Understanding culture and respecting the differences...

Understanding culture and respecting the differences...
ManGod May 27, 2015 09:51

I have been living in China for 3 months now after visiting China twice last year and staying here 2 months each time. Unlike most of the foreign post I have read here, I am not confined to one basically tourist area(ie Beijing, Singapore, Hong Kong etc). I have traveled to many destinations foreigners seldom see or travel to. I have seen more often than not the actions of foreigners tend to be one of aloofness, disdain and a sense of being entitlement. Regardless of your nationality, regardless of your race, China is not your "silver spoon" of entitlement, nor is it your "fantasy" playground" of depraved or excessive sexual escapades. For the most part, the majority of chinese I have met have been polite but openly curious; staring is commonplace when they see a foreigner and yes, there are those who openly show distrust and are rude.

I believe many foreigners come to China without ever really attempting to understand the culture or the social system in China. I wonder how many of these foreigners would change their posts if they simply understood the culture better (which is somewhat different with each city and varies alot in different provinces) and adjusted their own lifestyle while here to one that was more related to the accepted social graces and cultral differences?

It angers me when I see foreigners who act like their money entitles them to disrespect, or take advantage of the local chinese citizens. I have personally witnessed foreigners disrespect chinese women with openly sexual and perverse comments regardless of locarion or setting. While there may be many women here who partake in providing different personal and private pleasures, Not all chinese women are available just because You are 1) rich 2) a foreigner 3) ignorant.

My point is simple....act civilized, respect the cultural differences and respect the aspects of the chinese society even if it's rules of etiquette are lost in your simplified understanding.

Tags:Language & Culture

12 Comments

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Jun 17, 2021 00:53 Report Abuse

Guest2342446

interesting cultural review

May 16, 2016 06:56 Report Abuse

petecowell

The original post, clearly, is a fiction. The editorial team must be running out of content.

Jun 25, 2015 21:42 Report Abuse

Guest2342446

Not that much though

May 16, 2016 06:57 Report Abuse

Samsara

You've been in China for THREE MONTHS, and assume that you have visited more locations than long-term expats, and understand Chinese culture better. I don't think you realise how retarded you appear (please look up the Dunning-Kruger Effect if you have time). --- Here is my favourite quote: "its rules of etiquette are lost on your simplified understanding". Given your "advanced" understanding of Chinese culture, can you tell me which rules of etiquette govern A) public defecation (in busy shopping streets, elevators and planes), B) hacking up phlegm on the floor (in classrooms, restaurants and hospitals), C) public domestic violence (men punching and kicking women with a large circle of morally inert spectators), D) extreme animal cruelty (skinning animals alive, putting chickens in de-feathering machines alive, etc.), and E) constant, self-serving dishonesty (lying to get what you want). I've been to many countries poorer than China, but none with such low standards of behaviour.

Jun 24, 2015 12:41 Report Abuse

rasklnik

What a waste of space, even if the internet is free.

Jun 19, 2015 12:19 Report Abuse

Guest14237618

It's not the foreigners "who act like their money entitles them to disrespect, or take advantage of the local chinese citizens" but the Chinese officials and the tuhao (nouveau riche).

Jun 01, 2015 09:13 Report Abuse

Guest2342446

But you couldn't exclude some foreigners who actually are doing this

May 16, 2016 07:03 Report Abuse

Spiderboenz

Ok there, Gawain.

May 29, 2015 23:42 Report Abuse

dongbeiren

You've been living in China for 3 months.... the rest of your blog post reflects that. Though I do agree that creepers are totally uncool. But I'm curious as to how you've encountered so many lecherous foreigners during your whole 3 months of exploring these parts of china that foreigners seldom see or travel to.

May 29, 2015 19:55 Report Abuse

ManGod

1) 4 months spent traveling to my wife's hometown, her parent's hometown, my step-son's hometown and to visit her friends and relatives prior to living here since February. 2) Shihezi, Usu, Urumgi, Shanxi, Weihai, Yining, Xinzhou, Wuhai just to name the most relevant cities. 3) Reading the biased and ignorant posts from foreign men who have little or no respect for women regardless of nationality. 4) Simple conversations with Chinese women and foreign men in various cities. 5) A personal travel history in 7 other countries where foreigner expats often have the same ignorant and biased views coupled with their own bigotry (ie Korea, Mexico, Bahamas, Japan, Thailand, Philippines, and Viet Nam) 6) Travel courtesy of being a USMC veteran.

Jun 11, 2015 10:27 Report Abuse

aftab_alam64

If you are backpacker even 2 months are enough for observations ,

May 16, 2016 07:01 Report Abuse