Understanding Chinese Culture
Archive for December, 2009
The “Ethical” West in Amoral China
Forcing the Chinese to live up to Western expectations, when the West can’t decide what it wants
Thanks to China Esquire and Silicon Hutong for showing we’re not the only ones who’ve been thinking this. While many have no hesitation in criticizing Chinese business ethics, few are willing to admit that the West is not much better. Whatever pretensions to moral superiority Westerners may have had in the past are becoming more and more ridiculous in light of today’s corporate and social cultures.
Quoting Fareed Zakaria, our bloggers highlight the trend in recent corporate history:
“Most of what happened over the past decade across the world was legal. Bankers did what they were allowed to do under the law. Politicians did what they thought the system asked of them. Bureaucrats were not exchanging cash for favors. But very few people acted responsibly, honorably or nobly (the very word sounds odd today).”
I agree. The fact that America and Europe have long-ceased to operate out of morality and personal conscience is Read the rest of this entry »
China’s Answer to Copenhagen
While world leaders debate a twenty-year solution for global warming, China comes up with its own
This week as world leaders thrash out emissions reduction plans in Copenhagen, the Chinese government released “Go Calf,” a new cartoon series emphasizing environmentalism with a nationalist twist. CCTV 1 has spared no trouble on this project, producing 52 beautiful episodes and featuring top PLA singer and Olympic opening ceremony performer Tan Ping. It is one of the highest-quality productions to come out of CCTV for a long time, and in its first week is already rating higher than Jolly Sheep.
This cartoon chronicles the adventures of “Calf,” a young water buffalo desperately defending his Chinese paradise valley against the incursions of evil, polluting invaders. These foreigners cut down the trees, dirty the water, and steal valuable resources, forcing our heroes Read the rest of this entry »
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