Inspired by the recent c/AskLemmy question about Myanmar.
As a PRC-born ethnic Han-Chinese person who currently is a US Citizen and reside in the US, I’m curious on what people think of my former country.
Horrific dictatorship that commits atrocities.
People that have been subjugated and oppressed and have little to no value as humans to the CCP.
Became a world power by exploiting the working class.
Beautiful country and amazing history.
I always think about visiting due to the amazing natural and historical areas but simultaneously, how much I don’t want to visit due to other issues.
Same with a lot of countries.
I yearn for the day when the world rid itself of all states, they are the source of evil.
I think of China as a country that pretends to be communist while making cheap products that vary in quality. I also think of the nice people that live there though.
Rude, impolite and loud people. But not all Chinese people are like that. But the ones that are stand out the most.
Rude, impolite and loud people.
Bruh…
Did you meet a rich / middle-class tourist that acts entitled? Because like… that’s not really the reality. Most ethnic Chinese people actually act very polite in front of other people (at least that’s the case with my parents and relatives), since this is a “face” thing. Its behind closed doors that they start to drop the act and just be like: “Why are you so fat” (my mom literally said that to me lol). But like… Rude? In Public? 🤔
Cut you in the line like you dont exist. Try to force their way in the queue. Shout to their friends right next to your ears. Bump their luggage in your knee/feet/ankle. Stop in the middle of the road or in front of the elevators. Clip nails in public transport. Burp and fart in restaurant without a word. Drop trash on the floor. Spit in the street… you name it, I’ve seen it all.
And again, like all generalities, it doesn’t make much sense. I know not all Chinese people are like that. Especially your mom lol.
Cut you in the line like you dont exist. Try to force their way in the queue.
I’ve spent a lot of time in NYC and Philly Chinatown areas and almost never see this. I think the one time that someone tried everyone else in line (including ethnic Chinese people) called them out for it and they just went to the back of the line.
Stop in the middle of the road or in front of the elevators.
To be fair, I was in highschool (in the US) and kids of every ethnicity would also stand in the middle of the hallway usually in their little groups and chatting and blocking everyone from getting to their classes on time.
Burp and fart in restaurant without a word.
They don’t want to ackowledge it because it “loses face”.
Drop trash on the floor.
Not unique to Chinese people.
Go to any major city and you see this a lot.
Spit in the street
Oh yea this is annoying. I have someone who live on my block who is a first-generation immigrant, i’m not sure if from Mainland China or Taiwan or HK, but either way, they keep spitting like every day… Ugh 🤮
But I also see this from both white people and black people, not exactly a unique trait.
A country and its flag. They sort of come up simultaneously in my head.
Very interesting history and culture, plastered over with bland authoritarian turbo-capitalism that disguises itself as communism.
a plate
Chinese food, which i love.
winnie the pooh
Oh Bother
Uyghur people in concentration camps while tourists invade their homes
There are vanishingly few tourists in Xinjiang. Indeed they won’t even give you a visa if you say you’re going there.
Unfortunately, it’s trump squinting his eyes, and saying “China!” with a pause and a scowl. Rent free in my brain.
Second thing I guess is some bullshit where they were cracking down on Ramadan in a news article.
Third I suppose is the rich history and cultural tradition.
People I don’t know enough about.
Such an enormous country. Old people doing tai chi in a park. Little kids earning red stars at school. Government trying to control the population too tightly, yet somehow also lacking basic safety regulations. Good food.
Authortarianism and censorship to the point where I can never return to my former homeland until that changes for the better. No worker’s rights. Human rights issues in the north and west in areas that weren’t part of China historically.
Possible conflict with Taiwan (if that happens than I’d be sent to the camps to die by orange cheeto, unless I leave).
1.4 billion people & had the One Child policy for the longest time.
Lots of enviornmental problems, air pollution (and apparently much of the country has really really hot heat indices in the summer, avg high of 40C and low of 30C already… no thanks).
Really difficult language to learn (tried to learn it back when I was in school, couldn’t really and basically forgot it all).
Massive cities with LED buildings, beautiful mountains with paved hiking trails all the way to the top and gondolas to get down, Long queues that are still orderly and move quickly, families eating large meals outside, friendly and very curious people.
I’ve spent a lot of time there. Compared to the west the cost of living is super cheap especially for all the options and amenities you get. Even in the hippest part of Chongqing I could rent an apartment 2x the size of my house for half the mortgage. If the US is headed towards a permanent authoritarian regime I would trade life here for over there. At least their dictator appreciates science and education.
I would trade life here for over there.
If you are white… maybe
Otherwise… it isn’t that pleasant…
