What is it about America

[Randy W]

Very interesting. The thread is titled "What is it about America that corrupts?" and nearly all the posts are talking about China.

 

The title and first post are both about Chinese and the American influence.

[Dennis143]

Very interesting. The thread is titled "What is it about America that corrupts?" and nearly all the posts are talking about China.

 

The title and first post are both about Chinese and the American influence.

and, how can one not talk about Chinese cultural mores and how America might influence and corrupt those mores without discussing and comparing both?

 

As been previously noted, both countries have moral pluses and minuses.

 

Personally, I can't say which country has the moral high ground. Is intellectual property theft moral? Is invading a sovereign country because you have the military power to do it moral?

 

Uh oh, I've crossed the line.

[bosco]

Good grief!

 

I've seen a number of women in China smoke in homes and at parties ... not too much smoking when they walk down the street. I never detected that anyone thought this labeled them as immoral.

 

I've seen many young Chinese in China dressed in baggy clothes or similar styles.

 

A company that I used to work for used to hire engineering college grads based primarily on their GPAs ... lots and lots of Asians. They soon found out that many of these employees had a very difficult time with anything that required creative thinking. Subsequently GPA was downplayed a bit with more emphasis on the personality and attitude displayed in an interview. Less Asians were hired and the new crop of employees performed much better on creative tasks.

 

China is not America. America is not China. There are pluses and minuses for both. Collectively, we at CFL are in a unique position to take the best of both.

 

In my mind that is trying to capitalize on Chinese work ethic, cooking, sense of family, etc. and combining it with American creativity, friendliness, cleanliness, education, opportunity etc. to improve our lives and those of our families.

 

This feels like another one of those "which China were you visiting?" topics. I too have seen many women smoking in China....

 

Some people here might be advised to pay a little more attention to how people are the same and quit worrying so much about how we might be different.

Edited April 18, 2007 by Ling-Curt (see edit history)

[notrevorich]

Yea, Roger, it was a toss up between this and CLD. Mods can move it if they choose to.

 

Dennis, I agree with you. It is the younger generation. Another aspect of it is that they are in a country where they can express themselves a lot more so than in China. On the positive side of it, studies show that, academically, Asians lead all other ethnic groups.

When I was in Nanning I saw some young women with tattoos but none smoking. Young people of both sexes were into the rap scene. Regardless my take on it was it was only the music and the fashion they like. They didn't seem to be into the gangsta life style.

 

I remember reading once that although asians make up a little bit less than 5% of the population of the US they hold 25% of the doctorate degrees. This begs the question. Are they smarter than other races or is it just the cultural ethic? If it is the later then why? We are talking about Chinese, Koreans, Japanese etc. It seems to be across the board for different asian cultures.

Where my wife taught at the University I saw many men smoking ,but very few women .

Also the rap music was very present there along with rock and roll music .

not any baggy pants , gangs or other Western social influences yet .

The advanced degree quest is a cultural one - my step daughter wants a advanced degree - I'm up for 4 years of college - her real Daddya physican in China has bailed out on her - But she is such a great student that she is deserving of the education ,

Her MOM has a Masters degree and her 2 uncles and 1 aunt all have college 4 year college degrees .

I do think it is both intelligence and cultural for Asians to invest in themselves and seek professional degrees

[TootTaLu]

Don't get wrong, I love America. I served in the military as did all the males in my family. But . . .

 

I never saw any ladies in China who smoke. I did see many "smokin" ladies. Seriously, in the U.S. I see lots of Asian women who smoke. I see young Asian men/boys who dress like gang members here in the U.S. I see the young Asians relating to the RAP music culture. I observe almost a complete breakdown of Asian culture here in the good Ol USA. Some of it is understandable I suppose because our culture is different. But I don't see it as "different" in a good way. It gets right back to the U.S. 40 or 50 years ago. So, I guess I could say there is a complete breakdown of American culture from the way it was.

 

I'm just rambling. I woke up with these thoughts and had to get it off my chest.

 

Trouble with a capitol "T"!

[TootTaLu]

I see young Asian men/boys who dress like gang members here in the U.S. I see the young Asians relating to the RAP music culture.

As far as kids listening to RAP crap, it is the parents who allow this music into the home because they feel they are to busy to stop and actually listen to the lyrics.

 

 

In China,the RAP lyrics are about China tourist attractions and puppy love.

Believe me,there is nothing threatening,or even artistically creative in modern Chinese music lyrics.

That's just not allowed.

