China Is Cool · 9:39pm Dec 4th, 2016
My half brother lives in China with his full Chinese wife and son who is half Chinese. He's told me a lot of stuff about the country which I find interesting.
People in China actually have a lot of freedom as compared to here. You can smoke wherever you want (even in stores, public buildings, and restaurants), drink in public, there are no restrictions on how late you can be out because most cities are open 24 hours a day (there are no city curfews).
You can say whatever you want (even criticize the government) just as long as you don't criticize the party as a public figure or celebrity. It's super easy to start a business in China, you can get food at any hour of the day, there is an intrinsic value placed on elderly people and families.
Yes, China has its negative aspects too. Like there is no legal system. Of you are accused of a crime, you will have to pay the fine or have other consequences as a result of breaking the law.
There are city council's which can help protect people accused of more serious crimes. But you will always be guilty of a speeding ticket, jay walking, and other public misdemeanors. You usually won't have too big of a consequence for them, but you still will always be found guilty.
Another disadvantage is that some street stalls sell dangerous foods like plastic rice, pepper that is really just dirt being passed off as a spice, fake eggs, unnaturally dyed fruits and vegetables which make them poisonous to consume, and other scams. That's why the government suggests that you buy all food prepackaged from the store.
There are many scams aimed towards tourists such as taxis that charge tourists lots of money to get driven to very short distances, tea ceremony hosts which scam tourists out of a lot of money to basically just get tea poured for them, and fake tour guides which charge a lot of money to basically just take tourists to other hotels around the city.
Then there is the great firewall which is a system set up by the Chinese government that blocks out any internet services or websites that don't come from China. My brother says that many people get around this using VPNs, especially foreigners who want to talk to their families using American social media sites.
And the road situation on China is interesting to say the least. People pretty much drive anywhere that their motorcycle, car, or other vehicle will fit into. Which is why most tickets usually target people who speed, tailgate, or commit other infractions rather than ignoring signs (which everyone pretty much does).
For example my brother has seen multiple people drive the wrong way up the offramp on the highways of Beijing, right in front of cops and no one even batted an eye.
I think the United States could learn a lot from China in terms of letting people have very few regulations when it comes to business. This has really helped the Chinese economy as literally anyone can set up a business with very few regulations.
I also like how Chinese people are culturally honest; even if it is rude or condescending. They will always speak their mind. For example my brother's wife has no problem talking about things that bother her; even within her own country. Which is how I was able to report a lot of this in my blog entry here.
I also like how marriage is taken seriously in China. Most people date to get married which is why many Chinese people don't have a large dating history. They also strive for virginity until they are married. I think it's cool that they have a strong belief in family values, having multiple generations live under one roof and place a lot of importance in both caring for and respecting the wisdom for the elderly.
I've worked at many different retirement centers here in The United States and I have to say that I often felt appalled at how many of the residents in the retirement communities never had any visits from their children or grandchildren. It was incredibly sad and just went to show how neglectful we can be towards elderly people in Western society.
Going through the school system I was always taught about how oppressive China was to live in and how I should be lucky to live in America. But after hearing my brother talk about living in Beijing and getting his wife's point of view on things, I was shocked to learn that most Chinese people think Americans live in a dictatorship.
The more I thought about it, the more I could see where they were coming from. We actually have a lot of restrictions both culturally and by our country's laws that make is less open (in some respect) than China.
I would like to see America adopt a lot of the freedoms Chinese people have.
On the other hand, I would like to see China adopt more regulations when it comes to handling and producing food so there are less people who can get sick as a result of the phony street stall stuff that gets passed off as authentic.
I would also like to see more public figures and celebrities have the freedom to criticize the government. And for the government to have more of a legal system in place outside of the city council's which can argue for people's innocence when they are accused of committing a crime.
All countries have their good and bad aspects. It's interesting to look at China from the inside out and see things from the regular people's perspective. It's often a lot different than the propaganda you hear on American television or in the school system.
I'm glad that I had the opportunity through my brother to have an inside look into the true culture and spirit of China.
Interesting.
Of course, press freedom in China isn't great, and LGBT rights are problematic. Pros and cons, yeah?
4328807 My brother knows a few gay people in China. They aren't as open about it as people are in the West but they aren't really criticized either.
There's kind of a public attitude of 'it's there, we are going to ignore it'. Which makes sense as China has conservative values.
In many parts of Asia, homosexuality isn't taboo per se. It's just not brought up as most Asian countries are conservative by nature and honor more traditional family structures.
A lot of this has to do with inheritance of property. In Asian cultures, woman are most often in charge of land and property. So if you have non traditional family structures it makes inheritance (in the traditional sense) difficult for the people involved.
