Ooops!!

[Richard & Li]

We've (Americans in general this is) been programmed to believe that China is the big bad Commie on the other side of the world and that Chinese people all walk behind water buffalo and run in front of rickshaws. Those are the images we've been subjected to all our lives.

 

I guess that was my point in my first post (albeit less than eloquently stated). Is there some long term subtle programming of American thought going on? If so, how does the tone and content of mainstream news contribute to it?

 

Taking the position that it's a part of an agenda or even a propaganda campaign is extreme and I'm not saying that's my viewpoint. However, raising the question, proposing a healthy skepticism, and initiating an interesting conversation with some controversial remarks can't be completely wrong.

 

We are talking about the specific topic of the portrayal of China and its people in America. However, there is a plethora of other topics in which the American mindset is equally distorted and arrogant. How did this happen?

[griz326]

All governments and corporations spy for information that is useful to them. I find it interesting that everyone here is focusing on China's role when in fact the betrayer was a USC.

[Dennis143]

Don't fret so much. I am certain that the "Up close and personal" Olympic stories will place China as a whole in a much better light.

 

Certainly, that's what China or any country expects by hosting the Olympics. I've yet to watch one where coverage was spent digging into the dredges of the host nation. On the contrary, it's always a feel good, all nations hold hands and sing KumBaiYa story. B)

[IllinoisDave]

We've (Americans in general this is) been programmed to believe that China is the big bad Commie on the other side of the world and that Chinese people all walk behind water buffalo and run in front of rickshaws. Those are the images we've been subjected to all our lives.

 

I guess that was my point in my first post (albeit less than eloquently stated). Is there some long term subtle programming of American thought going on? If so, how does the tone and content of mainstream news contribute to it?

 

Taking the position that it's a part of an agenda or even a propaganda campaign is extreme and I'm not saying that's my viewpoint. However, raising the question, proposing a healthy skepticism, and initiating an interesting conversation with some controversial remarks can't be completely wrong.

 

We are talking about the specific topic of the portrayal of China and its people in America. However, there is a plethora of other topics in which the American mindset is equally distorted and arrogant. How did this happen?

 

I was speaking in more of an historical context. For example the old Charlie Chan movies and other sterotypical portrayals of Chinese/Asians in tv and movies. That along with our history of conflict with China/Russia during The Cold War. The history books are full of references to "Red China" followed by the litany of conflicts between our two countries.

 

The former is/was a product of ignorance and lack of real contact for decades leading up to,say the 1990s. And the latter is/was just a reflection of whatever conflict was going on at the time.

 

Was the media/press a part of that agenda or propaganda campaign? Sure, just as it is in today's political climate. But I think that old "Red Commie China" meme has been greatly reduced in the last 10 or 15 years or so as China has started to open up.

 

IMHO I don't think people in this country (at least the even semi-informed ones) or the media still see China in the same negative light that we once did. Nor do I see the media in any kind of subtle or overt campaign to portray China as The Big Red Beast that they were once considered to be.

 

Are there still people out there who will see the spy stories and start to squawk about "Those Commie Bastards"? No doubt. I just don't see the type of subtle programming by the media that you allude to happening in this day and age. I guess that was my point.

 

And you're right, raising the question, proposing a healthy skepticism and initiating an interesting conversation is never a bad thing. B) It can be quite a bit of fun.

 

As for the "plethora of other topics in which the American mindset is equally distorted and arrogant" and how it happened? I'll leave that one alone thank you.

Edited February 13, 2008 by IllinoisDave (see edit history)

[IllinoisDave]

All governments and corporations spy for information that is useful to them. I find it interesting that everyone here is focusing on China's role when in fact the betrayer was a USC.

 

I agree Griz. I'm sure we have just as many folks in China trying to do some of the same things. B)

 

We're focusing on China's role here because we're all concerned about how people here will view China because of this story piled on top of all the recent ones about Chinese imports etc.

[IllinoisDave]

Don't fret so much. I am certain that the "Up close and personal" Olympic stories will place China as a whole in a much better light.

 

Certainly, that's what China or any country expects by hosting the Olympics. I've yet to watch one where coverage was spent digging into the dredges of the host nation. On the contrary, it's always a feel good, all nations hold hands and sing KumBaiYa story.

 

I think you're right Dennis. I'm sure NBC won't be spending a lot of time talking about Tibet or nail houses. Whether they should be or not is probably a topic for a whole other thread.

 

I'm looking forward to the feel good, up-close-and-personal stories about China, the people and the culture much more so than most of the events frankly.

[Jay & Ping]

Dave, I think many of us are of a similar mindset.

