Why are Taiwan's faults always covered up by expats and the press?

Seems to be a feature of those more expat focused forums. For Thailand, there is a similar forum called https://forum.thaivisa.com and there most people continually go out of their way to say how horrible Thailand is. Well, actually do so much much much more than here so that one really wonders why they live there

3 Likes

Every Thursday night 9 to 9.30 pm round my gaff. Shout, shout let it all out.

1 Like

I don’t know why exactly but the air often smells bad here even when ‘green’.

Almost the whole country won’t be covered in bad air for large parts of the year though. Get real.
The air quality in Taiwan is very poor overall. That is a fact.

2 Likes

The main reason why Taiwan’s faults are being covered up is for the same reason why the Chinese and the Koreans are having their faults covered up. The reason is because they don’t want to lose face thanks to Confucian philosophy. This is why I don’t appreciate Confucianism.
If I see any faults here, I will call it out. If I see the faults of the mistreatment of
Southeast Asian workers, I will call it out, if I see racial discrimination, I will call it out, if I see bad air quality or any environmental pollution of Taiwan’s air and water, I will call it out. But if any local Taiwanese does not like to see the faults of this country being pointed out, then there is something wrong. A country cannot be improved when people cannot take criticisms.

6 Likes

True. I even pointed that out in my Facebook page. Taiwan’s air quality is very bad, and I am concerned about it after returning here following 2 years in Canada, and surviving cancer.

Initial premise is incorrect. They’re not always covered up and I don’t know why you’d think so: who do you think is actively trying to conceal this stuff? Sometimes under-reported, sure, but Taiwan’s a relatively small country. We’re midway in population size between Peru and Ecuador: how many news stories do you see about either of those, whether good or bad? The news that gets international press is usually the news that matters internationally: so that’s going to be mostly China’s dickishness, Covid, or computer chips. Or the quirky stuff like parliament fights.

BBC story, somewhat feel-good but also discussing pollution:

BBC story about Taiwanese exploiting workers in India:

National Geographic piece about exploitation in fishing industry:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/taiwan-fishing-vessels-perpetuate-illegal-fishing-human-rights-abuses

Countless articles over the years about idiotic brawls in parliament.

10 Likes

Sorry but I call bs. Can’t count the number of times Taiwanese shit on their economy and how China/Korea are now uber rich, or how the greens don’t allow a respectful debate scene, or how their cultural exports suck, or how there is no future here and so on and so on.

Not only are they not covering anything up, they are actively making shit up to be concerned about. Just because they don’t agree with you on something you find problematic doesn’t mean they are covering it up.

I for one, think there are many problems but the trajectory is just fine. Things are getting better and while the rate of change slowed a bit circa 2015, its back on track.

12 Likes

Try being a white or black person and saying that though !

Then the ‘face’ really comes into play.

Well idk what you are talking about.

Because you grew up here you only have a faint idea what fresh air is.:grin:

2 Likes

This is the thread I’ve been waiting for!

Two possible explanations to your question:

The first is something known as Taiwan-Induced Low Effort Syndrome, which is where you’ve succumbed to the mediocrity of Taiwan. This is where you don’t mind being paid 52,000 NT a month, having a single-room shower/bathroom, or worse eating bingdang.

This leads to Sanchong Syndrome where you vigorously defend the worst parts of Taiwan.

I don’t have a definite answer but it’s a combination of the quality of expat declining fast in Taiwan (anyone with ambition generally leaves), and the fact that many of the types of expats here are the ones that just couldn’t compete in a place like Hong Kong or Singapore.

6 Likes

Is this the chabuduo spelling of biandang? :thinking:

10 Likes

Yes

Taiwan is one of the few places I think of where the inhabitants don’t seem to love having a piss and moan about it.
I was under the impression it was a combination of neo-tokyo and tropical paradise before coming. Arriving at my first destination, the middle of BFNW, Taichung, was a bit disappointing.

1 Like

5 posts were split to a new topic: From faults

Taiwan was better known when I was younger for manufacturing and exporting cheap crap everywhere.

1 Like

I’ve lived in both HK and Singapore- didn’t like them, because don’t like big cities in general- some of us are the types that don’t want to compete in Hong Kong or Singapore. They call it the rat race because that describes most of the people involved.

4 Likes

Huh, I always thought that went “Whip it all out.”

Even people living on 20k a month in Taiwan have a higher standard of living than kings did 100 years ago. Easy access to modern health care, running water, access to food and freedoms, to name a few. Kind of begs the question what went so right to make this all remotely possible. History generally hasn’t progressed so nicely. It doesn’t erase the issues at hand but it also doesn’t vilify the current culture, either.

2 Likes