For this reason many people keep those kinds of relationships secret and look towards more non traditional routes.
In terms of the press, America's press actually has quite a lot of censorship as well. It isn't as extreme as China but even know Twitter, Facebook, and other sites are banning news sites that they deem as 'fake news'. Interestigly, China agrees with the censorship as only one party (from their perspective) should be able to control the press.
We aren't as different from China in that regard as you might think.
4328813 Oh, I'm not implying that the US is better than China. I'm not a patriot.
I'm just pointing out key flaws. "Family values" and the "traditional family structure" stop progress, and progress is important.
4328844 I think it's just looking at things from a different cultural perspective.
Many Chinese people feel that traditional family values help to preserve Chinese traditional values and culture.
I think there is a fear that the younger generations in particular will forget about their cultural roots in favor of more 'Western' values.
From the Chinese perspective, Western values have been corrupted because they don't have a strong sense of nationalism and cultural pride.
They see the protests for example as 'government instability' and many feel that Western culture will soon fail because it no longer has any cultural values or national identity.
Looking from that perspective I can see that they have some valid points.
Most people (at least in the US) aren't happy to be American anymore. At least from what I've witnessed. Many people I've met have gone as far as to say they wish another country would take us over.
If these sentiments are repeated by other Americans online, it definitely doesn't paint us as being united, an in the perspective of other cultures, we often are seen as having an unstable government.
I have a friend from South Africa who once told me they didn't want to visit America because people there don't have any freedoms. In fact many people in other countries have said America seems like a scary place, especially due to our crime and unstable government.
It's always interesting to hear what people in other parts of the world have to say about America. Many don't see it as a free country at all. Which is interesting. It makes you think about the government here and if we are really as free or safe as we've been lead to believe.
I'm still happy to live in America. I'm too lazy to move anywhere else. :P
But it is interesting hearing about this country from the perspective of other cultures.
4328882 They may feel that way, that traditional values are a way of preserving their culture to prevent from some sort of Western "corruption", but that doesn't make it right in any meaningful way.
It is interesting to see how other countries view the US.
4328897 I personally think lots of things are starting to change in China because of the Western students studying in university, the Western people marrying into Chinese families and other immigration from Western countries which is causing the government to rethink a lot of its laws.
Whether the party likes it or not, Western influence will continue to pour into the country. All of the young people use VPNs to get around the great firewall and have access to Western sites/ social media.
I predict that in the next 20 or so years, China will end up being more Westernized and liberated than many of the Western countries (including the United States and Britain).
There's really no way of stopping the infiltration of Western values. The party can try all it wants but it will ultimately fail. There are already a lot of changes that have happened as a result of Western immigration.
For example, more lax laws in regards to visas. It's almost impossible for anyone outside of China to become a full citizen. But you can renew visas easily every two years. So at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter.
Then you have the influx of researchers studying ancient Chinese cultures which threatens the national identity. For example, many archeologists found that Caucasian people were in Asia thousands of years before some of the other tribes. Younger people are learning about this despite the government's attempts to cover things up.
So eventually, I believe China will become more of a federation similar to Russia and there will be more freedoms for average people in regards to political commentary.
Western immigration I think will be key in China shifting to a more free government system. Although I think the youth also have their own opinions and values they would like o see be recognized as well.
4328919 Hopefully, it doesn't become too much like Russia.
A) Putin's a psycho
B) If China got cold like Russia, then global warming has gone too far and everyone is doomed
4328921 I have friends who live in Russia who see Putin as a strong and capable leader. I think western media paints him as a villain, but Russians are actually very happy with his leadership.
You have to look to the people to see if a leader is truly bad/ evil. When you talk to people in Russia you find they have a strong sense of national identity similar to China. And that they are generally happy to live there.
They, like China, view America as a dictatorship. They feel that our country will fall because it isn't unified. And they feel sad/ sorry for Americans for not having any freedoms.
Again, from the Russian perspective, we are the ones who are a third world country. They view us as being stifled by an oppressive government and unable to speak our mind (especially with the censorship of our social media). Which is interesting to think about.
But aren't China and Russia still communists countries? Isn't that why they have more freedom than America? Sometimes I wonder because I have a friend who's Russian.
