What does the average citizen think of Americans

[amberjack1234]

Some interesting thoughts about how the average Chinese citizen think about foreigners. What are they thinking behind all of those smiling faces that we see. On one of my visits to China I remarked to my wife how friendly, polite and helpful Chinese people were to me. Her reply was you stupid man all they want is your money of course they are going to be nice to you. That is not their true feelings about you. Perhaps there was some truth in her words.

 

I can remember one occasion while in China that kind of showed up. I wanted to buy some balloons for our nephew and the girl in a store was ask about them from my wife. She took her to where they were and ask the price. When I got to the cash register with my wife and reached for my money to pay for them. The girl ask my wife is this foreign devil paying for these balloons? Wife said yes. Clerk said to wife why didn't you tell me I would have charged him 4 time more you are not a good Chinese.

 

http://www.chinasmack.com/2012/stories/cctv-yang-ruis-anti-foreigner-rant-chinese-netizen-reactions.html

 

Larry

[A Mafan]

I think Americans don't realize how significantly less racist and more open-minded we are in the US.

 

I know that I'm seen as a big, stinky, dirty, hairy half-ape to most Chinese people. But my wife and in-laws love me anyway. Luckily, I care more about how someone treats me than what they think of me. I use the shock value of my fluency in Chinese to get deals...sometimes better than native Chinese can get...but usually the best I can hope for is just "not much worse".

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

Some interesting thoughts about how the average Chinese citizen think about foreigners. What are they thinking behind all of those smiling faces that we see. On one of my visits to China I remarked to my wife how friendly, polite and helpful Chinese people were to me. Her reply was you stupid man all they want is your money of course they are going to be nice to you. That is not their true feelings about you. Perhaps there was some truth in her words.

 

I can remember one occasion while in China that kind of showed up. I wanted to buy some balloons for our nephew and the girl in a store was ask about them from my wife. She took her to where they were and ask the price. When I got to the cash register with my wife and reached for my money to pay for them. The girl ask my wife is this foreign devil paying for these balloons? Wife said yes. Clerk said to wife why didn't you tell me I would have charged him 4 time more you are not a good Chinese.

 

http://www.chinasmac...-reactions.html

 

Larry

 

This story is really making the rounds in China. Hot topic for everyone here. I agree with your friend though about vendors being nice just for money. The communist party is alive and well in China, and has many members, and supporters. Chinese people are patriotic, and there is growing resentment about the foreign presence here. At the same time, there are many open minded single-faced people who respect foreigners. For sure, I am not as trusting of Chinese people as I once was.

 

The other side of the bullshit story that isn't mentioned, is how Chinese women prey upon foreigners. There are thousands of Chinese women who will do just about anything to lure a man into her world, for money and the chance to leave China. They could give a crap about his physical appearance, his name, or his history. If you want stories about this, just ask any single foreign man who has lived in China for any length of time. Chinese men especially are very angry to see how many of their women fall and trip over themselves for the chance to be with a foreign man.

Edited May 22, 2012 by JiangsuExpat (see edit history)

[honeybun]

Yep, this has been interesting, as have been the other recent events involving foreigners (the cellist, the Brit, the Brazilian).

 

One word of caution that's evident from all the reactions is that there is no "average citizen." Reactions to foreigners vary across people who have had very different experiences (as exemplified not just by individual variation in the comments but by the differences in the types of people who frequent various online forums). Also, the attitudes of the fickle public can be strongly affected by the most recent events in memory or the situation they're confronted with, as can the crowd of netizens that come out in response to a particular online post. In my opinion it's far too easy to generalize the Chinese just like some of them generalize us based on unacceptable behavior by a few people.

 

Like you, I've had the same experience where I was at a store with my wife (girlfriend at the time) and the shopkeeper suggested selling me items for more expensive, assuming my wife was my translator. It was embarassing all around. Also, if you've been out and about, I'm sure you have encountered Chinese who are outwardly hostile to you, had them shout insults at your wife, or just speak rudely about you in your presence. (Out of curiosity, did the girl in the store call you "foreign devil" or was it laowai?)

 

Being in China was eye opening for me about what it must be like to be a minority. For example you can't go outside looking poorly and just be some bummy guy. If you do, you risk falling into some stereotype, being judged for fitting in with someone's preconceived notion about people "like you." Also, you end up having to deal with the same ubiquitous notions over and over again. No matter if you would live in China for 25 years, anybody you meet for the first time would still ask the Chinese person you are with, "wa, ta hui jiang zhongwen ma?!"

