"The Dragon or the Snake"

[TootTaLu]

http://www.antiwar.com/matuszak/?articleid=12313

 

This is much the same experience I had while living in China and my current feelings about the social condition and attitudes in China towards foreigners.

(I experienced extreme hospititality when I made contacts with "ordinary" people all over China)

[Guest Mike and Lily]

http://www.antiwar.com/matuszak/?articleid=12313

 

This is much the same experience I had while living in China and my current feelings about the social condition and attitudes in China towards foreigners.

(I experienced extreme hospititality when I made contacts with "ordinary" people all over China)

 

I found the hospitality in China to be extraordinary as well. The article seems to be unfairly critical of the Chinese people and government.

 

Those that live in glass houses.............

[rogerluli]

Most of the "issues" from the article are of the "macro" variety that really will not affect a foreigner living in China. It's the small "person to person" issues that we all have found appealing. As for the pollution..COUGH, HACK...of course it is bad in many large cities. Exactly why we chose to live in clean areas of China... People read an article like this and immediately think ALL China must be terribly polluted... Well it just ain't so...

[IllinoisDave]

He lives there so I guess he's entitled to his opinion. But he seems like a pretty angry dude to me. He may have some valid points in his article but it's hard to see them through all that resentment.

[TootTaLu]

He lives there so I guess he's entitled to his opinion. But he seems like a pretty angry dude to me. He may have some valid points in his article but it's hard to see them through all that resentment.

I have followed this persons articles for the past couple of years,and he seems to have "hardened" a bit over time,but I also feel the same thing happened to me while living in China.

 

 

The part I related to most in the article are the parts about putting on a fake face,but everybody else can see through it.

Every place is good AND bad,but China tries to hide their bad side instead of stepping up and saying:

"Yea,so what!We do that!What are you going to do about it?",

like most everybody else does.

 

One word comes up a lot when I hear Chinese describe Americans,and that word is "honest".

More than once Chinese people said to me one thing they really respect about Americans is "They are honest and not afraid to express their opinion about something".

 

There is a post here somewhere about how Chinese school teachers always REQUEST foreign teachers to "teach us some new western way of doing something" ,but after we show them they say "Wow thats great,but we cant do it that way,we must continue to do it the old way."

[TootTaLu]

http://www.antiwar.com/matuszak/?articleid=12313

 

This is much the same experience I had while living in China and my current feelings about the social condition and attitudes in China towards foreigners.

(I experienced extreme hospititality when I made contacts with "ordinary" people all over China)

 

I found the hospitality in China to be extraordinary as well. The article seems to be unfairly critical of the Chinese people and government.

 

Those that live in glass houses.............

"Glass houses"???

 

Please show me an example of how to be "fairly critical" rather that "unfairly critical".

 

Just about every shameful embarassing photo of Americans violating someones rights are AVAILABLE for everyone to see,and make their own judgment,or used to defame and destroy,but when it comes to China there is very little that gets out uncensored.

 

Im amazed by the footage shown daily on local Chinese TV stations in China.

I never saw clips of ordinary Chinese news broadcasts until I stayed in China.There is plenty of "embarassing" stuff broadcast on Chinese news,the problem is its always THE CHINESE PEOPLE who are shown on hidden camera commiting the crimes,but never the government or police.

 

I wish Americans could see just the ordinary local news broadcasts from China,they show the real side of life in China,ordinary people and their homes and towns.

Just the pictures alone paint a vivid picture of the ordinary Chinese (much like Americans describing the tornado that destroyed their mobile home "Eee-it fa-lew ova thay-ya ant ee-it layin-did on my cow".)

Why not even a sliver of this stuff gets shown on American TV.

(and usually the ones they do show us are of

"GuangZhou man bench presses his own 47 pound toenail",or "Cops" style footage with overdubbed fake sound effects showing

"Thats how they take a bite out of crime in China,and this scum bag's already gotten his fortune,and the only thing he has to look forward to now is a slow boat to a prison cell").

