I have come to the conclusion that Chinese people are the most impolite, irresponsible, messy, and uncaring people in the world. These facts were concluded naturally while I cameoed as a sardine being packed into a airplane. These facts were accentuated by that airplane being the one coming back from Japan. The confinement of economy class and the contrast of clean and polite Japanese people made a plane full of Hong Kong people look abysmal.
It all started with lining up in the terminal. Wait, let me think about that... I meant to say, no one really managed to form a line. Once on the plane, I had to fight for storage space. This family of five managed to fill up three compartments (one compartment is meant for one row aka three people), and they were about to take over mine! I slipped my carry-on in the overhead compartment just in time. The father gave me this odd look as I sat down. They they proceeded to surround my bag with their own stuff.
I wasn't worried that I wouldn't be able to get my bag though. I just knew that they'd be in such a hurry to deplane that I would probably be the last one to get stuff from that compartment. Well, I was right. Even more ridiculous though, was this pair of girls sitting next to me. As soon as the wheels of the plane touched the ground (plane still moving at 90mph), these two girls unbuckled their seatbelts and put their purses on their shoulders. The plane nearly stops at the terminal, and they dart out from their seats, charge down the aisle to be the first to exit the plane.
From the moment the plane landed, all the way through immigration, the baggage carousel, to the parking lot, there was non-stop mobile phone chatter. I'm guessing that since phones are banned while in flight, these people needed their fix. To make sure they fed their addiction properly, they spoke at a loud volume.
Back in Hong Kong, I felt sad to see trash all over the place, after just coming back from a relatively clean Hokkaido. I applaud the Japanese for their dedication to cleanliness, quality, and pretty much everything they do. I'm pretty ashamed that my people have so little class.
It all started with lining up in the terminal. Wait, let me think about that... I meant to say, no one really managed to form a line. Once on the plane, I had to fight for storage space. This family of five managed to fill up three compartments (one compartment is meant for one row aka three people), and they were about to take over mine! I slipped my carry-on in the overhead compartment just in time. The father gave me this odd look as I sat down. They they proceeded to surround my bag with their own stuff.
I wasn't worried that I wouldn't be able to get my bag though. I just knew that they'd be in such a hurry to deplane that I would probably be the last one to get stuff from that compartment. Well, I was right. Even more ridiculous though, was this pair of girls sitting next to me. As soon as the wheels of the plane touched the ground (plane still moving at 90mph), these two girls unbuckled their seatbelts and put their purses on their shoulders. The plane nearly stops at the terminal, and they dart out from their seats, charge down the aisle to be the first to exit the plane.
From the moment the plane landed, all the way through immigration, the baggage carousel, to the parking lot, there was non-stop mobile phone chatter. I'm guessing that since phones are banned while in flight, these people needed their fix. To make sure they fed their addiction properly, they spoke at a loud volume.
Back in Hong Kong, I felt sad to see trash all over the place, after just coming back from a relatively clean Hokkaido. I applaud the Japanese for their dedication to cleanliness, quality, and pretty much everything they do. I'm pretty ashamed that my people have so little class.
13 comments:
Calm down bro take a deep breath.I can see smoke coming out from your head as I'm reading your post hahaha.
Re: alex
It think what popped into my head was a culmination of all the bad experiences I've had in Hong Kong and China. The contrast between those experiences and all the good ones in Japan kind of pissed me off.
Re: ahdont
You're absolutely right. Not sure what came over me. There are a lot of nice people in Hong Kong and China (I think) too. When I actually meet these people, I'm so delighted that it shows on my face. Then I think, wouldn't it be great if more people were like that? Ay... there are good people, but the overall "good" mentality is not prominent in Chinese society.
唔好一"lok"桿打沈成船人啦。
I do agree with you that a GREAT portion of Chinese Population is impolite. I believe that is related to how they are brought up."家教" is very important.
But You think about it. When you live in a Socity that requires you to Fight for everything you own, Then You might understand why they are rude.
So the soluation to solve this Social Problem is to increase Civil education and basically, increase the Weath of Commoners.
不過,有時真係好想一拳打爆佢o地. 但我o地有家教, 打人會傷手的...
For the Record, I also consider myslef a polite person in some ways.
Re: ahsir
You are actually much more polite than most Hong Kong people.
People in general are OK, but there is a absence of attention to detail. Take for example that family of five who fought for luggage space with me on the plane. I'm sure they are decent, relatively honest people. But look at how impolite they became when the issue of luggage space for their souvenirs arose.
In order to earn respect, you have to be consistent. If you're only polite in certain situations and impolite in others, than I don't know... I guess you just aren't that good at being polite. There's nothing evil about that. But I believe that a lot of Japanese people are able to keep up the polite mentality and behavior much more often than Chinese.
You know- show some respect. These poeple live like that. That's how they survive! It's natural. It's their way of life. So stop bragging and let people live like you. I mean, if you go walking on the street barfoot naked, do you think that the chinese would consider that u suck? huh? SO SHUT UP AND LET PEOPLE LIVE!
I'm Chinese,I read your words.I'm not so angry as you can imagine.Why? cause I agree with you to some extend.But it's better for you to think it wholely.U just saw parts of chinese,who may live in the most gathered land in the world,and averagely cusuming least goods at the same time.When people can't get a seat if they "be polite" to the others,if they may lose a job or meal for taking time of standing around to say "thank you" and "it's a nice day,isn't it?",how can they act like the English gentles. However, people in china are still doing their best, to learn, which also including being more "polite",which can be accepted by the people who was born in the "polite country". Everything is improving now, if not, why do you come to China?! Right?ha,wish you can think about it!
