Symonds - 'token' or 'li'l Viv'?

Rather, after 17 years of living and working in east Asia making a pretty educated generalization that Chinese do not share the sense of being inferior to whites that is typical of Japanese. I'm not talking about 4 people, but thousands even 10 or 100 of thousands.

Got that now that you're referring to a specific national characteristic and not being judgmental.

Weird, though, with their wealth and international success that the Japanese should have an inferiority complex. Something to do with WW II?

I think it has a lot to do with the war, but also to the fact that Japan relied heavily on Germany and Britain for many things from the 1900s onwards.

tac wrote:I think it has a lot to do with the war, but also to the fact that Japan relied heavily on Germany and Britain for many things from the 1900s onwards.

Where in East Asia were you, BTW? Personally I find it a fascinating part of the world.

I'm back in Japan now. Was also in Seoul and had a lot to do with my previous company's start up in Beijing and Shanghai.

tac wrote:I'm back in Japan now. Was also in Seoul and had a lot to do with my previous company's start up in Beijing and Shanghai.

How's Shanghai? I'm considering spending a few days there next time I go over - haven't been to China (unless you count Hong Kong airport and passing over) or Japan, though.

Shanghai has changed so much in the past 10 years it's unbelievable. It's the most exciting, business/pleasure center in China.

tac wrote:Shanghai has changed so much in the past 10 years it's unbelievable. It's the most exciting, business/pleasure center in China.

Looked great on a programme, and I have a friend with the SAf embassy there. She didn't want to go, but seems to be loving it. My dad, who's into property, would like to do business in Asia - do you known if there are there any opportunities for foreigners, or do their laws preclude that?

tac wrote:Shanghai has changed so much in the past 10 years it's unbelievable. It's the most exciting, business/pleasure center in China.

Ok you have been around I admit.

Would it be fair to say you are still generalising?

Let's go to a country we all know well say England.

Poms have a caste system too but is it like India?

More importantly are chinese peasants up themselves like their upper class?

My theory is every country has a spectrum of class and caste usually based on feet of clay.

Read Kissinger and Einstein.

However this does not deny classism exists.

mynah wrote:

tac wrote:Shanghai has changed so much in the past 10 years it's unbelievable. It's the most exciting, business/pleasure center in China.

Looked great on a programme, and I have a friend with the SAf embassy there. She didn't want to go, but seems to be loving it. My dad, who's into property, would like to do business in Asia - do you known if there are there any opportunities for foreigners, or do their laws preclude that?

You can do business, but their are strict laws on currency export, etc. (For instance, we had trouble getting funds transferred from our Chinese offices to HQ or other offices outside China.) You will need a chinese partner, and it would be best to have a PA who you trust not to be influenced by that partner.

Minnesota Fats wrote:

tac wrote:Shanghai has changed so much in the past 10 years it's unbelievable. It's the most exciting, business/pleasure center in China.

Ok you have been around I admit.

Would it be fair to say you are still generalising?

Of course I'm still generalizing. Haven't you read any of the above posts?

Batfink Begins wrote:You bitter racist sh!t. Go and sieg heil your way to India(the racism capital of at least the continent).

dont know about that. we have tough competition everywhere except maybe south-east asia

Yeah, wasn't being serious TO.

In Thailand, plenty of people call you 'farang'(foreigner), I can imagine a minor furore if we were to do the same.

Incidentally, if polite, you're supposed to add 'kap'(not spelt like that) on the end of a sentence if you're a bloke and 'kaa' if you're a woman. The shemales say 'haa'. So, nowadays, when ordering a 'Singha' beer - 'normal' people now just ask for 'sing' to not sound like a shemale. Silly.

Batfink Begins wrote:Yeah, wasn't being serious TO.

In Thailand, plenty of people call you 'farang'(foreigner), I can imagine a minor furore if we were to do the same.

Incidentally, if polite, you're supposed to add 'kap'(not spelt like that) on the end of a sentence if you're a bloke and 'kaa' if you're a woman. The shemales say 'haa'. So, nowadays, when ordering a 'Singha' beer - 'normal' people now just ask for 'sing' to not sound like a shemale. Silly.

I Just can't resist saying "sing song" (two beers). At least that is my excuse for drunkenness when I'm in Southeast Asia...

mynah wrote:

Batfink Begins wrote:Yeah, wasn't being serious TO.

In Thailand, plenty of people call you 'farang'(foreigner), I can imagine a minor furore if we were to do the same.

Incidentally, if polite, you're supposed to add 'kap'(not spelt like that) on the end of a sentence if you're a bloke and 'kaa' if you're a woman. The shemales say 'haa'. So, nowadays, when ordering a 'Singha' beer - 'normal' people now just ask for 'sing' to not sound like a shemale. Silly.

I Just can't resist saying "sing song" (two beers). At least that is my excuse for drunkenness when I'm in Southeast Asia...

How do you order two shemales? Or should I ask Danny . . .

mynah wrote:I Just can't resist saying "sing song" (two beers). At least that is my excuse for drunkenness when I'm in Southeast Asia...

- At least you didn't say 'Sangsom' or you'd have been getting even more drunk!