found yourself picking up a glass heart the longer you stay in these societies?
My guess is that in more open societies where criticism and debate is more acceptable, and power structures less hierarchical, talking about things acts as a pressure relief valve that lets people air grievances and settle things.
In Far Eastern societies where position and status are much more important, all the irritations of life get pushed under the surface to maintain an air of harmony. The result is pent up feelings, and when there is a “culturally accepted” reason to throw a tantrum, e.g. a perceived slight, the offended gets to their moment under the limelight.
Depends on the person’s intentions. If the purpose is to provide constructive criticism on how to do something better, then the criticism is justified. If it’s simply to make someone else feel bad, then the criticism is not warranted.
Also, delivery matters. Even if the criticism is constructive, it should be done in a way that does not come across as harsh or belittling.
I think it’s partially a misnomer caused by loved ones and family members and close friends and bosses and colleagues who will openly criticize weight, looks, age if not meeting societal expectations at that age, income, health or just about anything.
Is it people being too sensitive or people actually criticizing but blaming it on other people being too sensitive when in fact the people doing the criticism are not appropriately sensitive?
Example: daughter comes home after being away for 6 months and mom criticizes her weight and her looks and ask her why she’s not married yet and everything else in front of others and repeatedly.
Being rude like this is a manipulative controlling narcissistic careless character flaw and it hampers people from growing and blooming in their choosen path in life and inflicts damage on those relationships that are supposed to be supportive caring loving relationships.
Glass heart syndrome in Asia seems like b******* to me.
Yeah this is one thing, and that tiktok shit is the other. Those people freaking out probably don’t know each other. I feel like those videos should be merged with some of the relationship threads. Been there myself.