Re: Modo and others
(Wow, I totally missed these comments. Guess I need to pay more attention)
First of all, I am Chinese. I'm not sure if I can be racist towards my own people, but I guess it is possible! Joking aside, I'm more just ashamed of them. Look at it this way, if a Chinese person like me, born and raised in China, who also works in China can observe and think like this of my own people, what do you think foreigners are thinking?
I will come back to this subject in a future post, but all I have to say now is that if Chinese people (us) want to be taken seriously, we have to act civilized. A very general comment, yes. To be continued...
Re: anonymous
Show yourself you wuss.
Also, this has nothing to do with WWII and whatever atrocities committed. So please don't get hung up on that here.
I live and teach in China now, and I have to agree with you. I am a foreigner, from NY. I was shocked and surprised how rude people are. There is no respect for a public queue (and when I talk to my chinese friends they swear they don't know what I am talking about.) The cheating at the Olympics was icing on the cake, however. How am I to respond when I know of all the ways China broke the rules due to BBC and whatnot and every Chinese person I might tried to rub it in my face that they one some golds? Bah! They spit too much, they smoke too much, the speak too loudly on the cell phone, and throw trash everywhere.
Sigh.
Even the polite people give me the impression they are only superficially polite, and if push came to shove and they were starving they would eat my children and rape my puppy.
You smell like Unreasonable People.Are you OK? I know some doctors who can help Sychosis to recover. Hople it helps.
Human beings are the same, if the situation's getting better, we all have to calm down and be grateful to the improvement.
Cheers buddy.
hope u can be well soon.
Chinese people have a self concept of being "polite and modest". This is their national identity anyhow. I do think this rather ironic at times.
I have trouble knowing what to say when they say to me "Chinese people are more modest than westerners" (many Chinese I've spoken to feel Americans are "opinionated"). For Westerners, sharing ones personality, ones likes and dislikes, are a sign of friendship and trust/ a willingness to engage enthusiastically. To them it is seen as arrogance. Misunderstanding? Maybe.
I think they feel extremely fortunate to be, as they see it, of a more morally and culturally superior culture (I am reminded of this often).
Chinese tell me about the racist Americans that made black people sit at the back of the bus, then, in the same breath tell me they "don't like Indians because they are too dark". (BTW I am not American). There are different rules regarding what is PC and what is not. Perhaps some westerners share these kinds of prejudiced sentiments but they are sure as hell not going to voice this! This is an amusing point.
You have to be so hard and tough in China. I am far too much of a softy and friendly person I guess. People at markets manipulate and force one into situations one doesn't want to be. They do not take "No thank you" for an answer. I feel very uncomfortable with being cornered. In these setting the Chinese can be uncharacteristically confrontational. Wow. I avoid markets now as it is traumatic and I feel bullied (although maybe this IS a cultural misunderstanding on my part, I'm try to be diplomatic!)
People are guarded and they fight for their territory (spatially on trains etc but during bargaining too). I think it is related to the trauma of the revolution and the fact that there are toooo many people (upping competitive/grabbing mentality). The people are not very trusting- not just with westerners but with each other too.
The public behavior is not very refined to the Western eye and the Chinese are FIERCELY practical people (hence the supposedly rough tone during speaking- not a true indication of attitude). When I think of things from this perspective I don't really take offense to being pushed out the way by charging people rushing to the seat on the subway.(-:
While I DO want to tear my hair out sometimes, I have developed affection for a lot of people here in China!
Keep engagements light-hearted is the key here I think.
Re: Mandy
Wow! This piece was written over three years ago and I still manage to get a response about once a year. At first I thought the title might be a little too strong, but now I'm kind of glad I used it. Perhaps I have a new found respect for the word, suck.
I first wrote this piece out of anger and disgust. I was unhappy that my own people were such an embarrassment. It's been three years and I admit that I haven't mellowed out one bit. Something has changed though. Instead of getting angry, I'm getting even. Instead of avoiding people or trying to snake my way through crowds, I find myself bumping people and giving a helpful nudge now and then. Rest assured, not everyone gets this type of treatment. I never push women or children, and I only bump the people who are doing something blatantly wrong like cutting the cue, or blocking the way for no reason. Hey, I even forgive those people with lazy feet who are unable to walk in a straight line.
In these three years I've seen worse examples than my plane debacle. There is a lot of wrong in China, and there are plenty of Chinese wrongdoers. At the same time there are some examples of good, and despite the title I used I think it is obvious that not all Chinese people suck.
Anyhow, followers of this blog will realize that I have moved on from this subject, as there are much bigger fish to fry. Bad manners are the least of China's worries. Defeating corruption and taking care of the underprivileged Chinese citizen takes precedence.
Thank you for your insightful comment.
Re: Fredy
Are you sure you understand the definition of the word idiot? OK, kidding aside, I had trouble understanding what you're trying to say, so please explain your point further. China is a very old country. Manners have been part of China's culture for thousands of years, yet these days, good manners are mostly employed when they are a job requirement. People who think of others should inherently have good manners. Selfish people will naturally have poor manners because treating other people with respect doesn't immediately benefit them. You say "rude, selfish, but good". What do you mean by that? Please explain.
That said, as a Hong Kong person, I think I have the right to criticize my own people. I live in Hong Kong and I work in China. I probably understand Mainlanders better than you do. Are they really trying? The mentality is simply not there. The concept of being polite and having manners is not strong. What often takes over in slightly tense situations is the "me me me" mentality.
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