We have quite a mix of press here. From the "liberal" press to the "conservative" radio personalities. Each side expresssing their views on topics of this kind. On the whole there are balanced views if you keep looking.

 

Since the end of the cold war China has risen as an economic rival and not a military one. I think Americans are much more comfortable competing on an economic battle field than a nuclear one.

 

I'm curious about other's thoughts on the reverse. If the entire situatiuon were reversed, knowing the limitations on Chinese press, Would Chinese perceptions of America be substantially skewed?

I'm not certain there would be a different attitude. There would be the same extreems we have here, but on a whole would we receive strongly negative press?

 

I find many Chinese I talk to are missinformed about some issues, but they are not stupid.

[IllinoisDave]

Dave, I think many of us are of a similar mindset.

We have quite a mix of press here. From the "liberal" press to the "conservative" radio personalities. Each side expresssing their views on topics of this kind. On the whole there are balanced views if you keep looking.

 

Since the end of the cold war China has risen as an economic rival and not a military one. I think Americans are much more comfortable competing on an economic battle field than a nuclear one.

 

I'm curious about other's thoughts on the reverse. If the entire situatiuon were reversed, knowing the limitations on Chinese press, Would Chinese perceptions of America be substantially skewed?

I'm not certain there would be a different attitude. There would be the same extreems we have here, but on a whole would we receive strongly negative press?

 

I find many Chinese I talk to are missinformed about some issues, but they are not stupid.

 

Interesting thoughts Jay. I agree, most Americans are more comfortable battling China with IBMs rather than ICBMs.

 

I'm of the mind that the Chinese gov't and the people no longer see us with the same animosity they once did either. But if someone was caught in China doing what those folks were doing here? I don't know. Would we even hear about it? Would the general public in China? If they did, I'm sure it would be in a much more negative light than their spies were here.

 

And I agree, because of the comparative lack of information, Chinese people may be less informed, but they are far from stupid.

[Randy W]

 

Interesting thoughts Jay. I agree, most Americans are more comfortable battling China with IBMs rather than ICBMs.

 

 

 

 

. . . and we did it so well, they bought the company (at least the PC division)

[IllinoisDave]

 

Interesting thoughts Jay. I agree, most Americans are more comfortable battling China with IBMs rather than ICBMs.

 

 

 

 

. . . and we did it so well, they bought the company (at least the PC division)

 

Long live Lenovo!

[Smitty]

I'm more concerned about the average less-than-enlightened Joe Blow who sees the news and leaps to the conslusion that The Red Commies from China are trying to slowly poison us or are getting ready to invade Seattle next week.

 

What? Chinese women are invading Seattle next week? I guess I might find one then... I wonder which documents I would have to file for an invading/occupying commie fiance?

[Corbin]

Good points Dave & Jay.

 

Maybe I see China through rose colored glasses. But, all my personal experiences there have been good. Additionally, I have many friends from China here and, of course, Li and all of the family in China. No different than most of us. But, I guess I get defensive (and after 7 months away from Li, admittedly irritable). With me that can result in cynicism that may be (as Dave points out) unfair. (I need to consider the charge of inaccurate before I admit to that).

 

When I listen to the news in China, I don't hear a lot about America, but I don't recall hearing rhetoric that seemed to be inflammatory or derogatory. When I encounter it here, in our news, I don’t like it. Like Jay says: We tend see things differently and in my case, I probably see more of it because I actively look for news about China.

 

What I see in America’s news and policy toward China is implied enmity. I don’t see that in China directed toward America. Maybe my ‘vision is skewed (I’m no expert on these things), but I would like to see the relationship between America and China (and the rest of world for that matter) immensely improved.

 

I agree Richard. I too get very defensive when it comes to all things China. I think when we see things in the news about China we bring along a lot of negative baggage that's been built up over the years from everything from history books to the way Chinese have been potrayed in the various media,including tv and movies.

 

We've (Americans in general this is) been programmed to believe that China is the big bad Commie on the other side of the world and that Chinese people all walk behind water buffalo and run in front of rickshaws. Those are the images we've been subjected to all our lives.

 

Now that we here at Candle know differently from our first-hand experiences, it's easy to read the enmity you speak of into every news story we see that involves anything remotely negative about China.

 

I'm sure I've been just as guilty as anyone from time to time of seeing China through those tinted glasses you mentioned.

Where I live I tend to here how China has taken all of the hard working American jobs, then turned around to sell us cheap and deadly products. The average Michigander is upset and believes that China is the Evil one out to get us IMHO. I have found myself having to bite my tongue because I don't need the headache of trying to defend my view point. Just my one trip to China has shown that they want their slice of the pie and that the Americans in general have lost that drive and have moved more towards greed IMHO.