Comments on: Chinese Perceptions of the West- and Vice Versa http://mattschiavenza.com/2008/05/05/chinese-perceptions-of-the-west-and-vice-versa/ A China Journal Wed, 30 Jun 2010 05:02:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: matt_schiavenza http://mattschiavenza.com/2008/05/05/chinese-perceptions-of-the-west-and-vice-versa/comment-page-1/#comment-7842 matt_schiavenza Wed, 07 May 2008 15:47:21 +0000 http://mattschiavenza.com/?p=245#comment-7842 Cyan, Interesting additions! Todd, The gun thing I think is perceived by people throughout the world. A Spanish friend of mine once tried to shock me by saying he had never seen a gun in his life, and was humbled when I replied that I hadn't either. Pfeffer, I think you're probably right...belligerent is probably not the correct word. Cyan,
Interesting additions!

Todd,
The gun thing I think is perceived by people throughout the world. A Spanish friend of mine once tried to shock me by saying he had never seen a gun in his life, and was humbled when I replied that I hadn’t either.

Pfeffer,
I think you’re probably right…belligerent is probably not the correct word.

]]> By: Cyan http://mattschiavenza.com/2008/05/05/chinese-perceptions-of-the-west-and-vice-versa/comment-page-1/#comment-7791 Cyan Wed, 07 May 2008 06:02:47 +0000 http://mattschiavenza.com/?p=245#comment-7791 some other popular perceptions: Chinese think American universities are the best in the world. Chinese think all Americans are extroverted, open, outgoing and talkative. Chinese think gay Americans can live a total open, out-of-the-closet life in the states. Chinese think Americans change bf/gf more often than Chinese do. Chinese students think all American high school students live exactly the same life portrayed in High School Musical. Chinese think Americans don't know much about the rest of the world. some other popular perceptions:

Chinese think American universities are the best in the world.

Chinese think all Americans are extroverted, open, outgoing and talkative.

Chinese think gay Americans can live a total open, out-of-the-closet life in the states.

Chinese think Americans change bf/gf more often than Chinese do.

Chinese students think all American high school students live exactly the same life portrayed in High School Musical.

Chinese think Americans don’t know much about the rest of the world.

]]> By: Todd http://mattschiavenza.com/2008/05/05/chinese-perceptions-of-the-west-and-vice-versa/comment-page-1/#comment-7782 Todd Wed, 07 May 2008 01:17:24 +0000 http://mattschiavenza.com/?p=245#comment-7782 And the guns man! The millions of guns we Americans keep tucked away under our mattresses so our kids can go to school and blow their classmates away. Those guns; all those blasted guns! Most Chinese can't drive. Not sure how many Americans have said that, but it's another nugget that rears its ugly head in conversations between the uninformed all too often. And the guns man! The millions of guns we Americans keep tucked away under our mattresses so our kids can go to school and blow their classmates away. Those guns; all those blasted guns!

Most Chinese can’t drive. Not sure how many Americans have said that, but it’s another nugget that rears its ugly head in conversations between the uninformed all too often.

]]> By: Pffefer http://mattschiavenza.com/2008/05/05/chinese-perceptions-of-the-west-and-vice-versa/comment-page-1/#comment-7700 Pffefer Tue, 06 May 2008 20:45:27 +0000 http://mattschiavenza.com/?p=245#comment-7700 I don't think the Chinese think of the US as a "belligerent" nation, it is more like they think of the US as a country who pokes its nose everywhere. I don’t think the Chinese think of the US as a “belligerent” nation, it is more like they think of the US as a country who pokes its nose everywhere.

]]> By: matt_schiavenza http://mattschiavenza.com/2008/05/05/chinese-perceptions-of-the-west-and-vice-versa/comment-page-1/#comment-7626 matt_schiavenza Tue, 06 May 2008 03:05:41 +0000 http://mattschiavenza.com/?p=245#comment-7626 Matt, Good point about the latter, but I do think quite a few Chinese think of the US as a belligerent nation...perhaps I phrased it poorly. Marco, Absolutely...misguided or otherwise definitely apply. I wrote toward the end that I don't endorse all (or even many) of these ideas, just that they seem to speak for the plurality. Matt,
Good point about the latter, but I do think quite a few Chinese think of the US as a belligerent nation…perhaps I phrased it poorly.

Marco,
Absolutely…misguided or otherwise definitely apply. I wrote toward the end that I don’t endorse all (or even many) of these ideas, just that they seem to speak for the plurality.

]]> By: Marco http://mattschiavenza.com/2008/05/05/chinese-perceptions-of-the-west-and-vice-versa/comment-page-1/#comment-7544 Marco Mon, 05 May 2008 18:41:48 +0000 http://mattschiavenza.com/?p=245#comment-7544 this is an interesting piece! I just thought it could be more fair and close to truth if you fill the blank "What perceptions _____ would the average American have of China?" with "(misguided or otherwise)". cheers! One more: The American think Chinese culture is awesome. [Because the most frequently mentioned word from an average American is China has a long history ....(hmmm...thinking hard....what to say next to the Chinese in front of you)] The Chinese think America is both culturally and morally inferior. this is an interesting piece!
I just thought it could be more fair and close to truth if you fill the blank “What perceptions _____ would the average American have of China?” with “(misguided or otherwise)”.
cheers!
One more:
The American think Chinese culture is awesome. [Because the most frequently mentioned word from an average American is China has a long history ....(hmmm...thinking hard....what to say next to the Chinese in front of you)]
The Chinese think America is both culturally and morally inferior.

]]> By: Matthew Stinson http://mattschiavenza.com/2008/05/05/chinese-perceptions-of-the-west-and-vice-versa/comment-page-1/#comment-7523 Matthew Stinson Mon, 05 May 2008 14:48:26 +0000 http://mattschiavenza.com/?p=245#comment-7523 Sounds about right, with a couple quibbles. <em>Americans are militant nationalists who are suspicious of foreigners due to its biased media.</em> I have never heard this criticism at all in discussions with Chinese. Yes, they claim we have biased media, but only a few "What about the Dixie Chicks?"-types online will turn the nationalism card against Americans. <em>China plays an unconstructive role in world affairs due to its reluctance to pressure rogue regimes in Africa (Sudan, Zimbabwe, etc.) and Asia (Burma, North Korea).</em> Most Americans, even your "average" politically-aware American, have no idea about China's relationships with these countries whatsoever. (In fairness, most Chinese had no idea either until somebody criticized the Chinese government for the relationships.) But among people who do pay attention in the States, the criticism isn't about a Chinese "reluctance to pressure" but rather Beijing's shameless support for the regimes in question. Sounds about right, with a couple quibbles.

Americans are militant nationalists who are suspicious of foreigners due to its biased media.

I have never heard this criticism at all in discussions with Chinese. Yes, they claim we have biased media, but only a few “What about the Dixie Chicks?”-types online will turn the nationalism card against Americans.

China plays an unconstructive role in world affairs due to its reluctance to pressure rogue regimes in Africa (Sudan, Zimbabwe, etc.) and Asia (Burma, North Korea).

Most Americans, even your “average” politically-aware American, have no idea about China’s relationships with these countries whatsoever. (In fairness, most Chinese had no idea either until somebody criticized the Chinese government for the relationships.) But among people who do pay attention in the States, the criticism isn’t about a Chinese “reluctance to pressure” but rather Beijing’s shameless support for the regimes in question.

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