I just read a great article on Xinhua. It is a rare example of self criticism, even if it's ultimate theme is still nationalism.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-10/31/content_3706442.htm
One of my favorite lines has got to be"
"Other bad habits listed in the report include spitting, littering, violation of traffic regulations, and jostling passengers on buses. City managers worry these uncivil behaviors will also bring shame to the capital or even to the nation if exposed to foreigners in 2008."
Of course, all of this begs the question what about to the people living here? Don't they count for anything? Why should I be forced to repress my urge to vomit whenever the guy at the next table decides to loudly hork up phlegm and spit it on the floor of the restaurant, or, in the case of tonight's dinner, the school cafeteria.
Sadly, this just highlights how, despite the repeated claims I hear from Beijingers and other Chinese that Beijing is a cultural city, I have yet to see any sign of civility. People here are so confident of their own superiority that they are not even embarassed when they make their child deficate on the sidewalk in broad daylight. It does not occur to them that this might not be a common practice elsewhere in the world. Afterall, China is a country with a long history and a great civilisation, how could barbarians be more civilised?
Another great example of this is one that I have only relatively recently discovered. One of the recorded announcements on the subway can be traslated as "careing for people is our Chinese race's culture, please give your seat to old, or sick passengers...". Unsurprisingly, whereas every other announcement is given in both Chinese and English (or, more accurately Chinese and Chinglish), this announcement is only in Chinese.
The reality is that most Chinese are one generation or less off the farm. Any cultural education they have recieved has been by the communists which means it was either Mao's cult of personality mixed with communism, socialism, or just plain nationalism. As the government continues to be repressive, general culture can not move freely into the public sphere as anything other than nationalism, xenophobia or the fluffy sentimental quasi-fantasy world of historical dramas. This has not only given Chinese people a strange sense of superiority/inferiority vis a vis foreigners, it has also given people a strange sense of their own culture. In my experience, people like to talk about "Chinese culture" in such general terms as to not say anything at all like "Chinese culture is very important" or "Chinese culture is very old". I don't know how many people have asked me if I was interested in Chinese culture but when asked a specific question can only say that they themselves are not experts.
But I am straying from the point of my blog...
today I taught a class of grade 1 students. It was remarkably fun. All I had to do was keep playing games the whole time and the class just went like magic. Just like that I made 200 kuai. I will talk to them tomorrow about whether I can get on there full time for one month. My guess is that they will say no, but they said they are in a tight spot now so I might just be able to get away with it. If I could, I would be making more money for just playing with kids.
Exams on wednesday... I should study...
Marc
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-10/31/content_3706442.htm
One of my favorite lines has got to be"
"Other bad habits listed in the report include spitting, littering, violation of traffic regulations, and jostling passengers on buses. City managers worry these uncivil behaviors will also bring shame to the capital or even to the nation if exposed to foreigners in 2008."
Of course, all of this begs the question what about to the people living here? Don't they count for anything? Why should I be forced to repress my urge to vomit whenever the guy at the next table decides to loudly hork up phlegm and spit it on the floor of the restaurant, or, in the case of tonight's dinner, the school cafeteria.
Sadly, this just highlights how, despite the repeated claims I hear from Beijingers and other Chinese that Beijing is a cultural city, I have yet to see any sign of civility. People here are so confident of their own superiority that they are not even embarassed when they make their child deficate on the sidewalk in broad daylight. It does not occur to them that this might not be a common practice elsewhere in the world. Afterall, China is a country with a long history and a great civilisation, how could barbarians be more civilised?
Another great example of this is one that I have only relatively recently discovered. One of the recorded announcements on the subway can be traslated as "careing for people is our Chinese race's culture, please give your seat to old, or sick passengers...". Unsurprisingly, whereas every other announcement is given in both Chinese and English (or, more accurately Chinese and Chinglish), this announcement is only in Chinese.
The reality is that most Chinese are one generation or less off the farm. Any cultural education they have recieved has been by the communists which means it was either Mao's cult of personality mixed with communism, socialism, or just plain nationalism. As the government continues to be repressive, general culture can not move freely into the public sphere as anything other than nationalism, xenophobia or the fluffy sentimental quasi-fantasy world of historical dramas. This has not only given Chinese people a strange sense of superiority/inferiority vis a vis foreigners, it has also given people a strange sense of their own culture. In my experience, people like to talk about "Chinese culture" in such general terms as to not say anything at all like "Chinese culture is very important" or "Chinese culture is very old". I don't know how many people have asked me if I was interested in Chinese culture but when asked a specific question can only say that they themselves are not experts.
But I am straying from the point of my blog...
today I taught a class of grade 1 students. It was remarkably fun. All I had to do was keep playing games the whole time and the class just went like magic. Just like that I made 200 kuai. I will talk to them tomorrow about whether I can get on there full time for one month. My guess is that they will say no, but they said they are in a tight spot now so I might just be able to get away with it. If I could, I would be making more money for just playing with kids.
Exams on wednesday... I should study...
Marc
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