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Q: Are China's growing riches more likely to aid third world poverty?
Seems China's on the up and up economically, that's what i've heard anyway. I even heard some economics pundit predict that at its current rate of growth it'll be the next economic superpower. Well goody for China, I could hardly care less, but what does interest me is how, if things were to play out in that way, would China handle its money?
After Bob Geldof got the first Live Aid thingy off the ground, it became fashionable to hold such charity events with increasing regularity; lots of singing and dancing and joke telling on behalf of the world's starving populations, it made me simply vomit with pride at the benevolence of the common man, but I have always felt the financial gestures made were, well, let's say a piddling triffle found down the back of the sofa in comparison to the existing wealth of the collective west. The reason, I can only assume, is that we in the west have long forgotten what it truly means to be hungry. Our gestures are made of sympathy, not empathy, whereas much of China still knows full well what hunger truly means; many of its mega-rich and its billionaires of the future have first-hand knowledge of the meaning of poverty. It is a country whose financial borders cross all three worlds. So will this result in increased generosity born from an emphatic understanding of genuine need as China goes from economic strength to strength ..........or just more fireworks at the fundraisers?
Wait.....can I hear a voice, drifting to me across the ether, sailing ever closer, rising and falling upon the gentle waves of time? "Not a chaaaance.......they're wayyy tooo selllfishhh." My God, Crimo.....is that you?
Well we've heard it now mate, so you don't need bother.
There's a reason people don't donate much money now, and it won't change because of continued economic growth. People don't trust charities with their money. There have been scandals like the one with the Red Cross. I'm sure that there are people who would like to donate, but they won't, because they're probably right when they believe that a lot of that money will end up in someone else's pocket instead of who it was meant for.
aid who?!!!!...........ohhhhhhhhh.....you mean taking advantage of someone..right?!!!!.............you lived here for a while...didn't you?!!!!............no offense but to say the truth chinese people won't and will not help anyone unless they are getting something for it...........no need to act like we don't know that fact
mArtiAn:
I don't agree, I think people act charitably according to their means. I mean, who's going to give you 5 mao (haha, other than our boss)? Someone with nothing? Nope. Someone with 5 mao? Unlikely. Someone with one, two, three yuan. Nope, in my experience most people don't consider others until they've got themselves sorted, and in todays western world we've lost sight of when that is. Is it when you've got one house? Two houses? Three houses? And we're so removed from the reality of 'poverty' that it doesn't reach out for us, or if it does, we're unable to truly feel it. The Chinese aren't 'the Chinese', they're just folks, same as in London, the States, Saudi Arabia, but they have a greater awareness than we do of the reality of poverty. Just curious as to whether that will affect their behaviour if China's financial star truly does fire across the heavens.
Createach:
i do agree.......and whatever i said i take it back..generalising is not i should od........excluding is what i need to do..............excluding the bad people.....there is some who will help for the sake of good..........God bless you mate
I doubt it, anyone with money any where is usually cheap. The richest people I know (millionaires at home) are the cheapest shits I ever met.
I find Chinese to be too selfish. I never saw any gift giving, arguing over the bills Chinese like I read about. What a Chinese person GIVE? ha ha ha Chinese give good scam.
lokethebloke:
Does your statement apply to ALL Chinese or are there some who are kind, thoughtful and considerate?
TedDBayer:
I never met any of those. I met some pleasant ones. Kind and considerate, no.
lokethebloke:
It must be working then, what with so many expats marrying so many Chinese ladies. Surely you're not that blinkered, you're just taking the piss aren't you?
mArtiAn:
Like I said, Ted, I believe western money is too far removed from the reality of poverty to truly know how to give a shit, hence your cheap, rich friends. Chinese money is in the pockets of people who have a closer understanding of poverty. Of course they're selfish, they are still caught up in the competition of wealth; my question is, if, as it has been predicted, they win that competition, will their emphatic knowledge of poverty increase the chances of grander gestures of charity?
It's an absurd idea, I know, i'm just spitballing with this post, as with any other. I have dropped my trousers once again and am displaying my naivety in all it's glory.
MissA:
Ted, I thought you wanted to take your Chinese girl back to Canada?
TedDBayer:
OK I rethought this, there were 4 girls that came over and always gave me freebies, so I guess that counts for being considerate, kinda. I couldn't get a visa for my girl friend. I thought I made a good case, I even paid extra for a 10 year visa. I F* sucks that it is so hard to get a visa and even if I got married you have to wait for visa. it is supposed to take about 8 months but anyone I know waited over 3 years. they said the process seems to be in place just to make you give up. i wanted her to see my home, not get married only to find she hated Canada. It's a quiet place where people don't stare, might take some getting used to.
TedDBayer:
For some strange reason, there are alot of millionaires living around me in rural Canada, most of it old money, inherited. One of my nieghbors was the eighth richest guys in either NA or Canada, he made his money, but he was kind of a prick. The people that are rich by inheritance are unbelievably cheap, I could go on about it, but I had an insight one day when observing one of this people, they are so afraid of loosing money or one day waking up not having it, that it can ruin their lives. A person on welfare or what ever government hand out just spends because he knows there will be more coming, but not alot of rich people. They're just cheap, cheap.
They don't even help their own poor, why would they help someone else's?
cooter:
Face, of the international variety...and surely for something in return, say from some government of some country in Africa sitting on vast reserves of resources....maybe.
they will help out alot more than the west. the west wanted to keep africa in endless debt so they can rape the continet of all its resources and tell them they still owe them after all of its gone. china is helping out africa with fair business deals and not highwayrobbery.