[honeybun]

amberjack1234,

 

sorry if any parts of that came off as preachy or holier than thou. It was more of an issue with commenters on Chinasmack than with your post. Personally your points are well taken.

[amberjack1234]

Yep, this has been interesting, as have been the other recent events involving foreigners (the cellist, the Brit, the Brazilian).

 

One word of caution that's evident from all the reactions is that there is no "average citizen." Reactions to foreigners vary across people who have had very different experiences (as exemplified not just by individual variation in the comments but by the differences in the types of people who frequent various online forums). Also, the attitudes of the fickle public can be strongly affected by the most recent events in memory or the situation they're confronted with, as can the crowd of netizens that come out in response to a particular online post. In my opinion it's far too easy to generalize the Chinese just like some of them generalize us based on unacceptable behavior by a few people.

 

Like you, I've had the same experience where I was at a store with my wife (girlfriend at the time) and the shopkeeper suggested selling me items for more expensive, assuming my wife was my translator. It was embarassing all around. Also, if you've been out and about, I'm sure you have encountered Chinese who are outwardly hostile to you, had them shout insults at your wife, or just speak rudely about you in your presence. (Out of curiosity, did the girl in the store call you "foreign devil" or was it laowai?)

 

Being in China was eye opening for me about what it must be like to be a minority. For example you can't go outside looking poorly and just be some bummy guy. If you do, you risk falling into some stereotype, being judged for fitting in with someone's preconceived notion about people "like you." Also, you end up having to deal with the same ubiquitous notions over and over again. No matter if you would live in China for 25 years, anybody you meet for the first time would still ask the Chinese person you are with, "wa, ta hui jiang zhongwen ma?!"

 

honeybunn; She actually said laowai. No offense taken about your post what so ever. Anyone is welcome to post their feelings freely. I only speak a little Chinese. I understand more of the spoken language but just enough to get what's going on. Yes I have heard the snide and down right hateful remarks by some in our close vicinity. Of course that was through the course of many years in the past. One last thing. You are also right about the average poster will cash in on what is relevant or ongoing at the time. It has also been my experience that Chinese people will tell you what they think you want to hear no matter their real feelings.

 

A Mafan: I get the same respect from my immediate in-laws too. Especially since some of them think that they might want some money one day like my brother in law just ask for $100,000 but my wife tells me that some of her family greatly disapproves of her marriage to a foreigner. The same can be said for my family too. My own mother is one of them. No, she is not a southern racist, she, like many Chinese just don't like foreigners. Could that actually be classified as racist. I guess. Some of my family's motivations for not liking my wife are racial plain and simple. We have taken our leave of each other.

 

Larry

[ChrisA]

First off, it's a matter of respect of the people and the culture, we can't change their opinions, but we can shape it to a point, behavioral actions speak louder than words and with this said, it's still up to the viewer to accept and not to accept us in there country.

 

The topic could be changed to: What does the Average World Citizen think of the Chinese? Or any other Country for that matter!

 

Opinions may vary based on mileage and country of response?

 

As for shopping, the ex was the one made the purchases, naturally she knew that the local shop owners would take advantage of a foreigner shopping in there stores. Kind of reminds me of the couples day spent in Hong Kong, walking in the shopping district, I was approached by a guy from India, had a nice tailor shop, he stopped me, asking if i want to buy a suit,, I asked him how much and he said 900 HKD, I said no thank you and fallowed with I can get the same suit in Mainland China for $80 US.

[tsap seui]

Larry, from day one in good ol' Chiner Wenyan did all of the shopping for me. We couldn't even speak a full sentence to each other but when out on the street walkin' I pantomimed that I wanted some smokes....she took me by the hand and walked me down the street a few yards (away from a ceegar shop) and pointed for me to stand in a certain spot. Then she pointed at me, and then the shop and with her right hand she made the universal "money" sign by rubbing her fingers together...followed by making a sign of TALL. The she pointed at herself and the shop, followed by the money sign and her hands made a "small" sign.

 

I got the message loud and clear, and just like Spot, I stayed where she pointed on the sidewalk and waited patiently for my master to make the purchase and come back.

 

While in the sidewalk I had a beautiful Chinese woman stare at me as she was walking and I tried desperately to stop her....as she ran head on into a phone pole. Even had one guy walk into the side of a building as he stared at me.

 

I don't care what the Chinese folks think about me, it is "their" country and I am "their" guest. I take it for granted that if I walk into a shop that doesn't have a price already written on the clothes, etc that I would be taken for a ride on the price if I was stupid enough to try and buy something without Wenyan by my side. Just like I take it for granted that a txi driver in any city in America would boost his meter on me if he thought I wasn't a local.

