China + birds

[FarrahWaters]

Originally Posted by JohnnyLingo

I just finished Wild Swans for a class today. Very interesting look into three generations of Chinese women. Sad how many Chinese viewed Communism and Mao as their savior from oppression, and how bad it turned out.

I read this a couple months ago. I was especially touched by portrait of the author's father. Some especially memorable scenes were where he is forced to burn his own books, where he decides to take a stand and write a letter directly to Mao (putting his life at risk), and when he waits outside the movie theater for days just to catch a glimpse of his wife as she is led to and from detention.

[tooblue]

Originally Posted by FarrahWaters

I read this a couple months ago. I was especially touched by portrait of the author's father. Some especially memorable scenes were where he is forced to burn his own books, where he decides to take a stand and write a letter directly to Mao (putting his life at risk), and when he waits outside the movie theater for days just to catch a glimpse of his wife as she is led to and from detention.

I'm thinking of reading that this summer -sounds very compelling.

[BigFatMeanie]

Originally Posted by tooblue

I'm thinking of reading that this summer -sounds very compelling.

It's an excellent read. Can't go wrong with it.

[Colly Wolly]

Originally Posted by SoonerCoug

I work with lots of Chinese people (directly from China). We have huge communication problems for a variety of reasons.

I never cease to be amazed by the vast cultural differences. Also, it's basically impossible for me to have an intelligent discussion with most of them because of what I perceive to be their warped sense of reality resulting from intense indoctrination. It's a little like trying to have an intelligent discussion with Lingo.

My Chinese friends are shocked when they see birds. Many of them say that we have a "bird disaster" in our American cities. They consider birds in cities to be something like an infestation.

I've tried to explain to them that it's pretty normal to have birds in cities outside China. When I tell them that the reason they don't have birds is because Mao ordered them exterminated, and rampant pesticide use has killed the rest of the birds, they get angry and tell me this isn't true.

They also think Josef Stalin was a stud.

Nice observations. I agree with you. There is a crazy phenomenon afoot. As China continues to open it's doors to Westernization and free market capitalism, it's people are becoming more fervently nationalist. They defend their Mao-era history (when pressed they will acknowledge he was "7 parts right, 3 parts wrong). They want the whip cracked on Tibet and Taiwan. Anyone have any explanations/thoughts on this?

[ChinoCoug]

Originally Posted by Colly Wolly

Nice observations. I agree with you. There is a crazy phenomenon afoot. As China continues to open it's doors to Westernization and free market capitalism, it's people are becoming more fervently nationalist. They defend their Mao-era history (when pressed they will acknowledge he was "7 parts right, 3 parts wrong). They want the whip cracked on Tibet and Taiwan. Anyone have any explanations/thoughts on this?

with communist ideology gone they need something to legitimize their regime so they're replacing it with nationalism.

[Colly Wolly]

Originally Posted by ChinoCoug

with communist ideology gone they need something to legitimize their regime so they're replacing it with nationalism.

Ofcourse it's gone in the eyes of the West. I only wonder if the Chinese realize it. A girl at my work from China dogmatically insists that Communism can thrive in a free market system. "Planned economy" or whatever.

I'm guessing it's a matter of face. China is "losing face" (so to speak) by having to open up, modernize, and change. They are having to accept that they've been backwards and silly in the eyes of the rest of the world for the last 200 years, and Communism was the silliest of it all. The nascent nationalism is an attempt to assuage that realization.

I can't help but be amused when I read of what is going on in Tibet, and then see the government implent a nationwide ban on youtube.com to prevent its people from seeing what is going on. The irony is that the average Joe Chang over there is probably supportive of the actions the government is taking.

[ChinoCoug]

Originally Posted by Colly Wolly

The irony is that the average Joe Chang over there is probably supportive of the actions the government is taking.

You bet he is. I haven't met a mainlander who disagrees with the govt. Though I have spoken with people who say the government is moving towards democracy but is doing it in a guarded, stable manner.