[Corbin]

http://www.antiwar.com/matuszak/?articleid=12313

 

This is much the same experience I had while living in China and my current feelings about the social condition and attitudes in China towards foreigners.

(I experienced extreme hospititality when I made contacts with "ordinary" people all over China)

For the short time I was in China I would have to agree with the writer. The land of contradictions, beauty and ugliness all in one. But I can say that I love it still all the same.

[rogerluli]

Im amazed by the footage shown daily on local Chinese TV stations in China.

I never saw clips of ordinary Chinese news broadcasts until I stayed in China.There is plenty of "embarassing" stuff broadcast on Chinese news,the problem is its always THE CHINESE PEOPLE who are shown on hidden camera commiting the crimes,but never the government or police.

 

I wish Americans could see just the ordinary local news broadcasts from China,they show the real side of life in China,ordinary people and their homes and towns.

Just the pictures alone paint a vivid picture of the ordinary Chinese (much like Americans describing the tornado that destroyed their mobile home "Eee-it fa-lew ova thay-ya ant ee-it layin-did on my cow".)

Why not even a sliver of this stuff gets shown on American TV.

(and usually the ones they do show us are of

"GuangZhou man bench presses his own 47 pound toenail",or "Cops" style footage with overdubbed fake sound effects showing

"Thats how they take a bite out of crime in China,and this scum bag's already gotten his fortune,and the only thing he has to look forward to now is a slow boat to a prison cell").

 

I would just add that many of us here get Chinese TV direct and have plenty of opportunity to see the "real China" up close and personal. We watch Hunan news all the time because Laopo is a Hunan girl and they show tons of documentary type stuff about all kinds of people doing all kinds of things...from the very poorest on up...They did a series of programs switiching urban and rural kids and teachers which was absolutely fantastic to see the incredible differences. But no, on American TV you would see nothing of the real China...

[shaffej7070]

But no, on American TV you would see nothing of the real China... sad.gif

 

Sugarcoated Diplomacy

[Guest Tony n Terrific]

I don't think you really see the real China in 2-3 weeks when you go to visit your SO. I was treated with kindness and courtesy everywhere I went in in China. My SO lives in Nanning and one early evening we where walking down the street and it was very crowded. We saw a man with no shirt on sliding along the sidewalk. His arms and torso had scratches and bruises all over them where he dragged himself along the hard pavement. I was shocked to see this poor man in the condition he was in. No one on the street paid any attention to this man. I asked my SO what the hell is going on. She said it is unfortunate but we have become numb in my mind when we see this. I told her you would never see this in the USA. Someone would help this man. Her response was: America is a very rich country and can afford to help someone like this. I guess in China you either sink or swim. If it is to be. Its up to me mentality. I will never forget that poor person I saw there. I am also very ashamed that I never did anything to help this man.

[homersimpsons]

I don't think you really see the real China in 2-3 weeks when you go to visit your SO. I was treated with kindness and courtesy everywhere I went in in China. My SO lives in Nanning and one early evening we where walking down the street and it was very crowded. We saw a man with no shirt on sliding along the sidewalk. His arms and torso had scratches and bruises all over them where he dragged himself along the hard pavement. I was shocked to see this poor man in the condition he was in. No one on the street paid any attention to this man. I asked my SO what the hell is going on. She said it is unfortunate but we have become numb in my mind when we see this. I told her you would never see this in the USA. Someone would help this man. Her response was: America is a very rich country and can afford to help someone like this. I guess in China you either sink or swim. If it is to be. Its up to me mentality. I will never forget that poor person I saw there. I am also very ashamed that I never did anything to help this man.

 

 

We see homeless people,drugged out addict, mother begging with their babies near the Bart Station in San Francisco and just walk past them. If you live in San Francisco long enough, it's a common sight and most of us just walk past it now. It's not uncommon to see someone defecated against a building or urinating in the middle of the street in downtown San Francisco during busy rush hour.