 

It's just good business, I figger...LOL...and it happens all over the world, no matter if it is an english speaking country or not.

 

In Fushun, a NE city that isn't much on a tourists road map, I get stared at no matter where I go. Wenyan and I go for a walk in the nice park there and I get people running past me to take photos and videos of us as we walk towards them. I've been asked to take photos with small children as the mom or dad looked on with a smile, had youths say hello and practice their english on me, and we've had a few scowls cast our way. The scowls are very few I must say.

 

When we go to a restaurant we HAVE to get a private room...unles you like to eat with everyone in the restaurant staring at your every move....and I can be a sloppy eater, often wearing some of the grub out of the restaurant on my shirt.

 

Once in a nice restaurant we came down from our upstairs private room. We get to the top of the steps and man, the place was PACKED to the gills. I take a deep breathe and start down the steps....didn't even make it three steps down and some kid yells..."Meghua"....of course every head in the place snapped to attention looking at me.

 

Well sir, never one to turn down the opportunity to show off my sense of humor I stopped, took off my Aussie hat, bowed to them and said in a loud voice "HELLO YAWL"....not a peep was uttered, they all just stared

 

Okay, thinks I....they don't understand proper english....so....I took my ol' floppy Aussie hat off once again, smiled and bowed respectfully and said, NI HOW YAWL"

 

Man the place went wild!!!! LOL...everyone is clappin' and laughing and pointing at me. I bowed again. put my hat back on and hoped that I didn't trip and fall down the rest of the steps as I made my way down.

 

Most of my trips were like this. Just stares and smiles when I would nod or say hello to break the ice.

 

I dunno buddy, the way our so called leaders have treated the Chinese over the years, it's a wonder they even let us in their country. I was kinda touched that they were as nice as they were. I love my family over there and they love me in return, even think I am some "honorable man" as they put it because I put on a uniform and went off to fight communism...LOL

 

It's a crazy mixed up world, all a feller can do is.....laugh about life.

 

tsap seui

[danb]

Manfan, I wonder how less racist we are than the Chinese. Are we less, just the same or more ? I wonder how a black man would answer thay question. Or how a white male who was pass over for promotion but a less qualified female minority would answer that question. Or what about the immigrant Vietamese who can t rent an apartment in Phoneix. Sadly to say I think there is still too much racism and prejudging in the USA. Dany

[DennisLeiqin]

From my experiences both in China and among the Chinese community here in SoCal, I find that white skin and European ancestry is viewed with high esteem by many...especially women. Therein lies the animosity among many Chinese men. Sure, those men with wives get caught up in wanting to get their picture taken with the white guy too. But, for single men to see their women swoon and coo over western men whom western women would not give a second glance is no doubt disheartening. Especially disheartening to men who are desperate to find a loving wife amidst slim pickings, especially if those men from the countryside and are city workers laboring for a pittance for a wage and feel hopeless in attracting a spouse.

 

Can you imagine if the circumstance were reversed and us poor Yanks were watching our ladies swoon over old, ugly fat Chinese dudes?

Edited May 23, 2012 by DennisLeiqin (see edit history)

[Randy W]

From my experiences both in China and among the Chinese community here is SoCal, I find that white skin and European ancestry is viewed with high esteem by many...especially women. Therein lies the animosity among many Chinese men. Sure, those men with wives get caught up in wanting to get their picture taken with the white guy too. But, for single men to see their women swoon and coo over western men whom western women would not give a second glance is no doubt disheartening. Especially disheartening to men who are desperate to find a loving wife amidst slim pickings, especially if those men from the countryside and are city workers laboring for a pittance for a wage and feel hopeless in attracting a spouse.

 

Can you imagine if the circumstance were reversed and us poor Yanks were watching our ladies swoon over old, ugly fat Chinese dudes?

 

You have to realize, though, Dennis, that most of our others are divorced (and some with children) which makes them less desirable to these men. If they are "desperate", why would they be so picky?

 

My wife said that she had had several marriage proposals after her divorce (and one child), but from what I see here, that's unusual.

[DennisLeiqin]

From my experiences both in China and among the Chinese community here is SoCal, I find that white skin and European ancestry is viewed with high esteem by many...especially women. Therein lies the animosity among many Chinese men. Sure, those men with wives get caught up in wanting to get their picture taken with the white guy too. But, for single men to see their women swoon and coo over western men whom western women would not give a second glance is no doubt disheartening. Especially disheartening to men who are desperate to find a loving wife amidst slim pickings, especially if those men from the countryside and are city workers laboring for a pittance for a wage and feel hopeless in attracting a spouse.

