macmanmike6100

Despite only having been in China for a few months, the reality continues to crash down on the hype surrounding this would-be enigma.

Check out this thread, which is a perfect example of the sad brainwashing that is utterly standard in this country:

http://bbs.chinadaily.com.cn/viewthr...age%3D1&page=2

An excerpt:
I am having a generally wonderful time here, and I believe that there is much potential to be unlocked. However, I wish that people in the US believed more in the greatness of America, despite any disagreements with the current administration. In just a four years, the American people have been incited to unite against the culling of human rights...across party lines and standard ideological borders. Freedom is ingrained in America and the Western world...without that concept, I think, no human can reach his potential.

China isn't the bed of roses it's made out to be, and the US has a lot more going for it than the actions of the Bush administration has led the world to believe.

>> Gah! And Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! It's easy to forget when you're not hearing Christmas music everywhere :-) <<

Ustwo

As an American I'm quite happy with the actions of the Bush admin thanks

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

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Elphaba

Thank you for sharing that link and your observations of China. I am facinated with the changes that appear to be happening there and what the future will bring. My newspaper only seems to be interested in the latest calamity so I appreciate your viewpoint.

alansmithee

Who said that China was a bed of roses? I can't really think of any places without actual warfare going on that I would consider worse than China for living in.

Seaver

I can think of a few places WITH actual warfare going on that I would consider better than China.

macmanmike6100

OK OK let's not go crazy here :-) But the reality is that many people (corporations, especially) think China is some fertile ground for "the future." In my (humble) opinion, it's different. I've been among Western business people for years and realize now, after my time here, that too many have had skewed views of China.

Indeed, the "China hype" has only become pandemic in the past few years, but the fact that it exists only prompts me to want to dismantle it sooner. I honestly feel like people (Americans in particular) will be brutalized if we don't work harder to reveal to the world the reality of China.

Also, though, I don't want to be a curmudgeon about it either. There are many good things that make my experience in China worthwhile, but again reality didn't match hype, and if we don't recognize this as "Westerners" (and most Chinese I've met us that in a most derogatory manner), we'll be taken to the cleaners in more ways than one.

Anyway, Happy Holidays!

Cynthetiq

It doesn't seem too much different than when I was in South East Asia living in Singapore. The area in the late 80's and 90's was hailed as the new growth for the future.

Yes it did grow, but at some point in time the music stopped and a few people were left without seats as in any game of high stakes investment musical chairs.

When I visited India and the Philippines earlier this year (esp the Philippines) I could see where the investments were but there were still magnitudes of people in squalor and poverty.

History may tell but just remember that China at one time "forgot" that they invented the clock because they closed their borders.

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alansmithee

Actually, there's been other periods of "China hype" in US history. It seems every 100 years or so (well, I think the last big periods were in the early 1800's and 1900's), business people here think "wow, look at all those people, they could buy our stuff!". But for some reason, this has never materialized. I think this current phase is another passing fancy, as well.