4328932 Perspective can be fooled. Most of the Russian public views Stalin as a capable leader.
Look at the press freedoms in Russia, the state of LGBT rights, the Crimean incident, Putin's oddly high approval rating, Putin's affection for Donald "Don't Call Me
What I AmHitler" Trump, etc, etc.Perspectives can be fooled. I don't particularly care if the Russian people view America as a dictatorship (that's false, until January 2017), Putin isn't exactly a beacon of the people's hopes. Entire populations can be fooled. If you repeat a lie enough times, people will believe it. Religion, the concept of "Evil Communism", the Right's BS statistics for everything, Trump's entire campaign foundations. If Russia believes something, that doesn't give that belief legitimacy. Hitler and his Germans believed in biologically-supported racism, and we know for a fact that Jews, Romani, Slavs, and Communists aren't biologically inferior to Northern Europeans. Hitler also had high approval rates, but that doesn't mean he was a good person.
4328943 China is a Communist country (more learning towards a federation with passing time) but Russia has evolved into being a federation which is closer to the republican or democratic government systems that many Western countries are accustomed to.
4328944 I've talked to quite a few different people who live in Russia (even one exchange student who is gay), and all of them had pretty positive things to say about both their country and Putin.
I think a lot of negative press about China and Russia gets reported in the American/ western media. I've actually brought up certain things discussed on American television with my Russian friends and they laughed and called it a fairytale.
I remember that the gay individual I met in university once asked me, "Does your news lie about everything? You must not have freedom of the press right?"
That really put things in perspective for me.
4328963 I guess there are nationalists who are denying the reality of the situation everywhere. I thought that was an American problem. Besides, how do you know that they aren't being fooled? That they aren't just horribly misinformed, that they aren't in denial or so submerged in propaganda that they can't judge things objectively.
Granted, the United States has horrible patriotic issues (more with the pure-idiot Far-Right than everywhere else), and that comes through in the press. I will not deny that. But there are some things that really don't need biased writing to be bad (Annexation of Crimea).
4328967 It's hard to know. I've met a good amount of Russians over the years either through my friend or at university. Most had a positive view of their country and had a sympathy for America for not being liberated or free. Although most liked aspects of American culture like our movies/ media. Most never had much of an interest in living in what they considered to be an 'oppresive country'.
I'm American so I can't really say whether I feel oppressed or like my needs aren't being met. I mean I grew up in this system. I've seen it work for me sometimes. And fail for me other times.
I've dealt with the court system and have seen major failures there. I know it needs reform and other country's criticisms of it are valid based on what I experienced.
I know how I've been abused at jobs here. When I talk about this with people in other countries they are often shocked that Americans don't get vacation time and are often abused by their employers. They have valid critism on that front as well.
I just know how people view The United States in other countries and what I've personally experienced.
I'm still happy about being American but I definitely see this country's shortcomings. I hope we can change many of these negative aspects of American culture as they are viewed by the lens of the world.
Oh yes, because government censorship of the press, citizens, and outside world is perfectly okay. Having literally no legal system and assuming everyone is guilty instantly is also okay. While we're at it, let's harass Buddhists, making having more than one child illegal, and threaten everyone who speaks out against the government. Yep, this sounds completely pro-rights and not like a totalitarian shithole at all. And smoking anywhere is supposed to be a good thing? I guess if somebody didn't like asthmatic people very much it would be.
Probably because gay people are fucking hated in China, so nobody wants to admit it. Similar deal in Russia.
Would you believe that people in a country that publicly antagonizes America, blocks anything they deem inappropriate that comes from the outside world, and still believes in the world's most blood-soaked political ideology thinks the US is a dictatorship. It's almost like the government doesn't let them decide for themselves by showing sites from the outside world.
Because South Africa is a shining example of political freedoms and protection from government brutality. Seriously, look it up. They've been known for intense political repression and police brutality, as well as a shitty legal system.
America has a helluva lot of problems, but it has far more liberties than China.
4328955 Oh, I see. But I do have a question. Does China hate us?
4328987 I think you brought up good some very good points. The Buddhist situation in China in particular is worth bringing attention to. I hope that one day the situation with the Tibetan monks can be resolved.
There are actually a lot of smaller tribes (indigenous peoples) in China which have been forced to assimilate with 'Han nationalism'. However it's not like America is perfect when it comes to that either.
We too forced the native population onto reservations and asked them to assimilate into American culture. I've always felt that the indigenous people of the country should declare independence and be officially regarded as nations within the United States (they really aren't at the present moment in time). But that's a discussion for another day.
Homosexuality has a rather mixed view in both China and Russia. Most people view conservative values as preserving national identity and the culture at large so it isn't as openly discussed as it is in the West. Hopefully this is something that can change with the influx of Western influence and the changing attitudes of younger generations.
In short, no country is really perfect at the end of the day. They all have their negative and positive aspects. It's interesting to see how things work in other countries and compare then with what goes on in America.
You see similarities and you see things that need to change. Its always important to think about shortcomings so people can fight to fix those flaws in the system.