 

Can you imagine if the circumstance were reversed and us poor Yanks were watching our ladies swoon over old, ugly fat Chinese dudes?

 

You have to realize, though, Dennis, that most of our others are divorced (and some with children) which makes them less desirable to these men. If they are "desperate", why would they be so picky?

 

My wife said that she had had several marriage proposals after her divorce (and one child), but from what I see here, that's unusual.

Absolutely correct. But, do you ever get snide comments from men? Only time I did was while in GZ and those comments came from rural men working in GZ. My thought was then and after reading this article that those men who see us with 'their women' sometimes take it out on us easy targets, regardless whether the woman I am with is a thirty-something divorcee. But again, just a thought...

[Randy W]

From my experiences both in China and among the Chinese community here is SoCal, I find that white skin and European ancestry is viewed with high esteem by many...especially women. Therein lies the animosity among many Chinese men. Sure, those men with wives get caught up in wanting to get their picture taken with the white guy too. But, for single men to see their women swoon and coo over western men whom western women would not give a second glance is no doubt disheartening. Especially disheartening to men who are desperate to find a loving wife amidst slim pickings, especially if those men from the countryside and are city workers laboring for a pittance for a wage and feel hopeless in attracting a spouse.

 

Can you imagine if the circumstance were reversed and us poor Yanks were watching our ladies swoon over old, ugly fat Chinese dudes?

 

You have to realize, though, Dennis, that most of our others are divorced (and some with children) which makes them less desirable to these men. If they are "desperate", why would they be so picky?

 

My wife said that she had had several marriage proposals after her divorce (and one child), but from what I see here, that's unusual.

Absolutely correct. But, do you ever get snide comments from men? Only time I did was while in GZ and those comments came from rural men working in GZ. My thought was then and after reading this article that those men who see us with 'their women' sometimes take it out on us easy targets, regardless whether the woman I am with is a thirty-something divorcee. But again, just a thought...

 

No - but basically, their words (and actions) speak louder than their other words.

[A Mafan]

Manfan, I wonder how less racist we are than the Chinese. Are we less, just the same or more ? I wonder how a black man would answer thay question. Or how a white male who was pass over for promotion but a less qualified female minority would answer that question. Or what about the immigrant Vietamese who can t rent an apartment in Phoneix. Sadly to say I think there is still too much racism and prejudging in the USA. Dany

 

"less" does not mean "zero". No matter how racist you think America is, rest assured: it is worse in almost every nation on this planet. The US is the one place where the majority actually tries to not be racist, think racist thoughts, do racist things. Even if they fail to truly eradicate prejudice.

 

What you describe is identity/grievance politics. Not the same thing at all.

[A Mafan]

From my experiences both in China and among the Chinese community here is SoCal, I find that white skin and European ancestry is viewed with high esteem by many...especially women. Therein lies the animosity among many Chinese men. Sure, those men with wives get caught up in wanting to get their picture taken with the white guy too. But, for single men to see their women swoon and coo over western men whom western women would not give a second glance is no doubt disheartening. Especially disheartening to men who are desperate to find a loving wife amidst slim pickings, especially if those men from the countryside and are city workers laboring for a pittance for a wage and feel hopeless in attracting a spouse.

 

Can you imagine if the circumstance were reversed and us poor Yanks were watching our ladies swoon over old, ugly fat Chinese dudes?

 

You have to realize, though, Dennis, that most of our others are divorced (and some with children) which makes them less desirable to these men. If they are "desperate", why would they be so picky?

 

My wife said that she had had several marriage proposals after her divorce (and one child), but from what I see here, that's unusual.

Absolutely correct. But, do you ever get snide comments from men? Only time I did was while in GZ and those comments came from rural men working in GZ. My thought was then and after reading this article that those men who see us with 'their women' sometimes take it out on us easy targets, regardless whether the woman I am with is a thirty-something divorcee. But again, just a thought...

Yeah. My wife agreed with this: Chinese men may not want the divorced women, but they don't want some foreigner taking them, either.

 

Probably not fully thought out, but this is a good example of social normative pressure. If he doesn't want a divorced woman, no one should. If *anyone* wants a divorced woman, then what is to stop his (future?) wife from divorcing him to marry some foreigner. If a divorced woman has zero prospects for remarriage, she is less likely to bail on a marriage, and social order is maintained.