[rogerluli]

I don't think you really see the real China in 2-3 weeks when you go to visit your SO. I was treated with kindness and courtesy everywhere I went in in China. My SO lives in Nanning and one early evening we where walking down the street and it was very crowded. We saw a man with no shirt on sliding along the sidewalk. His arms and torso had scratches and bruises all over them where he dragged himself along the hard pavement. I was shocked to see this poor man in the condition he was in. No one on the street paid any attention to this man. I asked my SO what the hell is going on. She said it is unfortunate but we have become numb in my mind when we see this. I told her you would never see this in the USA. Someone would help this man. Her response was: America is a very rich country and can afford to help someone like this. I guess in China you either sink or swim. If it is to be. Its up to me mentality. I will never forget that poor person I saw there. I am also very ashamed that I never did anything to help this man.

 

 

We see homeless people,drugged out addict, mother begging with their babies near the Bart Station in San Francisco and just walk past them. If you live in San Francisco long enough, it's a common sight and most of us just walk past it now. It's not uncommon to see someone defecated against a building or urinating in the middle of the street in downtown San Francisco during busy rush hour.

 

That's incredible... I lived in SF and Berkeley from 1969 - 1973. Sure there were the usual winos and tons of hippies but nothing like you describe...

[griz326]

A fine article leaving me with mixed feelings.

 

>>>Undesirables spanning the gamut of anti-China sentiment are being round up and imprisoned, deported, or executed.

 

I wish there were some attribution with that line rather than the presumption of accuracy.

 

 

Having been to China four times over 30 years, the more I learn about China the less I know about it. I am looking forward to living in China with my Lao Po for a few years while she gets her retirement and I teach.

 

Living there is probably the only way to truly get an understanding of China.

[TootTaLu]

 

 

 

We see homeless people,drugged out addict, mother begging with their babies near the Bart Station in San Francisco and just walk past them. If you live in San Francisco long enough, it's a common sight and most of us just walk past it now. It's not uncommon to see someone defecated against a building or urinating in the middle of the street in downtown San Francisco during busy rush hour.

These American style "bums" described so vividly above,crapping themselves everywhere,are rarely seen in China.

I have seen "retarded" men wandering around in China city kind of homeless,but at least someone cuts a slit in their pants,like a Chinese baby's pants,so the guy can easily go #2 in the road.

 

When I have encountered "mentally ill" or very dirty homeless in China (and Asia),sometimes they were just set by the side of the road,but the surrounding people DO look out for and supply food to these people,genuine crazy people with absolutely no skill of begging.

 

With all of the terrible things going on in the street with beggars and exploited cripples,I think the condition in America is much more problematic.

Its hard to explain that kind of photo ,of American homeless cripple,to my friends in China.

[Corbin]

I don't think you really see the real China in 2-3 weeks when you go to visit your SO. I was treated with kindness and courtesy everywhere I went in in China. My SO lives in Nanning and one early evening we where walking down the street and it was very crowded. We saw a man with no shirt on sliding along the sidewalk. His arms and torso had scratches and bruises all over them where he dragged himself along the hard pavement. I was shocked to see this poor man in the condition he was in. No one on the street paid any attention to this man. I asked my SO what the hell is going on. She said it is unfortunate but we have become numb in my mind when we see this. I told her you would never see this in the USA. Someone would help this man. Her response was: America is a very rich country and can afford to help someone like this. I guess in China you either sink or swim. If it is to be. Its up to me mentality. I will never forget that poor person I saw there. I am also very ashamed that I never did anything to help this man.

 

 

We see homeless people,drugged out addict, mother begging with their babies near the Bart Station in San Francisco and just walk past them. If you live in San Francisco long enough, it's a common sight and most of us just walk past it now. It's not uncommon to see someone defecated against a building or urinating in the middle of the street in downtown San Francisco during busy rush hour.

I was going to say that we in America have many homeless that never get any help, so to say that they would be help isn't totally true. It is true that we try to help, but not enough is done to say you would never see it in America.