4329005 I wouldn't say China or Russia hate the United States at all. They have more of a sympathy for us because they see us as being oppressed and not as free as other countries in the world.
But most Chinese and Russian citizens have a very open view when it comes to Americans and Western culture in general.
They just reject our system of government which they view as unproductive and a threat against national identity.
4329010
They're already recognized as nations in the US. They get all the benefits of being a US citizen without having to follow our laws, but don't get some of the upsides like representation in congress, as they are their own nation. If they want to be in the American government, they can give up their sovereignty. If they don't, they can remain as they are or become fully independent. Quick note, BTW: The US government actually did recognize the natives as an independent nation(s), via a Supreme Court ruling. However, President Jackson and the Georgian government ignored their ruling, and that's why the Trail Of Tears happened. And George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams actually wanted peaceful assimilation. It wasn't until around the 1830's that the US stopped being nice about it and began Manifest Destiny.
Agreed. I feel some foreign laws (mandatory maternity leave, the Canadian copyright system, etc.) our better laws than our own. However, I feel civil rights is more importance than continence, which is what the upsides listed of China are.
Absolutely agreed.
4329024 The Natve American situation is unique because each tribe has a different view on how they want their tribes to be represented. Some tribes prefer assimilation, and others want to be independent nations. This has lead to a lot of debate within the individual indigenous nations.
While they are 'officially' recognized as being sovereign nations you never see them meeting with foreign dignitaries or leaders. I think that their sovereignty should be taken more seriously on a global level. I also think it would be within their right to have their own currency if they wanted to.
In South America, Mexico, and Africa, tribal communities are slowly being forced onto reserved areas and treated similar to the Native Americans here. I think it is sad that many of these cultures have either already been destroyed or are in the process of being erased as a result of carelessness on the part of the larger governments.
It's a complex issue so there really isn't one answer. But I have always felt that it is sad that so many indigenous cultures are being wiped out due to continued colonization and the unwillingness to let indigenous peoples truly be their own sovereign nations.
4329037 Honestly, what need would chiefs have to meet with foreign leaders? Their land and America just outside their borders gives them all the trade and resources they'd need. But again, if they want to be more important on a global scale, become fully independent. Lose the rights granted by the US constitution and write one for your country. I highly doubt the government would really mind, considering native countries can be smaller than the average US town.
4329017 ................................... Both sides hold their dirty little secrets Lyra. But China's are far more monstrous than ours by a mile. The traditional Chinese culture is fascinating and interesting, but their government is a pain. The Chinese have some very convincing propaganda my friend. The Chinese people live with blinders bigger than ours.
In the end the I rather be with the monster I know than the monster in the dark.
I also agree with everything Cynical Brony said.
4328987 Thank you for writing all of that for me. You saved me a couple of hours.
4329010 But you also have to take int account that we may end up in a war very soon with either of them weather we like it or not. So getting too comfy isn't a good idea either.
4329017 The citizens are kept ignorant, and view western culture with childlike wonderment and curiosity. (Except for the Russians, the Russians are basically tough as Iron Nails, and Cold as an Antarctic Blizzard.)
And The Russian and Chinese Governments hate each other as much as they hate the United States. Not because of cultural differences but because all three countries are moving their pieces in an information and economic war for world domination. That could potentially escalate to full scale war if an idiot is placed in charge.
These are trying times Lyra, we are at the edge of the abyss,
And soon we may all face madness and disdain.
4329078 I think what we will see is more assimilation of culture, especially in terms of Africa, South America, and Mexico which are more in favor of one national identity as opposed to the US which is more in favor of granting the indigenous people sovereignty over their individual nations (when applicable).
4329109 Russia in particular is pushing for war with NATO and Crimea. It will be interesting to see how all of this will unfold.
4329125 I'm already drinking.
4329150 Turkey and Greece are in the middle of a border dispute at the moment as well that many feel might escalate into a war.
These are certainly interesting times. :/
Sounds like a good place to live. What do you think of Mexico?
4329225 I've only been to Mexico one time. My friends and I drove across the border one time during a road trip. But we didn't stop anywhere. We just drove around and came back. So I don't have a lot of information about it.
Your assessment is very rational and objective
5489390 I think every country has its good and bad aspects. We should focus on the good and try to get rid of the bad in every country.
5489720
Yes, as I wrote in my signature.
There are plenty of other annoying people in China, and they fall into two broad categories: Kintomo and pink
Public Knowledge: once a commendatory term, it is now used to refer to people who preach that all other countries are better than China.
Pink: refers to those who regardless of circumstances and objective facts, trying to boast that China is the best country people
5489854 That's interesting. Thank you for sharing. :)