[prowland]

I'd like to say I've been around, I'm 48. I have traveled the globe. But the real meat and potatoes of why "we" are here at CFL, read Jim Julian's post, he says it best, Amen Jim.

 

It's really not a question of immorality. It is seeking the best in life, seeing the brighter side. Taking the high road, seeing the best in people. Avoiding the decadence around us. I'd like to think my SO and I bring the best of both worlds to the table.

[AmericanRooster]

It says nothing about either culture, except that the US is a better place to get your PhD.

... And that there isn't much competition for those same PhD slots from American citizens... I can assure you that we will not choose to admit 25% foreign nationals, if there are equally qualified US candidates. The sad reality is that the US is bleeding badly when it comes to this area. Thankfully many of those foreign PhDs stay here.

[Randy W]

It says nothing about either culture, except that the US is a better place to get your PhD.

... And that there isn't much competition for those same PhD slots from American citizens... I can assure you that we will not choose to admit 25% foreign nationals, if there are equally qualified US candidates. The sad reality is that the US is bleeding badly when it comes to this area. Thankfully many of those foreign PhDs stay here.

 

 

An interesting outlook, but most of the schools consider foreign students to be desirable and actively recruit them, with some being offered full scholarships. 25% is more or less of a healthy balance.

[AmericanRooster]

It says nothing about either culture, except that the US is a better place to get your PhD.

... And that there isn't much competition for those same PhD slots from American citizens... I can assure you that we will not choose to admit 25% foreign nationals, if there are equally qualified US candidates. The sad reality is that the US is bleeding badly when it comes to this area. Thankfully many of those foreign PhDs stay here.

 

 

An interesting outlook, but most of the schools consider foreign students to be desirable and actively recruit them, with some being offered full scholarships. 25% is more or less of a healthy balance.

We will disagree on this one...

[david_dawei]

American Culture -- A Warning for China

[Yuanyang]

American Culture -- A Warning for China

Very interesting reading. Thanks for the reference David.

[bosco]

It says nothing about either culture, except that the US is a better place to get your PhD.

... And that there isn't much competition for those same PhD slots from American citizens... I can assure you that we will not choose to admit 25% foreign nationals, if there are equally qualified US candidates. The sad reality is that the US is bleeding badly when it comes to this area. Thankfully many of those foreign PhDs stay here.

 

 

An interesting outlook, but most of the schools consider foreign students to be desirable and actively recruit them, with some being offered full scholarships. 25% is more or less of a healthy balance.

We will disagree on this one...

 

 

American universities do indeed recruit foreign students believing the increase in student diversity will serve to further enrich the education of their students and increase their prestige as a top University. The University I used to teach at also recruited heavily overseas for financial reasons. The foreign students almost always paid cash instead of using financial aid and cost a lot less administratively because of this.

[izus]

i think that looks cool and fun for kids, to be like the west...

free willed and care free speaking young folk.... not to mention rebellious.

 

it just so happens we are the leaders for that right now in this day in age... its not only the young Chinese that are so influenced by the western ways but half the world under the age of 25.

 

i guess its like the pretty quiet girl who likes to hang out with the guy that gets bad grades and gets into fights all the time in school...

[Dennis143]

The link that David provided titled AMERICAN CULTURE – A WARNING FOR CHINA said it all. China’s current cultural climate will no doubt be eventually consumed and forever changed by a capitalist media similar to what the US has gone through in the last 40 years. Enjoy the differences we see today, as China may forever loose the Social Capital that the US has lost since the introduction of television. That is, unless, the Chinese government can restrict what the citizens are exposed to. But, seems to me that’s like a flee attempting to wrestle an elephant. Frank mentioned in a thread once how China reminds him a lot of how America was in the 40s and 50s. How evenings you’d find families lounging on their front porches, strolling over to neighbors to play cards and talk. There was a sense of belonging and of extended families…of having a strong Social Capital.

 

The article also got me to thinking about the differences between TV here in America vs. TV in China today. Seems evenings the women would gather around the TV to watch Chinese soaps that were usually dramas based on ancient China…no guns…no sex…little violence. My wife often comments how American TV often show couples simulating having sex, (she equates this to how all Americans are). She says she never sees this on Chinese TV. Will this exposure corrupt her? Doubtful, at her age, her cultural foundation is pretty firmly rooted. Yet, for someone younger exposure to violence, sex etc will probably have the same influence that has in the western world over the last 40 years. I suppose only time will tell…

Edited May 3, 2007 by Dennis143 (see edit history)