Posted on 06/07/2006 12:04:22 PM PDT by G. Stolyarov II
The Committee of 100 survey that I have mentioned here in the past asked the question of American opinion leaders -
Americans were asked -
What are the most admirable traits of the Chinese and their culture?
9. One in 25 people said the Chinese are friendly - 4% (uh, perhaps they should smile more?)
8. Intelligent - 7%. This one surprised me. Most of my Chinese friends are ten times smarter than I.
7. Disciplined - 8% When it's time, it's time.
6. The Food! - 9% - Nearly one in ten Americans think the Chinese have the market on good food. They should try my mother-in-law's cooking.
5. One in ten said the Arts - I remember my first trip to China. I understood nothing when I watched the TV, but I didn't need to understand the commentary because the visual presentation was sooo beautiful. I am sure that I am not the only one looking forward to the 2008 ceremonies.
Pretty bizarre blog.
The Chinese are very intelligent, true, but they are not at all innovative nor do they pursue the creation of new ideas or products. My firm all but closed our Pudong R&D plant because all they did there was copy what other people invented - they were totally OBLIVIOUS to the concept of coming up with new ideas.
Creativity is not something an authoritarian and Communist state will foster or tolerate so you have 1 billion very bright people walking around and damn few of them are capable of coming up with an original idea.
I think it should be lower on the list. How can 1.3 billion Chinese and their leaders have been duped and continue to be living under the brutal subjugation of communism? Not too smart!
I think you underestimate the incredible power of an oppressive totalitarian state.
They can copy, counterfeit or pirate most anything.
I'm sure they smile no more or less than anyone who grew up in the USSR or any of the eastern bloc countries.
Do you have a marketing contract with Belew, getting more hits for his blog by posting every article of his here on FR?
In short, they're the same sort of people who made America great in the first place.
I don't understand the point of this post. Is it that the Chinese have admirable traits and Americans don't? This is a replay of the 80's angst over the Japanese. Except the Japs didn't need Westerners standing over them cracking the whip.
A Chinese friend once explained this seeming paradox to me. He said that the Chinese in the US actually are smarter and harder working than the average American, but they're smarter and harder working than the average Chinese, too.
We're looking at a subset made up of the people with the intelligence and determination to get here, not always an easy thing, or at their descendents, so it's a biased sample. My friend said that average intelligence of the Chiense in Asia is about the same as it is for Americans.
I saw on FR a posting that had the estimated IQs by country. China was high. I think culture has kept China from innovating. I read an article once that placed the blame on two areas. First, the influence of Confucius has perpetuated an emphasis on preserving the status quo. Also, the educational practice of memorization of information, not problem solving, as in Western culture. Second, that the Chinese language with its pictogram has absorbs much energy by educated persons to maintain proficiency (lack of language flexibility).
"In short, they're the same sort of people who made America great in the first place."
It's amazing how many first generation Americans were born somewhere else....
Most admirable trait? They are becoming capitalists and the commies in power will lose control soon
The Chinese language is a millstone hanging around China's neck. It hurts them constantly and everywhere.
They'd better watch out, though. We're catching up. :)
Don't count on it. They'll loosen up a bit, but will still retain control. As long as the government doesn't crack down too much, people will tolerate it.
They have already loosened up tremendously, not becuase they wanted to, but because they had to. The Pope is gonna win the fight with the Chinese Catholic church, mark my words. The young chinese I know don't give a rip about communism. They want to make money, travel, raise their kids etc. The genie is out of the bottle and it ain't going back in.
Chinese are not smart enough to get from under the Commie thumb!
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