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Q: Why do small stories with expats get so much attention in the media here?
And also...why are reactions to these stories so diametrically different?
Recently there's been a story about a 'french fry' laowai giving a pack of french fries and sitting down with a beggar.
Some people praised him, others (including local media) lambasted him as trying to 'stir' shit up.
First off: why do people even mention these stories? I even remember a story about a foreign couple cycling around with their kids making headlines.
Second: how can people be stupid enough to believe foreigners do these things consciously to get attention?
I think its just people are not used to seeing this in there normal lives. When the foreigner gave the chips to the beggar and have a chat how many times have you seen this happen with common folk here? so when something breaks the norm of society here people will praise him/her for doing a good deed that other people should do or get roasted for breaking the societal chain and making them look bad.
I've often gave food to beggers back home, I see it as quite normal. It's such a big story here because its not seen as fitting. The beggar has long been criticised as 'fake' or whatever and people just don't take any heed of them.
So this story, to show that there may actually be a real beggar and the only 1 person helping them is a foreigner is going to p*ss the patriots off.
Well, unless you begin to understand who in reality Chinese mind works and thinks, and how ingrained are their "social" beliefs, you will not make much sense of what goes on around you.
In Western societies, with a lot less restrictions, people are used to interactions and do "mind their own business". And with open access to travel, westerners get exposed to many other cultures and ways of life than their Chinese counterparts.
Here in China, a "beggar" is a dirty, probably smelly and a carrier of many infections in Chinese minds. You hurry past him, maybe a few will throw a few jiao as they pass by, but will never dare to stop, much less sit next to him or her and share some chips.
That can only be the act of a crazy person, or one seeking publicity, since no "normal" Chinese will even dream to do that.
Anything done by "laowais" which is different from their ways of life and thinking will be news for their government controlled press. And used as needed for their propaganda purposes and political needs or gains.
And it is not "stupidity", but the lack of "other views in life" or different social and cultural exposures that causes them to believe that. Plus the fact that they have been brainwashed to accept whatever is said as the Gospel truth.
